Special Session Ⅰ: Cooperative Control of Marine Robots

Chair: Shude He, Guangzhou University, China
Co-Chairs: Yu Lu, Nanjing University of Science and Technology, China
Ke Lu, Guangxi University, China

Keywords: Cooperative Control, Learning Control, Unmanned Surface Vehicle, Autonomous Underwater Vehicle, Submersible Vehicle, Amphibious Vehicle

Information: This special session focuses on cutting-edge theoretical research on cooperative control of marine robots, covering heterogeneous platforms including surface, underwater, submersible, and amphibious vehicles. It particularly addresses the challenges posed by complex marine environments to system autonomy, adaptability, and robustness. The inherent characteristics of the ocean—strong disturbances, poor communication, and high dynamics—pose profound difficulties for traditional modeling, control, and decision-making theories, necessitating new analytical tools and design methodologies. The session aims to bring together scholars and postgraduate students in robotics, control theory, and artificial intelligence, and through invited presentations and in-depth discussions, to explore theoretical issues in perception fusion, cooperative control, dynamic decision-making, and multi-platform coordination under uncertain environments, as well as to envision future research directions. Participants will gain an in-depth understanding of the latest theoretical advances in the field, obtain a clear recognition of core scientific problems, and foster interdisciplinary idea exchanges and collaborative research.

The topics to be covered include, but are not limited to: Cooperative Modeling of Heterogeneous Marine Robot Swarm Systems Multi-source Perception Information Fusion in Complex Marine Environments Distributed Cooperative Decision-making and Dynamic Task Allocation under Communication Constraints Robust Formation Control of Marine Robot Swarms Intelligent Game-theoretic Approaches for Marine Robot Swarms

Submission Deadline: October 12, 2026

 

Special Session Ⅱ: Networked Control and Optimization

Chair: Liqing Wang, Zhejiang Sci-Tech University, China
Co-Chairs: Ze Zhou, Wuhan University of Technology, China
Kangdi Lu, Lingnan University, China

Keywords: Communication-Constrained Control, Integrated Energy System, Energy Management Strategy, Multi-Agent Coordination, Cloud-Edge Collaboration

Information: This special session focuses on fundamental theories and cutting-edge methodologies in networked control and optimization, addressing the profound challenges imposed by limited communication resources, dynamic network topologies, and adversarial cyber environments on system analysis and synthesis. As control systems increasingly rely on open communication networks, traditional point-to-point control frameworks encounter critical bottlenecks in bandwidth allocation, data quantization, transmission delays, packet dropouts, and security vulnerabilities. This session aims to bring together researchers and postgraduate students from control theory, communication engineering, and applied mathematics to explore novel analytical frameworks that bridge control design with network protocols. Through invited presentations and panel discussions, the session will delve into theoretical issues including co-design of control and communication, distributed optimization over time-varying graphs, resilience against cyber attacks, and real-time decision-making under limited information, while also charting future research pathways toward intelligent and secure networked systems.Participants will gain systematic insights into the latest theoretical advancements, develop a clear understanding of core scientific challenges, and foster interdisciplinary collaborations at the intersection of control, communication, and computation.

The topics to be covered include, but are not limited to: Co-design of Communication Protocols and Control Laws for Networked Systems Distributed Optimization and Resource Allocation over Constrained Networks Event-Triggered and Self-Triggered Control for Bandwidth-Limited Scenarios Security and Resilience of Cyber-Physical Systems under Malicious Attacks Networked Predictive Control with Time-Varying Delays and Packet Losses Cloud-Edge Collaborative Control Architectures for Large-Scale Systems Game-Theoretic Decision-Making in Networked Multi-Agent Environments Data-Driven Control and Optimization for Unknown Networked Dynamics

Submission Deadline: October 16, 2026

 

Special Session Ⅲ: Intelligent Control and Optimization for Complex Dynamical Systems

Chair: Runan Guo, Shandong University of Science and Technology, China
Co-Chairs: Wenshun Lv, Southern University of Science and Technology, China
Meiqing Li, Shandong Women’s University, China

