Dubai: The Mohammed Bin Rashid Centre for Government Innovation (MBRCGI) hosted UAE Innovates exhibition at the Emirates Towers Boulevard in Dubai, as part of UAE Innovates 2025, which ran throughout February.
The exhibition showcased recent government innovations that have had a significant impact on the country and its people. UAE Innovates featured ten standout innovations and included an interactive mirror maze, immersing visitors in an experience reflecting the unexpected twists and turns of the journey to bring innovations to life. Abeer Tahlak, Director of MBRCGI, said, "The UAE government has made significant strides in fostering innovation. It aims to cultivate a culture of innovation within entities, creating an enabling environment to produce solutions, tools and projects that serve society."
She added, "The UAE Innovates exhibition raises awareness of the importance of innovation in government while also recognising our top innovators. The exhibition highlights how individuals and entities are shaping the future by transforming ways of working and creating a positive and tangible impact on society. Their contributions align with the UAE government's vision to position the country as a global hub for innovation."
The featured innovations and projects came from ten federal and local government entities: the Ministry of Climate Change and Environment, the Ministry of Economy, the Ministry of Interior, the Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs & Port Security, Emirates Health Services, Dubai's Roads and Transport Authority (RTA), Dubai Civil Aviation Authority, Dubai Airports, Dubai Municipality, and the Fujairah Environment Authority.
The Ministry of Climate Change and Environment's Plant the Emirates National Programme engages farmers to enhance local agriculture. The exhibition featured several case studies showcasing the use of smart technologies on farms, giving visitors the opportunity to sample local produce. The project aims to inject innovation into agriculture by equipping farmers with modern tools and techniques to boost production, improve crop quality and increase sustainability.
The Ministry of Economy's National Digital Platform for Monitoring Essential Commodity Prices was launched to monitor the prices of essential consumer goods, including cooking oil, eggs, dairy products, rice, sugar, poultry, legumes, bread, and wheat. The platform provides real-time tracking of price movements across the UAE. It enables the ministry and local authorities to access real-time price data, ensuring compliance with the price ceilings established under pricing policy.
Emirates Health Services' Digital Twin is designed to enhance hospital operations using real-time, data-driven insights. The initiative optimises hospital workflows, improving resource allocation and efficiency, which ultimately leads to better patient outcomes. Hospitals can analyse patient flow, referral patterns, and appointment scheduling, as well as benefit from critical insights that improve emergency response.
The Ministry of Interior's Smart Examiner is a special technologically advanced car equipped with sensors, GPS, and facial recognition cameras. The car autonomously assesses driving tests without the need for an in-person supervisor, streamlining the exam process and saving on resources. The system leverages AI-supported data analysis to identify traffic violations. It also offers a one-day driving test service, reducing the typical licensing process from between three and six months to just 24 hours.
The Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs & Port Security showcased the world's first-of-its-kind Smart and Fast Travel system. This innovation creates a database of air travellers using facial recognition, eliminating the need for pre-registration. The system significantly enhances the passenger journey. In 2024, over 4.7 million travellers benefited from the system, reducing the average processing time at smart gates to just 8.7 seconds.
Dubai Civil Aviation Authority showcased a drone delivery system that will support Dubai's plans to lead the development of smart transport solutions. The system is part of the Dubai Program to Enable Drone Transportation and aligns with several other initiatives, including the Dubai Robotics and Automation Program, the Dubai Research and Development Programme, the Dubai Universal Blueprint for Artificial Intelligence, and the Drone Delivery Programme. It is estimated that by 2030, drones will conduct a third of deliveries in the city.
Dubai's Roads and Transport Authority's (RTA) LiDAR Technology for Road Assessment uses LiDAR technology and digital imaging for the first time to assess the condition of roads. The assessments are accurate and safe, contributing to a database that will help to maintain road standards in the future as transport systems evolve. The programme achieved a high ACI ranking and can assess 80km of road per day. It can conduct assessments three times faster than visual assessments alone.
Dubai Airports' smart aircraft diversion monitoring system leverages AI and cameras to enhance the efficiency of aircraft operations by monitoring, analysing and predicting activities in real time. The solution helps airports, airlines, ground handlers and air traffic control by improving turnaround efficiency, reducing delays, optimising resources, supporting coordination, and automating manual processes. The benefits include reducing delays, reducing costs and data-driven decision making to help continuously improve performance.
Dubai Municipality's Building X provides real-time data on buildings, helping to increase efficiency, reduce energy consumption, and promote a more sustainable and smart user experience. The innovation helps Dubai Municipality's General Maintenance Department save time and costs related to maintenance work by predicting faults before they occur.
Fujairah Environment Authority's smart system for mapping water resources and managing flood risks in Fujairah was developed to address environmental and climate challenges. The smart system efficiently analyses and monitors water resources, helping to protect resources, guard against overexploitation of groundwater, and mitigate flooding.
UAE Innovates 2025 took place in February under the "The Power of Innovation 10 - Where Does Your Strength Lie?". UAE Innovates is a nationwide platform convening all segments of society. Over the last decade, UAE Innovates has been instrumental in supporting groundbreaking ideas, initiatives, and projects that enhance quality of life. This year's edition aligns with the Year of Community, reaffirming the UAE's commitment to placing people at the centre of progress. (ANI/WAM)