From the 1st-5th June, the robots descended on Vienna. The 2026 IEEE International Conference on Robotics & Automation (ICRA) brought together the top minds in robotics for one short week to showcase the latest technologies, form new collaborations, and exchange ideas. Held at the Messe Wien, a stone’s throw from the bank of the Danube, ICRA proved to be equal parts technological marvel and thought-provoking discussion.
The host venue for ICRA 2026: Messe Wien, also known as VIECON.
Workshop on robot ethics
My week at ICRA began with the 2nd ICRA 2026 Workshop on Robot Ethics: Ethical, Legal and User Perspectives in Robotics & Automation (WOROBET). WOROBET provided a space for researchers to share ideas, thoughts, and concerns on the future of robot-human interaction, and how to create ethical frameworks to navigate this rapidly changing technology.
Yasuhisa Hirata, Professor at Tohoku University, began by presenting his vision of a world with physically assistive robots, such as detachable exoskeletons or cycling wheelchairs. These tools can affect people’s sense of self-efficacy and motivation, and there are a host of ethical implications that come with this – how do you help people just enough to build their confidence, without slipping into deception?
