A grand event is being planned for the opening of the Phase II facility of the Alabama Robotics Technology Park (RTP) - the Advanced Technology Research and Development Center.
Scheduled to commence on the 24th of August, 2011, the ribbon cutting and opening ceremony will include officials, dignitaries and business leaders from the Calhoun Community College, the Alabama Industrial Development Training (AIDT), Governor Robert Bentley’s office, the Alabama State Board of Education, and the RTP’s executive board. Governor Bentley, Postsecondary Chancellor Frieda Hill, Marilyn Beck, President of Calhoun, and Ed Castile, Executive Director of AIDT are expected to take part in the opening event.
Bob Riley, former governor of Alabama, had in June 2008 announced that the Decatur campus at Calhoun Community College had been selected as the location for the new Robotics Technology Park for the state. The RTP would have three training facilities destined to address the specific needs of the particular industries.
The RTP’s first phase is the Robotic Maintenance Training Center, which covers an area of 52,000 sq ft. The ribbon cutting ceremony for the first phase was held last November. Instructors from AIDT are at present teaching non-credit, short-term training classes at this facility. Credit classes for the students are planned to be taught later.
The second phase of the RTP is an $8.3 million building, covering an area of 35,000 sq ft. It is designed for performing research, development and testing of robotics used in various applications including space exploration and military projects. The building also has a testing facility designed for robotics manufacturing companies. The facility has the infrastructure to support testing in different types of environments.
Source: http://www.calhoun.edu/