Keywords: Complex Dynamical Systems, Intelligent Control, Adaptive and Robust Control, Data-Driven Control, Multi-Agent Systems, Networked Control Systems, Intelligent Optimization, Secure and Resilient Control

Information: With the increasing application of complex dynamical systems in intelligent manufacturing, robotics, autonomous systems, and networked systems, their nonlinearities, uncertainties, couplings, and communication constraints have introduced new challenges in control and optimization. This special session brings together researchers in control, automation, robotics, and artificial intelligence to discuss recent advances in intelligent control, data-driven methods, distributed coordination, secure control, and intelligent optimization. It aims to promote the integration of intelligent techniques with modern control theory and facilitate the transition from theoretical developments to practical applications.

The topics to be covered include, but are not limited to: Intelligent, adaptive, and robust control of complex nonlinear systems Distributed cooperative control and optimization of multi-agent systems Secure and resilient control of networked control systems and cyber-physical systems Event-triggered, self-triggered, and sampled-data control State estimation, fault diagnosis, and fault-tolerant control Finite-time, fixed-time, and prescribed-time control Applications of intelligent control and optimization to robotics, autonomous systems, and intelligent manufacturing

Submission Deadline: September 25, 2026

 

Special Session Ⅳ: Vibration Control and Utilization for Flexible Manipulators

Chair: Jianwei Zhang, Zhejiang Normal University, China
Co-Chair: Xiaokang Du, Zhejiang Normal University, China

Keywords: Flexible Manipulator, Rigid-Flexible Coupling Dynamic Modeling, Stability Analysis, Nonlinear Dynamic Behavior, Vibration Control Method, Vibration Energy Harvesting, Synergistic Design for Vibration Control and Utilization

Information: This special session focuses on cutting-edge research in vibration control and utilization of flexible manipulators, covering heterogeneous platforms including industrial collaborative robots, surgical robots, humanoid robots and space service robots. It emphatically discusses the severe challenges posed by multi-mode vibration induced by rigid-flexible coupling under high-speed motion, sudden load change and human-robot interaction to the system accuracy, stability and energy efficiency. Traditional rigid-body modeling and control methods are difficult to cope with the nonlinear response and energy dissipation mechanism of elastic deformation, so a new paradigm integrating dynamics modeling, intelligent control and energy harvesting is urgently needed. This special session aims to bring together scholars and postgraduate students in the fields of robotics, nonlinear control, intelligent perception and energy harvesting. Through in-depth exchanges, we will systematically discuss core topics such as rigid-flexible coupling modeling, vibration suppression methods, and vibration energy harvesting, so as to promote the breakthrough of "suppression-utilization" collaborative design. Participants can grasp the theoretical frontiers and stimulate interdisciplinary innovation and cooperation.

The topics to be covered include, but are not limited to: Dynamic Modeling of Flexible Manipulators Stability Analysis of Flexible Manipulators Nonlinear Dynamics of Flexible Manipulators Vibration Control of Flexible Manipulators Vibration Energy Harvesting Synergistic Design for Vibration Control and Energy Harvesting

Submission Deadline: October 12, 2026

 

Special Session Ⅴ: Industrial Embodied Intelligence for Smart Manufacturing: Visual Perception, Learning-based Control, and Robotic Execution Loop

Chair: Shaopan Guo, Nanjing Tech University, China
Co-Chairs: Miao Liu, Nanjing Tech University, China
Jingyang Mao, Shanghai Institute of Technology, China

Keywords: Industrial Embodied Intelligence, Machine Vision and Scene Understanding, Vision, Language-Action Models, Imitation Learning and Control, Reinforcement Learning and Control, Flexible Manipulation and Force Control, Human-Robot Collaboration

