MIT Fab Lab proposed at Andhra University

A digital fabrication laboratory is proposed to be set up at Andhra University by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Andhra Pradesh Information Technology Minister P. Raghunath Reddy said on Friday.

Reddy told reporters on his return from the US that a tripartite expression of interest (EoI) in this connection was signed by Andhra University, AP Innovation Society and MIT FABLAB.

A world-class integrated incubator will also come up at Tirupati. A memorandum of understanding (MoU) for this purpose was signed between AP Innovation Society and IC2, University of Texas.

The minister, who led a three-member delegation on 11-day visit to the US, said they received 48 letters of intent from various IT, ITES and electronics firms for setting up their facilities in Andhra Pradesh.

He said a basic understanding was also reached with South Asian Institute, Harvard University, for a further dialogue on introduction of webinars and to initiate research in healthcare and talent enhancement in the state.

It was also decided to work out modalities for collaboration with Consortium for Affordable Medical Technologies (CAMTech) of Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston for implementation of tele-medicine programmes.

Raghunath Reddy said Oracle Corporation will set up a research and development centre at JNTU, Anantapur. It will work on cutting edge technologies that would be developed jointly by JNTU and Oracle.

The Andhra government and the state of Illinois agreed to set up a joint committee to explore possibilities of mutual technological collaboration. Another joint committee will be set up with New Hampshire to explore opportunities in area of innovation and electronic governance.