The 2009 IEEE/RSJ International Conference on Intelligent Robots and Systems (IROS) will be held at the Hyatt Regency St. Louis Riverfront at St. Louis, Missouri, USA, from October 11 to 15, 2009. St. Louis is known as the "Gateway City", as it is seen as the Eastern/Western US dividing mark. It’s also called "Gateway to the West" on behalf of the many people who migrated west through St. Louis via the Missouri River. Following the exploration spirit of St. Louis, the conference theme is “Exploring New Horizons in Intelligent Robots and Systems,” reflecting the growing spectrum and recent developments in intelligent robots and systems.