Chennai  – The Centre for Automation & Robotics, Department of Mechatronics Engineering at Hindustan Institute of Technology and Science, Padur, Chennai, held the 4th International Conference on Robotics, Automation, and Non-Destructive ‘Evaluation   today at its Campus. The theme of the conference was ‘Robotics in Sustainable Development’ highlighting the pivotal role of Robotics and in fostering a sustainable and equitable future.

The conference was attended by dignitaries and guest speakers included Prof. Nilesh Jayantilal Vasa, Dean Students at IIT Madras, Member Materials Group, ARDB and Dr. Mukund Janardhanan, Director Education at the University of Leicester, UK, who provided a broader perspective on the applications of robotics in sustainable development. Also present on the occasion was Dr. Anand Jacob Verghese, Chancellor, HITS and Pro-Chancellor, Mr. Ashok Verghese. Delivering the inaugural address, Vice Chancellor Dr. S.N. Sridhara emphasizing the significance of robotics in addressing the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

A Panel discussion on “Industry 5.0: Role of AI in Human Robot Co-Working”, was also held as part of this conference. The focus of the panel discussion is to delve into the potential issues related to human-robot co-working from both organizational and societal perspectives, targeted towards the fifth industrial revolution. Mr. Kumaravel, Senior Technical Manager, Cognizant, Dr. Mukund Janardhanan, Director of Education, University of Leicester, UK., Mr. Vinodkumar, Principal Scientist, NAL, Bangaluru., Mr. Rengarajan, Manager R&D, Suspa Pneumatics, Chennai, Dr. I A Palani, Professor & Dean Research, IIT Indore., Dr. John Paneer Selvam, University of Leicester, UK were the panelists and moderated by Dr. RM. Kuppan Chetty, Professor and Head, HITS.

The event witnessed active participation from over 400 individuals representing Industry, Academia, Research Institutions and Students. The diverse backgrounds and expertise of the participants fostered enriching discussions and collaborations during the conference.

The technical sessions covered various aspects of Robotics, Automation, and Non-Destructive Evaluation, providing a platform for researchers and practitioners to share their research findings and advancements. The conference also featured insightful keynote speeches, engaging panel discussions, and networking opportunities.