SECOND INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON MECHATRONICS AND MACHINE VISION IN PRACTICE; MMVIP '95 CITY UNIVERSITY OF HONG KONG 12-14TH SEPTEMBER 1995 CALL FOR PAPERS INTRODUCTION Mechatronics is the basis of an ever growing list of products and techniques of great technical and commercial value. Microcomputer control, mechanical and electronic systems are amalgamated in an integrated design, enabling mechatronic systems to achieve objectives which were previously impractical. Mechatronic design can result in products which are much simpler than their intricate and costly predecessors. Machine-vision is emerging from the laboratory to find real applications in areas which include vehicle guidance, robot control, surgery and agriculture. M2VIP'95 will provide a forum for international experts and researchers to present and review advances in mechatronics and machine vision which have culminated in practical appli- cations, or which promise practical implementation in the very near future. Presentations will be especially welcome which include video material or experimental systems. SCOPE Papers are sought in which technical innovation is backed up by evidence of original and practical implementation at least to prototype stage. It is hoped that most presentations will include a brief video of working apparatus. Proposals and sug- gestions for special sessions and panel discussions will be welcomed. The following topics are just a few of those which will be relevant to the conference: * Vision guidance including factory and road vehicles. * Mobile robots and telechirs. * Mechatronics in construction, civil engineering, agriculture and other non-industrial based applications. * Visiual recognition in manufacturing processes including quali- ty control and sorting. * Mechatronics and machine vision in the garment and toy indus tries. * "Intelligent" products - ranging from consumer items to automated manufacturing systems. * Sensory control of robots - for exploration, security, detec- tion, maintenance, hazardous environments, compliant assembly. * Novel actuator and sensor systems for mechatronic infra structure. * Control strategies and design methodologies of particu- lar relevance to mechatronics. * Mechatronics in surgery and medicine. * Mechatronics education PAPER SUBMISSION Please submit three copies of a 2 page extended abstract, or a 1 page abstract and a VHS video to: Robin Bradbeer Department of Electronic Engineering City University of Hong Kong Kowloon Tong Hong Kong Tel: +852 2788 7199. Fax: +852 2788 7791. E-mail: eertbrad@cityu.edu.hk Video 'poster' displays are also planned. Submissions for this are welcome. However full details have yet to be finalised. A compilation video, including those shown during paper presenta- tions and any 'poster' sessions, will supplement the printed proceedings, if the quality and content is of sufficient inter- est. Further details of the conference, including a registration pack, are available from the above address for those who wish to attend but not submit a paper. The expected registration fee will be in the order of US$200-250. This will include all conference sessions, lunches, reception, banquet and proceedings. INVITED SESSIONS AND PANELS The conference welcomes proposals for invited sessions and panels to be submitted to: Dr Kamineni P Rao Department of Manufacturing Engineering City University of Hong Kong Kowloon Tong Hong Kong Tel: +852 2788 8409. Fax: +852 2788 8423. E-mail: mekprao@cityu.edu.hk The organiser of each invited session/panel should submit a title, a brief description on the relevance of the session/panel to the conference, and a maximum of four invited papers (each with an abstract of 2 pages) for review. IMPORTANT DATES * 1st April 1995 Submission deadline * 15th May 1995 Notification of acceptance * 1st August 1995 Submission of camera ready papers LOCAL ARRANGEMENTS Hong Kong, acknowledged as the Pearl of the Orient, cordially invites delegates to the 1995 Second International Conference on Mechatronics and Machine Vision in Practice. The conference will take place at the new City University of Hong Kong. The Univer- sity is in the centre of Kowloon and is close to many shopping malls, world-class hotels and recreational facilities. It is also at the crossroads of the mass transit systems. This