Cabinet approves smart robotics industry development plan

Taipei, May 15 (CNA) The Executive Yuan on Thursday approved a plan to speed up the development of Taiwan's smart robotics industry, aiming to raise the production value of professional service robots from NT$4 billion (US$132.47 million) to NT$50 billion over the next five years.

To address labor shortages, meet growing demand for elderly care and develop Taiwan's own robotic supply chain, the Cabinet approved a smart robotics industry promotion plan proposed by the National Science and Technology Council (NSTC).

The plan will be financed through a four-year, NT$10 billion budget from the NSTC, along with an additional NT$10 billion from the National Development Fund to support robotics startups.

The plan aims to achieve three main goals through strategies such as developing key technologies, building an industrial ecosystem, setting cybersecurity standards and regulations, and promoting talent cultivation and practical applications, according to Hong Yao-win (洪樂文), head of the NSTC's Department of Engineering and Technologies.

The three goals include cultivating robotics startups capable of developing complete systems and increasing domestic robotics production, with a target of generating NT$50 billion in professional service robot output over the next five years.

Another goal is to promote the widespread use of intelligent robots by introducing service robots into labor-intensive industries to address domestic labor shortages, Hong said.

Hong said the government aims to build a robotics ecosystem by establishing a smart robotics research center in Shalun by the NSTC, and an intelligent robotics innovation and application R&D center in Liujia under the Ministry of Economic Affairs.

Both will be located in Tainan and linked to a robotics manufacturing base planned for the third phase of the Liuying Science and Technology Park, also in the southern city.

On Wednesday, NSTC Minister Wu Cheng-wen (吳誠文) said in a statement that as the government works to build a smart robotics brand, the first products are expected to hit the market within two years. Initial applications will focus on smart medical care and the hospitality.