This is a sponsored article brought to you by Khalifa University of Science and Technology.

Abu Dhabi-based Khalifa University of Science and Technology in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) will be hosting the 36th edition of the IEEE/RSJ International Conference on Intelligent Robots and Systems (IROS 2024) to highlight the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region’s rapidly advancing capabilities in the robotics and intelligent transport systems.

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Themed “Robotics for Sustainable Development,” the IROS 2024 will be held from 14-18 October 2024 at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Center (ADNEC) in the UAE’s capital city. It will offer a platform for universities and research institutions to display their research and innovation activities and initiatives in robotics, gathering researchers, academics, leading corporate majors, and industry professionals from around the globe.

A total of 13 forums, nine global-level competitions and challenges covering various aspects of robotics and AI, an IROS Expo, as well as an exclusive Career Fair will also be part of IROS 2024. The challenges and competitions will focus on physical or athletic intelligence of robots, remote robot navigation, robot manipulation, underwater robotics, as well as perception and sensing.

Delegates for the event will represent sectors including manufacturing, healthcare, logistics, agriculture, defense, security, and mining sectors with 60 percent of the talent pool having over six years of experience in robotics. A major component of the conference will be the poster sessions, keynotes, panel discussions by researchers and scientists, and networking events.

Khalifa University will be hosting IROS 2024 to highlight the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region’s rapidly advancing capabilities in the robotics and intelligent transport systems.Khalifa University

Abu Dhabi ranks first on the world’s safest cities list in 2024, according to online database Numbeo, out of 329 global cities in the 2024 standings, holding the title for eight consecutive years since 2017, reflecting the emirate’s ongoing efforts to ensure a good quality of life for citizens and residents.

With a multicultural community, Abu Dhabi is home to people from more than 200 nationalities and draws a large number of tourists to some of the top art galleries in the city such as Louvre Abu Dhabi and the Guggenheim Abu Dhabi, as well as other destinations such as Ferrari World Abu Dhabi and Warner Bros. World Abu Dhabi.

The UAE and Abu Dhabi have increasingly become a center for creative skillsets, human capital and advanced technologies, attracting several international and regional events such as the global COP28 UAE climate summit, in which more than 160 countries participated.

Abu Dhabi city itself has hosted a number of association conventions such as the 34th International Nursing Research Congress and is set to host the UNCTAD World Investment Forum, the 13th World Trade Organization (WTO) Ministerial Conference (MC13), the 12th World Environment Education Congress in 2024, and the IUCN World Conservation Congress in 2025.

Khalifa University’s Center for Robotics and Autonomous Systems (KU-CARS) includes a vibrant multidisciplinary environment for conducting robotics and autonomous vehicle-related research and innovation.Khalifa University

Dr. Jorge Dias, IROS 2024 General Chair, said: “Khalifa University is delighted to bring the Intelligent Robots and Systems 2024 to Abu Dhabi in the UAE and highlight the innovations in line with the theme Robotics for Sustainable Development. As the region’s rapidly advancing capabilities in robotics and intelligent transport systems gain momentum, this event serves as a platform to incubate ideas, exchange knowledge, foster collaboration, and showcase our research and innovation activities. By hosting IROS 2024, Khalifa University aims to reaffirm the UAE’s status as a global innovation hub and destination for all industry stakeholders to collaborate on cutting-edge research and explore opportunities for growth within the UAE’s innovation ecosystem.”

“This event serves as a platform to incubate ideas, exchange knowledge, foster collaboration, and showcase our research and innovation activities” —Dr. Jorge Dias, IROS 2024 General Chair

Dr. Dias added: “The organizing committee of IROS 2024 has received over 4000 submissions representing 60 countries, with China leading with 1,029 papers, followed by the U.S. (777), Germany (302), and Japan (253), as well as the U.K. and South Korea (173 each). The UAE with a total of 68 papers comes atop the Arab region.”