Information: Embodied intelligence is rapidly penetrating industrial manufacturing, with its core lying in enabling robotic agents to autonomously complete industrial tasks—such as grasping, assembly, welding, and polishing—through a closed-loop of "perception—decision—execution" in real-world settings. This session focuses on three core technical challenges of industrial embodied intelligence and their solution pathways: (1) Industrial Eye (Perception)—multimodal data fusion in complex dynamic environments, accurate process modeling and monitoring under limited perception, covering 2D/3D/4D vision, point cloud perception, and visual foundation models; (2) Industrial Hand (Control)—dynamic balancing between flexible adaptation and high-precision manipulation, exploring hybrid control architectures that combine Vision-Language-Action (VLA) models, imitation learning, and reinforcement learning with classical servo control and MPC; (3) Industrial Brain (Decision)—collaborative fusion of general-purpose skills with specialized industrial processes, and intelligent optimization of process planning and production line scheduling. Topics include industrial robots, collaborative robots, compliant assembly, Sim-to-Real transfer, and human-robot collaboration. The session aims to contribute full-stack technical achievements—from "seeing" to "acting"—to IARCE 2026, and to advance the deployment and evolution of embodied intelligence in smart manufacturing.

The topics to be covered include, but are not limited to: Industrial Embodied Intelligence Machine Vision and Scene Understanding Vision-Language-Action Models Imitation Learning and Control Reinforcement Learning and Control Flexible Manipulation and Force Control

Submission Deadline: October 16, 2026

 

Special Session Ⅵ: Distributed Security Control, Optimization, and Decision-Making with Applications in Power Systems

Chair: Yanping Yang, Donghua University, China
Co-Chair: Yinghao Shan, Donghua University, China

Keywords: Muti-agent System, Distributed Control, Distributed Optimization, Power System, Cyber Attack, Economic Dispatch, Privacy Protection

Information: This special session focuses on fundamental theories and advanced methodologies in distributed security control, optimization, and decision-making for modern power systems, addressing the critical challenges posed by cyber-physical interdependencies, communication constraints, and adversarial threats. As power systems evolve into large-scale cyber-physical networks with increasing penetration of distributed energy resources and demand-side participation, traditional centralized control paradigms face significant bottlenecks in scalability, reliability, and resilience. The integration of multi-agent systems, distributed optimization, and privacy-preserving techniques offers new opportunities for secure and efficient power system operations, yet also introduces complex challenges in coordinating distributed decision-making, mitigating cyber attacks, and balancing economic objectives with system security. This session aims to bring together researchers and postgraduate students from control theory, power engineering, cybersecurity, and applied mathematics to explore novel frameworks that bridge distributed algorithms with practical power system applications. Through invited presentations and in-depth discussions, the session will systematically address core topics including distributed security control strategies, privacy-preserving economic dispatch, attack-resilient optimization algorithms, and secure decision-making under imperfect information, while also charting future research directions toward intelligent, resilient, and privacy-aware power grids. Participants will gain comprehensive insights into the latest theoretical breakthroughs, develop a clear understanding of emerging challenges, and foster interdisciplinary collaborations at the intersection of control, optimization, cybersecurity, and power systems.

The topics to be covered include, but are not limited to: Resilient Distributed Control for Power Systems under False Data Injection Attacks Privacy-Preserving Distributed Optimization for Economic Dispatch in Smart Grids Distributed Attack Detection and Isolation Mechanisms in Multi-Agent Power Systems Secure and Efficient Distributed Decision-Making for Cyber-Physical Power Systems Distributed Economic Dispatch with Communication Constraints and Time Delays Game-Theoretic Approaches to Distributed Security Control in Interconnected Power Networks Distributed Optimization Algorithms for Coordinated Voltage and Frequency Regulation under Cyber Threats Privacy-Aware Distributed State Estimation and Control in Multi-Area Power Systems

Submission Deadline: October 15, 2026

 

Special Session Ⅶ: Advanced Medical Robotics: Technologies, Systems, and Clinical Applications

Chair: Yanjiang Zhao, Harbin University of Science and Technology, China
Co-Chair: Weixi Zhang, Harbin University of Science and Technology, China

