2nd Call for Contributions 

                       International Conference
                    Spatial Cognition 2008 (SC '08)

                  Schloss Reinach, Freiburg, Germany
                       September 15-19, 2008

               http://conference.spatial-cognition.de/sc08
======================================================================



Aims and Scope 
-------------- 
Spatial Cognition is concerned with the acquisition, organization,
utilization, and revision of knowledge about spatial environments, be
it real or abstract, human or machine. Spatial Cognition comprises
research in very different scientific fields concerned with cognitive
agents in spatial environments, such as robotics, artificial
intelligence, architecture, geography, linguistics, cognitive science,
and philosophy. The aim of this research is to help agents to solve
spatial tasks and to improve their spatial skills. Research issues in
the field range from the investigation of human spatial cognition to
mobile robot navigation, including aspects such as wayfinding, spatial
planning, spatial learning, representations of space, map
comprehension, and communication of spatial information.


Conference Topics
-----------------
Relevant conference topics include, but are not limited to:

 * Natural language and space
 * Conceptualizations of space
 * Representations of spatial knowledge and spatial ontologies 
 * Spatial and spatio-temporal reasoning
 * Cognitive processing of spatial information and spatial attention
 * Spatial learning and spatial skills
 * Human wayfinding, route directions, and spatial behavior
 * Diagrammatic reasoning and maps
 * Human-machine interaction in spatial environments
 * Spatial assistance systems
 * Geographic information systems
 * Robot navigation and exploration
 * Evaluation and benchmarking of spatial theories and systems


Confirmed Keynote Lectures
--------------------------

 * Heinrich H. Buelthoff (MPI for Biological Cybernetics, Germany)

 * Dedre Gentner (Northwestern University, USA)


Organization
------------
Spatial Cognition 2008 (SC '08) continues a series of international
and interdisciplinary conferences on spatial cognition, with
proceedings published in the Springer LNAI series. SC '08 is organized
by the Transregional Collaborative Research Center SFB/TR 8 Spatial
Cognition in cooperation with the Spatial Intelligence and Learning
Center (SILC).

Program chairs:
```````````````
 * Christian Freksa (University of Bremen, Germany)
 * Nora S. Newcombe (Temple University, USA)
 * Peter Gaerdenfors (Lund University, Sweden)

Local organization:
```````````````````
 * Stefan Woelfl (University of Freiburg, Germany)

Workshops:
``````````
 * Kenny Coventry (Northumbria University, UK)
 * Jan M. Wiener (College de France, France) 

Tutorials:
``````````
 * Thomas F. Shipley (Temple University, USA)

Poster session:
```````````````
 * Christoph Hoelscher (University of Freiburg, Germany)

Doctoral colloquium:
````````````````````
 * Sven Bertel (University of Bremen, Germany)
 * Marco Ragni (University of Freiburg, Germany)



Paper Submissions
-----------------
Authors are invited to submit a full paper in PDF format by the
indicated deadline. Papers must be written in English and describe
original and unpublished work in at least one of the fields related to
the conference topics. The target length of paper contributions is
15-17 pages (including abstract, figures, and references) in the
Springer LNCS format (http://www.springer.de/comp/lncs/authors.html).
We strongly encourage contributions from interdisciplinary and
international collaborations. Papers accepted as full paper will be
given 30 minutes for presentation and discussion at the conference.

Authors are also invited to submit new research results or
descriptions of technical systems to be presented during the poster
session. Submissions of posters and system demonstrations consist of
an extended summary of 4 pages (including abstract, figures, and
references).

At least one author of each accepted paper (full paper or poster) must
register for the conference and present the contribution. For more
detailed and continuously updated information, please visit the
conference website at http://conference.spatial-cognition.de/sc08.


Tutorial and Workshop Proposals
-------------------------------
SC '08 will include a number of tutorials and workshops. Tutorials
should provide in-depth courses or surveys on interdisciplinary topics
in spatial cognition, which are typically not yet covered by standard
textbooks. Workshops should provide a platform for open discussions on
new emerging research topics in the field.

Since SC '08 places emphasis on interdisciplinary aspects, we
encourage tutorial and workshop proposals that link some of the before
mentioned fields such as robotics, artificial intelligence,
linguistics, cognitive science, psychology, and philosophy.

Tutorials as well as workshops may be full-day (6 hours) or half-day
(3 hours). Teaching material as well as the workshop proceedings will
be printed and distributed by the conference organization. For further
details see http://conference.spatial-cognition.de/sc08.


Doctoral Colloquium
------------------------
The program of SC '08 will be completed by the doctoral colloquium,
giving doctoral students the opportunity to present their work and
receive feedback from the Spatial Cognition community.


Dates and Deadlines
-------------------

============================  ====================
Workshop/tutorial proposals:  Feb  15, 2008
Full paper submission:        Mar  21, 2008
Notification of authors:      May  16, 2008
Final papers:                 Jun   6, 2008
Poster submission:            Jun  20, 2008
Technical program:            Sep  16-18, 2008
Tutorials:                    Sep  15, 2008
Workshops:                    Sep  15 and 19, 2008
Doctoral Colloquium:          Sep  19, 2008
============================  ====================


Location and Venue
------------------
Spatial Cognition 2008 will take place at Schloss Reinach, an estate
nearby Freiburg, Germany. Freiburg is located in the southwest of
Germany, near to the Black Forest, Strasbourg (France) and Basel
(Switzerland), in a region known as one of the main touristic
attractions in Germany.


Web Site
--------
For further information visit:
http://conference.spatial-cognition.de/sc08