Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid greeted by robot guest at Dubai gathering

Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Vice President and Ruler of Dubai, was given a glimpse into the emirate's high-tech future when he was introduced to a robot guest at a gathering in Union House.

The robot waved to dignitaries, ministers, investors and business leaders in video taken by Dubai Media Office on Wednesday.

The machine then strode over to greet Sheikh Mohammed and guests including Dr Anwar Gargash, diplomatic adviser to President Sheikh Mohamed, at the Mudaif Majlis.

The demonstration highlights the UAE's commitment to harnessing rapidly evolving technology, from drone delivery services to robot-assisted surgery in hospitals.

In January, a robot concierge was put to work at a hotel on Saadiyat Island to test how technology could take on day-to-day tasks.

The Type 1 Autodroid developed by Autogo, a division of UAE tech company Kintsugi, successfully completed the month-long trial at the St Regis Saadiyat Island Resort.

It provided an early indicator of how humanoid machines could support people at work, or take over some menial tasks.

Surgeons at Abu Dhabi's Sheikh Shakhbout Medical City first conducted surgery with the help of robotics in 2020.

It was used to perform a pyeloplasty on a young Emirati. The procedure was to remove a “ureteropelvic junction obstruction” – a blockage of the tube that carries urine from the kidneys to the bladder.

“The instruments used in robotic surgery provide surgeons with magnified, 3D high-definition vision, more comfortable use of instruments and easier access to areas that would’ve been difficult to reach using conventional methods,” Dr Sarfraz Ahmad, who led the team at SSMC, said at the time.