The human touch

In sport, a person’s muscle pattern is tuned faster with training. A certain ‘muscle memory’ develops in response to the required task. We have developed an idea that allows us to motivate a person’s muscles to reach the desired muscles reaction. Our solution is delivered through robot-like muscle vibrators – a completely autonomous system – with net-vibrators to reach the final goal, to give the muscles direct stimulation.

Athlete training is a vital component of a successful sports career. Athletes spend long periods of time trying to perfect the right posture, strength and muscle application for performing and perfecting simple actions.

However, not all athletes get the right required performance and skills. Intensive training and wrong muscle use may lead to injuries, muscle fatigue and prevent them from learning the skills needed. What if there was another way to train your muscles?

Is it possible to change how the brain controls and uses one’s muscles? Can we train a person in less time with less risk of injuries?

Through neuro-feedback from the brain and Electromyography (EMG) signals, we can see that a person’s muscle patterns can be changed and trained to perform better through direct instructions to the relevant muscle groups.

Our project utilises AI and advanced robotic technology for enhancing our skills acquisition capability.

Advanced technology now allows us to get a closer look to the brain and its neural connections with the muscles to reveal some hidden secrets. It is clear that different people use different muscle patterns in performing a task. It is also clear that professional people with higher skill levels have a better way in using their muscles.

We noticed that giving a subject direct instruction to perform a task leads the subject to focus on particular muscles and activate them. This results in increasing muscle activity pattern or a change in muscle pattern depending on the instruction given. Our experimentation has shown that when giving the subject direct stimulated instructions results in greater improvement than when giving instructions by voice only.

The EMG electrodes read the muscle activity of the task performed. Recording and reading the muscle activity provides a scale of the signals to check how active each muscle is. The next step is studying the differences between the targeted muscle to approach and the muscles that should be trained.

To help in build a good, fully-trained muscle the robot-like vibrators are used to control and enhance the muscle activity by training over a short period of time. Vibrators help motivate a specific muscle to activate at the required time. Although, our prototype has been targeted to skill acquisition, we believe a wider application of such approach is possible in the field of rehabilitation.

Press Release

National and International competitions receive successful semi-final entries from UAE, United States, United Kingdom, Australia and Spain
Award to help overcome existing challenges in categories of health, education and social services
Innovations in artificial intelligence and robotics sectors designed to serve humanity
Big Data and Internet of Things emerge key tools in the development of several projects

Dubai, January 18, 2016: The Organizing Committee of the UAE AI & Robotics Award for Good has announced that 20 contestants have qualified to the semi-finals stage of the National and International competitions of the award, which offers a total prize money of AED 4.67 million (US$1 million for International Competition and AED 1 million for National Competition) to the winners.

The successful entries to the semi-final stage of the UAE AI & Robotics Award have come from all parts of the world, including the UAE, the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia and Spain. The award aims to encourage research and applications of innovative solutions in artificial intelligence and robotics to meet existing challenges in the categories of health, education and social services.

Saif Al Aleeli, Chief Executive Officer of Dubai Museum of the Future Foundation and Coordinator General of the UAE AI & Robotics Award for Good, said the award involves robotics projects designed to serve humanity. He said 20 innovative projects have qualified to the semi-finals stage out of 664 submissions from 121 countries around the world, reflecting the global impact of the award in its first edition.

He pointed out that the UAE AI & Robotics Award for Good is different from other awards in the world in two main aspects. Firstly, it focuses on the practical side of robotics technology making it easier for the public and investors in the sector to identify the economic and social values of these projects in order to transform them into services and commercial projects. The submissions covered a wide range of applications on the micro level, including devices that can be implantable inside the human body, as well as big-size applications.

Secondly, the award focuses on artificial intelligence, which plays a major role in transforming robots from mere technical tools for routine tasks into smart tools capable of making decisions and dealing with complex situations.

Al Aleeli added said that one of the main objectives of the award is to make people aware of the potentials of the robotics sector. He also said the award will be expanded in the coming editions in terms of target sectors and participation, aiming for more diversity to establish a global movement that promotes this modern technology to empower people and improve their lives.

International Competition – Semi-finalists:

HERMES robots offer effective solution in disaster management – USA

Among the semi-finalists, team MITBRL from the United States has developed the HERMES (Highly Efficient Robotic Mechanisms and Electromechanical System) robots which can enter areas that are too dangerous for humans, offering an effective solution in disaster management.

“In its commercial phase, we imagine that the robots will cut costs by handling dangerous tasks that are otherwise impossible to accomplish. In addition, this technology also reduces the risk of injury to emergency first responders,” said Albert Wang of MITBRL team.

Stressing the urgency to bring these technologies to market, Wang said that both the first customers and the likely first investment will be from governmental organizations that oversee disaster response operations.

