The aim of this workshop is to bring together experts, from formal methods, control theory, AI, and robotics, as a means to examine current research on how to successfully build intelligent robots, allowing for safe interactions and precise maneuvers. In this manner, we enable robots to perform in many scenarios, not only the ones that need physical interaction with humans but also in industrial settings. In addition, this workshop targets sharing experiences and achievements of designing provably-correct controllers for robots from scientists and researchers from several disciplines such as control theory, formal methods, and artificial intelligence. Last but not least, the workshop aims to discuss the state-of-the-art formal method techniques applied in robotics systems and future research directions.
In addition, another aim of the workshop is to build a roadmap toward a sound and unified theoretical basis for using formal methods in addressing elaborated robotics problems that require safe, accurate, and implementable solutions.
Formal methods are concerned with producing precise, unambiguous task specifications or constraints that systems are expected to satisfy. They allow us to design provably-correct controllers, which ensures that the behavior of an AI agent satisfies its formal specification, in a dynamic or stochastic environment. Examples of AI agents are robots. Since robotic systems are hybrid, complex, and sometimes safety-critical, satisfying their formal specification and verifying their closed-loop systems are uniquely challenging. Hence, using formal methods in designing and controlling life and mission-critical robotic systems is highly desirable and essential. Specifically, it allows for the early detection of errors in the robotic system design, which can save time and resources. It also ensures that the robotic system satisfies its specifications, thereby reducing the risk of unexpected behavior that could result in accidents or damage to the robot or its environment. Finally, it enables the systematic verification of the robot's behavior in different scenarios, which is particularly important in safety-critical applications. In this workshop, we will cover some essential concepts in formal methods and control theory and illustrate the potential of such techniques in developing high-quality and safe robotic systems.
The talks in this workshop will cover topics including but not limited to
Abstraction-based methods for planning and control design for robotics systems.
Learning methods for robot control with formal specifications.
Game-theoretic planning and control frameworks for robot manipulation.
Formal synthesis for compositional and decentralized control for multi-robot systems
Reachability analysis and safety verification for safety-critical robotic applications.
RAS technical committees endorsements and Financial Support
This workshop is supported by
The IEEE-RAS TC on Multi-Robot Systems
The IEEE-RAS TC on Algorithms for Planning and Control of Robot Motion
The IEEE-RAS TC on Robotics and Automation