Latinamerican Robotics Symposium and Competition 2026

Bogotá, D.C., Colombia

The IEEE Colombia Section and the Universidad Militar Nueva Granada are proud to host the 26th Latin American Robotics Competition (LARC) and the 23nd Latin American Robotics Symposium (LARS). Recognized as the most prestigious academic events in robotics and artificial intelligence in Latin America, LARS and LARC unite top-level competitions and scientific conferences that promote research and development in the field.

November 4-6, 2026
Universidad Militar Nueva Granada
Event Starts In:

Days

Hours

Minutes

Seconds

Global Tech Summit
Symposium
Competition
Networking Events

Latinamerican Robotics Competition and Symposium 2026

The Latin American Robotics Symposium (LARS) and the Latin American Robotics Competition (LARC) are leading robotics events in the region, bringing together researchers, students, and industry professionals from across Latin America and the world. The 2026 edition will take place from November 4–6, continuing the tradition of promoting innovation, scientific exchange, and high-level robotics competitions.

LARS/LARC 2026 will be hosted by the Universidad Militar Nueva Granada in Bogotá, Colombia. Known for its growing leadership in engineering and robotics, the university provides an ideal setting for the event. Bogotá’s vibrant culture, modern infrastructure, and dynamic tech environment make it an exciting destination for participants from around the globe.

3
Days
2
Tracks
5
Speakers
Event showcase

LARS LARC 2026

Universidad Militar Nueva Granada

Speakers

Speaker Nadia Figueroa

Nadia Figueroa

Professor

University of Pennsylvania

Nadia Figueroa is the Shalini and Rajeev Misra Presidential Assistant Professor of Mechanical Engineering and Applied Mechanics at the University of Pennsylvania, with appointments in Computer and Information Science and Electrical and Systems Engineering, and is a core faculty member of the GRASP Lab. She earned her PhD from the École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne and previously conducted research at Massachusetts Institute of Technology, DLR, and NYU Abu Dhabi. Her research integrates control theory, machine learning, AI, perception, and biomechanics to advance safe and efficient human-robot collaboration. She is the recipient of several prestigious recognitions, including the 2025 NSF CAREER Award and multiple best paper awards in robotics.

The Dynamics of Fluid Physical Interaction: Towards Safe, Adaptive, and Compliant Robot Intelligence
Speaker Rafael Fierro

Rafael Fierro

Professor

Rafael Fierro

Rafael Fierro is a Professor in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering at the University of New Mexico since 2007. He received his MSc in Control Engineering from the University of Bradford and his PhD in Electrical Engineering from the University of Texas at Arlington. His research focuses on cyber-physical systems, robotic networks, multi-agent coordination, UAVs, and collaborative robotic manipulation for on-orbit servicing. His work has been supported by organizations including the National Science Foundation, ARL, AFRL, DOE, Sandia National Laboratories, and the Breakthrough Foundation.

Collective Robotic Intelligence for On-Orbit Servicing, Cooperative Transport, and Shape-Morphing Flight
Speaker

Arturo Forner-Cordero

Professor

University of Sao Paulo

Arturo Forner-Cordero is an Associate Professor in the Mechatronics Department at the University of São Paulo, where he leads the Biomechatronics Lab. Since 2024, he has served as Director of the Center of Assistive Technologies for Activities of Daily Life (CTECVIDA), promoting collaborative research and development of assistive mobility technologies. His research focuses on the neural mechanisms of human movement, biomimetic robotics, exoskeletons, and the effects of sleep deprivation on motor control. He has authored more than 200 scientific and technological contributions, including journal articles, conference papers, books, patents, and measurement devices.

Speaker

Steven LaValle

Professor

University of Oulu

Steven LaValle is a pioneer in robotics, virtual reality, and motion planning, currently serving as Professor at the University of Oulu. He is widely recognized for developing the Rapidly-exploring Random Tree (RRT) algorithm, one of the most influential motion-planning methods in robotics, and for his role as an early founder and chief scientist of Oculus VR, where he contributed to the development of the Oculus Rift VR headset. His research spans robotics, virtual and augmented reality, perception engineering, sensing, and control theory. He is also the author of the highly influential books Planning Algorithms and Virtual Reality, and currently leads research on the foundations of perception engineering supported by the European Research Council.