“We are very excited to see government initiatives for the use of robotics to improve people’s lives. Awards such as this one stimulate growth and inspire talented individuals to work on difficult problems,” Wang added.

Autonomous Soft Tissue Robotic Surgery for improved safety – USA

A team from the United States has come up with an ‘Autonomous Soft Tissue Robotic Surgery’ system offering improved safety, access, and outcome.

Peter Kim from the team said: “We have recently successfully developed and tested a robotic system includes a 3D multispectral imaging system that can detect and differentiate tissue types and organs; a novel system that allows robust 3D tracking of soft tissue targets immune to blood and tissue occlusions. A robotic manipulator with real-time control, capable of adapting to tissue deformations and movement is used to finely apply and tie sutures. These components make the system modular and well-suited to automate any phase of a soft tissue surgery. It has the ability to distinguish between tissue features, quantify and track 3D targets in a messy surgical environment, and intelligently plan and adapt while controlling surgical tools more precisely than a human surgeon.”

Peter added: “Our recent success in automating complex surgical tasks has motivated our team to believe that all surgery can be potentially automated in the future. Such automation would bring improved quality, safety and accessibility of the best techniques to all patients around the world.”

TechBridgeWorld robots make learning Braille simple and fun – USA

TechBridgeWorld team from the United States has come up with the Braille Tutor robot that allows users to learn how to write, practice writing, and be quizzed on letters, words, and numbers.

“These educational modes were designed based on best practices of the teachers we worked with and were intended to make the Braille writing learning process simple and fun, said Ermine Teves of the TechBridgeWorld team.

“The TechBridgeWorld research group at Carnegie Mellon University aims to bridge the gap between visually impaired individuals and rapidly changing technology by collaborating with partner organizations around the world. By focusing on the slate-and-stylus method, our Braille Writing Tutor and Stand-Alone Braille Writing Tutor devices serve an unmet need of guided Braille writing practice in the developing world,” Ermine said.

The project is supported in part by the Qatar National Research, the Fetzer Institute as well as several other partners from around the world, Ermine said.

“To make the Braille Tutor affordable to various communities, we are considering a cross subsidy model. For communities that can afford such resources, we plan to offer Braille Tutor devices with other enhancements relevant to their needs, said Ermine.

The project prototypes have been designed to withstand handling by students. Furthermore, they are designed to be used in environments with unpredictable, intermittent, or no access to grid power. Future research includes developing a sturdy and child-friendly case for the devices.

Commending the UAE AI & Robotics Award for Good, Ermine said: “It is great that the UAE is offering such a fantastic opportunity as well as emphasizing the importance of utilizing AI and robotics technology to improve people’s lives.”

Mars Lab enhances STEM education – Australia

The Mars Lab team from Australia aims to promote participation rates in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) by primary and high school students by providing them with an immersive and realistic STEM-rich experience in the form of a robotic planetary exploration mission looking for evidence of extraterrestrial life.

“Currently, there is a huge shortage of people with expertise in STEM related industries all over the world. Encouraging participation in STEM learning amongst young people is critical in ensuring that we address these shortages. STEM professionals will be the ones that solve the big problems that humanity will encounter over the next century such as climate change, food supply, disease mitigation, and basic infrastructure accessibility,” said Muhammad Esa Attia from the Mars Lab team.

the Mars Lab cuts resource and travel costs for schools while still providing a state of the art STEM education experience as the students do not have to leave their school to take part in the activity, said Muhammad.

Describing robotics and artificial intelligence as critical areas in future development, Muhammed said the UAE AI & Robotics Award for Good initiative by the UAE is commendable and is evidence of a nation embracing innovation.

Exoskeletons to help children with neurological disorders – USA

UCB&SuitX team from the United States have devised Affordable Exoskeletons for Children with Neurological Disorders that quickly promotes walking skills among children. In this direction, SuitX and UC Berkeley intend to develop low-cost consumer products for rehabilitation centres, particularly in developing countries.

“Our goal in this proposal is not to make a profit; our passion drives this project. With the funding from this award we will not only conduct research to identify and create the basic principles for the development of exoskeletons for children, but also we will donate 10 exoskeletons to rehabilitation centers worldwide. We have already received initial funding from National Science Foundation in US government and private investors,” said Homayoon Kazerooni of UCB&SuitX team.

“We believe the project cost would be about US$5 million. While the cost of the technology itself might be higher than available methods, we believe that with our device, children will learn to walk and walking is priceless! This can change the entire future of the child. In the longer term, it will reduce the cost of care of the child even into adulthood, which will reduce the cost on the family and society in general,” Homayoon said.

