Abstract
This message is to welcome renewed attention in this journal on several aspects that characterize service robots.
I have very enthusiastically accepted to Chair a new Editorial Board to address more attention on the theory, design, application and practice of service robots in order to attain more submissions in a specific area of this journal.
Service robots have attracted increasing attention for more than a couple of decades, but only recently has a wide acceptance been experienced also at the market level, even if only in some sectors. Thus, reinforced interest has been attracted on the development of new service robots and applying robotic systems for new service tasks. Innovation is expected not only in terms of successful tasks, but also in developing robotic systems for tasks that are from recently open areas, like for example assistance in Survey and Restoration of goods of Cultural Heritage. Service robots are developing following two main trends, namely new solutions with sophisticated systems and adjustments of current solutions with low-cost user-oriented features. The first approach is usually at the lab level, but it is an important background for the second activity that is evolving in order to reach market success and user acceptance. Tasks for robotic systems are made feasible when users require assistance in goal improvements and robots are available to fulfil those task requirements with users' understanding.
Service robotics is challenging both in regard to system developments and task applications, without forgetting human interaction. The multidisciplinary approach is a key factor that requires increasing integration of expertise and the involvement of new areas, including users.
Thus, this renewed interest in service robots in the IJARS journal is aimed at enlarging the forum of presentation and discussion of experiences and designs for systems and applications. Therefore, I encourage researchers to submit their contributions to enrich our vision in this area.
I would like to thank the publisher for giving me, together with the new Editorial Board for the area of service robots, the challenge of increasing the visibility of activities on service robots in this journal.