Intel Malaysia together with the Malaysia Productivity Corporation (MPC), the Malaysian Investment Development Authority (MIDA), and Scuttle Robotics has successfully launched the RoboFun (Robotics for University) programme in an effort to get more students interested in robotics as well address the need for the skilled workforce for the future.
Datuk Bahria Mohd Tamil, Deputy Secretary General (Investment) of the Ministry of International Trade and Industry, “I applaud Intel’s effort in creating the RoboFun program as one of the on-going collaborations forged between Industry, Government, and universities towards strengthening the robotics ecosystem in Malaysia. I believe that all these efforts will ultimately contribute to the evolution of Malaysian industries towards Industry 4.0.”
Meanwhile, Datuk Wira Arham Abdul Rahman, CEO of MIDA said” the solution and Industry 4.0-related technology created by our own university talents will encourage local SMEs to optimise productivity as well as to enhance their capabilities.”
Autonomous Mobile Robots (AMR) would be a workable solution to the problem of growing labour expenses if only the price of automating processes could be brought down. MPC, in its capacity as the programme’s operational partner, will be in charge of administering the whole training process, with Intel and Scuttle Robotics providing all necessary technical assistance.
According to Eric Chan, Vice President of Network and Edge Group, General Manager of Customer Application Support and Enabling, Intel Corporation, AMR is one of the best applications to realise multiple advanced technologies’ integration – from mobility, AI, control systems, OS and to automation. RoboFun aspires to help universities build capabilities and ultimately emerge as the core technology and solutions provider for SMEs in the country.
The launching of the event today featured a line-up of five public and private universities namely; Universiti Malaya (UM), Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM), Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman (UTAR), Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM) and Universiti Teknologi Petronas (UTP) that were each awarded with Intel’s Autonomous Mobile Robot (AMR) kits that are instrumental in establishing the universities’ respective Robotics laboratories and will serve to empower students of all faculties to upskill their knowledge and adapt to AMR systems.
Through collaboration by Intel and Scuttle Robotics, they managed to produce a robust AMR solution. Considering the driving force behind the demand for AMR robots, the university representatives expressed their confidence that the RoboFun programme is the way forward for Malaysians to address the concern of chronic shortage of skilled workers.