The UCB&SuitX team stated that they faced two significant challenges. Firstly, the size of actuators should be light and low cost, but provide sufficient power for an active child. The team ended up making its own actuators with a very small profile and weight. Secondly, they said the Intelligent Control Algorithms must be smart to accommodate a child’s implicit command with list amount of hardware, and the team has made a great deal of progress in this area.

The UAE AI & Robotics Award for Good initiative displays the existence of sympathetic leaders in the Middle East with a deep understanding, respect and generosity for the future of our children worldwide. It will also encourage development of AI and Robotics leading to a dramatic improvement in the quality of life all around the world, Homayoon said.

Makeroni Labs robots use eye-tracking technology to perform tasks – Spain

Makeroni Labs team from Spain has come up with their Eye of Horus project which offers support for physically handicapped people with their tasks. The system combines eye tracking with a frontal camera to know where you are looking. The target devices are identified using light beacons, similar to LiFi technology, and controlled with wireless protocols.

“We want to integrate humans in the new era of Internet of Things and smart cities. We want control everything with a simple eye movement. We want to monitor the state of your eye in order to monitor your health,” said Luis Antonio Martin Nuez.

The team said while their device can help people with functional diversity or those who cannot perform tasks due to reduced mobility, it is also useful for drivers as with its help they can interact with the radio or car phone with both hands on the wheel. The device has potential use in entertainment and can be used as an eye-controlled mouse to play video games and position the targets just looking at them.

Luis said the project would help reduce costs by 80 per cent compared with the costs involved in a total home automation system to help disabled individuals.

Currently the team is collaborating with several Spanish companies for the development of the device, and is hopeful that many other companies would come forward to work with it to interconnect the technology to many other devices.

Dytective intelligence system helps detect dyslexia – USA

The Dytective team from the United States has developed an artificial intelligence system to detect dyslexia in individuals and help them overcome it by using scientifically validated computer games.

Luz Rello from the Dytective team said their system would make dyslexia detection up to 90 per cent cheaper than currently prevailing rates. Besides, it can easily be accessed from anywhere in the world, even in areas which do not have any dyslexia experts. It will be available worldwide making all the related costs – transport, facilities, expensive equipment, etc. – extremely cheaper and sustainable, Luz said, adding that Dytective is keen partner with strong organizations which are keen to make an impact in education through technology.

“Initiatives such as the UAE AI & Robotics Award for Good will contribute to making a better world in which everybody, regardless of their income, political situations and geographical location will be able to make use of 21st century technology,” Luz added.

Low-Cost Robotic Leg Automates Stroke Rehabilitation – USA

AndrosRobotics team from the United States has come up with Robotic Leg Advancement Device (R-LAD), a battery-powered, computer controlled robotic system, which rides atop a small wheeled frame and helps the patient move his legs as they are re-learning to walk.

“The R-LAD is not an assistive device, but a therapeutic one; it is meant to be used by a physical therapist, to help them administer therapy to a patient in the clinical setting. We envision that the R-LAD will be used with several patients every day, in therapy sessions which last between 30 minutes and one hour,” said Maciej Pietrusinski from the Andros Robotics team.

The R-LAD has so far been developed with funds from the US National Science Foundation involving US$ 290,000 to date, and with funds from its industrial partner, a private company operating in the physical medicine and rehabilitation industry. Maciej expects that the product development will take another 18-24 months and several hundred thousand US dollars but aims to offer the device for sale for between US$15,000 and US$20,000.

The safety of the patient and the therapist using the R-LAD is ensured in a number of ways. The R-LAD rides atop a wheeled frame, which also supports the patient to make walking easier and to prevent falls. In addition, the drive mechanism is designed with mechanical travel stops. Finally, the control system limits the forces generated, to ensure safety, Maciej said, adding that the biggest challenge in developing the R-LAD in the early phase was the unsteady and sporadic funding.

The UAE AI & Robotics Award for Good competition aims to reward the focus on improving peoples’ lives, which is a very worthy cause for the UAE to take up, said Maciej.

Moley brings robotics to the kitchen – UK

The Moley Robotic Kitchen from the United Kingdom has created a fully integrated automated kitchen, designed for regular homes, that cooks with the skill and flair of a human chef.

Comprising kitchen cabinetry, robotic arms, motion capture system and full set of kitchen equipment and appliances, the Robotic Kitchen replicates the a chef’s hand movements to create a variety of delicious and healthy dishes prepared as per world class standards.

“Set to go on sale in 2018, the robotic kitchen will not only create a paradigm shift in the use of robots in the home, it will have a major impact on health and wellbeing. Users will now be able to enjoy freshly cooked meals every day, with less effort than it takes to reheat a mass-produced ‘ready meal’ or order takeaway for delivery,” said Mark Oleynik from the team.

