<div dir="ltr"><p dir="ltr" style="font-size:12.8px;text-decoration-style:initial;text-decoration-color:initial;line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(34,34,34);background-color:transparent;font-weight:400;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Dear Colleagues,</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="font-size:12.8px;text-decoration-style:initial;text-decoration-color:initial;line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(34,34,34);background-color:transparent;font-weight:400;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Apologies for any cross-postings.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="font-size:12.8px;text-decoration-style:initial;text-decoration-color:initial;line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(34,34,34);background-color:rgb(255,255,255);font-weight:700;font-style:italic;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">10th International Conference on Social Robotics (ICSR 2018) </span><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(34,34,34);background-color:rgb(255,255,255);font-weight:400;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">(</span><a href="http://uconf.org/ICSR2018/" style="color:rgb(17,85,204);text-decoration:none" target="_blank"><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(17,85,204);background-color:rgb(255,255,255);font-weight:400;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:underline;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">http://uconf.org/ICSR2018</span></a><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(34,34,34);background-color:rgb(255,255,255);font-weight:400;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">) invites entries for its flagship </span><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(34,34,34);background-color:rgb(255,255,255);font-weight:700;font-style:italic;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Robot Design Competition </span><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(34,34,34);background-color:rgb(255,255,255);font-weight:700;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">(</span><a href="http://uconf.org/ICSR2018/competition.html" style="color:rgb(17,85,204);text-decoration:none" target="_blank"><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(17,85,204);background-color:rgb(255,255,255);font-weight:400;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:underline;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">http://uconf.org/ICSR2018/com<wbr>petition.html</span></a><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(34,34,34);background-color:rgb(255,255,255);font-weight:700;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">)</span><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(34,34,34);background-color:rgb(255,255,255);font-weight:400;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">.</span></p><br style="font-size:12.8px;text-decoration-style:initial;text-decoration-color:initial"><p dir="ltr" style="font-size:12.8px;text-decoration-style:initial;text-decoration-color:initial;line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;font-weight:400;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">The International Conference on Social Robotics (ICSR) brings together researchers and practitioners working on the interaction between humans and robots and on the integration of robots into our society. This year the conference will be held on <span class="m_-3978607817010772185gmail-m_4759829358453255305gmail-m_2034473522011127973gmail-aBn" style="border-bottom:1px dashed rgb(204,204,204)"><span class="m_-3978607817010772185gmail-m_4759829358453255305gmail-m_2034473522011127973gmail-aQJ">November 28th-30th, 2018</span></span>, Qingdao, China</span></p><br style="font-size:12.8px;text-decoration-style:initial;text-decoration-color:initial"><p dir="ltr" style="font-size:12.8px;text-decoration-style:initial;text-decoration-color:initial;line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(34,34,34);background-color:transparent;font-weight:700;font-style:italic;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">The ICSR Robot Design Competition 2018 </span><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(34,34,34);background-color:transparent;font-weight:700;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">(</span><a href="http://uconf.org/ICSR2018/competition.html" style="color:rgb(17,85,204);text-decoration:none" target="_blank"><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(17,85,204);background-color:rgb(255,255,255);font-weight:400;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:underline;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">http://uconf.org/ICSR2018/com<wbr>petition.html</span></a><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(34,34,34);background-color:transparent;font-weight:700;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">)</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="font-size:12.8px;text-decoration-style:initial;text-decoration-color:initial;line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(34,34,34);background-color:transparent;font-weight:400;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">==============================<wbr>====</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="font-size:12.8px;text-decoration-style:initial;text-decoration-color:initial;line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(34,34,34);background-color:transparent;font-weight:400;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">How can the robots be part of our life to assist, serve, accompany, educate or entertain us? What is the next “Big Thing” and the next “Killer App” for robots? Where is the new generation of social robots heading and what could be the innovative societal applications? Have a solid idea/working prototype, send your entries to ICSR 2018 Robot Design Competition. Whatever your background or experience, this competition is a great way to present your work to an international multidisciplinary R&D community as well as representatives from robotics and AI industries, and get their valuable feedback, and above all get recognized.