KARACHI: In a major effort to align its education and training system with the industry, the Usman Institute of Technology (UIT) has set up a Research and Development Cell for Robotics (RDCR) in collaboration with the leading robotics developer EDVON Robotics at its premises in Karachi.
Formal launch of the programme will take place at a ceremony on 31st October (Wednesday). The process was initiated by inviting applications for traineeship from potential student candidates and after thorough scrutiny of applications with help from experts from EDVON and the Institute’s faculty first batch of potential was selected.
EDVON has financed the setting up of RDCR. UIT in collaboration with EDVON is now starting a training programme where 18 UIT students (first and second year) would be trained annually. This will be an extensive hands-on experience of designing and working with robots.
They will also be working with Arduino, Raspberry Pi, etc. The programme will also serve as a chain for train the trainers as the students to be initially trained at UIT would subsequently train other students and work with EDVON on their R&D and product development.
The establishment of the robotics research and development cell has been possible in the wake of setting up of the UITCenter for Renewable Energy and Sustainable Technologies (UCREST). The center was formed a few months ago under the supervision of Dr Abid Karim to work on commercial and industrial applications of Renewable Energy and Sustainable Technologies. This work would hopefully lead to starting of campus companies and commercialize some of the projects developed at UCREST.
UIT has been working on the innovative schemes to integrate its education and training programmes with the industry and commercial establishments, and has pioneered many training and development plans. Robotics R&D setup is a testament of these efforts and is expected to serve as an example for other leading institutions to help the industry promote indigenous innovations and inventions.
