Bei der letzten Session der ICSR am 12. September 2025 präsentierte Oliver Bendel sein Paper mit dem Titel „Wearable Social Robots for the Disabled and Impaired“. Er begann mit der Definition des Begriffs der Wearable Social Robots, die er als eine spezielle Form und Kombination von Wearable Robots und sozialen Robotern versteht. Ein Beispiel dafür ist AIBI, ein kleiner Roboter, den er während des Vortrags kurz um den Hals trug. Wearable Social Robots können Funktionen für Spiele und Unterhaltung, Information und Lernen, Navigation und Beschreibung sowie zur Bekämpfung von Einsamkeit und Angst umfassen. Potenzielle Nutzergruppen sind unter anderem Schüler und Studenten, Gefängnisinsassen, Astronauten sowie behinderte und beeinträchtigte Personen. Franziska und Julia demonstrierten in Videos, wie sie AIBI als Begleiter und für soziale Unterstützung nutzen. Mit diesem Paper setzte Oliver Bendel seine Arbeit im Bereich der Inclusive AI und Inclusive Robotics fort. Die ICSR ist eine der führenden Konferenzen für Soziale Robotik weltweit, und ihre 17. Ausgabe fand vom 10. bis 12. September 2025 in Neapel, Italien, statt. Mariacarla Staffa (Università degli Studi di Napoli „Parthenope“), John-John Cabibihan (Qatar University, Qatar) und Bruno Siciliano (Università degli Studi di Napoli Federico II) waren die Hauptorganisatoren. An den drei Tagen nahmen ca. 300 Forscher teil und trugen so erneut zur Weiterentwicklung der Sozialen Robotik bei.
Abb.: AIBI mit ChatGPT-Erweiterung (Foto: LivingAI)
The short paper „Wearable Social Robots in Space“ by Tamara Siegmann and Oliver Bendel (FHNW School of Business) has been accepted for presentation at the International Conference on Social Robotics (ICSR). The conference will take place from September 10 to 12, 2025, in Naples, Italy. Social robots have been explored on Earth since the 1990s, but this study considers their application beyond our planet – specifically, on manned missions to Mars. The focus lies on wearable social robots, a promising form factor due to their compact size and light weight. Using AIBI as a case study, the short paper examines how such a robot could support astronauts under the unique psychological and environmental conditions of deep space travel. The authors discuss the little robot’s potential roles and highlight directions for future development, particularly in improving human-robot interaction and communication. The findings suggest that wearable social robots like AIBI could offer valuable support on long-duration space missions.
The market for wearable social robots remains relatively small. As illustrated by the case of AIBI, early models often face typical teething problems, with user forums filled with questions and complaints. Nevertheless, these technologies hold potential for a wide range of future applications, offering support and benefits not only to healthy individuals but also to people with disabilities or impairments. The paper „Wearable Social Robots for the Disabled and Impaired“ by Oliver Bendel explores this topic in depth. It defines wearable social robots and situates them within the broader category of wearable robotics. The paper presents several examples and outlines potential application areas specifically for individuals with disabilities. It also addresses key social, ethical, economic, and technical challenges, building on the preceding analysis. The paper has been accepted for presentation at ICSR 2025, which will take place in Naples from September 10 to 12.
The ICSR is one of the leading conferences for social robotics worldwide. The 17th edition will take place from 10 to 12 September 2025 in Naples, Italy. As part of the program, the conference welcomes proposals for workshops that provide a platform for in-depth discussion, exchange of knowledge, and community engagement around current topics in social robotics. The organizers are especially interested in workshops that promote dialogue between established researchers and early-career scientists, supporting a dynamic and inclusive research environment. The deadline for submitting workshop proposals is June 4, 2025. Notifications of acceptance will be sent by July 1, 2025. All details and the submission portal can be found at the following link: icsr2025.eu/ss-ws-proposal … ICSR 2025 offers an opportunity to help shape the future of social robotics through collaborative and forward-looking workshop initiatives.
The ICSR is one of the leading conferences for social robotics worldwide. The 17th edition will take place from 10 to 12 September 2025 in Naples, Italy. The conference website is now online: icsr2025.eu. „The conference theme, ‘Emotivation at the Core: Empowering Social Robots to Inspire and Connect,’ highlights the essential role of ‘Emotivation’ in social robotics. Emotivation captures the synergy between emotion and motivation, where emotions trigger and sustain motivation during interactions. In social robotics, this concept is key to building trust, fostering empathy, and supporting decision-making by enabling robots to respond sensitively to human emotions, inspiring engagement and action.“ (Website ICSR) The most important conferences dates are: Full Paper Submission: March 28th, 2025; Full Paper Notification: May 9th, 2025; Camera-ready: June 30th, 2025; Paper Presentation Days at ICSR’25: September 11th and 12th, 2025. All dates are also listed on the website. Participants will meet for two days at the Parthenope University of Naples and for the third day at the Città della Scienza conference center. All buildings and rooms are also listed on the website. Be part of this excellent conference (Photo: ICSR)!
