Social robots are becoming more available to the public and will very likely play an essential role in our everyday life such as in companionship, child-care, educational and special educational, edutainment or healthcare settings soon. However, there are still various constraints that end-users, robot providers and other involved stakeholders face, which prevent social robots from entering the market. Moreover there is a great need to create common ground and shared understanding about social robots, and its potentials and applications.

This workshop aims to serve as a unique platform to bring different stakeholders together and exchange thoughts and brainstorm to:

• Identify some Immediate Societal Applications of Robots, which might soon be commonplace

• Share feedback from End User and Public Perception after some early deployment of such robots

• Identify current Technological, R&D and other barriers to Market for mass adaptation of such robots

• Open up new robotic business potentials through establishing a shared ground among stakeholders

• Provide Feedback to euRobotics and European Commission on these aspects and how to address those barriers to ensure leading role of Europe in this field, input for euRobotics MAR

During the entire workshop, the participants will be encouraged to make the sessions interactive, through question-answer slots at the end of each session. Further, in the parallel group and open discussion session, audience and panelists will be encouraged to interact, present their opinions, share their experience and raise issues relevant to needs and potential applications of social robots.

Participants should focus on the following topics (but not limited to):

• Contemporary applications and challenges

• How can these challenges be addressed? What are future applications?

• Identify three main outcome/action point of the activity.

• Identify gaps in the MAR of euRobotics, and provide some pointers to fill in those

Hence, through the multidisciplinary expertise of the participants, this workshop aim to provide a forum for creating a common ground and understanding of Social Robots Applications and Barriers. Participants will also be asked for input for euRobotics MAR revision within the context of workshop and H2020. Also new members and contributor are expected to be associated with SIRo-SA TG (Socially Intelligent Robots and Societal Applications Topic Group) for long term involvement, collaboration and networking, as was the case in the previous editions of the workshops.