Keywords: Medical Robotics, Surgical Robotics, Robot-Assisted Intervention, Medical Imaging and Navigation, Rehabilitation and Assistive Robotics, Soft and Continuum Robots, Intelligent Control, Human-Robot Interaction

Information: Medical robotics has emerged as a rapidly developing interdisciplinary field at the intersection of robotics, automation, control engineering, artificial intelligence, biomedical engineering, and clinical medicine, with growing applications in surgery, minimally invasive intervention, diagnosis, rehabilitation, and assistive therapy. Advances in robotic mechanisms, medical imaging, intelligent sensing, navigation, precision control, human-robot interaction, and artificial intelligence have enabled a wide range of systems, including surgical robots, interventional robots, endoscopic robots, orthopedic and neurosurgical robots, ultrasound robots, rehabilitation robots, and soft and continuum robots, creating new opportunities to improve the precision, safety, and efficiency of clinical diagnosis and treatment. However, complex anatomical environments, deformable tissues, constrained operating spaces, uncertain sensory information, and stringent safety requirements continue to pose significant challenges to the design, perception, planning, control, and clinical translation of medical robotic systems. This special session aims to bring together researchers, engineers, clinicians, and postgraduate students from robotics, automation, biomedical engineering, artificial intelligence, and related fields to discuss recent theoretical, technological, and application-oriented advances in medical robotics, ranging from fundamental methodologies and robotic system development to intelligent technologies and clinical applications, and to promote interdisciplinary collaboration toward safer, more precise, more intelligent, and clinically translatable medical robotic technologies.

The topics to be covered include, but are not limited to: Design, Modeling, and Control of Medical Robotic Systems Surgical, Interventional, Endoscopic, and Image-Guided Robotic Systems Orthopedic, Neurosurgical, Dental, and Microsurgical Robotics Rehabilitation, Assistive, Wearable, and Therapeutic Robotics Soft, Continuum, Flexible, and Miniaturized Medical Robots Medical Imaging, Intelligent Perception, Navigation, and Multimodal Sensing Autonomous Control, Motion Planning, Teleoperation, and Human-Robot Interaction Artificial Intelligence, Safety, Evaluation, and Clinical Translation for Medical Robotics

Submission Deadline: October 31, 2026

 

Special Session Ⅷ: Advanced Control and Filtering for Networked Dynamical Systems

Chair: Fan Wang, Nanjing University of Information Science and Technology, China
Co-Chairs: Yezheng Wang, Nanjing University of Information Science and Technology, China
Xueyang Meng, Hangzhou Dianzi University, China

Keywords: Networked Control Systems, Robust Control, Optimal Filtering, Distributed Control and Estimation, Distributed/Centralized Optimization, Multi-Sensor Fusion, Communication Constraints, Industrial Automation Applications

Information: Networked dynamical systems, interconnected via communication networks among sensors, controllers, and actuators, are widely used in smart manufacturing, intelligent transportation, and UAV swarms. However, network-induced imperfections such as packet losses, channel fading, bandwidth limitations, and cyber attacks seriously challenge the stability and performance of traditional control and filtering methods. This special session focuses on cutting-edge research on advanced control and filtering theories for networked dynamical systems, aiming to provide innovative solutions to these challenges. The target audience includes researchers and engineers working in control theory, signal processing, artificial intelligence, and automation engineering. Expected outcomes include gaining insights into recent theoretical advances and engineering practices, promoting interdisciplinary collaboration, and advancing intelligent sensing and decision-making technologies in networked environments.

The topics to be covered include, but are not limited to: Robust and adaptive control for networked dynamical systems Recursive filtering for stochastic systems under network-induced complexities Distributed and decentralized control for networked dynamical systems Distributed state estimation over sensor networks with communication constraints Security-aware control and filtering for networked systems Nonlinear networked control systems: analysis and synthesis Applications of advanced control and filtering in networked engineering and social dynamic systems

Submission Deadline: October 30, 2026

More special sessions will be updated soon.