'Social Robotics and its Sustainability', Brussels, Belgium

Researchers have exerted considerable efforts to advance robotic technologies and better understand their social implications. As a result, robots are already assisting numerous human activities. In spite of their increasing significance and relevance, the general public tends to think that robots still belong to the world of science fiction and research laboratories.

Moreover, past research findings are still rather confined within the disciplinary boundaries, hindering cross-fertilisation and collaboration for facilitating the further understanding of social robotics. Bringing research to the next level is essential to integrate robotic technologies in people's everyday lives in an effective, ethical and sustainable way.

In this context, three COST Domains - Individuals, Societies, Cultures and Health (ISCH), Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) and Biomedicine and Molecular Biosciences (BMBS) - have joined forces to discuss innovative research and ideas.

The event will give an overview of the current state of robotics across disciplines in order to discern what the near future may hold. Covered topics will include the evolution of various fields such as engineering and social sciences, the emotional impact of robots, the models of society embodied in robots and the type of societies such robots will contribute to.

For further information, please visit:  http://www.cost.eu/events/socialrobotics