Driving innovation at Khalifa University is the Center for Robotics and Autonomous Systems (KU-CARS) with around 50 researchers and state-of-the-art laboratory facilities, including a vibrant multidisciplinary environment for conducting robotics and autonomous vehicle-related research and innovation.

IROS 2024 is sponsored by IEEE Robotics and Automation Society, Abu Dhabi Convention and Exhibition Bureau, the Robotics Society of Japan (RSJ), the Society of Instrument and Control Engineers (SICE), the New Technology Foundation, and the IEEE Industrial Electronics Society (IES).

More information at https://iros2024-abudhabi.org/

This is a sponsored article brought to you by BESydney.

Australia has experienced a remarkable surge in AI enterprise during the past decade. Significant AI research and commercialization concentrated in Sydney drives the sector’s development nationwide and influences AI trends globally. The city’s cutting-edge AI sector sees academia, business and government converge to foster groundbreaking advancements, positioning Australia as a key player on the international stage.

Sydney – home to half of Australia’s AI companies

Sydney has been pinpointed as one of four urban super-clusters in Australia, featuring the highest number of tech firms and the most substantial research in the country.

The Geography of Australia’s Digital Industries report, commissioned by the National Science Agency, the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) and the Tech Council of Australia, found Sydney is home to 119,636 digital professionals and 81 digital technology companies listed on the Australian Stock Exchange with a combined worth of A$52 billion.

AI is infusing all areas of this tech landscape. According to CSIRO, more than 200 active AI companies operate across Greater Sydney, representing almost half of the country’s 544 AI companies.

“Sydney is the capital of AI startups for Australia and this part of Australasia”
—Toby Walsh, UNSW Sydney

With this extensive AI commercialization and collaboration in progress across Sydney, AI startups are flourishing.

“Sydney is the capital of AI startups for Australia and this part of Australasia,” according to Professor Toby Walsh, Scientia Professor of Artificial Intelligence at the Department of Computer Science and Engineering at the University of New South Wales (UNSW Sydney).

He cites robotics, AI in medicine and fintech as three areas where Sydney leads the world in AI innovation.

“As a whole, Australia punches well above its weight in the AI sector,” Professor Walsh says. “We’re easily in the top 10, and by some metrics, we’re in the top five in the world. For a country of just 25 million people, that is quite remarkable.”

Sydney’s universities at the forefront of AI research

A key to Sydney’s success in the sector is the strength of its universities, which are producing outstanding research.

In 2021, the University of Sydney (USYD), the University of New South Wales (UNSW Sydney), and the University of Technology Sydney (UTS) collectively produced more than 1000 peer-reviewed publications in artificial intelligence, contributing significantly to the field’s development.

According to CSIRO, Australia’s research and development sector has higher rates of AI adoption than global averages, with Sydney presenting the highest AI publishing intensity among Australian universities and research institutes.

Professor Aaron Quigley, Science Director and Deputy Director of CSIRO’s Data61 and Head of School in Computer Science and Engineering at UNSW Sydney, says Sydney’s AI prowess is supported by a robust educational pipeline that supplies skilled graduates to a wide range of industries that are rapidly adopting AI technologies.

“Sydney’s AI sector is backed up by the fact that you have such a large educational environment with universities like UTS, USYD and UNSW Sydney,” he says. “They rank in the top five of AI locations in Australia.”

UNSW Sydney is a heavy hitter, with more than 300 researchers applying AI across various critical fields such as hydrogen fuel catalysis, coastal monitoring, safe mining, medical diagnostics, epidemiology and stress management.

UNSW Sydney has more than 300 researchers applying AI across various critical fields such as hydrogen fuel catalysis, coastal monitoring, safe mining, medical diagnostics, epidemiology, and stress management.UNSW

UNSW Sydney’s AI Institute also has the largest concentration of academics working in AI in the country, adds Professor Walsh.

