Jeddah, October (پاکستان پوائنٹ نیوز 20 اكتوبر 2025ء) Inaugurated on October 13, 2025, and spanning 1,000 square meters on the KAUST campus, the new facility represents a strategic addition that enhances the Kingdom's capabilities in robotics and artificial intelligence (AI), while supporting the objectives of Saudi Vision 2030 to diversify the economy and build a knowledge-based society. The Robotics Bay also fosters a research and entrepreneurial culture in robotics, reinforcing KAUST’s position as a key driver of advanced technological transformation in the Kingdom.
Dean of the Computer, Electrical and Mathematical Sciences and Engineering (CEMSE) Division at KAUST Professor Gianluca Setti stated that robotics and automation are essential components of the Kingdom’s digital transformation strategy. He emphasized that through the launch of the Robotics Bay, KAUST reaffirms its commitment to driving technological innovation and providing solutions that strengthen the national economy.
Supervised by Professor Eric Feron and Assistant Professor Shinkyu Park, both faculty members in Electrical and Computer Engineering, the Robotics Bay features a large central arena for testing aerial and ground robots, surrounded by specialized laboratories supporting research and development led by KAUST faculty. The facility was designed to accommodate a wide range of robotic systems simultaneously, enabling experiments on aerial, ground, and underwater platforms within a single integrated environment.
The Robotics Bay provides state-of-the-art prototyping tools such as 3D printers, computer numerical control (CNC) machines, and soldering stations, which facilitate the development of next-generation intelligent machines in collaboration with national partners, industry, faculty, and students. These tools help bridge the gap between research and application, accelerating the advancement of robotics in the Kingdom. The facility will also contribute to developing technologies that support smart cities, autonomous mobility, advanced infrastructure, and public services, which are foundational pillars of the Kingdom’s giga-projects.
Professor Feron, an expert in aeronautics and transportation, explained that the Robotics Bay provides an ideal space for conducting scaled-down, multimodal mobility experiments and offers opportunities for integration with KAUST’s Future Mobility Sandbox, the world’s first advanced testing ground for land, air, and sea mobility technologies. He added that the Robotics Bay could serve as the perfect site to build a scaled-down version of the Future Mobility Sandbox, allowing researchers to test their ideas before deploying them outdoors.
The Robotics Bay also serves as a training ground for the next generation of robotics and AI specialists, contributing to the development of national talent in advanced technology sectors, enhancing local expertise, and reducing reliance on imported knowledge. It supports the creation of locally designed robotic applications that serve logistics, agriculture, inspection, and defense sectors at both local and national levels.
By providing a world-class facility, KAUST enhances the Kingdom’s international standing in scientific, technological, and engineering research. Research conducted at the Robotics Bay spans diverse fields, including agile aerial and ground robotics, human-robot collaboration, multi-robot swarms, and marine robotics.
The Robotics Bay ranks among the world’s leading robotics centers, alongside those at the University of California, San Diego, the California Institute of Technology (Caltech), and the University of Michigan. It serves as a central hub for robotics research and experimentation, providing advanced research infrastructure that fosters entrepreneurship and strengthens collaboration between academia and industry in Saudi Arabia.
