Photos: How this robot dog helps Dubai detect faults and leakage in water pipes

Dewa's 'Spot' dogs and virtual customer assistant Rammas create a buzz at Gitex

Published: Tue 11 Oct 2022, 12:11 PM

Updated: Tue 11 Oct 2022, 10:13 PM

By
Joydeep Sengupta

Photos: KT/Shihab

Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (Dewa), which has been on the path to rapid digital transformation, is the first utility department in the six-nation Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) region to use Boston Dynamics’s four-legged Spot Robots.

Dewa started testing the different uses of the robot in its internal operations about two years ago and the prototype is a huge draw among the visitors and participants at Gitex Global 2022, which started on Monday and concludes on Friday (October 10-14).

“The move is in line with Dewa’s strategy to use the latest Fourth Industrial Revolution technologies and adopting artificial intelligence (AI) in its different operations for the past two years,” said Hamad Abdulla Abduljabbar Almheiri, Senior Executive, Innovation Design and Management, Innovation & The Future.

Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), energy storage, blockchain, Internet of Things (IOT), and other new technologies are also being unveiled during the five-day technology event — the biggest in the region.

Spot Robot

Dewa intends to use Spot Robots for conducting security and monitoring patrols, detecting faults and leakage in water pipes, testing connection points of high-voltage cables, ensuring construction works are aligned with specifications using multiple-angle cameras and managing different facilities such as warehouses, in addition to helping people of determination.

Similarly, Dewa’s virtual assistant Rammas, which is AI-driven and used to further enhance customers’ satisfaction, is also on show.

However, Spot Robots and Rammas robots are not yet interconnected and are assigned separate tasks to push through Dewa’s digital agenda, Almheiri added.

Dewa’s virtual assistant Rammas

Saeed Mohammed Al Tayer, Managing Director (MD) and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Dewa, weighed in on the significance of Gitex Global.

“Gitex Technology Week is an ideal platform to showcase Dewa’s achievements in digital transformation and its relentless efforts to maintain its global position as one of the most distinguished and pioneering utilities worldwide.

Dewa’s virtual assistant Rammas

"The exhibition also provides an ideal opportunity to expand Dewa’s partnerships and meet with experts and specialists, solution providers, investors, government decision-makers, and potential business partners in various areas of the Fourth Industrial Revolution from around the world. This supports our continuous efforts to enhance Dubai’s leadership as a global model in adopting future technologies and helps us achieve the Dubai 10X initiative launched by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, to make the government of Dubai 10 years ahead of other cities, as well as the UAE Centennial 2071 to make the UAE the world’s leading nation by its Centennial in 2071,” he said.

Data shows that Dewa has completed the digital integration of more than 70 projects with the government and the private sector.

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