Dubai Police shows off latest innovations at Gitex Technology Week

Dubai Civil Defence also unveiled a new fire monitoring system

Bader Abbas Jaafar Hassan with a police robot at GITEX. Chris Whiteoak / The National

A glove that translates sign language. Chris Whiteoak / The National

Visitors take a look at a robot at the World Trade Centre in Dubai. Chris Whiteoak / The National

A remote control camera and robot that detects heat at the 37th GITEX Technology Week. Chris Whiteoak / The National

A visitor tries out a simulation at the Dubai Police stand. Chris Whiteoak / The National

The two-seat Volocopter is Dubai's new flying taxi. Chris Whiteoak / The National

The Dubai Police stand. Chris Whiteoak / The National

Exhibitors at the Land Department stand. Chris Whiteoak / The National

A visitor tries some smart glasses at 37th GITEX Technology Week. Chris Whiteoak / The National

From virtual reality headsets to a glove that can translate sign language and a self-flying taxi, Gitex Technology Week in Dubai throws up all the latest innovations.

Attended by government bodies, private companies and the public, the event is a chance to showcase the ideas that tackle problems and could become the norms of the future.

Once such device that could be introduced as a smart service by Dubai Police was the glove that understands the sign language movements of its user and translates them into Arabic on a computer screen.

The glove is the brainchild of four Dubai students, including Aswa Al Shehi, 21, a student at the Higher Colleges of Technology in Dubai.

Police got wind of their invention after they won a prize for it at the Think Science event and and now considering implementing it as a way of better communicating with sign language users.

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Also on display was Dubai’s Roads and Transport Authority’s new autonomous air taxi (AAT) prototype, the concept flight of which was attended by Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed, Crown Prince of Dubai, last month.

The two-seater, capable of transporting people without human intervention or a pilot, has been supplied by Volocopter, a Germany-based specialist manufacturer.

Elsewhere, Dubai Civil Defence unveiled a new fire monitoring system that will be connected with 150,000 building in all the Emirates.

The fire systems will be installed by the end of 2018 and all residential units will be equipped with it by 2019, they say.

Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Vice President and Ruler of Dubai, at the Dubai World Trade Centre. Wam

Travellers departing from Dubai will no longer need to pass through any sort of security clearance counter or e-gate, they will simply walk through a virtual aquarium tunnel that will scan their face or iris using hidden cameras while they’re in motion. Satish Kumar for The National

Visitors at the Redhat stand during the 37th Gitex Technology Week at the World Trade Centre in Dubai. Satish Kumar for The National

Visitors attend the 37th Gitex Technology Week at the World Trade Centre in Dubai. Satish Kumar for The National

The Dubai Police stands during the 37th Gitex Technology Week at the World Trade Centre in Dubai. Satish Kumar for The National

Visitors browse the Microsoft stand at Gitex Technology Week. Satish Kumar for The National

Visitors browse the Dell stand at Gitex Technology Week. Satish Kumar for The National

Visitors take a look at the Robots. Satish Kumar for The National

A police officer stands next to a drone motorcycle. AFP

The system involves the use of high-tech alarms connected to the building’s fire systems, which are in turn connected to civil defence operations rooms.

Dubai traffic police also said they will create drive-thru traffic fines’ payment services to reduce the number of people visiting police stations, with the chief of Dubai Police announcing the new payment method at Gitex.

“We are looking into methods to facilitate our services and reduce the number of visitors to police stations,” said Maj Gen Abdullah Khalifa Al Marri, commander-in-chief of Dubai Police.

In addition, there is a plan for all vehicles to be fitted with an eCall system, that allows for voice calls and vehicle data to be transmitted directly to police response centres in the event of an accident.

“The system will speed up the emergency response times and reduce the level of human error in locating the accident, and achieve the highest level of integration in emergency response,” said Hamad Obaid Al Mansoori, director general at Telecommunications Regulatory Authority.