</span></p><br style="font-size:12.8px;text-decoration-style:initial;text-decoration-color:initial"><p dir="ltr" style="font-size:12.8px;text-decoration-style:initial;text-decoration-color:initial;line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(34,34,34);background-color:transparent;font-weight:700;font-style:italic;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Submission</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="font-size:12.8px;text-decoration-style:initial;text-decoration-color:initial;line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(34,34,34);background-color:transparent;font-weight:400;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">=========</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="font-size:12.8px;text-decoration-style:initial;text-decoration-color:initial;line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(34,34,34);background-color:transparent;font-weight:400;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">The ICSR 2018 robot design competition welcomes applicants from any background. Each submission should have a (maximum) 2 page summary including a concise abstract/synopsis of a maximum of 50 words. Additionally a single link of related video be included (maximum duration of the video is 3 minutes). Competition chairs, with the help from experts and reviewers, will select the finalists. Each finalists is supposed to present their entry at a dedicated event in the conference, which will be evaluated by the Jury of peers. Finalists will also get opportunity to exhibit during the conference (optional).</span></p><br style="font-size:12.8px;text-decoration-style:initial;text-decoration-color:initial"><p dir="ltr" style="font-size:12.8px;text-decoration-style:initial;text-decoration-color:initial;line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(34,34,34);background-color:transparent;font-weight:400;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Email your submission to Amit Kumar Pandey, </span><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(17,85,204);background-color:transparent;font-weight:400;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"><a href="mailto:akpandey@softbankrobotics.com" style="color:rgb(17,85,204)" target="_blank">akpandey@softbankrobotics.com</a></span><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(34,34,34);background-color:transparent;font-weight:400;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"> and Ali Meghdari </span><a href="mailto:meghdari@sharif.edu" style="color:rgb(17,85,204)" target="_blank"><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(17,85,204);background-color:transparent;font-weight:400;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">meghdari@sharif.edu</span></a><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(34,34,34);background-color:transparent;font-weight:400;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"> with the subject line starting with: </span><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(34,34,34);background-color:transparent;font-weight:700;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">[ICSR 2018 Competition]</span></p><br style="font-size:12.8px;text-decoration-style:initial;text-decoration-color:initial"><p dir="ltr" style="font-size:12.8px;text-decoration-style:initial;text-decoration-color:initial;line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(34,34,34);background-color:transparent;font-weight:700;font-style:italic;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Dates</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="font-size:12.8px;text-decoration-style:initial;text-decoration-color:initial;line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(34,34,34);background-color:transparent;font-weight:400;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">=====</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="font-size:12.8px;text-decoration-style:initial;text-decoration-color:initial;line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(34,34,34);background-color:transparent;font-weight:400;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Submission deadline: <span class="m_-3978607817010772185gmail-m_4759829358453255305gmail-m_2034473522011127973gmail-aBn" style="border-bottom:1px dashed rgb(204,204,204)"><span class="m_-3978607817010772185gmail-m_4759829358453255305gmail-m_2034473522011127973gmail-aQJ">September 1, 2018</span></span> </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="font-size:12.8px;text-decoration-style:initial;text-decoration-color:initial;line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(34,34,34);background-color:transparent;font-weight:400;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Notification: <span class="m_-3978607817010772185gmail-m_4759829358453255305gmail-m_2034473522011127973gmail-aBn" style="border-bottom:1px dashed rgb(204,204,204)"><span class="m_-3978607817010772185gmail-m_4759829358453255305gmail-m_2034473522011127973gmail-aQJ">September 30, 2018</span></span></span></p><br style="font-size:12.8px;text-decoration-style:initial;text-decoration-color:initial"><p dir="ltr" style="font-size:12.8px;text-decoration-style:initial;text-decoration-color:initial;line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(34,34,34);background-color:transparent;font-weight:700;font-style:italic;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Categories & Prizes</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="font-size:12.8px;text-decoration-style:initial;text-decoration-color:initial;line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(34,34,34);background-color:transparent;font-weight:400;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">===============</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="font-size:12.8px;text-decoration-style:initial;text-decoration-color:initial;line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(34,34,34);background-color:transparent;font-weight:400;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">The winners certificates will be awarded in two categories:</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="font-size:12.8px;text-decoration-style:initial;text-decoration-color:initial;line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(34,34,34);background-color:transparent;font-weight:400;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">- Innovation in software, applications and interaction modalities</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="font-size:12.8px;text-decoration-style:initial;text-decoration-color:initial;line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(34,34,34);background-color:transparent;font-weight:400;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">- Innovation in hardware, design and interfaces</span></p><br style="font-size:12.8px;text-decoration-style:initial;text-decoration-color:initial"><p dir="ltr" style="font-size:12.8px;text-decoration-style:initial;text-decoration-color:initial;line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(34,34,34);background-color:transparent;font-weight:400;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">All the submissions will be considered for both the categories.