Targeted at consumers with a passion for food and limited cooking ability, and busy individuals who do not have the time to cook, the Moley Robotic Kitchen could also be a practical home assistant for the health conscious individual, the elderly and disabled, providing fresh food for those with special dietary requirements.

The Moley architecture provides safety with a protective, transparent screen that closes when the automatic mode is activated. This completely isolates the robotic components and seals potentially dangerous operations from the rest of the home. The second feature is an integrated fire suppression system that will automatically suppress any unwanted combustion within the Kitchen enclosure.

Moley Robotic Kitchen is designed to be a mass-market proposition. By 2021, three years after launch, it will be sold for $35,000 – comparable to average sums spent on kitchen refurbishment. This creates a potential market of 5.95 million homes in 17 countries. The modular kitchens will be sold around the world through a series of dealerships and flagship stores, Mark said.

KATIA robotic arm performs routine tasks cost-effectively – USA

The Carbon Robotics team from the United States has built KATIA, a low-cost robotic arm that has the capabilities of an industrial robot, but comes at the price of laptop. Besides, it is powered by the team’s open platform that lets software developers create new types of robotic applications.

“Robotic arms are the perfect tools to enable people to regain their independence. The problem is that they are prohibitively expensive and often difficult to use. The cheapest robotic arms today cost more than $20,000 and generally require specialized knowledge to perform anything beyond the most basic tasks. As a result, they are out of reach for most people. That’s why we made KATIA, which can be mounted to an electric wheelchair to serve as a virtual prosthetic arm or attached to stations and operated remotely,” said Rosanna Myers of the Carbon Robotics team.

KATIA can pick items off the floor, assist in personal grooming, and perform any number of tasks that would normally require a caregiver. The arm is simple and intuitive to control, regardless of the user’s physical capabilities. Importantly, it is safe enough to have around the home, said Rosanna.

Rosanna said KATIA is 10 times cheaper than the closest competitor on the market, without taking into account its gains from faster setup times, open software, and eliminating the need to hire specialists.

The UAE is really taking a leadership role in advancing robotics and the UAE AI & Robotics Award for Good competition will actively foster collaborative communities, said Rosanna.

Self-Driving Wheelchair for People with Severe Motor Disabilities – USA

The OSU Personal Robotics Group from the United States has come up with the idea to adopt techniques from mobile robotics, such as autonomous navigation, to develop a ‘Self-Driving Wheelchair for People with Severe Motor Disabilities’. The project aims to support full-time wheelchair users, especially those with severe motor disabilities.

“People who use eye-gaze to communicate can only do one thing at a time, and controlling their chairs means that they have to stop doing everything else every time they move their chairs. By giving the wheelchairs self-driving capabilities, we allow them to move about the world while doing other things: working, talking to people, and so on,” said William Smart from the OSU Personal Robotics Group.

“Our goal is to develop a low-cost (US$500) kit that can be easily added to common powered wheelchairs that will turn them into self-driving chairs. We will open-source the designs, both hardware and software, for the kit, and hope to create a user community that shares modifications and improvements. Everything will be based on the popular Robot Operating System (ROS) open-source software,” William said.

The robotic chair is equipped with well-tested navigation software and has a number of safety protocols built into it to stop it if there is a danger of collision, William said.

The OSU Personal Robotics Group found it a challenge to understand the needs of the wheelchair users and their caregivers, and they overcame this by working closely with a number of full-time wheelchair users, and fully integrating their ideas into the project.

“I am pleased to see the UAE sponsoring this award, and I am especially happy to see that it can support projects like ours which, although they have limited commercial potential, will be able to impact the lives of many, many people around the world,” William added.

National Competition – Semi-finalists:

Smart Guidance innovators provide assistance to the blind

The Smart Guidance System for the Blind, a project from the UAE, offers to independently assist the blind in avoiding obstacles, identifying places or objects and navigating from one place to another. It can detect obstacles in the blind’s direction within a distance of up to five metres with a variable frequency (1 to 4 Hz), and gently guide the blind around the obstacles using a combination of 5 vibrators.

The system is capable of distinguishing between floor and obstacles, and describes to the blind using an audio system in conjunction with 2D printed codes, their current position and possible destinations and corresponding directions. It also identifies rooms, stairs, and elevators, etc.

Ahmad Ali from the team project team said the prototype project cost AED 4700 but the final product will be available in range of AED1500 to 3000.

“As final product, the blind should be able to wear the system assistant comfortable without experiencing overload weight and annoying sounds; just a few instructions when necessary. Gentle vibration is used for obstacle detection. Being the IR depth sensor in the head of the blind has benefit that it will alert the user about pendent or high obstacles,” Ahmad said.