Speaker

Leonardo Bobadilla

Professor

Florida International University

Leonardo Bobadilla is an Assistant Professor in the Knight Foundation School of Computing and Information Sciences at Florida International University. He earned his PhD in Computer Science from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. His research focuses on the information requirements for robotics tasks such as navigation, patrolling, tracking, and motion safety, with emphasis on multi-robot systems using minimal sensing and computation. His work has been supported by organizations including NSF, the Army Research Office, and the Department of Homeland Security, and has been published in leading robotics and automation journals.

Committees

LARS-LARC 2026 Chairs

General Chair LARS-LARC 2026: Robinson Jimenez - Universidad Militar Nueva Granada, Colombia

Program Chair LARS 2026: David Saldaña - Lehigh University, USA

Program Chair LARC 2026: Juan Calderon - Bethune-Cookman University, USA

Organization Committee

Local Program Chair LARS: Diana Ovalle - Universidad Distrital Francisco José de Caldas, Colombia

Local Program Chair LARC: Alexandra Velasco - Universidad Militar Nueva Granada, Colombia

Financial Chair: Leidy Ferro - IEEE Colombia

Tutorial Chair: Marco Antonio Jinete - Universidad Militar Nueva Granada, Colombia

Sponsorship Chair: Leidy Ferro - IEEE Colombia

Registration Chair: Fabio Osorio - Universidad Militar Nueva Granada, Colombia

Editorial Committee Chair: Diego Salazar - Oakland University, USA

Publications Chairs: Diana Ovalle and Francisco Combita - Universidad Distrital Francisco José de Caldas, Colombia

Oscar F. Avilés - Dean Faculty of Engineering - Universidad Militar Nueva Granada, Colombia

Darío Amaya - Director Mechatronics Engineering Program - Universidad Militar Nueva Granada, Colombia

Byron Pérez - Webmaster - Universidad Militar Nueva Granada, Colombia

IEEE Support and Sponsorship

IEEE Colombia Section: President Leidy Ferro

IEEE Robotic and Automation Society Chapter: President Miguel González

IEEE Control Systems Society Chapter: President Diana Ovalle

IEEE Student Branch Chapter Universidad Militar Nueva Granada: President Laura Penagos

Call for papers

Submit your work

LARS is a unique opportunity to present original research, student posters, and applied case studies in a collaborative, robotics-focused environment. Whether you're investigating autonomous systems, designing novel platforms, or exploring education through robotics, this is where your work finds its audience.

Accepted papers will be submitted to the LARS Proceedings in IEEE Xplore, while students can gain recognition and experience through poster presentations that elevate their academic path.

Topics

  1. Vision in robotics and automation
  2. Symbol mediated robot behavior control
  3. Sensory mediated robot behavior control
  4. Active sensory processing and control
  5. Industrial applications of autonomous systems
  6. Sensor modeling and data interpretation
  7. Robust techniques in AI and sensing
  8. Robot programming
  9. Multi-Robot and Multi-Agents, Cooperation and Collaboration
  10. CAD-based robotics
  11. Robot simulation and visualization tools
  12. Tele-operated and autonomous systems
  13. Micro electromechanical robots
  14. Robot modeling
  15. Robot control architectures
  16. Sensor-Motor control of Robots
  17. Robot planning, reasoning, communication, adaptation and learning
  18. Mechanical design
  19. Robotic Manipulators
  20. Robot soccer
  21. Evolutionary robotics
  22. Bio-Inspired robotics
  23. Robots for robotic surgery and rehabilitation
  24. Micro/nano robotics, new Devices and materials for robots
  25. Human Robot Interaction and Interfaces
  26. Education issues in Robotics
  27. Computing architectures
  28. Sensor Networks, architectures of embedded Hardware and software
  29. Self-Localization, Mapping and Navigation
  30. Multi-robot systems
  31. Aerial vehicles
  32. Autonomous vehicles
  33. Mobile robot platforms
  34. Service robots and entertainment robots
  35. Underwater robots
  36. Humanoids

Important dates

Regular papers - July 15th

Posters - July 15th

Tutorials - July 15th

Download the call for papers