The event, which has never been held in the Southern Hemisphere before, is a co-sponsored conference from the IEEE and the Robotics Society of Japan.
“This is a big win for Sydney and the NSW visitor economy,” said the NSW jobs and tourism minister, John Graham.
“It’s also exciting to be hosting such an important global discussion in Sydney. This emerging field is reaching a critical inflection point and hosting a world leading conference will put Australian experts at the forefront of that conversation.”
Sydney’s event bidding organisation, BESydney, worked with robotics stakeholders from around Australia to help secure the event for Sydney. The bid also had support from Australia’s national subvention fund which is managed by Tourism Australia.
“Events such as IROS allow us to build global connectivity for our robust local research ecosystem as well as showcasing Australian capability and collaboration and investment opportunities,” said BESydney CEO, Lyn Lewis-Smith.
“New South Wales hosts advanced research facilities, such as the UTS ARC Research Hub for Human-Robot Teaming for Sustainable and Resilient Construction and Robotics Institute, and the University of Sydney’s Australian Centre for Field Robotics and the ARC Australian Robotic Inspection and Asset Management Hub, and these institutions have pioneered innovations in areas including space robotics, infrastructure maintenance and sustainable mining applications.
“Initiatives like the Sydney Quantum Academy and Tech Central’s innovation hubs underpin Sydney’s vibrant ecosystem, creating opportunities for collaboration across fields such as AI, quantum computing and robotics.
“These advancements are driving NSW’s competitive edge and attracting international conferences and investment that spotlight its leadership in digital and intelligent technologies,” she said.
Held annually since 1988, IROS is one of the largest robotics conferences in the world and is expected to inject $31 million of direct expenditure into Australia’s economy.
”The successful bid to host IROS2028 in Sydney highlights the outstanding efforts of distinguished Australian robotics researchers, Professors Dana Kulic, Peter Corke, Denny Oetomo and Hanna Kurniawati,” said University of Technology Sydney (UTS) Distinguished Professor Dikai Liu, who was co-chair of the winning bid and has also been recognised for his exceptional work in the field of infrastructure robotics, receiving the Harashima Award from the IEEE Robotics and Automation Society in 2024.
“Their expertise and dedication have secured this prestigious event, and I am honoured to co-chair alongside them.
“This is a great opportunity to showcase Australian robotics, promote the robot industry in Australasia and also advance robotics in the Pacific Island countries,” he said.
The conference will be held at ICC Sydney from October 2 to 6, 2028.
