WESTBORO, MA AND FRAMINGHAM, MA - MARCH 9, 2004 – Robotics Trends and IDG World Expo today announced the launch of RoboNexus, an international consumer, educational and business development event for personal, service and mobile robotics (http://www.robonexus.com).  The conference and exposition will be held at the Santa Clara Convention Center in Santa Clara, CA, October 21-23, 2004.

RoboNexus is a multifaceted educational forum and exposition designed to bring together all of the key participants driving the rapidly expanding personal, service and mobile robotics markets.  RoboNexus will provide dedicated, one day ‘events-within-the-event’ specifically tailored to serve the educational, sales and branding needs of multiple constituencies. The event will include programs specialized for investment and business development professionals, educators and academics, professional and hobbyist robot developers, and robotics enthusiasts and consumers.

To foster information exchange and interaction among the various participants driving the emerging personal, service and mobile robotics markets, RoboNexus will feature a shared single exposition floor, consisting of more than 50,000 square feet at the Santa Clara Convention Center. To meet the specific educational needs of the diverse attendee groups, RoboNexus will provide one day, dedicated programs, each of which will focus on a specific theme critical to the growth of these markets. These RoboNexus “events-within-the-event” include:

• Investment and Opportunity Track
• Business Development and Applications Track
• Development and Design Track
• Education and Instruction Track
• Consumer Track

“The RoboNexus approach of combining a large, family friendly exposition, along with dedicated, content focused conferences, will result in a large event that will truly be greater than the sum of its parts,” said Dan Kara, conference chairman, president and co-founder of Robotics Trends. “RoboNexus will provide the general public an exciting, eye opening display of robotic products and technologies, while also presenting solution providers serving the personal, service and mobile market with an unprecedented, and unique, sales, branding, and business development opportunity.”

According to several independent research studies, the emerging personal, service and mobile robotics markets are expected to grow from $500M in 2002 to over $5B in 2005. Applications for next generation robotic technologies exist in virtually all industries worldwide, and are still in the early stages of deployment.

In October 2003, Robotics Trends launched what is now one of the world’s largest information based online robotics websites, www.roboticstrends.com.  In February 2004, Robotics Trends announced a strategic alliance with IDG World Expo to expand its expositions and conferences globally.  In March 2004, Robotics Trends produced the first conference in the world focused on the commercialization of next generation robotics technologies - Emerging Robotics Technologies & Application Conference - www.roboticsevents.com.  “Robotics Trends’ mission is simple: to be the most influential integrated media firm focused on expanding the emerging robotics technologies markets globally,” said Eliot Weinman, CEO and co-founder of Robotics Trends.  “We have already achieved several key milestones. Now, with the announcement of RoboNexus, we expect to produce the largest robotics business and consumer based exposition ever held in the U.S.”

About Robotics Trends
Robotics Trends is the world’s first integrated media firm serving the burgeoning personal, service and mobile robotics marketplace. Robotics Trends serves their clientele through three major business divisions:

• Robotics Trends Publishing, which produces www.roboticstrends.com, an online magazine launched in October 2003, which produces over 200,000 page views monthly;
• Robotics Trends Events, which produces RoboNexus and the Emerging Robotics Technologies & Applications Conference; and
• Robotics Trends Analyst Services serving the strategic consulting needs of leading emerging robotics manufacturers.

About IDG World Expo
IDG World Expo (www.idgworldexpo.com) produces technology-focused tradeshows, conferences and events for professionals seeking world-class education, peer-to-peer networking and one-stop comparison shopping. As the leading technology event management company, IDG World Expo leverages its experience and knowledge of technology-focused events and conferences, enabling technology companies to capture the attention and loyalty of influential buyers. IDG World Expo's portfolio of conferences and events includes Macworld Conference & Expo®, LinuxWorld Conference & Expo®, Bio-IT World Conference + ExpoTM, Health-IT World Conference + ExpoTM, Portable Power Conference & ExpoTM and Wireless Sensing SolutionsTM.  IDG World Expo is a business unit of IDG, the world's leading technology media, research and event company.

About IDG
International Data Group (IDG) is the world's leading technology media, research, and event company.  A privately-held company, IDG publishes more than 300 magazines and newspapers including Bio-IT World, CIO, CSO, Computerworld, GamePro, InfoWorld, Network World, and PC World.  The company features the largest network of technology-specific Web sites with more than 400 around the world.  IDG is also a leading producer of more than 170 computer-related events worldwide including LinuxWorld Conference & Expo®, Macworld Conference & Expo®, DEMO®, and IDC Directions. IDC provides global market research and advice through offices in 50 countries. Company information is available at http://www.idg.com.

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