ICCRE 2025 Keynote Speakers

Biography: Shugen Ma (Foreign Fellow of the EAJ, IEEE Fellow, AAIA Fellow, JSME Fellow) received his Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering Science from the Tokyo Institute of Technology in 1991. From 1991 to 1992, he was a Research Engineer with Komatsu Ltd, and from 1992 to 1993, he was a Visiting Scholar at the University of California, Riverside. He joined the Department of Systems Engineering at Ibaraki University as an Assistant Professor in 1993 and then moved to Ritsumeikan University as a Professor in 2005. In 2023, he joined the Robotics and Autonomous Systems Thrust of Systems Hub as a Professor at the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (Guangzhou). His research interests include the design and control of environment-adaptive robots, field robotics, and Bio-robotics. He has published over 530 papers in refereed professional journals and international conference proceedings. He has also developed over 50 novel robot systems, filed over 80 patents, and supervised 44 Ph.D. students and over 100 M.Phil. students to graduation. For this achievement, he has been featured in the list of the world’s top 2% of scientists published by Stanford University.
He is the general chair of IROS2022 in Kyoto, founded the ROBIO conference in 2004, and served as the general chair of ROBIO 2004, ROBIO 2010, and ROBIO 2016. He was/is an Associate Editor of the IEEE Transaction on Robotics from December 2003 to November 2007, an Editor of Advanced Robotics, and an Associate Editor of Biomimetic Intelligence and Robotics, serving many societies and conferences.

Title of Speech: Design, Control, and Application of In-pipe Inspection Robot 

Abstract: Pipelines are widely used in industries and our daily lives as essential components of infrastructures. Regular inspection and rapid repair of pipelines are required to prevent critical leakage accidents. In this talk, we introduce some designs for in-pipe inspection robots, especially a multilink-articulated robot with omnidirectional and hemispherical wheels, for inspecting and exploring pipelines. A pair of hemispherical wheels are installed at the end of the robot to align quickly the steering direction, while the omnidirectional wheels generate sufficient propelling force forward and backward. Then, we will present an anisotropic shadow-based operation assistant system for this robot, which uses only an illuminator and a camera. We will also showcase some applications made possible through cooperation with enterprises.  

Biography: Makoto Iwasaki received his B.S., M.S., and Dr. Eng. degrees in Electrical and Computer Engineering from Nagoya Institute of Technology (NIT), Japan, in 1986, 1988, and 1991, respectively. He is currently Vice President of NIT, responsible for international affairs, and a Professor in the Department of Electrical and Mechanical Engineering.
As an active contributor to the IEEE Industrial Electronics Society (IES), he has served in various leadership roles, including Chair of the IES Fellow Evaluation Committee (2022–2023), Co-Editor-in-Chief of the IEEE Transactions on Industrial Electronics (2016–2022), and Vice President for Planning and Development (2018–2021), among others. He was elevated to IEEE Fellow in 2015 for his "contributions to fast and precise positioning in motion controller design." He is also a Fellow of the Institute of Electrical Engineers of Japan (IEEJ) and a member of the Science Council of Japan.
Dr. Iwasaki has received numerous prestigious academic, foundation, and government awards, including the Best Paper and Technical Awards from IEEJ, the Nagamori Award, the Ichimura Prize, and the Commendation for Science and Technology by the Japanese Minister of Education. He has also been recognized in the World’s Top 2% Scientists 2024 by Stanford University and Elsevier.
His current research interests focus on the application of advanced control theories to linear and nonlinear modeling, precision positioning, and intelligent motion control, through extensive collaboration with industry.

Title of Speech: Practical Motion Controller Design for Mechatronic Systems Considering Global Environmental Issues 

Abstract: “Motion Control” is one of practical academic disciplines on the basis of control theories, and has been extensively applied to actual “Mechatronic Systems” in various industrial fields. For example, fast-response and high-precision motion control should be indispensable in a wide variety of high performance mechatronic systems including micro and/or nano scale motion, such as data storage devices, machine tools, manufacturing tools for electronics components, and industrial robots, from the standpoints of high productivity, high quality of products, and total cost reduction. In those applications, the required specifications in the motion performance, e.g. response/settling time, trajectory/settling accuracy, etc., should be sufficiently achieved, in addition to the robust/adaptive capabilities against disturbances, uncertainties, and variations in mechanisms.
Recent technological trends, on the other hand, are broadening the motion control applications to effectively present the countermeasures of the industrial high performances as well as the global environmental issues against, such as, natural disasters, global warming, the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), etc. The keynote speech, therefore, explores how motion control technologies contribute to improving mechatronic systems while simultaneously providing practical solutions to pressing environmental issues. Specifically, the talk highlights research and development efforts aimed at achieving high-performance motion control in environmentally conscious applications. Case studies will be presented, including hydraulic actuator-driven earthquake simulators and Galvano scanner-driven laser marking systems for bottle packaging, to illustrate practical controller design methodologies and their real-world impact.  

