Etihad Airways is to use machine learning to help tackle the problem of food wase on its flights.
The national airline of the UAE started a project that makes use of computer vision and machine learning to cut down on the volume of food wasted on flights. The project is in partnership with Lumitics, a Singapore food technology start-up.
Economy-class meals served on Etihad flights will be tracked to record food consumption patterns and waste levels across the airline's network. This will be done using Lumitics' Insight Lite product, which will monitor the number of uneaten meals on a plane when it reaches an airport.
The programme uses artificial intelligence and image recognition to identify the types and quantity of unconsumed food, without the need for human interaction.
This data will be used by Etihad in plans to reduce food waste, improve meal planning on a granular level and lower operating costs. So, for instance, if X amount of chicken dishes are always left uneaten on flights from Chicago, they will reduce that meal on that service.
1.14 million tonnes wasted every year
In 2017, the International Air Transport Association found that 1.14 million tonnes of food was wasted from in-flight catering and about 20 per cent of all food produced by in-flight catering teams is wasted every year.
The problem is something airlines are aware of and Etihad began its partnership with Lumitics this year, before aviation was widely affected by the coronavirus pandemic. With many routes now restarting, Etihad is keen to move forward with the project.
“As the airline scales up the flight operations again, it is exciting to restart the project and continue the work that had begun," said Mohammad Al Bulooki, chief operating officer at Etihad Aviation Group.
Rayner Loi, co-founder of Lumitics, said "tackling food waste is one of the largest cost-saving opportunities for any business producing and serving food".
"Not only does it make business sense, it is also good for the environment. We are excited to be working with Etihad Airways to help achieve its goals in reducing food waste," he said.
Sustainable flying
Etihad's food waste programme is one of several sustainability focused initiatives the airline is undertaking.
Last year, the Abu Dhabi airline operated a single-use-plastic-free flight from the UAE to Australia and introduced its Etihad Greenliner programme to help improve operating efficiency and sustainable practice in aviation.
Most recently, Etihad partnered with Boeing and Nasa to use its newest Dreamliner as a test bed for technologies that can help reduce fuel consumption, noise pollution and carbon dioxide emissions.
Women’s World T20, Asia Qualifier
UAE results
Beat China by 16 runs
Lost to Thailand by 10 wickets
Beat Nepal by five runs
Beat Hong Kong by eight wickets
Beat Malaysia by 34 runs
Standings (P, W, l, NR, points)
1. Thailand 5 4 0 1 9
2. UAE 5 4 1 0 8
3. Nepal 5 2 1 2 6
4. Hong Kong 5 2 2 1 5
5. Malaysia 5 1 4 0 2
6. China 5 0 5 0 0
Final
Thailand v UAE, Monday, 7am
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Other ways to buy used products in the UAE
UAE insurance firm Al Wathba National Insurance Company (AWNIC) last year launched an e-commerce website with a facility enabling users to buy car wrecks.
Bidders and potential buyers register on the online salvage car auction portal to view vehicles, review condition reports, or arrange physical surveys, and then start bidding for motors they plan to restore or harvest for parts.
Physical salvage car auctions are a common method for insurers around the world to move on heavily damaged vehicles, but AWNIC is one of the few UAE insurers to offer such services online.
For cars and less sizeable items such as bicycles and furniture, Dubizzle is arguably the best-known marketplace for pre-loved.
Founded in 2005, in recent years it has been joined by a plethora of Facebook community pages for shifting used goods, including Abu Dhabi Marketplace, Flea Market UAE and Arabian Ranches Souq Market while sites such as The Luxury Closet and Riot deal largely in second-hand fashion.
At the high-end of the pre-used spectrum, resellers such as Timepiece360.ae, WatchBox Middle East and Watches Market Dubai deal in authenticated second-hand luxury timepieces from brands such as Rolex, Hublot and Tag Heuer, with a warranty.
Company Fact Box
Company name/date started: Abwaab Technologies / September 2019
Founders: Hamdi Tabbaa, co-founder and CEO. Hussein Alsarabi, co-founder and CTO
Based: Amman, Jordan
Sector: Education Technology
Size (employees/revenue): Total team size: 65. Full-time employees: 25. Revenue undisclosed
Stage: early-stage startup
Investors: Adam Tech Ventures, Endure Capital, Equitrust, the World Bank-backed Innovative Startups SMEs Fund, a London investment fund, a number of former and current executives from Uber and Netflix, among others.
Eyasses squad
Charlie Preston (captain) – goal shooter/ goalkeeper (Dubai College)
Arushi Holt (vice-captain) – wing defence / centre (Jumeriah English Speaking School)
Olivia Petricola (vice-captain) – centre / wing attack (Dubai English Speaking College)
Isabel Affley – goalkeeper / goal defence (Dubai English Speaking College)
Jemma Eley – goal attack / wing attack (Dubai College)
Alana Farrell-Morton – centre / wing / defence / wing attack (Nord Anglia International School)
Molly Fuller – goal attack / wing attack (Dubai College)
Caitlin Gowdy – goal defence / wing defence (Dubai English Speaking College)
Noorulain Hussain – goal defence / wing defence (Dubai College)
Zahra Hussain-Gillani – goal defence / goalkeeper (British School Al Khubairat)
Claire Janssen – goal shooter / goal attack (Jumeriah English Speaking School)
Eliza Petricola – wing attack / centre (Dubai English Speaking College)
Best Foreign Language Film nominees
Capernaum (Lebanon)
Cold War (Poland)
Never Look Away (Germany)
Roma (Mexico)
Shoplifters (Japan)
The Dictionary of Animal Languages
Heidi Sopinka
Scribe
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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