Ahmad pointed out that low capital and absence of experts in specializations such as artificial intelligence were major challenges, but said he expected investments in the project from entities such as Khalifa Fund, Dubai Oasis Silicon, Abu Dhabi Technology Development Committee and Akoun.

Ahmad said the UAE AI & Robotics Award for Good will infuse an entrepreneurial mindset among the youth population and contribute to the economy of the UAE through innovative products and services.

Healthy Robotics develops efficient surgical tool manipulator

The Healthy Robotics team from the UAE has developed a novel compact robotic manipulator that has the ability to accurately and conveniently manipulate and to firmly “lock” in place special purpose surgical tools necessary for minimally invasive therapy.

The project, which involves an estimated cost of AED 25,000, is aimed at healthcare providers, doctors and surgeons, robotics specialists, mechanical engineering designers and mechanical/mechatronics engineering educational institutes.

Highlighting the safety aspects of the project, Basem Yousef of the team said the manipulator for surgical tools utilizes low power to operate and is equipped with back-drivability feature to allow safe and immediate interference of the surgeon/user in cases of emergency shutdowns or unexpected malfunctioning. Also, the robot can be used conveniently in three modes: manual, autonomous and semi-autonomous.

The team faced challenges in producing items with complex geometry parts but overcame them by utilizing top technology tools and the state-of-the art manufacturing and design equipment as well as 3D printers and 3D modeling software.

CoiCAM team offers easy diagnosis of colon cancer

The CoiCAM team from the UAE has offered the Spherical Capsule for Endoscopic Applications which has the ability to overcome the limitations of the current endoscopic capsules, providing a better, safer, and a more comfortable method of endoscopy while having a full visualizing field and controllable motion.

“This project aims to ease the process of diagnosis of colon cancer for the patients. It offers an easy process that will encourage the patients to do the early check-ups to prevent the cancer from spreading,” said Halima Al Naqbi from the CoiCAM team.

The Spherical Capsule for Endoscopic Applications project solves the limitations with the current endoscopic capsule in terms of visualization field and locomotion. This new revolution in technology will finally replace the traditional endoscopy method and can save costs for entities in the sector, said Halima.

“The UAE AI & Robotics Award for Good is an opportunity for the public to change the society into a better place to live in. The decision makers in the UAE encourage and support the public, especially the youth, to take active participation in the scientific field,” Halima added.

CVD Helper comes to the aid of people with colour vision deficiency

The CVD Helper team from the UAE has developed a solution for people affected by colour vision deficiency, stating that colour blindness affects nearly 300 million people in the world.

“The solution we are making is a device that is hand worn in a form of a bracelet. By a gentle touch of an object, the device will identify the colour and name it out loud. It is also voice controlled and can be used privately by wearing a wireless headset,” said Judy Matar of CVD Helper team.

Involving just AED1000 in material costs, the project is completely safe and efficient and runs on a 3V battery that doesn’t harm the human body if short circuited, said Judy. The team is optimistic that the market will be ready to absorb the project since it is a unique and innovative idea.

“The UAE taking an initiative of launching an AI and robotics for good award is an act of encouragement of innovative solutions. This initiative is encouraging individuals and groups from all around UAE to develop innovative ideas and projects. Supporting innovation in such a way is crucial to support the youth to come up with new unique projects,” Judy added.

Brain Controlled Electric Wheelchair

The B Motion team from the UAE has developed a Brain-Controlled Electric Wheelchair, that employs non-invasive brain-computer interface based on electroencephalography (EEG) to detect user’s thoughts, feelings, and expressions and accordingly issue appropriate commands to the electric wheelchair motor controller.

The chair is primarily targeted at Quadriplegia patients, amputees and patients with spinal cord injuries, who cannot control a conventional wheelchair joystick but have a completely conscious and functioning brain.

Omar Mohammadi from B Motion said the team has so far been working with a limited budget of AED 15,000, including AED 10,000 for the electric wheelchair.

Highlighting the safety aspects, Omar said the system includes an artificial intelligence obstacle avoidance system armed with a camera and real time analysis processing unit. This system allows the wheelchair to automatically avoid collisions with obstacles that might appear suddenly.

“By participating in the UAE AI & Robotics Award for Good, we hope to achieve the country’s goal of improving people’s lives,” said Omar.

RE-ACT ROBOT supports patients with neural diseases

The RE-ACT ROBOT team from the UAE has created a haptic robotic system that is capable of aiding patients with neural diseases such as strokes to regain their motor control function. According to the team, the system is cost-effective and easy to use, and can be deployed at home. Besides, it utilizes many off the shelf components to achieve its task and can easily be customized to suit the patient.

