2026 Hellenic Robotics Forum - HERON Robotics Center Of Excellence

The first Hellenic Robotics Forum (HRF 2026) will bring together the Greek and international robotics community, promoting the exchange of advanced research results in Robotics in the Artificial Intelligence era.

Organized by HERON – Hellenic Center of Excellence in Robotics, the Forum aspires to be a key meeting point for researchers from academia in Greece and abroad, as well as for leading companies in Robotics, encouraging knowledge exchange and collaboration, and mobilizing the Greek Robotics Ecosystem.

The Forum will feature:

Keynote talks by leading experts
Paper spotlights and poster presentations
Thematic panel discussions
Live demonstrations and exhibition showcases

Technical Scope: The Forum invites contributions across a broad range of Robotics research areas, including but not limited to:

Field and Space Robotics
Healthcare and Social Robotics
Human-Robot Interaction
Machine Learning and AI for Robotics
Marine and Maritime Robotics
Multimodal Robot Perception
Safety and Security Robotics

Welcome Message

On behalf of the entire Organizing Committee, it is our great pleasure to welcome you to the 1st Hellenic Robotics Forum (HRF 2026) in the beautiful city of Athens, Greece, from July 1 to July 2, 2026. The HRF 2026 Organizing Committee, together with all our sponsors, our supporters, and our volunteers, is excited to host you at the premises of the iconic building of the Eugenides Foundation, which was established in 1954 and houses one of the largest and finest digital planetariums in the world.

The 1st Hellenic Robotics Forum is organized by the HERON – Hellenic Robotics Center of Excellence, through the HERON Excellence Unit of Athena Research Center, Greece. This two-day Forum will serve as a scientific venue for the presentation and discussion of foundational and applied research in robotics in the era of artificial intelligence. It will bring together researchers from academia and industry, as well as members of the Greek scientific diaspora, promoting knowledge exchange and contributing to brain gain within the Hellenic robotics community. The program will include keynote talks by leading scientists, paper posters and spotlight presentations, thematic panels, a career session, exhibition booths and demos, best paper awards, and a rich social networking program.

The HRF 2026 offers an innovative technical program with more than 110 posters and spotlight presentations spanning field and space robotics, healthcare and social robotics, marine and maritime robotics, safety and security robotics, multimodal robot perception, human-robot interaction, and AI and machine learning for robotics. All accepted papers have already been published or accepted for publication in peer-reviewed conferences and journals and have been selected based on novelty, quality, and relevance. The Forum also features panels exploring the intersections of robotics, AI, and society, as well as robotics and innovation.

The HRF 2026 social program celebrates Greek cuisine, hospitality, and culture, enhanced by the near-seaside location of the Eugenides Foundation and the wonderful summer weather of Athens. The Eugenides Foundation is strategically located close to the Stavros Niarchos Foundation Cultural Center, open-air concert venues, and is near the city and port of Piraeus, the Athens Riviera, and the historical center of Athens.

We invite you to join us at HRF 2026 and enjoy its scientific and social program combining innovative science, robotics, AI, and social interactions celebrating the inaugural robotics forum in Greece. We hope it will be a memorable experience for years to come.

Petros Maragos, Evangelos Papadopoulos and Costas Tzafestas

HRF 2026 General Chairs

Program

The agenda of the 1^st Hellenic Robotics Forum (HRF) 2026 is available here.

The Spotlight Presentations Program of the 1st Hellenic Robotics Forum (HRF) 2026 is available here

The Poster Sessions Program of the 1st Hellenic Robotics Forum (HRF) 2026 is available here

Keynote Speakers

All Members

Project Manager

Education

communication

Technical Support

Infrastructure and Research

phd

Ex-Com

IT Support

Field and Space Robotics

Healthcare

Safety

Makerspaces

strategic

Kostas Alexis

Norwegian University of Science and Technology

Yiannis Aloimonos

University of Maryland

Kostas Bekris

Rutgers University

Christos Bergeles

King’s College London

Evangelos Kalogerakis

Technical University of Crete

Dimitra Panagou

University of Michigan

Kimon Valavanis

University of Denver

Title

NextGen UAVs: Modeling, Navigation and Control Challenges, and Integration into the National Airspace

Registration

Secure your participation in the First Hellenic Robotics Forum (HRF 2026) by completing your registration here.

