Gadgets, innovations and technology of varying degrees of usefulness fill the halls of Dubai World Trade Centre at Gitex Technology Week 2017.
Developments in robotics form a large part of the new innovations as this field is now in a position to revolutionise the way we live.
Just how useful the mechanical arms of the Yaskawa RoboChef or the RoboShaker are to help make an egg sandwich or to mix a cocktail remains to be seen but other developments on show offered genuine innovation.
The South Korean Dot Incorporation braille watch allows blind users to access information from the wearable device linked to a mobile phone. Tiny nodules rise and fall on the watch face to offer information after an alert from a small vibration.
The Planet Gemini PDA was another device impressing at the Etisalat stand. It may look like a normal pocket mobile device, with all the usual functions, but a pop-out fully integrated keyboard allows users to transform their phone into a mini desktop computer.
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Dubai Police shows off latest innovations at Gitex Technology Week
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Exhibition visitors could try out a Samsung Gear Gyro virtual reality simulator, or lie horizontal on an amplified reality sky-bike wearing a VR headset to try flying simulator games.
At the Etisalat stand, visitors could talk to Sophia, an android that responds to any questions asked of her.
And the latest Tesla cars with 5G connectivity sat alongside future technology to be used at Dubai airport to improve passenger flow through passport control. A fully autonomous electric Mercedes FO15 was also displayed, a vehicle that will likely be in production by 2023.
Less impressive but more fun were the digital retail technologies, such as the fitting room mirrors that take photos as you try on new clothes, replaying them on a big screen to see how you really look from behind in that fresh new outfit.
Elsewhere, Dubai Civil Defence was championing a new drone with thermal sensors that could be used to pour foam on a high-rise fire and pinpoint people trapped inside.
“Whenever a fire breaks out in any spot, the fire sensors installed in buildings will send a signal to Dubai Civil Defence operations room and an officer will deploy the drone to the fire site,” said Col Ali Al Mutawa, assistant general director for smart services at DCD.
The drone, called dro fire, will also stream live footage back to the operations room and tests will be conducted on its viability in 2020, with a decision on its use thereafter.
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Artificial intelligence for home use is also a key feature of the 2017 Gitex, with “Buddy” the companion robot performing another eye-catching display.
Created by Blue Frog Robotics, Buddy promises to entertain the kids by providing interactive games and learning while also offering home security via patrol and intruder detection.
It also has the ability to look after elders by monitoring them with its in-built fall detector, and it also offers medication reminders.
It can even check on a sleeping baby through its in-built monitor and connect to other home devices like the thermostat, motorised curtain and door locks and TV, all of which can be switched on or off.
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The National's top five gadgets:
1 Mercedes FO15 fully autonomous electric car
2 Roads and Transport Authority autonomous air taxi
3 Buddy companion robot
4 Dot incorporation braille smartwatch
5 ZeroTech pocket selfie drone
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The specs
Price, base / as tested Dh960,000
Engine 3.9L twin-turbo V8
Transmission Seven-speed dual-clutch automatic
Power 661hp @8,000rpm
Torque 760Nm @ 3,000rpm
Fuel economy, combined 11.4L / 100k
UAE's final round of matches
- Sep 1, 2016 Beat Japan 2-1 (away)
- Sep 6, 2016 Lost to Australia 1-0 (home)
- Oct 6, 2016 Beat Thailand 3-1 (home)
- Oct 11, 2016 Lost to Saudi Arabia 3-0 (away)
- Nov 15, 2016 Beat Iraq 2-0 (home)
- Mar 23, 2017 Lost to Japan 2-0 (home)
- Mar 28, 2017 Lost to Australia 2-0 (away)
- June 13, 2017 Drew 1-1 with Thailand (away)
- Aug 29, 2017 v Saudi Arabia (home)
- Sep 5, 2017 v Iraq (away)
UPI facts
More than 2.2 million Indian tourists arrived in UAE in 2023
More than 3.5 million Indians reside in UAE
Indian tourists can make purchases in UAE using rupee accounts in India through QR-code-based UPI real-time payment systems
Indian residents in UAE can use their non-resident NRO and NRE accounts held in Indian banks linked to a UAE mobile number for UPI transactions
MATCH INFO
Uefa Champions League semi-final, first leg
Tottenham 0-1 Ajax, Tuesday
Second leg
Ajax v Tottenham, Wednesday, May 8, 11pm
Game is on BeIN Sports
What the law says
Micro-retirement is not a recognised concept or employment status under Federal Decree Law No. 33 of 2021 on the Regulation of Labour Relations (as amended) (UAE Labour Law). As such, it reflects a voluntary work-life balance practice, rather than a recognised legal employment category, according to Dilini Loku, senior associate for law firm Gateley Middle East.
