Dr. Sakakibara said that he will continue to strengthen the IFR as the most important organization for the world robotics community. "The key focus areas will be continuing strong publication relation activities, the acquisition of members associations of emerging robot markets and the implementation of a new concept of the worldwide robotics conference, the ISR," he said. "I am looking forward to a close and fruitful co-operation with our members and the IFR secretariat."

Dr. Sakakibara has been with Fanuc since 1972. From 1985 to 1998, he was responsible for the development of intelligent robot systems. He has served as honorary general manager of Robot Laboratory at Fanuc since 1999, and has been a member of the management of Fanuc since 2007. He has been a member of the IFR executive board since 2010, and was president of the Robotics Society of Japan from 2009 to 2010.

Arturo Baroncelli, director of proposal engineering with Comau Robotics, Italy, was elected as IFR vice-president. Baroncelli has been with Comau S.p.a. since 1988. He has been a member of the IFR executive board since 2008. Between 1998 and 2009, he was executive board member of SIRI, the Italian robotics association. In 2005, he was presented the Engelberger Award for Application.

Former IFR president Åke Lindqvist's time in office ended during Automate 2011 in Chicago last month, after he was honoured with the Joseph Engelberger Award for Leadership 2011. IFR says, "The worldwide public perception of the robotics industry increased remarkably during his IFR presidency. He represented the IFR at trade shows, as lecturer at conferences or at press conferences. He strengthened ties with Asian robotic associations through increased and direct communications. As chairman of the IFR Robot Suppliers Group and later as IFR president, he successfully helped to improve the worldwide robot statistics."

www.robotics.org