Students Urged to Embrace Advancement of Robotics and Automation

Students from various Universities have been challenged to participate in the advancement of robotics, computer programming and automations.

This was during the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) Robotics and Automation open day workshop at Uganda Technology and Management University (UTAMU) in Kampala on Friday.

The chairman IEEE Uganda Section, Mr Baron Ezabo called on students to be innovative and participate in advancement of robotics and automations because the disciplines are not on the curriculum yet very significant.

“These things are not on official curriculum but they are very important parts of innovation and research. And technology is moving faster. If you are to teach them (robotics), they need a full degree but it will take us years to achieve,” he said.

Students from various Universities such as Makerere, Kyambogo, MUBS (Makerere University Business School), Cavendish among others all gathered at UTAMU University for the workshop.

Ezabo said the subject is useful because it is where students learn how to be (IoT) Internet of things developers and integrate hardware to software.

“This particular old method of robotics is very important to the learning of these students because it is where they learn how to be IoT (Internet of things) developers, integrate hardware to software because we don’t have concrete electronics education in the country. Most universities don’t offer electronics engineering. It poses a challenge to students who are working in IoT environment which is the future of automation,” he said.

He added that students will soon begin having national mobile application development contest which has never happened in the country although IEEE has it at International level.

“We are going to train them so that they can be at International level.”

This he said will be accompanied by winning of prizes ranging from 500 USD, 1,000 USD, 5000 USD up to 10,000 USD.

Further, Ezabo noted that students will be introduced to hardware programming contest and called on universities to enforce the electronics career.

He applauded UTAMU University for embracing the development and provide space to host the event.

Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) is the world’s largest professional body for electrical and electronics computing engineers based in United States of America but with various sections around the world including Uganda.

Photos: IEEE Uganda section Chairman Baron Ezabo speaking to students of various universities at UTAMU on Friday.