Police tech and GPS shopping guides steal show at Gitex
From driverless, mobile police stations to satellite guided shopping trolleys, this year’s Gitex exhibition again pushes the frontiers of technology.
Thousands of visitors flocked to the second day of the annual event in Dubai as leading tech companies and start-ups from around the world showcased their products.
Among the most eye-catching innovations on display was an autonomous, mobile police station designed to drive to the public.
Also unveiled was a satellite tracking device that, when attached to supermarket trolleys, can guide customers to their favourite shops and products.
On a visit to the event, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Vice President and Ruler of Dubai, said technology continued to revolutionise the way the world worked. “During my visit to Gitex Technology Week, more than 4,000 companies from a 100 countries gathered to tell us what the world awaits from the impending information and knowledge revolution,” he said. “New generations of technology will change the lives of new generations of humans.”
Gitex Technology Week began on Sunday at the Dubai World Trade Centre and will conclude on Thursday.
So far, one of the biggest talking points has been a self-driving concept known as the Smart Police Station. The unit is designed to travel to the public, rather than the other way round, allowing them, for example, to pay speeding penalties more easily.
“It can be in one section of Dubai in the morning and then travel to another section in the evening,” said Essa Ibrahim Basaeed, the head of technical studies at Dubai Police.
Also on show was Dubai Police’s latest weapon against speeding motorists.
Called the Beast Patrol, the collaboration between the police, the Dubai company W Motors and the Abu Dhabi-based Safe City Group has been labelled “the most-advanced police vehicle in the world”.
Full details of the ruggedlooking SUV’s built-in gadgets have yet to be announced.
IntelTrack Systems
This personal shopping assistant relieves the pain of getting lost during trips to the mall.
A satellite tracking device attached to a regular shopping trolley can guide buyers to particular shops.
Guidance is accurate to within 3 to 5 centimetres rather than the usual 3 to 5 metres of current GPS navigation systems.
The software allows retailers to guide shoppers towards special offers. It also remembers previous choices to recommend future purchases.
KR10 Production Technology Robot
This Protec system uses robotic technology from German manufactures Kuka to demonstrate the accuracy of automation in manufacturing.
A robotic arm throws three darts at a dartboard three metres away and averages a score of 100 each time.
Although impressive, the technology has some way to go to beat the human record of an average score of 123.40 from three darts. That record was set by Dutch darts player Michael van Gerwen in 2016.
Tahaluf Smart Case
This aims to end the anxiety of losing your luggage when travelling on a long-haul flight.
The technology has been in use across the UAE since July, securing the movement of high-value goods such as cash and jewellery.
This robust case can be locked and unlocked remotely through a secure, fail-safe global satellite system.
Its owner can track its exact location, and the case can be programmed to allow only a specific person access to the contents using facial recognition software.
Battery life is about 11 hours, but designers say that is slowly improving. More than 600 cases are currently used by banks and security firms across the UAE.
At up to Dh6,000 the technology is not cheap. A less-costly version of about Dh1,500 is due to hit the market.
The Smart Police Station
The SPS was one of the biggest talking points of the Gitex Technology Week.
The self-driving, mobile police station is an autonomous vehicle that allows Dubai residents to pay their fines on board, rather than reporting to police in person.
“Even though you can pay fines on our app, a lot of people still prefer to pay in cash and do not want to use credit cards,” said Essa Ibrahim Basaeed, head of technical studies at Dubai Police.
Public trials are under way to see when the mobile police station can be rolled out.
Amal Smart Glasses
Designed for the visually impaired, this new technology helps users to navigate around a busy city environment using voice commands.
It acts as a virtual assistant for the wearer, processing data such as weather forecasts, traffic information and meeting schedules in real time.
The glasses can also give obstacle warnings, facial recognition, currency prices and the latest prayer times, as well as assisting with navigation.