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29 March 2024

UAE AI & Robotics Award for Good

Published
By Wam

The UAE AI & Robotics Award for Good event, currently under way at Dubai Internet City, has hosted some of the most eminent international speakers in the field to highlight the latest global trends in this dynamic sector, which will have a positive impact on people's lives in the coming years. 

Saif Al Aleeli, Chief Executive Officer of Dubai Museum of the Future Foundation and Coordinator General of the UAE AI & Robotics Award for Good, said, "The award in its first edition has displayed its potential as a major platform to share knowledge and expertise as well as drive thought provoking discussions on the positive use of robotics technology. The event hosted prominent speakers to highlight successful practices in the field of advanced robotics and artificial intelligence in line with the UAE’s leading status as a global innovation hub for better services."  

Among the top speakers, Dennis Hong, a Professor and the Founding Director of RoMeLa (Robotics & Mechanisms Laboratory) of the Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering Department at UCLA, described the future relationship between robots and people. Hong is the inventor of robotics systems such as ‘DARwIn-OP’, an open platform, miniature humanoid robot platform for research, education and outreach, and ‘CHARLI’, the United States’ first full-size autonomous humanoid robot, as well as ‘SAFFiR’ a bio-inspired bipedal robot designed to identify and extinguish fires on board ships.

Dennis Hong has also worked on the world’s first car that can be driven by the blind. His work has been featured on numerous national and international media, and the Washington Post has called him "the Leonardo da Vinci of robots". Hong was also named as one of Popular Science’s Brilliant 10.

The award also hosted David Lang, co-founder of OpenROV, a community of ocean lovers who build underwater robots. He spoke about his experiences in putting up the initial designs for an underwater robotic explorer, and launching OpenROV to build and constantly improve upon these small remote operated underwater robots. He also highlighted OpenROV Trident, the new model of the robot, which was launched last year.

Another prominent speaker was Federico Pistono, a social entrepreneur, computer scientist, award-winning journalist, author and public speaker. Known as the author of the Amazon best-selling book ‘Robots Will Steal Your Job, But That's OK’, Pistono is the Founder and CEO of Konoz, an online platform to help spread free and open knowledge around the world.

During his speech, Pistono spoke about the revolution in robotics and artificial intelligence sector, and the possibility of employing it to support education for people in different parts of the world at lower costs through the use of tablets, PCs and smart phones.

The ‘UAE AI & Robotics Award for Good’ was launched by His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, during the third Government Summit in February 2015, as one of the initiatives of International Council on Artificial Intelligence and Robotics, which was formed in collaboration with the World Economic Forum during Global Agenda Council hosted by the UAE Government last year.

The award is the largest award of its kind, offering a total prize money of Dh4.67 million for the International Competition winner, and Dh1 million for the National Competition winner). The winners in both the International and National competitions will be announced today (Saturday, February 6, 2016).