“Some companies may offer formal sabbatical policies or career break programmes; however, beyond such arrangements, there is no automatic right or statutory entitlement to extended breaks,” she explains.
“Any leave taken beyond statutory entitlements, such as annual leave, is typically regarded as unpaid leave in accordance with Article 33 of the UAE Labour Law. While employees may legally take unpaid leave, such requests are subject to the employer’s discretion and require approval.”
If an employee resigns to pursue micro-retirement, the employment contract is terminated, and the employer is under no legal obligation to rehire the employee in the future unless specific contractual agreements are in place (such as return-to-work arrangements), which are generally uncommon, Ms Loku adds.
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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)
The specs
- Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
- Power: 640hp
- Torque: 760nm
- On sale: 2026
- Price: Not announced yet
Most sought after workplace benefits in the UAE
- Flexible work arrangements
- Pension support
- Mental well-being assistance
- Insurance coverage for optical, dental, alternative medicine, cancer screening
- Financial well-being incentives
Key recommendations
- Fewer criminals put behind bars and more to serve sentences in the community, with short sentences scrapped and many inmates released earlier.
- Greater use of curfews and exclusion zones to deliver tougher supervision than ever on criminals.
- Explore wider powers for judges to punish offenders by blocking them from attending football matches, banning them from driving or travelling abroad through an expansion of ‘ancillary orders’.
- More Intensive Supervision Courts to tackle the root causes of crime such as alcohol and drug abuse – forcing repeat offenders to take part in tough treatment programmes or face prison.
UAE squad
Humaira Tasneem (c), Chamani Senevirathne (vc), Subha Srinivasan, NIsha Ali, Udeni Kuruppuarachchi, Chaya Mughal, Roopa Nagraj, Esha Oza, Ishani Senevirathne, Heena Hotchandani, Keveesha Kumari, Judith Cleetus, Chavi Bhatt, Namita D’Souza.
Dubai World Cup prize money
Group 1 (Purebred Arabian) 2000m Dubai Kahayla Classic - $750,000
Group 2 1,600m(Dirt) Godolphin Mile - $750,000
Group 2 3,200m (Turf) Dubai Gold Cup – $750,000
Group 1 1,200m (Turf) Al Quoz Sprint – $1,000,000
Group 2 1,900m(Dirt) UAE Derby – $750,000
Group 1 1,200m (Dirt) Dubai Golden Shaheen – $1,500,000
Group 1 1,800m (Turf) Dubai Turf – $4,000,000
Group 1 2,410m (Turf) Dubai Sheema Classic – $5,000,000
Group 1 2,000m (Dirt) Dubai World Cup– $12,000,000
TEAMS
US Team
Dustin Johnson, Jordan Spieth
Justin Thomas, Daniel Berger
Brooks Koepka, Rickie Fowler
Kevin Kisner, Patrick Reed
Matt Kuchar, Kevin Chappell
Charley Hoffman*, Phil Mickelson*
International Team
Hideki Matsuyama, Jason Day
Adam Scott, Louis Oosthuizen
Marc Leishman, Charl Schwartzel
Branden Grace, Si Woo Kim
Jhonattan Vegas, Adam Hadwin
Emiliano Grillo*, Anirban Lahiri*
* denotes captain's picks
