The challenge of manoeuvring cars into tight parking spaces could become a thing of the past if specialised robots on show at Gitex 2024 enter the mainstream.
Parkie, designed by Korean company HL Mando, claims to be the world’s first autonomous parking robot.
Drivers will need to step out and let the flat-bed robot take over. It will slide under the car, lift it and move it, even into a spot so tight that it doesn't allow doors to open.
Parkie is aimed at the commercial sector, mostly hotels and offices that need to maximise vehicle spaces at car parks of limited size.
At about $200,000 for a pair of Parkie robots, the technology does not come cheap, but Mia Choi, senior associate at HL Mando, said costs would come down as the manufacturing scale increases.
“Parkie can make parking easier for drivers but it goes beyond that because it enables a driverless parking operation,” she said.
Car parks, she added, "often have a lot of idle spaces, with extra space needed for people to get in or out of the car. With this parking solution, you don't need to have those extra spaces because people don't need to go into their cars. It can increase available parking slots from 30 per cent to 100 per cent.”
Testing is under way in Korea, with plans to expand commercially across the world in 2025.
Mobility and transport solutions are a major aspect of the technology show at the Dubai World Trade Centre.
AI smart-city traffic solutions
More than 30 motorways in the US already use artificial intelligence to efficiently manage traffic flow based on the number of vehicles on the road.
Derq has trialled it in Las Vegas, where the metropolitan area's traffic signals, road cameras and flow detectors were used as sources of traffic data.
The system can also monitor pedestrian movement at crossing points and warn approaching vehicles to slow down, thus pre-empting potential accidents.
“We can detect and track every single road user on the roadway, understand what their behaviour is and make real-time decisions based on that,” said Derq’s co-founder and chief operating officer Karl Jeanbart.
This could prove beneficial for events such as Gitex, with Mr Jeanbart confident the company’s AI algorithms could help manage pedestrian traffic.
“By understanding the size of the crowd that's waiting to cross and if they have crossed over we can understand more about trends at events like Gitex to improve flow," he added.
“We know what the flashpoint is going to be, so we can help collect data and rebuild heat maps for agencies where they have conflict hotspots so they identify potential for collisions.” The big issue, Mr Jeanbart said, is that "sensor infrastructure data is quite poor".
“With the type of technology we enable, we can help agencies gather a lot more data in real-time to better manage traffic to respond to incidents faster."
While “Dubai is quite advanced in terms of technology, there's more that can be done to leverage cameras, as they are not really used for traffic management, but more for road operations".
“By getting real-time notifications, they can better understand road-user behaviour and traffic patterns, to plan better and make decisions in advance. We developed AI that integrates with deployed cameras, for example, CCTV cameras and traffic cameras. To ingest that in real-time, we run our algorithms.”
The technology has already been used in Dubai's Silicon Oasis, where it powers intelligent pedestrian crossings.
Sky scooters
French company Zapata is the latest to display its version of personal drone transport, through its single-seater Air Scooter.
The hybrid personal air vehicle can be flown without a pilot’s licence, has a flight time of two hours and a top speed of about 100kph.
A company representative said the vehicle would be available for use next year. “It's a hybrid electric with a combustion engine and electric motor,” she said. “They provide thrust and also recharge batteries during flight. Due to its weight and speed restrictions, it can be used without a pilot licence."
It is still undergoing an "unmanned flying testing campaign, and about to start the first manned flight with a pilot in the next week or two in France".
There is still no word on when it will take flight in the UAE, but the representative was confident it "needed to work around the regulations".
In the US, air scooters will be sold to people who will need to take simulator training at flight centres before "taking to the skies".
Company Profile
Company name: Fine Diner
Started: March, 2020
Co-founders: Sami Elayan, Saed Elayan and Zaid Azzouka
Based: Dubai
Industry: Technology and food delivery
Initial investment: Dh75,000
Investor: Dtec Startupbootcamp
Future plan: Looking to raise $400,000
Total sales: Over 1,000 deliveries in three months
The candidates
Dr Ayham Ammora, scientist and business executive
Ali Azeem, business leader
Tony Booth, professor of education
Lord Browne, former BP chief executive
Dr Mohamed El-Erian, economist
Professor Wyn Evans, astrophysicist
Dr Mark Mann, scientist
Gina MIller, anti-Brexit campaigner
Lord Smith, former Cabinet minister
Sandi Toksvig, broadcaster
How Islam's view of posthumous transplant surgery changed
Transplants from the deceased have been carried out in hospitals across the globe for decades, but in some countries in the Middle East, including the UAE, the practise was banned until relatively recently.
