[in Japanese]
つくばチャレンジは2007年の開始以来，電子デバイスの高性能化によるLidarの三次元化とそれを利用する制御技術の進歩によって自律移動性能が向上し，課題を達成するロボットが増えてきました．さらなる人間との共存を進めるために探索や横断歩道の横断等が追加されましたが，季節の移り変わりや気象条件の変化があっても確実に動作することの難しさも見えてきました．障害物地図による自己位置推定による自律制御技術はほぼ確立されたものと言えますが，技術継承のための人材教育と研究の進展を両立することが求められています．中之島ロボットチャレンジでは，2025年の大阪万博に向けた自動ゴミ回収ロボットの実現を目指した研究開発が進行しています．本年の本走行が終了し，収集した実験データをまとめる時期となりました．本特集号では制御の成功例または失敗例の本質を分析して共有することで技術の向上を目指しています．チャレンジ参加者や自律移動ロボット研究者からの投稿をお待ちしています．

[in English]
The Tsukuba Challenge, launched in 2007, has seen an increasing number of robots accomplish their assigned tasks as the performance of their autonomous navigation systems has improved. This improved performance has mainly stemmed from 3D Lidar systems that have been realized using high-performance electronic devices, and advanced control technologies that take advantage of these systems. To further promote the coexistence of robots with human beings, additional tasks, such as searching, crossing a crosswalk, etc., have been assigned to robots over time, but it has been found that they still have some difficulty operating securely when the seasons or weather conditions change. While autonomous control technologies using self-localization by means of obstacle maps have become more or less established, what is now needed is the human resource training for technological succession to be made compatible with the research progress. Also, the Nakanoshima Robot Challenge has encouraged the research and development of autonomous trash collection robots that are intended for use at the Osaka-Kansai Japan Expo 2025. As both Challenges’ final runs were completed in 2022, it is now time to collate the data collected during these experiments.
This special issue on “Autonomous Robotics Challenge” aims to help improve autonomous robotics by analyzing and sharing the essence of successes and/or failures experienced in controlling autonomous mobile robots. In the above-mentioned context, you, whether a Challenge participant or an autonomous mobile robot researcher, are cordially invited to contribute your papers to this special issue. <PDF>