Biography: Marcelo H. Ang, Jr. received the B.Sc. degrees (Cum Laude) in Mechanical Engineering and Industrial Management Engineering from the De La Salle University, Manila, Philippines, in 1981; the M.Sc. degree in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Hawaii at Manoa, Honolulu, Hawaii, in 1985; and the M.Sc. and Ph.D. degrees in Electrical Engineering from the University of Rochester, Rochester, New York, in 1986 and 1988, respectively. His work experience includes engineering work in Intel, research positions at the East West Center in Hawaii and at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and an Assistant Professor of Electrical Engineering at the University of Rochester, New York. In 1989, Dr. Ang joined the Department of Mechanical Engineering of the National University of Singapore, where he is currently a professor. His research interests span the areas of robotics, mechatronics, and applications of intelligent systems methodologies. His teaching includes graduate and undergraduate level courses in robotics; creativity and innovation, and Engineering Mathematics. He is also active in consulting work in robotics and intelligent systems. He is also actively involved in the Singapore Robotic Games as its founding chairman and the World Robot Olympiad as a member of the Advisory Council.

Title of Speech: Towards Robotics in Everyday Life: Challenges and Opportunities 

Abstract: Over the years, robotics science and technology have expanded beyond their initial industrial applications in manufacturing to significantly influence sectors such as service, healthcare, education, and entertainment. Today, robots play an integral role in our everyday lives, operating in unstructured environments with a focus on human-centered interactions. They work alongside us, enhancing our quality of life. This talk will explore the latest advancements in the essential robotic capabilities of mobility and manipulability, as well as discuss the challenges that must be overcome to drive the next wave of the robotics revolution.  

Biography: Xingjian Jing received the B.S. degree from Zhejiang University, China, the M.S. degree and PhD degree in Robotics from Shenyang Institute of Automation, Chinese Academy of Sciences in 2001 and 2005, respectively. He also achieved the PhD degree in nonlinear systems and signal processing from University of Sheffield, U.K. in 2008.
He is now a Professor with the Department of Mechanical Engineering, City University of Hong Kong. Before joining in CityU, he was a Research Fellow with the Institute of Sound and Vibration Research, University of Southampton, followed by assistant professor and associate professor with Hong Kong Polytechnic University. His current research interests include: Nonlinear dynamics, Vibration, Control and Robotics, with a series of 200+ publications of 12800+ citations and H-index 59 (in Google Scholar), with a number of patents filed in China and US. He is one of the top 2% highly cited world scientists and a senior IEEE member.
Prof Jing is the recipient of a number of academic and professional awards including 2016 IEEE SMC Andrew P. Sage Best Transactions Paper Award, 2017 TechConnect World Innovation Award in US, 2017 EASD Senior Research Prize in Europe, 2017 the First Prize of HK Construction Industry Council Innovation Award, and 2019&2023 HKIE outstand paper awards etc.
He currently serves Associate Editors of Mechanical Systems and Signal Processing, IEEE Transactions on Industrial Electronics, & IEEE Transactions on Systems, Man, Cybernetics -Systems, and served as Technical Editor of IEEE/ASME Trans. on Mechatronics during 2015-2020. He was the lead editor of a special issue on “Exploring nonlinear benefits in engineering” published in Mechanical Systems and Signal Processing during 2017-2018 and is the lead editor of the other special issue on “Next-generation vibration control exploiting nonlinearities” published in MSSP during 2021-2022.

Title of Speech: Underwater Robots with Tunable Bi-stabile Propulsion 

Abstract: High maneuverability and energy efficiency are essential for underwater robots in engineering applications. Aquatic species, through natural evolution, exhibit agile and efficient swimming capabilities that can be harnessed to enhance robotic swimmers. A key challenge in this domain is the design and control of an effective propulsion system. This study introduces a novel, highly flexible, and controllable bistable nonlinear mechanism, referred to as a "fishtail." This mechanism integrates an elastic spine with a lightweight parallel linkage system. By actively controlling the endpoint of the elastic spine, the compliant tail achieves exceptional controllability and tunable bi-stability, resulting in a highly efficient and precisely controlled bistable elastic propulsion system. Experimental results indicate that this new bistable fishtail can attain a speed of up to 0.8 m/s, with a cost of transport as low as 9 J/m/kg, and an average turning speed of up to 107°/s with a turning radius of just 0.31 body lengths. This study offers a viable and efficient approach to designing nonlinear compliant propulsion systems for underwater vehicles by leveraging nonlinear dynamics.