“One of the main reasons the AI Institute exists at UNSW Sydney is to be a front door to industry and government, to help translate the technology out of the laboratory and into practice,” he says.

Likewise, the Sydney Artificial Intelligence Centre at the University of Sydney, the Australian Artificial Intelligence Institute at UTS, and Macquarie University’s Centre for Applied Artificial Intelligence are producing world-leading research in collaboration with industry.

Alongside the universities, the Australian Government’s National AI Centre in Sydney, aims to support and accelerate Australia’s AI industry.

Synergies in Sydney: where tech titans converge

Sydney’s vortex of tech talent has meant exciting connections and collaborations are happening at lightning speed, allowing simultaneous growth of several high-value industries.

The intersection between quantum computing and AI will come into focus with the April 2024 announcement of a new Australian Centre for Quantum Growth at the University of Sydney. This centre will aim to build strategic and lasting relationships that drive innovation to increase the nation’s competitiveness within the field. Funded under the Australian Government’s National Quantum Strategy, it aims to promote the industry and enhance Australia’s global standing.

“There’s nowhere else in the world that you’re going to get a quantum company, a games company, and a cybersecurity company in such close proximity across this super-cluster arc located in Sydney”
—Aaron Quigley, UNSW Sydney

“There’s a huge amount of experience in the quantum space in Sydney,” says Professor Quigley. “Then you have a large number of companies and researchers working in cybersecurity, so you have the cybersecurity-AI nexus as well. Then you’ve got a large number of media companies and gaming companies in Sydney, so you’ve got the interconnection between gaming and creative technologies and AI.”

“So it’s a confluence of different industry spaces, and if you come here, you can tap into these different specialisms,” he adds “There’s nowhere else in the world that you’re going to get a quantum company, a games company, and a cybersecurity company in such close proximity across this super-cluster arc located in Sydney.”

A global hub for AI innovation and collaboration

In addition to its research and industry achievements in the AI sector, Sydney is also a leading destination for AI conferences and events. The annual Women in AI Asia Pacific Conference is held in Sydney each year, adding much-needed diversity to the mix.

Additionally, the prestigious International Joint Conference on Artificial Intelligence was held in Sydney in 1991.

Overall, Sydney’s integrated approach to AI development, characterized by strong academic output, supportive government policies, and vibrant commercial activity, firmly establishes it as a leader in the global AI landscape.

To discover more about how Sydney is shaping the future of AI download the latest eBook on Sydney’s Science & Engineering industry at besydney.com.au

This is a sponsored article brought to you by BESydney.

Australia plays a crucial role in global scientific endeavours, with a significant contribution recognized and valued worldwide. Despite comprising only 0.3 percent of the world’s population, it has contributed over 4 percent of the world’s published research.

Renowned for collaboration, Australian scientists work across disciplines and with international counterparts to achieve impactful outcomes. Notably excelling in medical sciences, engineering, and biological sciences, Australia also has globally recognized expertise in astronomy, physics and computer science.

As the country’s innovation hub and leveraging its robust scientific infrastructure, world-class universities and vibrant ecosystem, Sydney is making its mark on this burgeoning industry.

The city’s commitment to quantum research and development is evidenced by its groundbreaking advancements and substantial government support, positioning it at the forefront of the quantum revolution.

Sydney’s blend of academic excellence, industry collaboration and strategic government initiatives is creating a fertile ground for cutting-edge quantum advancements.

Sydney’s quantum ecosystem

Sydney’s quantum industry is bolstered by the Sydney Quantum Academy (SQA), a collaboration between four top-tier universities: University of NSW Sydney (UNSW Sydney), the University of Sydney (USYD), University of Technology Sydney (UTS), and Macquarie University. SQA integrates over 100 experts, fostering a dynamic quantum research and development environment.

With strong government backing Sydney is poised for significant growth in quantum technology, with a projected A$2.2 billion industry value and 8,700 jobs by 2030. The SQA’s mission is to cultivate a quantum-literate workforce, support industry partnerships and accelerate the development of quantum technology.