Putting the current prototype costs to around AED4000, Fahad Al Shaibani from the RE-ACT ROBOT team said their robotic system would replace expensive and complex neuro-rehabilitative devices that are currently used in hospitals. In addition, the system will support the users to undergo additional rehabilitation at home thus reducing expenditure on healthcare and hospital, Fahad said.

The RE-ACT system has been designed with multiple layers of safety. For the current prototype, that is used for the arm, five different safety mechanisms have been deployed across the hardware, software and electrical sides.

The RE-ACT team primarily faced challenges in integrating various levels of engineering to ensure smooth functioning in a safe and user-friendly manner, which they overcame through consultation with experts in the field, and by doing extensive research on the latest approaches in the field.

Fahad described the UAE AI & Robotics Award for Good as a great initiative to awareness about the use of robotics in civilian applications. Additionally, it allows the members of society such as students and professors to think in an innovative way and to implement new ideas that can help humanity, Fahad added.

Intelligent bore well system ensures quality of water

The Intelligent Wells team from the UAE has come up with an intelligent bore well system that ensures supply of drinking water in rural areas. Called the WaterLoop, the system constantly monitors the quality and level of water and gathers real-time information that could be valuable for both water planning and direct water consumption.

“WaterLoop can sense a problem in the water and inform the authorities responsible for fixing it. This means that the number trips to check the well condition will be reduced and the investors will have direct access to the condition of the well. As a result, responding to broken wells will become faster and more efficient. The device will also be able to receive phone calls from people in rural areas to inform people if there is a blockage or contamination,” said Reem Al Junaibi from the Intelligent Wells team.

Highlighting the cost efficiency of the project, Reem said a single device installed on a well is expected to cost under US$ 300, adding that this constitutes an additional 3.4 per cent to the overall cost of building a well.

Reem said the main challenge in the project was its multi-disciplinary approach involving water sensing, data analytics and artificial intelligence. However, this project will move ‘water sensing’ to a new industry, or the ‘Internet of Things’, Reem pointed out.

“The UAE has taken a bold step towards realizing the potential of AI and Robotics from applications in developed nations to developing nations. Such technologies will play a vital role in solving some of the world’s most pressing issues such as climate change and access to clean water,” Reem added.

Mozo learning robot assists children with Autism Spectrum Disorder

Mozo team from the UAE has developed a learning robot specially designed for children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and Social Deficits and Communication Difficulties symptoms. Made in the form of a one-metre high soft teddy bear called Mozo, the attractive shape of the robot is highly effective on breaking barriers in order to motivate autistic children who have difficulty, shyness or discomfort in interacting with others or practicing social skills with strange people.

The Mozo team has stated that the affordable robot-assisted therapy tool can be used by autism therapists, educators and parents, and controlled through a simple user-friendly mobile application. The mobile application matches the needs of teaching social and communication interactions and provides users with an effective method of teaching skills that are of great challenge for children with ASD.

Reem Al Marzouqi from the Mozo team said the prototype has so far cost around AED 30,000 but the final product will not cost more than AED 7000.

Highlighting the safety aspects of the project, Reem said the robot has rechargeable power banks coated by a thermal insulator. Besides, it has not shown any side effects on children’s behaviour but rather improved their social skills.

Reem said Zayed Higher Organization for Humanitarian Care and Special Needs and the UAEU have expressed interest in supporting the project.

Artificial intelligence to enhance skill acquisition of athletes

The Skills Acquisition team from the UAE has come up with a project that aims to enhance skill acquisition process for athletes, particularly decreasing the time of motor skill learning by introducing a bio-based teaching signal abstracted from professional athletes.

At this stage of the project, its teaching signals are muscles activations patterns abstracted from a professional athlete using Electromyography (EMG). These signals are collected and processed in a workstation and then projected on the muscles of the trainee through specific network of muscles stimulators.

Aimed at athletes, coaches, clubs, health authorities and private rehabilitation centres, the project in its prototype phase has cost the team about US$ 5000-7,000.

The team faced challenges in building the electrical circuits to accomplish human-machine interface but were able to overcome them through research and support from colleagues. However, a financial challenge still exists, and the prototype therefore is simple, said Fatima Hareb of the team.

The team is looking at support from investors in health and sports sector. “Those interested in horse and camel race can be considered in our list after the product development,” Fatima added.

The ‘UAE AI & Robotics Award for Good’ was launched by His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, during the third Government Summit in February 2015, as one of the initiatives of International Council on Artificial Intelligence and Robotics, which was formed in collaboration with the World Economic Forum during Global Agenda Council hosted by the UAE Government last year.

The Council includes thought leaders from some of the largest universities and the most important companies and institutions around the world. It aims to offer advice on the best ways to use robotics and artificial intelligence to improve human life and work on a global strategy for the use of robots in several key sectors.

