FOSDEM is one of the largest open source conferences in Europe, happening every year in Brussels. It’s a special place where developers, researchers, and enthusiasts come together to share ideas, showcase projects, and explore the latest in open-source technology. Over the years, we at Bitcraze have been regular attendees, enjoying the chance to meet fellow open-source fans and see what’s happening across the community.
Last year, we decided to take a bigger step and helped organize a developer room. Devrooms are like mini-conferences: they are handled by a committee that produces a call for participation and handles the schedule for the room. FOSDEM allocates a time slot, a physical room, and video recording for the devroom so that all talks are broadcasted in real-time and recorded. Before, the conference lacked a dedicated devroom for robotics, which is a shame as a lot of robotics, at least in research, are open source, thanks in large part to ROS. That’s why we’re devoted on helping out organizing a devroom focused on robotics and simulation. Being part of the developer room gives us the chance not only to attend talks but also to contribute to the schedule, help coordinate speakers, and support discussions among attendees.
The developer room is packed with exciting content for anyone interested in robotics, swarming, simulation, and more. There are presentations on new tools and libraries, discussions about open-source projects pushing the boundaries of what small robots can do. Last year, talks ranged from advanced motion planning and multi-robot coordination to hands-on experiments with drones and embedded systems. For 2026, the schedule promises even more fascinating sessions, highlighting the latest developments in robotics software and hardware, and providing a space to exchange ideas with people working on similar challenges.
Whether you’re interested in ROS, sensor fusion, or just curious about what researchers and makers are building, the developer room is a great place to meet like-minded people and get inspired. We’ve found it to be an incredible platform for sharing knowledge, discovering new tools, and seeing how open-source contributions can accelerate innovation.
This is happening on Saturday 31st of January, from 10.30 to 18.30, in room UB2.147. You can check out the full FOSDEM 2026 Robotics and Simulation schedule here: FOSDEM 2026 schedule
We’re really looking forward to being part of the developer room again this year, and we hope to see some of you there. If you’ll be at FOSDEM, come by, say hi, and share what you’ve been working on — we can’t wait to see the amazing projects the community will bring this year!