My RosConIN'24 Experience

Last year, I missed ROSCon India due to exams and, honestly, had no idea what I was missing out on. This year, though, I made it, and it turned out to be more than I ever imagined. The two days I spent at ROSConIN'24 were nothing short of transformative, and this blog itself is a result of the inspiration I drew from the event.

Setting the Stage

The second edition of ROSCon India, following the overwhelming success of last year’s event with 750+ attendees, was hosted by ARTPARK at the Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Bangalore. This event brought together developers, hobbyists, researchers, and industry professionals to share, learn, and network over all things ROS (Robot Operating System).

What makes ROSCon India special is its resemblance to the international ROSCon, with a local flavor that emphasizes India’s growing influence in robotics and automation. It was heartwarming to see support from Open Robotics and the enthusiastic efforts of Acceleration Robotics, RigBetel Labs, and ARTPARK in organizing such an impactful gathering.

Day 0: Workshops Galore

The event kicked off with Workshop Day on December 4th. We could choose one out of three workshops, and I opted for the third one:

1. Workshop 1: Next-Gen Robotics Development with NVIDIA ISAAC, GenAI, and ROS – Organized by NVIDIA, this workshop offered a comprehensive dive into cutting-edge robotics development. Though I couldn’t attend it, the buzz from the attendees made it clear how enriching it was.

2. Workshop 2: Leveraging Zenoh as a ROS 2 Middleware Layer – Conducted by Zettascale Technology, this session explored Zenoh as an innovative middleware layer for ROS 2. It intrigued many participants and opened up discussions on its potential.

3. Workshop 3: ROS 2 Controls, Navigation, and Advanced Communication Study – Organized by ARTPARK, this was my pick! A deep dive into ROS 2 controls, navigation, and communication felt perfectly aligned with my interests. The hands-on experience and insights I gained were invaluable.

Day 1: A Conference to Remember

December 5th began with registrations and a warm welcome address by the organizers, setting an enthusiastic tone. Some highlights from the day included:

• Keynotes: Geoffrey Biggs (CTO, Open Robotics) and Yadunund Vijay (Intrinsic) discussed the state of Open Robotics in 2024, followed by Jigar Halani from NVIDIA sharing insights on robotics development.
• Inspiring Talks: From Yuvraj Mehta’s session on RoboGPT to Sarvesh Kumar Malladi’s insights on Universal Robots’ ROS2 features, each talk added depth to the learning experience.
• Industry Focus: Anish Dalvi from TCS delved into automotive protocols, while Somdeb Saha highlighted retail automation with ROS. Both sessions demonstrated the vast industrial applications of ROS.
• Panel Discussion: The day ended with an engaging panel on cracking the product-market fit in robotics, featuring founders and investors sharing valuable insights.

Day 2: Deep Dives and Future Directions

December 6th brought more enlightening sessions, including:

• Keynote by Angelo Corsaro (ZettaScale Technology): An in-depth look at Zenoh as an alternative middleware layer for ROS 2.
• Technical Sessions: From Ajay Sethi and Prateek Nagras introducing the Robotics Application Stack to Nidhi Choudhary’s integration of physics-based neural networks with Gazebo, the variety of topics covered was astounding.
• Fireside Chat: The event concluded with a thought-provoking discussion on the future of ROS, featuring Geoffrey Biggs, Yadunund Vijay, and Angelo Corsaro.

Networking and Personal Highlights

One of the most fulfilling aspects of ROSConIN’24 was the chance to meet incredible people. I connected with alumni from my college, including Aryan Jaguste and Jatin Vera, whose experience in robotics left me inspired. I also met many other professionals who have been in this field for years, generously sharing their knowledge and encouraging me to keep learning and experimenting.

It was this vibrant exchange of ideas and stories that inspired me to start this blog. ROSConIN’24 wasn’t just a conference; it was a catalyst for my growth in the robotics domain.

A Big Shoutout

A massive thanks to all the companies and individuals who made this event possible, including Acceleration Robotics, RigBetel Labs, ARTPARK, NVIDIA, Zettascale Technology, Tata Consultancy Services, Universal Robots, and many others like Autodiscovery, Botsoverkill, Bullwork, Golain, I-Hub Jodhpur, IISc, Kikobot, Nawe, Neuralzome, Thundroids, Vicharak, Virya, and xTerra.

Closing Thoughts

As I reflect on my experience, I can’t help but marvel at how much this event has broadened my horizons. It’s not just about the technical knowledge but also the sense of community and the shared passion for innovation. If you’re even remotely interested in robotics or automation, attending ROSConIN should be a no-brainer. Who knows? You might walk away with a new project idea, a mentor, or even the inspiration to start a blog, just like I did!

As if ROSConIN’24 wasn’t enough to fill my plate with excitement, the very next day, I found myself at the GNOME Asia Summit in Bangalore. It was an incredible opportunity to connect with open-source contributors and Linux enthusiasts. The vibe there was equally inspiring, and I came away with even more appreciation for the open-source community.

Speaking of Bangalore, let’s not forget the city’s legendary traffic. I’ll admit, navigating those jam-packed streets tested my patience (and Google Maps’ sanity), but the morning chill and the sheer energy of being in India’s tech hub more than made up for it. If you’ve never tried squeezing in two major conferences in one trip, let me tell you—it’s like a crash course in networking and caffeine dependency.

Meeting passionate individuals at both events has only fueled my curiosity to dive deeper into robotics and open source. In fact, it was during ROSConIN’24 that I felt inspired to start this tech blog, channeling my excitement and insights into something more tangible. And hey, if I can navigate Bangalore traffic and two back-to-back conferences, I’m pretty sure I can handle just about anything life throws my way!