We all know Qatar as the richest country in the world right now, per capita GDP. That’s all thanks to the fact that it is rich in natural oil and gas resources. But did you know that Qatar is also poised to become one of the world’s leaders in robotics?
Qatar needs to look for other sources of industrial growth, since it cannot totally rely on oil and natural gas, as both are depleting and will run out eventually. The following article shows how Qatar has used robotics over the years and why it is poised to dominate this field in the future.
How Robotics Helps Shape Qatar’s Future
A. Robotics in Sports
Qatar’s use of robotics in sports can be traced back to as early as 2005 when it used Kamel, a robot whose sole purpose is to whip a camel in a camel race for added speed. For the upcoming World Cup which the country will host in 2022, Qatar plans to utilize robot clouds which will shield football stadiums from the sun. We all know how hot Qatar’s weather can be so if this pushes through it will be a very good use of robotics technology.
B. Robotics in Education
Carnegie Mellon University, like some other top schools in the Western hemisphere, has a satellite school in Qatar. In this campus, there is a robot called Hala, whose sole purpose is to be a receptionist robot, or a ‘robotceptionist’ as other people call it. Hala helps people communicate in both English or Arabic, giving directions and other relevant information. CMU also has BotBall, which is a high school robotics competition that draws contestants from neighboring countries like Kuwait, UAE, Libya and Egypt.
C. Robotics in Healthcare
Two pharmacy robots were introduced to Hamad General Hospital back in 2016. These robots are responsible for giving out medicine and making prescriptions at a staggering rate of 1,200 per hour. This allows pharmacists to spend more time really talking to customers and understanding their needs.
D. Qatar’s Domestic Robotics Initiatives
The robotics initiative is a part of a wider plan called Qatar National Vision 2030. The vision aims to transform Qatar as a society that is knowledge-based, among others, and it is funded by the Qatar National Research Fund. This funding grants researchers, including those engaged in robotics, to study, develop, and create startups in a free-trade zone set up at the Qatar Science and Technology Park.
Qatar continues to take the necessary steps to ensure it has a bright and stable future. With the help of robotics, the country can speed up its progress and become even more of a global economic leader.