LAHORE: The Information Technology University (ITU) organised its iconic 4th Robotics Expo at Arfa Software Technology Park yesterday.
Vice Chancellor Dr Umar Saif presided the closing ceremony of the Expo, while Punjab Higher Education Commission Chairperson Dr Nizamud Din was the chief guest on the occasion.
Addressing the ceremony, Dr Nizamuddin appreciated ITU students for their outstanding efforts in robotics. He shared with audience that PHEC has started funding for research projects and innovations focusing on local relevant issues. “Applied research is needed in developing countries like Pakistan,” he added.
Dr Umar Saif said: “Robots are revolutionising the 21st century much like the computers revolutionised the 20th century. We can find them everywhere in the society and they play an important role in our daily lives.”
Unfortunately, he further said, Pakistan is seriously lagging behind in this technological run. “But not anymore, as the undergraduate students of ITU are changing this scenario,” he added. Talha Rehmani, leader of robotics programme at ITU, said: “Robotics is poised to become a 70 billion-dollar industry by 2025. Our goal is to lead Pakistan in the global revolution of robotics. This is a very humbling experience to see our undergraduate students prosper and pushing through the challenges.”
The ITU sdtudents successfully designed and built 15 robot prototypes to address locally relevant problems of Pakistan.
The projects included Bazooka, a drone designed to break reinforced tempered double-glazed glass and deliver life saving equipment to people trapped in high-rise buildings in the event of fire or natural disasters.–PR
First of its kind, the drone has an essential life-saving, low-cost portable ventilator with adult and infant modes, to address the chronic shortage of ventilators in hospitals in Pakistan.
The robots work as infusion Pump - a medical product that ensures safety against injectable medicines over dosage and administers drugs at a rate lower than 0.1 ml per hour to patients.
The honorary guests also included the cricketers, Mohammad Irfan and Mohammad Rizwan, CEOs from various companies and leading journalist. The event was widely attended by the faculty and rectors of many prestigious universities including NUST, LUMS and FAST.