Professor Hugh Durrant-Whyte, NSW Chief Scientist and Engineer, emphasizes Sydney’s unique position: “We’ve invested in quantum for 20 years, and we have some of the best people at the Quantum Academy in Sydney. This investment and talent pool make Sydney an ideal place for pioneering quantum research and attracting global talent.”

Key institutions and innovations

UNSW’s Centre of Excellence for Quantum Computation and Communication Technology is at the heart of Sydney’s quantum advancements. Led by Scientia Professor Michelle Simmons AO, the founder and CEO of Silicon Quantum Computing, this centre is pioneering efforts to develop the world’s first practical supercomputer. This team is at the vanguard of precision atomic electronics, pioneering the fabrication of devices in silicon that are pivotal for both conventional and quantum computing applications and they have created the narrowest conducting wires and the smallest precision transistors.

“We can now not only put atoms in place but can connect complete circuitry with atomic precision.” —Michelle Simmons, Silicon Quantum Computing

Simmons was named 2018 Australian of the Year and won the 2023 Prime Minister’s Prize for Science for her work in creating the new field of atomic electronics. She is an Australian Research Council Laureate Fellow, a Fellow of the Royal Society of London, the American Academy of Arts and Science, the American Association of the Advancement of Science, the UK Institute of Physics, the Australian Academy of Technology and Engineering and the Australian Academy of Science.

In response to her 2023 accolade, Simmons said: “Twenty years ago, the ability to manipulate individual atoms and put them where we want in a device architecture was unimaginable. We can now not only put atoms in place but can connect complete circuitry with atomic precision—a capability that was developed entirely in Australia.”

The Design Futures Lab at UNSW in Sydney, Australia, is a hands-on teaching and research lab that aims to inspire exploration, innovation, and research into fabrication, emerging technologies, and design theories.UNSW

Government and industry support

In April 2024, the Australian Centre for Quantum Growth program, part of the National Quantum Strategy, provided a substantial four-year grant to support the quantum industry’s expansion in Australia. Managed by the University of Sydney, the initiative aims to establish a central hub that fosters industry growth, collaboration, and research coordination.

This centre will serve as a primary resource for the quantum sector, enhancing Australia’s global competitiveness by promoting industry-led solutions and advancing technology adoption both domestically and internationally. Additionally, the centre will emphasise ethical practices and security in the development and application of quantum technologies.

Additionally, Sydney hosts several leading quantum startups, such as Silicon Quantum Computing, Quantum Brilliance, Diraq and Q-CTRL, which focus on improving the performance and stability of quantum systems.

Educational excellence

Sydney’s universities are globally recognized for their contributions to quantum research. They nurture future quantum leaders, and their academic prowess attracts top talent and fosters a culture of innovation and collaboration.

Sydney hosts several leading quantum startups, such as Silicon Quantum Computing, Quantum Brilliance, Diraq, and Q-CTRL, which focus on improving the performance and stability of quantum systems.

The UNSW Sydney is, one of Sydney’s universities, ranked among the world’s top 20 universities, and boasts the largest concentration of academics working in AI and quantum technologies in Australia.

UNSW Sydney Professor Toby Walsh is Laureate Fellow and Scientia Professor of Artificial Intelligence at the Department of Computer Science and Engineering at the University of New South Wales. He explains the significance of this academic strength: “Our students and researchers are at the cutting edge of quantum science. The collaborative efforts within Sydney’s academic institutions are creating a powerhouse of innovation that is driving the global quantum agenda.”

Sydney’s strategic investments and collaborative efforts in quantum technology have propelled the city to the forefront of this transformative field. With its unique and vibrant ecosystem, a blend of world-leading institutions, globally respected talent and strong government and industry support, Sydney is well-positioned to lead the global quantum revolution for the benefit of all. For more information on Sydney’s science and engineering industries visit besydney.com.au.

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