The goal of the mission―led by Professor Vladimir Marik, director of the Czech Institute of Informatics, Robotics and Cybernetics and a member of the R&D&I Council of the Czech Republic―was to present cutting edge research on robotics in the Czech Republic and introduce the Czech Republic as a technologically advanced country with capabilities for top scientific research collaboration. Moreover, the goal was to visit US research infrastructure, meet American partners with the potential for bilateral cooperation on stimulating projects, and learn more about possible financing of joint research by the United States.

Along with state representatives, nine researchers and representatives of prominent Czech research institutes and centers took part in the mission. The delegation visited the National Institute of Standards and Technology, National Science Foundation, University of Maryland College Park, University of Maryland Baltimore County and Johns Hopkins University. They also met with representatives of the Pentagon’s Joint Ground Robotics Enterprise and the Department of Agriculture. The group participated in a public event at the Czech Embassy during which they presented the current state of Czech robotics research.

The delegation consisted of representatives of the Czech Institute of Informatics, Robotics and Cybernetics at the Czech Technical University, Central European Technology Institute CEITEC, University of Western Bohemia, Technical University Ostrava, University of Defense in Brno and company VOP.