by | Y.Bhg. Datuk Dr. Mohd Yusoff Sulaiman
Who knows what’s in store for us in the future? We may be able to create a robot with an artificial intelligence to help take care of the elderly, for instance. And perhaps such robots can do a better job than human caretakers can. The potential of robotics can be mind-boggling. But it is something that the nation must master to meet its unique needs and bring ourselves equal to the leading nations of the world.
Datuk Dr. Mohd Yusoff Sulaiman is the President & Chief Executive Officer of the Malaysian Industry-Government Group For High Technology (MIGHT) an agency under the Prime Minister’s Department. MIGHT is a Private-Public Partnership platform focused on harnessing technology for business.
He specializes in Technology Management and holds a Ph.D from Universiti Teknikal Melaka Malaysia (UTeM) and an M.Sc from the University of Wales, UK. He is currently the Chairman of MIGHT Technology Nurturing (MTN) and a few technology-related organisations including A-Bio Sdn Bhd, Putra Eco Ventures Inc (PEV) and MyBiomass Sdn Bhd. He sits as a Director to the Board of Malaysian Debt Ventures(MDV), Kulim Technology Park Corporation Sdn Bhd (KTPC), Aerospace Malaysia Innovation Center (AMIC), Malaysian Automotive Institute (MAI) and Melaka Green Tech Corporation (MGTC). He is the Secretariat Head for the Global Science and Innovation, Advisory Council (GSIAC) chaired by the Prime Minister of Malaysia.
He is a member of the Governing Board of the Malaysian Foresight Institute (myForesight), Malaysia-France University Centre (MFUC) and Regional Centre for Science and Technology Business Incubator (IRIS) appointed by UNESCO. He is a Fellow of the ASEAN Academy of Engineering & Technology (AAET) and the Academy of Sciences Malaysia (ASM).
Robots in our lives
Where do you think our robotics industry is now?
Well, it all depends on what type of robots you have in mind. Are you thinking of robot the likes C-3PO in Star Wars? If you are talking about very humanoid robots, we are not there yet. Nobody is. Have a look at the article on dexterous robots and you will understand what I mean. But if you are talking about the use of robots in manufacturing, we already have that in some of our factories in Malaysia. There are so many advantages derived from the use of robotics in the manufacturing sphere that we could not ignore.
So robots are common place in the factory. What about in the home?
Again, it depends on what you are talking about. If you are thinking of very humanoid robots like Bicentennial Man, then no. We are a long way off from that. But some people have a Roomba vacuum cleaner in their homes which is a robot. It doesn’t have hands and limbs but it does its job well. It just doesn’t look human, that’s all. But not all robots have to look human, do they? Even in movies like Star Wars, you have R2-D2 which isn’t humanoid at all.
Is MIGHT involved in robotics?
Of course we are. The world of high technology not only thrives but is dependent on robots whether in the manufacturing plant or providing services that only robots could deliver. In terms of sectors that we have worked on since 1993, from agriculture to pharmaceutical to aerospace, robots are used to increase production and quality whilst reducing cost per unit. We worked closely with local NGOs like Malaysia Robotics & Automation Society (MyRAS), public sector including Ministry of International Trade and Industry (MITI), local companies such as Dreamedge and international Centers of Excellence in South Korea, Japan, Germany and others.
Are we prepared education-wise for the upcoming robotics revolution?
I personally think that we need to do more and this is what we are trying to do through STEM Education under our Science to Action (S2A) Initiatives. For example, MIGHT together with MARA had organised a robotic workshop for our young engineers from a few selected school throughout Malaysia. Also, we have worked with the likes of Dassault Aviation to organise Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) design and operate competition among the university students. We need to instill the appreciation of robotics in our students so that this will be a subject they will want to pursue later on.
Do you think Malaysia have what it takes to be the global player of robotics?
Why not? As a country we have done well in many industries that we have gone into. I can’t say we have actually failed in any sectors that we have put our energies into and there is no reason to doubt that we can succeed in robotics too. It’s our job at MIGHT to make sure we succeed. But this will require us to develop a bigger pool of innovators, engineering designers, materials specialist, programmers and others.
Apart from the industry, everywhere in the world, people are using robotics in the military. What do you think about that aspect of robotics?
Technology can have dual-use; for both civil and military applications. It’s inevitable that robotics are also used for military purposes too. The same robotics technology that controls the Roomba vacuum cleaner is also used to detect bombs in cave-like environment and replacing the human soldiers. Drones too have been used for innocent tasks of surveillance up to unethical targeting of individuals or facilities that are proven to be a threat. At MIGHT however, we are mostly interested in how robotics can be used for industry, to help make people’s lives easier and perhaps also for educational purposes. That is what we are looking at.
We have maid issues now. Do you foresee that we will use robots instead in the near future?
In the future, yes. In the near future, no. Again, I point to you to the article on the dexterity – or lack thereof – of robots. We are still a long way off before we can get humanoid robots that could replace maids in the home. It’s incredibly difficult to build a dexterous robot. That doesn’t mean it won’t happen. It will just take a lot of time. From another perspective, the rapid development in automation and robotics will allow people to work from home and reduce the need for maids to look after their children or doing household chores.
How far can robotics go in terms of making our lives easier or better?
Who knows what’s in store for us in the future? We may be able to create a robot with an artificial intelligence to help take care of the elderly, for instance. And perhaps such robots can do a better job than human caretakers can. The potential of robotics can be mind-boggling. But it is something that the nation must master to meet its unique needs and bring ourselves equal to the leading nations of the world.