Registration Fees

Category	Fee (€)	Description
Student	50€	Includes access to all conference sessions, coffee breaks, lunches, welcome reception, poster sessions and conference materials. Available for all students and for students submitting up to 1 paper.
Regular	120 €	Includes access to all conference sessions, coffee breaks, lunches, welcome reception, poster sessions and conference materials. Applies to all participants and it can cover up to 2 papers.

Exhibition Booth Package – €700

With this package, you secure a fully equipped exhibition booth along with full conference registration, positioned in a central, high-traffic area of the conference, ensuring maximum visibility and direct interaction with all attendees.

Your booth, measuring 0.85m W x 0.92m H x 0.45m D, features a branded front panel with your logo and a display shelf, ideal for showcasing your products, services, or research.

In addition, your full registration grants you access to all keynote sessions and networking events, allowing you to connect directly with leading experts, explore potential partnerships, showcase your work to a highly targeted audience, and strengthen your presence in the international robotics and AI community.

Career Session (applicable ONLY to corporates) – €200

The Career Session is a parallel event taking place on Wednesday, July 1, at 15:30 – 18:00 (Day 1) and provides a unique opportunity for companies to deliver a 5-minute corporate presentation, showcase their achievements and present their research projects.

A dedicated desk with notepads, pens, space for corporate brochures and easy access to electric power sockets will be provided, making it an excellent space for one-to-one business meetings with HRF attendees and broader engagement with members of the Hellenic robotics innovation ecosystem attending the Hellenic Robotics Forum (HRF) 2026.

HRF Presentation Material

The HRF Poster Template is available here

The HRF logo is available here

Sponsors and Supporters

General Information

The Venue

The forum will be held at the Eugenides Foundation, one of Greece’s most distinguished educational and cultural institutions, located in the Palaio Faliro district of Athens. Established in 1956 through the philanthropic initiative of Evangelos Eugenides, the Foundation goals are to promote scientific knowledge, education, and public engagement in the fields of science and technology. Today, it has evolved into a modern hub for learning, research, and events, combining historic significance with state-of-the-art infrastructure. The prestige and substantial experience in hosting Greek and international scientific and professional conferences, combined with the modernized and fully equipped facilities, make the Eugenides Foundation Conference Centre a point of reference and attraction for the Greek and international scientific, technical and cultural community.

The Foundation houses:

Conference & Event Facilities. Multiple auditoriums and lecture halls equipped with modern audiovisual technology, ideal for international conferences, seminars, and workshops.
The Athens Planetarium. One of the largest and most advanced digital planetaria in Europe, offering interactive shows and immersive experiences.
Science & Technology Center. Exhibitions, interactive displays, and educational labs that provide hands-on learning opportunities for students, researchers, and the public.
Exhibition & Demo Spaces Flexible areas designed for showcasing research, technological demonstrations, and corporate exhibitions.

Its architectural design harmoniously blends functional modernity with aesthetic elegance, while its seaside location offers a scenic backdrop along Athens’ coastal area.

Hotels & Accommodation

Hotel / Stay	Category	Approx. Distance	Approx. Walk Time
Athens Marriott Hotel	Comfort / Premium	0.1 km	2 min
Gnamma Hotel	Budget	0.1–0.2 km	2–4 min
AVA Hotel & Residences Athens Riviera	Boutique / Mid	0.3 km	5 min
Lacoba Hotel	Budget	0.3–0.4 km	5–7 min
Atlantic Hotel	Budget / Mid	0.9 km	10–12 min
Earth Boutique Apartments	Boutique	0.9 km	10–12 min