Opinion has been divided as to whether organ donations from a deceased person is permissible in Islam.
The body is viewed as sacred, during and after death, thus prohibiting cremation and tattoos.
One school of thought viewed the removal of organs after death as equally impermissible.
That view has largely changed, and among scholars and indeed many in society, to be seen as permissible to save another life.
Mane points for safe home colouring
- Natural and grey hair takes colour differently than chemically treated hair
- Taking hair from a dark to a light colour should involve a slow transition through warmer stages of colour
- When choosing a colour (especially a lighter tone), allow for a natural lift of warmth
- Most modern hair colours are technique-based, in that they require a confident hand and taught skills
- If you decide to be brave and go for it, seek professional advice and use a semi-permanent colour
Who has been sanctioned?
Daniella Weiss and Nachala
Described as 'the grandmother of the settler movement', she has encouraged the expansion of settlements for decades. The 79 year old leads radical settler movement Nachala, whose aim is for Israel to annex Gaza and the occupied West Bank, where it helps settlers built outposts.
Harel Libi & Libi Construction and Infrastructure
Libi has been involved in threatening and perpetuating acts of aggression and violence against Palestinians. His firm has provided logistical and financial support for the establishment of illegal outposts.
Zohar Sabah
Runs a settler outpost named Zohar’s Farm and has previously faced charges of violence against Palestinians. He was indicted by Israel’s State Attorney’s Office in September for allegedly participating in a violent attack against Palestinians and activists in the West Bank village of Muarrajat.
Coco’s Farm and Neria’s Farm
These are illegal outposts in the West Bank, which are at the vanguard of the settler movement. According to the UK, they are associated with people who have been involved in enabling, inciting, promoting or providing support for activities that amount to “serious abuse”.
Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
- Priority access to new homes from participating developers
- Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
- Flexible payment plans from developers
- Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
- DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
ELIO
Starring: Yonas Kibreab, Zoe Saldana, Brad Garrett
Directors: Madeline Sharafian, Domee Shi, Adrian Molina
Rating: 4/5
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Omar Yabroudi's factfile
Born: October 20, 1989, Sharjah
Education: Bachelor of Science and Football, Liverpool John Moores University
2010: Accrington Stanley FC, internship
2010-2012: Crystal Palace, performance analyst with U-18 academy
2012-2015: Barnet FC, first-team performance analyst/head of recruitment
2015-2017: Nottingham Forest, head of recruitment
2018-present: Crystal Palace, player recruitment manager
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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Qosty Byogaani
Starring: Hani Razmzi, Maya Nasir and Hassan Hosny
Four stars
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Killing of Qassem Suleimani
MO
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Babumoshai Bandookbaaz
Director: Kushan Nandy
Starring: Nawazuddin Siddiqui, Bidita Bag, Jatin Goswami
Three stars
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
Tips to stay safe during hot weather
- Stay hydrated: Drink plenty of fluids, especially water. Avoid alcohol and caffeine, which can increase dehydration.
- Seek cool environments: Use air conditioning, fans, or visit community spaces with climate control.
- Limit outdoor activities: Avoid strenuous activity during peak heat. If outside, seek shade and wear a wide-brimmed hat.
- Dress appropriately: Wear lightweight, loose and light-coloured clothing to facilitate heat loss.
- Check on vulnerable people: Regularly check in on elderly neighbours, young children and those with health conditions.
- Home adaptations: Use blinds or curtains to block sunlight, avoid using ovens or stoves, and ventilate living spaces during cooler hours.
- Recognise heat illness: Learn the signs of heat exhaustion and heat stroke (dizziness, confusion, rapid pulse, nausea), and seek medical attention if symptoms occur.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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More on Quran memorisation:
Bharat
Director: Ali Abbas Zafar
Starring: Salman Khan, Katrina Kaif, Sunil Grover
Rating: 2.5 out of 5 stars
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Day 1 results:
Open Men (bonus points in brackets)
New Zealand 125 (1) beat UAE 111 (3)
India 111 (4) beat Singapore 75 (0)
South Africa 66 (2) beat Sri Lanka 57 (2)
Australia 126 (4) beat Malaysia -16 (0)
Open Women
New Zealand 64 (2) beat South Africa 57 (2)
England 69 (3) beat UAE 63 (1)
Australia 124 (4) beat UAE 23 (0)
New Zealand 74 (2) beat England 55 (2)