A wearable robot helps patients resume their lives following a stroke or disability

Patients who have suffered a stroke, or live with weakness in their lower body, now have a new way to stand up and take a stroll around their room, almost naturally.

Ekso, a wearable bionic suit, allows users to shift their weight, activating sensors in the device, which in turn initiates steps. Battery-powered motors drive the legs, working instead of damaged neuromuscular functions. The technology enables people with almost complete paralysis and minimal forearm strength to stand and walk. It also helps them re-learn normal step patterns and weight shifts.

The way it works starts with a physical therapist actuating steps by pushing a button. This enables the user to progress from a sitting to a standing position, before walking with crutches in the first session. After this, the users can take control by starting the steps themselves, using the buttons on the crutches or walker. Finally, they can move forward by shifting their hips and their weight. Ekso is capable of identifying whether a user is in the correct position and steps.

Essentially, the Ekso GT robotic exoskeleton is a breakthrough in patient rehabilitation, over ground gait training, and upright, weight bearing exercise, albeit under the watchful eye of a physical therapist. It is geared at busy therapists who treat a number of patients per day. The exoskeleton is designed as a suit that can be adjusted to patient’s different sizes in as fast as five minutes.

The device was made for patients with carrying degrees of paralysis or hemiparesis due to neurological conditions such as stroke, spinal cord injury or disease, traumatic brain injury and others. What’s unique about the technology is its ability to accommodate an unprecedented range of patients with different motor abilities. Most patients who had passed physical examination were able to walk in their first session.  

The nuclear reactor meltdown the Fukushima Daiichi Power Plant in March 2011 is considered to be the greatest nuclear disaster since Chernobyl. It is estimated that if the cooling system could have been turned back on within a few hours of the initial failure, then the catastrophe could have been greatly minimized. Now, imagine if a human could have entered the facility after the disaster and performed the required task. This wasn’t an option because any human would be harmed by the high level of radiation before even getting near the Power Plant. So, what if we could send a human-like machine immune to radiation and able to perform activities similar to a human? This intuitive idea is the core concept of HERMES (Highly Efficient Robotic Mechanisms and Electromechanical System) at the Biomimetic Robotics Laboratory at MIT.

State-of-art legged robots are intended to do human-like tasks. However, no such robots have been able to negotiate the debris and obstacles of the radioactive environment inside Fukushima with comparable performance to humans.

Taking the initiative to bring robots to the next level, the Defense Advanced Research Project Agency (DARPA) created the DARPA Robotics Challenge (DRC), in which robot participants had to navigate a simulated disaster environment and perform human-like tasks, such as driving a vehicle, opening doors, and turning valves. These tasks that can be easily carried out by ordinary humans but are still a great challenge to be reliably implemented on machines.

In June 2015, the public saw the result of DARPA’s sizable investment towards the goal of leveraging robotic technology during the Robotics Challenge finals. The greatest authorities in the robotics field invested a great deal of time, money and brainpower during the three years in order to participate and win the competition. Although the robots demonstrated incredible motor abilities and autonomous reasoning like never seen before, the competing machines could still not outperform ordinary humans in conducting the required tasks.

We anticipate that HERMES can be used in a wide variety of applications in real world scenarios. Ranging from firefighting and search & rescue tasks to space exploration, a ready-to-deploy version the HERMES robot can replace a person in any situation that a human responder may face danger in the line of duty. By using a full-body teleoperation strategy, HERMES can be remotely controlled by an expert and carry all the responder expertise and motor abilities to the disaster scenario without actually putting a human life in risk.

For the past two years, we have been working on the first version of the HERMES System, including the Human Machine Interface (Balance Feedback Interface and Motion Capture Suit) and the humanoid robot itself. All the hardware and software is developed and tested in the lab so the team can easily modify and improve the machine in the hardware and software level.

We propose taking the last 50 years of robotics research and packing it into a small package that can be mounted on a powered wheelchair to provide self-driving capabilities.

Users will attach the package to their wheelchairs, plug it into the batteries and the chair control electronics. Then, using the system, they will be able to build maps of their homes and offices to navigate around these spaces autonomously. The wheelchair user will be able to use a variety of input devices to specify where they go, depending on their particular physical needs: on-screen map, eye-gaze into the world, voice commands, etc. The wheelchair will then take care of the rest.

We further propose to take a subset of this functionality and put it in a package that can be added to the Go Baby Go cars, allowing improved driving experience and autonomous data collection capabilities. In both cases, our system will dramatically improve the quality of life of tens of thousands of individuals around the world with severe motor disabilities, making them more independent, happier, and healthier.

