Robots benefit industry, ageing society

[You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]













TAIPEI: Robots could be beneficial to both industry and an ageing society, Vice President Vincent Siew said Tuesday at the opening of a robot show in Taipei.

Sixty-six companies and research institutions mounted a total of 296 booths exhibiting entertainment, industrial and other robot applications at the Taipei International Robot Show (TIROS), which runs through Friday.

In his opening remarks, Siew said robots could bring about breakthroughs in life quality and industrial development.

"Robots can greatly assist industries upgrade themselves, improve efficiency and enhance competitiveness," he said.

"Robots can also be used in the service industry, such as in the medical-care sector, especially when the population is ageing, " Siew added.

He predicted that robots would likely help precision machinery become Taiwan's third largest industry after semiconductors and flat panels, with output valued at more than NT$1 trillion (US$32.5 billion) per annum.

That robot development is taking root in Taiwan was evidenced by the 30-percent rise in service robots presented at TIROS, said Eric Chuo, director-general of the Robotics Association Taiwan, which organized the fair.