thriving city is now the world's busiest container port, and one of the biggest shopping and commercial centres. Tax free prices make it a shoppers' paradise. With the highest per capita income in Asia outside of Japan, Hong Kong has an ambience that is its own. The mixture of Chinese and Western influences pro- vides a unique conference destination. Hong Kong is also home to some of the region's top educational and scientific establishments, and special study tours to the research laboratories of the universities and industrial sites can be arranged. The Department of Manufacturing Engineering, in collaboration with the Department of Electronic Engineering, at CityU, for example, has one of the first Mechatronics degree courses in Asia. During the conference the laboratories of these two departments at CityU will be open to show their work in mechatronics and machine vision, and also to allow presenters to have the opportunity to demonstrate their work. There will also be an exhibition associated with the conference. Hong Kong is not all skyscraper buildings and industry; there is also some stunning scenery with over 40% of the land area dedi- cated to country parks, and short excursions can easily be orga- nised. Longer tours to the outlying islands, of which there are 235, can also be arranged. The main attraction of Hong Kong for many visitors, though, is its proximity to China. Just 35 minutes away by train from the conference site is the booming border city of Shenzhen. Here you can see China's economic miracle at first hand. Further up the railway line is the provincial capital of Guang- zhou, again a showcase for China's new economics. The Pearl River delta, of which Hong Kong and Guangdong are part, has been the world's fastest growing economic zone for the past decade. Some 50 minutes from Hong Kong by hydrofoil is the Portuguese territo- ry of Macau. This small enclave boasts some of the best food in the region as well as a southern European charm seldom found so far from the Mediterranean. For those wanting to venture further, tours to the famous moun- tains of Guilin, for example, can be arranged. Most countries' citizens have visa-free access to Hong Kong, and its airport has direct flights to most major cities around the world. CONFERENCE ORGANISING COMMITTEE CONFERENCE CO-CHAIRMEN Prof J Billingsley University of Southern Queensland Australia Prof V Patri City University of Hong Kong LOCAL ORGANISING COMMITTEE Robin Bradbeer (Chairman) City University Of Hong Kong Peter Tse (Treasurer) City University of Hong Kong Sherman Lang (Secretary) City University of Hong Kong Daniel Chan Hong Kong Productivity Council A K David Hong Kong Polytechnic University Raymond Yip City University of Hong Kong K C Smith Hong Kong University of Science and Technology Peter K S Tam Hong Kong Polytechnic University Lam Yeung City University of Hong Kong INTERNATIONAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE Herb Rauch, USA Derek Atherton, UK Zhu Qin, China T S Ng, Hong Kong S W Lui, Hong Kong Xu Guangyou, China Makato Kajitani, Japan INTERNATIONAL PROGRAMME COMMITTEE S K Tso, Hong Kong (Chairman) T J Tarn, USA (Co-Chairman) J Hewit, UK F Naghdy, Australia D Leung, Hong Kong J Trevelyan, Australia S Yuta, Japan T Fukuda, Japan M Rodd, UK K Simsarian, Sweden R Willgoss, Australia H Shinno, Japan M Vincze, Austria A Collie, UK C J Harris, UK Sun Jian, China Zhou Zhaoying, China Zhu Qiye, China K Yamafuji, Japan M Gupta, Canada P N Brett, UK (This list will be expanded as more confirmations arrive) ORGANISED BY IEEE Hong Kong Section IEEE Robotics and Automation/Control Systems Joint Chapter TECHNICAL CO-SPONSORS IEEE Robotics and Automation Society IEEE Control Systems Society IEE Hong Kong Centre HKIE Electronics Division Chinese Society for the Promotion of Mechatronics Engineering SPONSORED BY City University of Hong Kong WORLD MICROMOUSE CHAMPIONSHIPS As part of M2VIP '95 it is planned to hold the 1995 World Micromouse Championships. Micromouse, being the embodiment of mechatronics, is a well established international event. It is expected that around 30 of the world's top 'mousers' will be in Hong Kong to enter the event, which will take place after the conference, on 15th-16th September. All delegates are invited to stay on for a few more days and witness this fascinating contest.