Why improve a wheelchair? Why not develop more natural systems, like exoskeletons? The answer to these questions is twofold. Firstly, most people with severe motor disabilities already have powered wheelchairs. If we can provide a low-cost package that adds self-driving capabilities to these chairs, all of these people can take advantage of it for a minimal cost.

The second reason is that the people who stand to benefit most from this technology, those who are locked-in and cannot move their bodies at all, will find it hard to effectively use exoskeletons (as they are currently designed). To reach the most people in the shortest time, self-driving wheelchairs are the technology of choice.

Our work also extends to young children with motor disabilities. Working with Dr Sam Logan and the Go Baby Go project at Oregon State University, we are adapting the technology on the chair to work with low-cost toy cars that are used as motorised wheelchairs for young children.

There is growing evidence to show that moving about the world and interacting within it and with peers, is a vital part of early childhood development. Children with severe motor disabilities cannot easily do this and this leads to cognitive, social, and language delays. By giving these children the ability to move we can help them avoid these developmental delays and thrive with their typically-abled peers as well as create a dataset that will help clinicians significantly improve their understanding of early childhood motor disabilities and will ultimately, lead to better treatments.

The Moley Robotic Kitchen is a world-first: a fully integrated automated kitchen, designed for regular homes, that cooks with the skill and flair of a human chef.

It will create a paradigm shift in the use of robots in the home and have a major impact on health and wellbeing. Users will now be able to enjoy healthy, freshly cooked meals every day, with less effort than it takes to reheat a mass-produced ‘ready meal’ or order takeaway for delivery.

The World Health Organisation estimates that nearly 30% of the global population – over 2.1 billion people – are obese. One in 10 people in the Middle East and North Africa has diabetes, with the problem is particularly acute in UAE.

The causes of obesity are many but sedentary lifestyles, longer working hours and a correlating decrease in home cooking, means more of us eat processed food, more often.

Portion control and exercise are important counter-balances to obesity, but the key factor must be the type and quality of the food we consume. Eating freshly prepared meals, made with high-quality ingredients, as part of a balanced diet, is the cornerstone for a healthy lifestyle. The pace of modern life can make this seemingly simple proposition a real challenge.

The Moley Robotic Kitchen is uniquely able to address these challenges, harnessing world-class technology to make it easy for people to eat well, every day.

Two highly complex, fully articulated hands comprise the kitchen’s enabling technology. The product of over eighteen years’ research and development, they are used in research laboratories and by NASA. Able to faithfully reproduce the movements of a human hand, they give the Kitchen the capability to cook anything a human chef can.

This goes to the heart of the design philosophy underpinning this technology. The Moley Robotic Kitchen does not cook like a machine, it captures human skill in motion.

A motion-capture technique will be used to generate an ever-growing digital library of recipes for the Moley Kitchen to cook. Dishes by world-famous chefs and family favourites will be available for download. There will also be complete diets created by leading nutritionists, tailored to individual health needs. This will not only provide fantastic utility for the users, it will actively promote interest in high-quality food and international cuisine; as The Economist newspaper commentated: “the service will let a user select not only a dish but also its creator, in effect bringing a virtual version of a celebrity chef into the user’s house to cook it for him.”

Actions are translated into digital movement using bespoke algorithms created with the collaboration between Moley and teams from Shadow Robotics (UK), Universities of Stanford (USA) and The Sant-Anna School of Advanced Studies Pisa (Italy).

The design, by an international team including Sebastian Conran, DYSEGNO and the Yachtline company, is modern and attractive without being too ‘science fiction’ or unfamiliar. Being modular it can be configured to fit regular kitchen spaces in a wide variety of homes worldwide and the fitments (hob, sink, refrigerator, dishwasher) are of professional quality.

As the Moley Kitchen cooks perfectly every time, food waste will be reduced and, by providing a viable alternative to ready meals, it could also reduce our dependence on pre-packaged food: highly manufactured items requiring a great deal of energy intensive processing, packaging and transport.

2016 Competition is closed. Semi-finalists have been announced! Finals on February 5/6th.

The UAE AI & Robotics Award for Good aims to encourage research and applications of innovative solutions in artificial intelligence and robotics to meet existing challenges in the categories of health, education and social services.

International Competition

The winner of the International competition
will receive an award of USD 1 Million

VIEW SEMI-FINALISTS

National Competition

The winner of the national competition
will receive an award of AED 1 Million

VIEW SEMI-FINALISTS

The project consists of a glove or a bracelet. Attached to the tip is a colour sensor. The sensor transmits the data to an ‘Arduino’. The Arduino processes the data and identifies the colour, which is then converted via a voice recognition and the name of the colour is read out loud.

This concept address colour vision deficiency. This is the inability to distinguish certain shades of colour or in more severe cases, see colours at all. The term “colour blindness” is also used to describe this visual condition.