Underwater and aerial robotics feature at Sri Lanka’s first Robotics Meetup
View(s):Sri Lanka’s first-ever Robotics Meetup was held at VirtusaPolaris Colombo recently focusing on the topic of cutting edge Robotics and IoT technologies. The event was co-organized by the IEEE Robotics and Automation Society Sri Lanka Section Chapter, in partnership with the IEEE Sri Lanka Section. VirtusaPolaris was the exclusive sponsor, co-organizer and the event host, according to a media release issued by the organisers. Held with the objective of creating a platform to promote cooperation and exchange of technical information among its participants, the meetup facilitated presentation of research, discussion and networking opportunities for members and affiliates.
Dr. Sagara Sumathipala, Senior Lecturer at the Faculty of Information Technology, University of Moratuwa, was the speaker of the event. Prof. Rohan Munasinghe, Head of Department – Electronic and Telecommunication Engineering at the University of Moratuwa and Chair – IEEE Robotics and Automation Society Sri Lanka Section Chapter made a presentation on Robotics Research and Development in Sri Lanka while Nalin Karunasinghe, Senior Lecturer at the Department of Computer Science & Engineering, University of Moratuwa who is also the Chair – Industrial Activities and Professional Development, IEEE Sri Lanka Section presented on Internet of Things (IoT).
A panel discussion also took place with the participation of Anuradha Weeraman, Associate Director, Mobile Solutions & Digital Practice at VirtusaPolaris, Heshan Perera, Technical Project Manager at Zone24x7, Prof. Munasinghe, and Mr. Karunasinghe. The discussion was moderated by Dr. Sanath Jayawardana, Senior Lecturer at the Faculty of Engineering, University of Moratuwa and Chair [Elect] – IEEE Sri Lanka Section. Dr. Ruwan Gopura, Senior Lecturer at the Faculty of Engineering, University of Moratuwa and Secretary – IEEE Robotics and Automation Society Sri Lanka Section Chapter together with Engineer Tharindu Buddhika Adhikari, Associate Consultant at VirtusaPolaris and Ph.D. student at the Faculty of Engineering, University of Moratuwa coordinated the event.
Prof. Munasinghe talked about Aerial Robotics, Underwater Robotics, Robot Manipulators, Mobile Robotics, Rehabilitation Robotics and Robotics Competitions during his presentation on Robotics Research and Development in Sri Lanka. He pointed out the possibility of producing commercial robotic products which can contribute to the country’s economy. Mr. Karunasinghe discussed interesting practical applications of the Internet of Things in the industry during his presentation on IoT (Internet of Things) in the Robotic world, and his session included some demonstrations which drew the attention of the audience.
Sri Lanka Robotics Meetup strives to advance innovation, education, and fundamental and applied research in robotics and automation. Robotics focuses on systems incorporating sensors and actuators that operate autonomously or semi-autonomously in cooperation with humans. Robotics research emphasizes intelligence and adaptability to cope with unstructured environments. Automation research emphasizes efficiency, productivity, quality, and reliability, focusing on systems that operate autonomously, often in structured environments over extended periods, and on the explicit structuring of such environments.