IEEE-RAS International Conference on Humanoid Robots (Humanoids) 2012

More than a decade has passed since the first Humanoids conference. Over that period, science and technology have advanced significantly. It is time to revisit the original conception of humanoids -- human-like robots -- and engage the next stage of humanoid research. What can we do with the current and emerging research across broad areas of science and technology to explore the next generation of humanoids and their new relationship to humans? How can we drastically push forwards the closeness to humans in terms of design, embodiment, capabilities, interface, interaction, assistance, and social embedding? How can we greatly extend the contributions of humanoid robotics to real-world needs, human science and engineering, medical study and practice, and the future of human society?