https://arab.news/5tawm
- International summit will bring together participants from around the globe for robotic competitions and exhibitions
- Qualification for World Robot Summit proves the Kingdom has ‘world-class team and are on the right path’
TOKYO: Nahid Sidki is determined to build the capability of robotics and artificial intelligence in Saudi Arabia and will lead a team from the Kingdom at an upcoming international summit in Japan.
The World Robot Summit, which was postponed last year due to the coronavirus pandemic but is still known as the “WRS2020,” will bring together participants from around the globe for robotic competitions and exhibitions.
“One of the reasons I came to the Kingdom is to help establish robotic centers and the center of excellence in robotics,” Sidki, who is the chief technology officer at Research Products Development Company in Riyadh, told Arab News.
“I believe our documentation and system architectures are superior compared to the other teams at the summit.”
The WRS2020 will consist of two parts: the World Robot Challenge is a robot competition where teams from all over the world compete in four categories and the World Robot Expo is an exhibition that features advanced robots, robotic technologies and will provide a glimpse of robots working in the present and future.
The WRC will be held Sept. 8-12 at the Aichi International Exhibition Center in Aichi, Japan while the WRE is slated for Oct. 8-10 at the Robot Test Field in Fukushima, Japan.
Mashal Al-Harbi, COO at Research Products Development Company, told Arab News the Saudi team’s participation “is a historic achievement not only for Saudi Arabia but for all Arabs and Muslims” because it will be the country’s first appearance at the summit.
“Saudi Arabia, in this summit, is giving a clear message that it has the talent and the financial support from its government,” Al-Harbi said. “It will meet the challenges and it will be a success story.”
He also said the Kingdom’s progress will inspire Saudi youth in the field of robotics.
“By qualifying for the World Robot Summit, Saudi Arabia surpassed more than a hundred other countries,” Al-Harbi said. “We have proved that we are a world-class team and we are on the right path. We want to inspire the young Saudi and Arab generations. Our message is we have passion, commitment to excel, and goals.”
Due to the recent COVID-19 surge, no spectators will be allowed to attend the World Robot Summit but most on-site events will be livestreamed for the public.
Saudi Arabia’s RPD Innovations, the national center for technology development and commercialization in Saudi Arabia, will take part in the Assembly Challenge in the Industrial Robotics Category and will face off against teams from Japan, Denmark, China, Germany, the US, the UK and Thailand.
The World Robot Summit is supported by Japan’s Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry; and the Energy Industrial Technology Development Organization.