The 2025 IEEE International Conference on Robotics and Automation (ICRA): A Milestone in Robotics
The 2025 IEEE International Conference on Robotics and Automation (ICRA) recently wrapped up on May 23 in Atlanta, marking a significant event in the robotics community. Drawing a record-breaking 7,006 attendees, the conference was hosted at the Georgia World Congress Center and featured an impressive 2,107 technical presentations spread across 326 sessions. The diversity of participation and the wealth of knowledge shared solidified ICRA’s position as a leading platform for advancements in robotics.
Cutting-Edge Research and Recognition
At ICRA, attendees immersed themselves in groundbreaking research and technological innovations that are pushing the boundaries of what robots can achieve. Nancy Amato, co-chair of ICRA, highlighted the conference’s prestige, stating, “ICRA is the preeminent conference for robotics. The award-winning papers demonstrate some of the most important work in the field.” This emphasis on groundbreaking research was evident throughout the conference, which showcased award-winning papers, live demonstrations, and insightful editorial contributions.
Award-Winning Papers that Shaped the Conference
One of the most anticipated segments of ICRA is the recognition of exceptional research. The Best Conference Paper award was presented to:
- Marginalizing and Conditioning Gaussians Onto Linear Approximations of Smooth Manifolds with Applications in Robotics by Zi Cong Guo, James Richard Forbes, and Timothy Barfoot.
- MAC-VO: Metrics-Aware Covariance for Learning-Based Stereo Visual Odometry by Yuheng Qiu and colleagues, which also garnered the title of Best Paper on Robot Perception.
In the student category, the Best Student Paper — which additionally received recognition for its work in multi-robot systems — was awarded to:
- Deploying Ten Thousand Robots: Scalable Imitation Learning for Lifelong Multi-Agent Path Finding by He Jiang and team.
Additional Recognitions and Contributions
The conference’s breadth of research was further exemplified in the category of Additional Best Paper Awards, which recognized innovative projects across various subfields of robotics:
- ShadowTac (tactile sensing) by Giuseppe Vitrani et al.
- Point and Go (assistive robotics) by Allie Wang et al.
- TinySense (insect-scale aerial robotics) by Zhitao Yu et al.
- Physics-Aware Robotic Palletization by Tianqi Zhang et al. (automation)
- Robo-DM (robot learning) by Kaiyuan Chen et al.
- Human-Agent Joint Learning by Shengcheng Luo et al. (HRI)
- Soft Robot Worms by Carina Kaeser et al. (mechanisms/design)
- Rodent Ankle Exoskeleton by Juwan Han et al. (medical robotics)
Each of these works reflects the ongoing evolution in robotics, showcasing creative solutions and fresh insights into complex challenges.
Celebrating Editorial and Reviewer Excellence
Acknowledging the hard work behind the scenes, ICRA also honored exceptional contributions from its editorial team and peer reviewers. The Outstanding Associate Editors included:
- Pyojin Kim
- Sajid Nisar
- Hasan Poonawala
- Marco Cognetti
- Anh Nguyen
Additionally, Outstanding Reviewers were recognized for their extra effort and commitment, including:
- Abdalla Swikir
- Long Zeng
- Koutras Leonidas
- Joao Marcos Correia Marques
- Hyungtae Lim
Seth Hutchinson, co-chair of ICRA, noted, “These editors and reviewers went above the call of duty,” highlighting the integral role they play in the conference’s success.
Innovations on Display: Best Expo Demonstration
The conference also included a vibrant exhibit hall showcasing the latest robotics innovations. The Best Expo Demonstration award was given to Kid COSMO, a humanoid robot character developed by UCLA for Netflix’s The Electric State. Celebrated for its expressive humanoid capabilities, Kid COSMO captivated attendees and served as a prime example of the intersection of robotics and entertainment.
Looking Ahead to ICRA 2026
As ICRA 2025 comes to a close, anticipation builds for the next event, set to take place in Vienna, Austria, from June 1-5, 2026. This next conference promises to continue the tradition of excellence established by its predecessors, providing a platform for future innovations and collaborations in robotics.
For those seeking more details, including access to award-winning papers and session videos, additional information is available at the 2025 IEEE ICRA website.