Robotics, automation centre opened at NUST

Islamabad : The National Centre of Robotics and Automation was inaugurated at the NUST College of Electrical and Mechanical Engineering.

The centre is designed on a consortium model with 11 labs from 13 Pakistani universities being its part and the National University of Sciences and Technology having the leading role.

Of these labs, two will be established by the College of Electrical and Mechanical Engineering, Rawalpindi, and the rest by University of Engineering and Technology, Lahore; University of Central Punjab, Lahore; Information Technology University, Lahore; Air University, Islamabad; Lahore University of Management Sciences, Lahore; FAST-National University of Computer and Emerging Sciences, Islamabad; UET Taxila; NED University of Engineering and Technology, Karachi; Mehran University of Engineering and Technology, Jamshoro; Balochistan University of Information Technology, Engineering and Management Sciences, Quetta; Mirpur University of Science and Technology, Mirpur, and UET, Peshawar.

Planning Commission member (science and technology)

Dr Athar Osama said with the establishment of the four national centres of excellence through a rigorous selection process, 200 PhD scientists and 45 laboratories from all technology universities of the country had been brought together to resolve the toughest problems of the four emerging areas in question.

He said through shared resources and expertise, the national centres were mandated to work closely with the industry and develop projects with high national impact.

Dr Athar said those centres had a responsibility to push intellectual property into the market in quick succession, find new industry partners, and spin off technologies.