They came on foot, by taxi, on e-scooters (with luggage – we saw them!). Presenters, delegates, exhibitors, members, guests – everyone in robotics who was able to come to Rimini was at the Palacongressi at some point during one very special week in mid-March. Why? Because of ERF.
The week started with the General Assembly, although for many of those who were travelling, it started with a flight, very often to Bologna, and then onwards by train or shuttle to Rimini. What for many was their first evening in Rimini continued with a drinks reception and the members’ dinner at the Grand Hotel, a national monument and equally famous for its association with Rimini-born film director Federico Fellini.
Wednesday brought with it the full ERF experience – workshops, the opening ceremony, plenary keynote addresses, the hackathon, and not least the exhibition – the hub, hive and heart of ERF for the rest of the week. For sport, the charity run – now almost a tradition – encouraged over 30 ERF participants (another record) to swap forum wear for shorts and running shoes, completing a 5K course along park paths and across the cobbled streets of Rimini’s historic old city, with registration fees donated to Rimini Autismo.
There were academic tracks and industrial sessions. There was coffee, there were lunches and conversations, so many conversations. From first thing in the morning until well into the evening, the large, airy elegant Palacongressi was buzzing with people and, of course, robots of many kinds. It was busy and it felt busy – and no wonder, with over 1,200 participants passing through during the week. You had to see it to appreciate the scale, the intensity, the interest and the value. If you were there in Rimini, you will know exactly what we mean. But if you were not there, you can get a very good impression of the whole end-to-end Rimini experience by viewing the ERF 2024 photo galleries . Take a look. It’s worth it.
Calling all ERF 2024 workshop presenters: euRobotics would like to receive a summary of your workshop presentations and discussions. You can upload your material to the dedicated ERF 2024 workshops folder. Look out for the link