Abstract

The rapid decline in marine biodiversity has prompted a global demand for innovative, eco-friendly solutions to address the pressing need for marine conservation. This workshop aims to explore the exciting frontier of sustainable bioinspired robotics as a transformative approach to preserving and restoring marine ecosystems. Bringing together experts and enthusiasts from the fields of robotics, computer science, biology, and marine conservation, this interactive event will delve into the latest research, breakthroughs, and real-world applications of bioinspired robotic systems for marine conservation. The workshop will encompass four main thematic areas: 1) fundamental principles of bioinspiration and biomimetics in robotics, 2) cutting-edge bioinspired robotic designs and materials, 3) ecological impacts and ethical considerations, and 4) case studies and success stories in marine conservation. Attendees can expect a dynamic blend of keynote presentations, panel discussions, and networking opportunities to foster cross-disciplinary collaboration and inspire new avenues for research and development.

By bridging the gap between technology and nature, this workshop aims to generate tangible outcomes for the preservation of our oceans, empowering participants with the knowledge and tools to create a more sustainable future for marine ecosystems worldwide. Join us in our mission to harness the power of bioinspired robotics for the greater good of our blue planet.

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Motivation

The United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 14 aims to "conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas, and marine resources." Policymaking for marine conservation heavily depends on the availability of reliable data. Since water covers over 70% of our planet, it necessitates the collection of vast amounts of data. While satellite data offers useful information about the water surface, it fails to accurately monitor activities below the surface. Currently, underwater data collection typically involves large, dangerous, and expensive operations that only cover a small portion of the world's water surface. There is a need for underwater robotic systems capable of autonomous operation in a wide range of extreme underwater environments to make large-scale data collection feasible. However, numerous challenges in autonomous underwater locomotion, manipulation, localization, mapping, and communication remain largely unaddressed. Marine life serves as an excellent source of inspiration for developing novel artificial mechanisms to tackle these challenges. Nevertheless, a biomimetic approach demands close collaboration between marine biologists and roboticists. Moreover, interdisciplinary collaboration is crucial to ensure that the introduction of robotic systems into our waters does not harm marine life. Instead, these robotic systems should safely interact with or even integrate into the existing ecosystem. The Living Machines conference, which focuses on research in the fields of biomimetic and biohybrid systems, aligns perfectly with the objectives of this workshop.

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Organizers

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Agenda

13:00	13:30	Registration and Opening
13:30	14:00	Bioinspired soft robotics: Lessons from marine species for marine robot applications Prof. Cecilia Laschi, National University of Singapore
14:00	14:30	Octopus as a source of bioinspiration for soft robotics Dr. Letizia Zullo, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia
14:30	15:00	Empowering Marine Robotics with better Visual Cognition Ability Prof. Sai-Kit Yeung, Hong Kong University of Science and Technology
15:00	15:10	Coffee break / discussion
15:10	15:40	Biodegradable Materials in monitoring, healing and restoration of Suffering Corals Reefs Prof. Athanassia Athanassiou, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia
15:40	16:10	Diving into Discovery: Unveiling the Potential of Ocean Data from Emerging Marine Robotics Dr. Simona Aracri, Italian National Research Council
16:10	16:40	Robotics for Ocean Filmmaking Dr. Mrudul Chellapurath, Max Planck Institute for Intelligent Systems
16:45	17:15	Bioinspired robotic approach for ocean monitoring Robert Katzschmann