The Next Generation of Robotics: The 2023 IEEE/RSJ International Conference on Intelligent Robots and Systems in Detroit, MI, USA [Conference Highlights]

The 2023 IEEE/RSJ International Conference on Intelligent Robots and Systems (IROS 2023) was held on 1–5 October at Huntington Place in Detroit, MI, USA (
Figure 1
). With the COVID-19 pandemic shifting IROS 2020 entirely to the on-demand format, this was the first in-person IROS in North America in six years. The long-term impact of the pandemic also meant that it was the first in-person conference of any kind for many of the student attendees. IROS 2023’s theme, “The Next Generation of Robotics,” reinforced the importance of these students within the IROS community, so we made the conscious effort to prioritize the in-person experience for those among the more than 3,600 attendees from 53 countries and regions who were able to join us in person in Detroit.