Marine robotics represents a pivotal area of technological advancement, facilitating unprecedented exploration and understanding of our oceans. As the final frontier on Earth, the ocean offers vast resources and mysteries, driving the need for innovative solutions that marine robotics provides. The significance of transitioning these robotic technologies "From the Lab to the Field" cannot be overstated. This process is essential for the practical application of research, enabling scientists to gather real-world data and insights that are crucial for environmental conservation, resource management, and the advancement of marine science.

However, conducting field activities in marine environments poses substantial challenges. The unpredictable and often harsh conditions of the ocean, including its vast depths, strong currents and tides, corrosive saltwater, and dynamic environments complicate the deployment and operation of robotic systems. These challenges underscore the importance of robust design, testing, and operational strategies that can withstand the marine environment.

Recognizing these obstacles, this workshop focusing on "From the lab to the field" aims to bring together scientists, researchers, practitioners to discuss the challenges, successes, and failures associated with field activities in marine robotics. By fostering a collaborative environment, the workshop intends to share knowledge, experiences, and best practices, thereby supporting future field activities in marine robotics. Through this dialogue, we hope to bridge the gap between theoretical research and practical application, advancing the capabilities and impact of marine robotics on a global scale.

Key themes of the workshop will include:

• Bridging the gap between simulation and real-world deployments to improve the transferability of research findings to operational environments.
• Addressing the challenges of long-term marine robotic operations, such as autonomy, energy management, and resilience in dynamic oceanic conditions.
• Developing best practices for field testing, risk mitigation, and system robustness to enhance operational success.
• Encouraging open discussions on failures and lessons learned to foster a culture of transparency and knowledge-sharing within the community.
• Strengthening collaboration among researchers, engineers, and industry stakeholders to accelerate progress in marine robotics.

Submission Guidelines

Submission ofr Extended Abstracts is open, with the expectation that selected authors will present a poster. The workshop itself is not archival, so there are no restriction based on already published materials, nor on submission to other conferences / journals after the workshop. Just make sure it is relevant for the topic!

Committees

Organizing committee

•  Prof. Francesco Maurelli / Constructor University / Campus Ring 1, 28759, Bremen, Germany, EU / fmaurelli@constructor.university 

•  Prof. Nina Mahmoudian / Purdue University / 585 Purdue Mall, West Lafayette, IN 47907, USA / ninam@purdue.edu 

• Dr. Hyun-Taek Choi / Autonomous & Intelligent Maritime Systems Research Division, Korea Research Institute of Ships and Ocean Engineering, Daejeon, Korea / htchoi@kriso.re.kr

• Dr. Narjes Davari / Constructor University / Campus Ring 1, 28759, Bremen, Germany, EU / ndavari@constructor.university 

• Prof. Xianbo Xiang / Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China / xbxiang@hust.edu.cn /

Contact

All questions about submissions should be emailed to any of the organisers (better to put them all in cc)