Proposal to IEEE

1. Proposal to IEEE Transactions on Automation Sciences and Engineering IEEE Robotics and Automation Society Steering Committee on New Publications: Srinivas Akella, Ken Goldberg (Chair), Bill Hamel, Hideki Hashimoto, Katsushi Ikeuchi, Vijay Kumar, Kok Meng Lee, Peter Luh (EIC, T-RA), Kimon Valavanis, Dick Volz (past T-RA EIC & VP for Pubs), Michael Yu Wang, and Mengchu Zhou

2. Automation Engineers strive to combine automated devices with mathematical and organizational tools to create complex systems for a rapidly expanding range of applications and human activities.

3. Automation Sciencesand Engineering: the abstractions, algorithms, theory, methodologies, models, systems, and case studies that can be applied across industries to significantly advance efficiency, quality, productivity, and reliability for society.

4. New Applications Areas*: • Biotechnology and Health • Food Handling and Processing • Service Industries • Transportation, Security, and Maintenance * In addition to traditional broad ranging manufacturing areas.

5. IEEE Robotics and Automation Society Robotics emphasizes intelligent machines and systems for unstructured environments where a significant portion of the environment is either not known or cannot be directly sensed, and often cannot be controlled. Automation emphasizes scientific methods and technology that improve efficiency, productivity, quality, and reliability, specifically for machines and systems operating in structured environments over long periods, and the explicit structuring of environments.

6. Background IEEE Transactions on Robotics and Automation (T-RA) • Established in 1984, published bi-monthly • Approx 100 papers annually, growing steadily • Top cited Robotics publication • Far less impact in Automation

7. A detailed analysis of competing journals reveals that Automation lacks a flagship journal • Expanding the existing T-RA will not solve the problem – a victim of our own success • Leading Automation Researchers consider T-RA a Robotics publication and will not submit their best work there • To attract leading researchers and subscribers from a broad range of industries: • A major archival journal devoted to Automation is needed.

8. Proposal • Expand T-RA into two publications: • IEEETransactions on Robotics (T-RO) • IEEE Transactions on Automation Sciences and Engineering (T-ASE).

9. Goal: Establish T-ASE as the top cited periodical devoted to Automation, building its reputation on our long-standing tradition of peer review of the highest caliber. T-ASE will emphasize high-quality and significant results, publishing rigorous and visionary papers that explore a range of analytic methodologies relevant to a broad scope of applications.

10. Effect on T-RO? The number of Robotics submissions to T-RA has been growing steadily, we are confident that the creation of T-ASE will not cause any reduction in T-RO. Rather, the quality and quantity of papers in T-RO shall continue to increase.

11. T-RA Submissions Year Submissions 1996 268 1997 289 1998 297 1999 300 2000 343 2001 412 2002 440

12. Ongoing and fruitful cross-fertilization between Robotics and Automation will motivate current members of IEEE RAS to subscribe to both publications (substantiated by society survey). A flagship journal devoted to Automation will also attract many non-IEEE researchers and subscribers from industry and academia (substantiated by informal survey of leading researchers).

13. Impact on other IEEE Societies Eight related IEEE Societies were sent drafts of the proposal and several constructive suggestions were offered and incorporated. No objections were received. Two Societies, Industrial Applications (IAS) and Systems, Man and Cybernetics (SMC), accepted our invitation to become technical co-sponsors and have signed appropriate agreements.

14. The T-ASE Steering Committee is composed of eighteen established researchers in Automation, including the current and past Editors-in-Chief of the T-RA. If approved, this Steering Committee will evolve into the initial T-ASE Editorial Board

15. May 2002: T-ASE Proposal unanimously approved by: • RAS Publications Activities Board • RAS Officers and TRA Editorial Board • RAS AdCom • RAS Adcom approved $300,000 for startup of T-ASE • Created T-ASE Advisory Board, with leaders from inside and outside IEEE

16. T-ASE Advisory Board • Prof. David Dornfeld, ME, UC Berkeley (Past Editor-in-Chief of ASME Journal of Manufacturing) • Dr. Steve Holland, Chief Scientist for Manufacturing, GM • Prof. Shiv Kapoor, Director, Center for Machine Tool Systems • Prof. Yoram Koren, ME, ERC on Reconfigurable Manufacturing Systems, University of Michigan • Prof. George Shanthikumar, IEOR, UC Berkeley • Prof. Masayoshi Tomizuka, ME, UC Berkeley • Prof. Peter Will, Industrial and Systems Engineering, USC (Chair, National Academy Study on Information Technology in Manufacturing) • Dr. Peter Wu, Senior Technical Fellow, The Boeing Company

17. T-ASE Start-Up Plan Phase in T-ASE over two years, with 1st issue in mid 2004. Invite leading researchers in Automation to submit exemplary work to the initial issues. Build T-ASE into a major archival journal. Galvanize the field of Automation and establishing a research community that will integrate and share knowledge across disciplines and industries.

18. Summary: Rationale for T-ASE • Automation is a vital topic for the 21st century • New Applications and Methods are appearing • Automation is central to the IEEE RA Society • The T-RA emphasizes Robotics • Automation lacks a flagship journal • IEEE T-ASE would galvanize the field • Attract leading researchers from Automation • Attract new readers from industry and academia • Technical co-sponsorship with other societies • RAS has approved $300,000 in start up funds • Editorial and Advisory Boards identified

20. Proposal • Expand T-RA into two publications: • IEEETransactions on Robotics (T-RO) • IEEE Transactions on Automation Sciences and Engineering (T-ASE). “A timely and important investment in the future of both the RAS and the IEEE.”

22. Scope of the Proposed T-ASE The IEEE Transactions on Automation Sciences and Engineering (T-ASE) publishes fundamental papers on Automation, emphasizing scientific results that advance efficiency, quality, productivity, and reliability. T-ASE encourages interdisciplinary approaches from computer science, control systems, electrical engineering, mathematics, mechanical engineering, operations research, and other fields. We welcome results relevant to industries such as agriculture, biotechnology, healthcare, home automation, maintenance, manufacturing, pharmaceuticals, retail, security, service, supply chains, and transportation. T-ASE addresses a research community willing to integrate knowledge across disciplines and industries. For this purpose, each paper shall include a Note to Practitioners that summarizes how its results can be applied or how they might be extended to apply in practice.

23. Scope of the T-RO The IEEE Transactions on Robotics (T-RO) publishes fundamental papers on all aspects of Robotics, featuring interdisciplinary approaches from computer science, control systems, electrical engineering, mathematics, mechanical engineering, and other fields. Robots and intelligent machines and systems are critical in areas such as industrial applications; service and personal assistants; surgical operations; space, underwater, and remote exploration; entertainment; safety, search, and rescue; military applications; agriculture applications; and intelligent vehicles. Special emphasis in the T-RO is placed on intelligent machines and systems for unstructured environments, where a significant portion of the environment is unknown and cannot be directly sensed or controlled.