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="font-size:12.8px;text-decoration-style:initial;text-decoration-color:initial;line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(34,34,34);background-color:transparent;font-weight:400;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">=============</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="font-size:12.8px;text-decoration-style:initial;text-decoration-color:initial;line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(34,34,34);background-color:transparent;font-weight:400;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"><br></span></p><br style="font-size:12.8px;text-decoration-style:initial;text-decoration-color:initial"><p dir="ltr" style="font-size:12.8px;text-decoration-style:initial;text-decoration-color:initial;line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(34,34,34);background-color:transparent;font-weight:400;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Thanks & Regards,</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="font-size:12.8px;text-decoration-style:initial;text-decoration-color:initial;line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(34,34,34);background-color:transparent;font-weight:400;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Amit Kumar Pandey and Ali Meghdari </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="font-size:12.8px;text-decoration-style:initial;text-decoration-color:initial;line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(34,34,34);background-color:transparent;font-weight:400;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">ICSR 2018 Competition chairs</span></p><br clear="all"><div><div class="m_-3978607817010772185gmail_signature" data-smartmail="gmail_signature"><div dir="ltr"><div><div dir="ltr"><div><div dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr"><span style="color:rgb(102,102,102)"><div dir="ltr" style="color:rgb(34,34,34);font-size:small"><span style="color:rgb(102,102,102)"><div><br>----</div>=========================<br>Amit Kumar Pandey (Ph.D.)<br>Head Principal Scientist (Chief Scientist) (</span><span style="color:rgb(102,102,102)">R&D)</span></div><div style="color:rgb(34,34,34);font-size:small"><span style="color:rgb(102,102,102)">Scientific Coordinator- Collaborative Projects</span><span style="color:rgb(102,102,102)"></span></div><div dir="ltr" style="color:rgb(34,34,34);font-size:small"><div><span style="color:rgb(102,102,102)"><span style="color:rgb(34,34,34);font-family:arial;border-collapse:separate"><span style="color:rgb(102,102,102)">(Human Robot Interaction, </span><span style="color:rgb(102,102,102)">Socially Intelligent Robots, AI</span><span style="color:rgb(102,102,102)">)</span></span><br></span><span style="color:rgb(102,102,102)"><br></span></div><div><span style="color:rgb(102,102,102)">SoftBank Robotics (formerly Aldebaran Robotics)</span></div><span style="color:rgb(102,102,102)">Paris, France</span></div><div dir="ltr" style="color:rgb(34,34,34);font-size:small"><span style="color:rgb(102,102,102)"><br></span></div><div dir="ltr" style="color:rgb(34,34,34);font-size:small"><div dir="ltr"><span style="color:rgb(102,102,102)">Founding coordinator of euRobotics Topic Group on-</span></div><div dir="ltr"><span style="color:rgb(102,102,102)">Socially Intelligent Robots and Societal Applications (SIRo-SA)<br></span></div><span style="color:rgb(102,102,102)"><br><a href="http://fr.linkedin.com/in/amitkrpandey" style="color:rgb(17,85,204)" target="_blank">http://fr.linkedin.com/in/<wbr>amitkrpandey</a></span></div><div dir="ltr" style="color:rgb(34,34,34);font-size:small"><a href="http://amitkpandey.com/" style="color:rgb(17,85,204)" target="_blank">http://amitkpandey.com</a><span style="color:rgb(102,102,102)"><br></span><br><font color="#666666"><a href="https://www.ald.softbankrobotics.com/en" style="color:rgb(17,85,204)" target="_blank">https://www.ald.<wbr>softbankrobotics.com/en</a></font></div><div dir="ltr" style="color:rgb(34,34,34);font-size:small"><br></div><div dir="ltr" style="color:rgb(34,34,34);font-size:small"><a href="https://www.eu-robotics.net/sparc/topic-groups/index.html" target="_blank">https://www.eu-robotics.net/<wbr>sparc/topic-groups/index.html</a></div><div dir="ltr" style="color:rgb(34,34,34);font-size:small"><span style="color:rgb(102,102,102)">==========================</span></div></span></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div>
</div>
<br>
<p style="margin:0px;text-align:left"><font color="#808080" size="1"><i><span lang="EN-US">This email and any attachment thereto are confidential and intended solely for the use of the individual or entity to whom they are addressed.<br>If you are not the intended recipient, please be advised that disclosing, copying, distributing or taking any action in reliance on the contents of this email is strictly prohibited. In such case, please immediately advise the sender, and delete all copies and attachment from your system.<br>This email shall not be construed and is not tantamount to an offer, an acceptance of offer, or an agreement by SoftBank Robotics Europe on any discussion or contractual document whatsoever. No employee or agent is authorized to represent or bind SoftBank Robotics Europe to third parties by email, or act on behalf of SoftBank Robotics Europe by email, without express written confirmation by SoftBank Robotics Europe’ duly authorized representatives.<br></span></i></font><hr><p></p><p style="margin:0px"><font color="#808080" size="1"><i>Ce message électronique et éventuelles pièces jointes sont confidentiels, et exclusivement destinés à la personne ou l'entité à qui ils sont adressés.<br>Si vous n'êtes pas le destinataire visé, vous êtes prié de ne pas divulguer, copier, distribuer ou prendre toute décision sur la foi de ce message électronique. Merci d'en aviser immédiatement l'expéditeur et de supprimer toutes les copies et éventuelles pièces jointes de votre système.<br>Ce message électronique n'équivaut pas à une offre, à une acceptation d’offre, ou à un accord de SoftBank Robotics Europe sur toute discussion ou document contractuel quel qu’il soit, et ne peut être interprété comme tel. Aucun employé ou agent de SoftBank Robotics Europe n'est autorisé à représenter ou à engager la société par email, ou à agir au nom et pour le compte de la société par email, sans qu’une confirmation écrite soit donnée par le représentant légal de SoftBank Robotics Europe ou par toute autre personne ayant reçu délégation de pouvoir appropriée.<br></i></font></p><p style="margin:0px"><font color="#808080" size="1"><i></i></font></p></p>