Robots part of new vision

Robots part of new vision

To push the country to become a technology-developer, especially in robotics and automation, the National Electronics and Computer Technology Centre (Nectec) has worked with the Institute of Field Robotics (Fibo) to develop the country's first strategy for robotics technology development in Thailand.

Published on November 13, 2007

The strategy, drafted by Fibo, is to set five key directions for development, which include staff training, technology research, technology transfer, industry and policy development.

The draft will be sent to the Science Ministry and then the Cabinet for approval. Nectec, assigned by the Science Minister, provided funding support during the entire drafting process.

The project leader Siam Charoenseang said the strategy was to run from 2008 until 2012 with an aim to build basic infrastructure for robotics and automation technology. It is hoped to increase competitive advantages.

He said that to build the basic infrastructure, training people in the area was the first priority. The plan is for collaboration among related organisations including the Science Ministry, the Education Ministry, universities and research institutes to conduct courses at vocational level through to doctoral-degree level for at least 200 persons a year.

As robotics and automation technology involves several scientific and engineering endeavours - from electrical, mechanical, computers to control systems - Siam said the plan would also include the development of courses to serve multidisciplinary fields.

He said that to strengthen local research and development, there would be centres of excellence established to encourage the development of robotics and automation research. The centres will create networking among researchers to develop products to serve industry demand.

Robotics and automation technology is used in the hard-disk drive, electronics and automotive industries. Demand for the technology will spread to other industries including agriculture, medical and environment.

The technologies now in use are all imported from aboard. In 2006 alone, imports of this technology for use in major industries was worth around Bt13.9 billion, double that of the year before.

Expecting the increasing demand, Siam said it was necessary to put more focus on technology development to eventually reduce imports.

Siam said the idea was to establish a new organisation to create links between both demand and supply sides. The new organisation, he added, would assess the requirements from the supply side and suggest them to the centres of excellence and this would encourage local research and development to really support industry demands.

The new organisation will also provide funding support to each project.

He said that both the linking organisation and the centres of excellence would be set up in multiple locations in universities or research institutions, depending on their expertise. "Some institutions may be good at control systems while others are keen on intelligent systems, so we could have multiple centres and each centre could link and work together to make technology development projects a mission," Siam said.

Since robotics and automation is support technology which can serve a wide range of industries, it also offers business potential. Apart from focusing on technology development for practical use, the strategy is also to encourage the emergence of spin-off companies in the field.

To build a robotics industry, it is necessary to have small and medium enterprises developing and doing business. Siam said the plan would use each centre of excellence to incubate new start-ups to eventually spin-off into their own businesses.

"We hope to initially set up around four centres of excellence and these will build 20 spin-off companies a year," he said.

Government support is also required so the strategy calls for the development of government regulations to support robotics and automation investment including, for example tax incentives.

Siam said that the strategy, once approved by the Cabinet, would lead to the development of the national robotics and automation technology development plan, which would be a framework to boost development in the field.

"We plan that in the first five years, we can lay down basic infrastructure to support the development of robotic and automaton technology so we can eventually develop our own technology to substitute for imports," Siam added.

Pongpen Sutharoj

The Nation