1st Cardiff Workshop on Embodied AI: Towards Learning, Reasoning, and Acting in the Physical World

Organised by the Cardiff University Computational Robotics (CUCR) research team in collaboration with Dr. Melkior Ornik (University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign). This one-day, in-person workshop is part of the broader series Autonomy Through Artificial Intelligence, supported through a joint initiative between the University of Illinois and Cardiff University.

We will explore the field of embodied AI, focusing on how intelligent systems can learn, reason, and act effectively in the physical world. The workshop aims to introduce new practitioners to the area by establishing a shared vocabulary, framing key research challenges, and creating opportunities for meaningful exchange between early-career researchers and leading experts.

Programme

Time	Session	Speaker
9:20 – 9:40	Registration	—
9:40 – 10:20	Embodied AI: Learning, Reasoning, and Acting in the Physical World – A tutorial	Dr. Victor Romero-Cano, Cardiff University
10:20 – 11:00	Motion Planning for Multipurpose Autonomous Systems	Dr. Juan D. Hernandez-Vega, Cardiff University
11:00 – 11:10	Break	—
11:10 – 11:50	Autonomy in Extremis: Limited Resources, Treacherous Environments	Dr. Melkior Ornik, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
11:50 – 12:20	Edge and latency-sensitive computing	Prof. Omer Rana, Cardiff University
12:20 – 14:00	Lunch, networking and HCC and Robotics (HCCR) lab visits	Cardiff University Computational Robotics (CUCR) research team
14:00 – 14:40	Task and Motion Planning: From Collaborative Multi-Agent Systems to Assistive Robots to Biohybrid Robots	Prof. Nancy M. Amato, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
14:40 – 15:20	Towards Human-Centered Autonomy	Dr. Katherine Driggs-Campbell, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
15:20 – 15:30	Coffee break	—
15:30 – 16:10	A Leg Up: It takes just one to jump	Dr. Justin Yim, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
16:10 – 16:20	Closing Remarks	Dr. Melkior Ornik and Dr. Victor Romero-Cano