Dubai: An array of futuristic smart technologies will be on display at the 37th Gitex Technology Week, which begins on Sunday and will run until October 12.
Spread over an area of 92,900 square metres, 4,500 exhibitors from 97 countries will be showcasing some of the best technologies in a range of sectors including mobility, smart government services, smart city innovations as well as the latest in artificial intelligence.
With around 150,000 registered attendees, including the world’s leading innovators and tech gurus, Gitex is the place to be this week.
If not anything else, the opportunity to see up-close the world’s first automated aerial taxi (AAT), which will be on display at the Roads and Transport Authority’s (RTA) pavilion, should be enough an incentive for the tech junkies to visit Gitex.
The two-seater AAT, the maiden test flight of which was successfully launched last month by Dubai Crown Prince Shaikh Hamdan Bin Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, will be part of a series of offerings to be showcased by the RTA and other government entities.
Manufactured by German firm Volocopter, the 18-rotor AAT is the first autonomous aerial vehicle to undergo successful test flights, the step in realising the vision of quick and safe mobility without human intervention.
“AT Gitex, RTA would focus on the integration of the AAT with mass transport systems such as the metro, tram, buses, marine transit modes and taxis as well as the procedures of offering the AAT service to the public via the new Integrated Mobility app,” said Mattar Al Tayer, director-general and chairman of the Board of Executive Directors at RTA.
Among the other services on display will be Dubai Integrated Mobility Transport Platform (branded as S’hail), Smart Pedestrian Crossing Signal, Dubai Drive App and Customers Loyalty Points Programme (Nol Plus).
S’hail
The RTA will inaugurate the Integrated Mobility Platform in Dubai (S’hail), offering commuters access to the entire transit network of Dubai through a single window (smart app), making Dubai one of the first cities in the world to develop such a platform.
The platform will integrate different public transport services of the city like metro, tram, buses, waterbus and taxis with other transit services like Uber and Careem.
Al Tayer said that at a later stage, the platform will also bring in limousine, Palm Monorail and Dubai Trolley into the umbrella, enabling clients to book the service and pay the fare through a single window.
Another smart technology that has been on trial on Al Saada street over the last few months is the smart crossing system, which will also be exhibited.
The RTA will also unveil an upgraded version of its Drivers and Vehicles mobile application, dubbed Dubai Drive.
Among the host of upgrades, the new app now offers Salik services, while also enabling instant chatting with customer service staff of RTA for people.
Apart from payment of parking fees and traffic fines, the app allows motorists to make Salik topup, check latest fuel prices, buy vehicle plates, renew driving and vehicle licences etc.
Another new initiative that will be launched on Sunday is the Customers Loyalty Points Programme (Nol Plus) that will help public transport commuters earn points whenever they use their Nol cards.
Smart Dubai
One of the biggest stands at this Gitex will be that of Smart Dubai, which will bring together projects and initiatives of 42 government agencies on a single platform.
Under the theme of ‘Future Live’, the Smart Dubai umbrella will showcase more than 200 smart government services, targeting Dubai’s residents and visitors alike in an effort to realise the leadership’s vision of making Dubai the smartest and happiest city in the world.
Among the key features of the pavilion will be Dubai Now, Dubai Pulse, Dubai Data, DubaiPay etc.
Ministry of Health and Prevention
At Gitex, Ministry of Health and Prevention will also present its portfolio of advanced technical services and solutions such as ClinicalKey, an efficient and easy access to the latest clinical information based on research and evidence from patients’ conditions.
Another service on display will be the Intelligent Patient Education Service, which offers patients a unique experience, accessing information regarding their health condition.
The ministry will also showcase VitalLink, a technology that allows doctors to make conclusions and decisions based on data inputs and patterns through recorded readings, which will help reduce misreading and human errors.
It will also highlight Patient Portal, which provides patients with electronic access to their health records, including all clinical health information, booking appointments and communication with health-care providers.
