Welcome to Huawei's OpenLab Dubai, a haven for geeks

Dubai - Chinese tech giant puts premium focus on three key sectors shaping digital future

Huawei's just launched its OpenLab in Dubai, which aims to provide "innovative solutions" for everything trending in technology, including the Internet of Things, cloud computing, big data, intelligent analysis, eLTE, converged communications and any other think you can think of.
A lot to digest? Well, let's just say it's Huawei's humble little way of giving you an insight into what we can do with technology and the possibilities it can bring to a more connected digital society.
The Chinese tech giant put a premium focus on three key sectors shaping the digital future, which are all in line with Dubai and the UAE's vision:
Public safety: Based on Huawei's infrastructure of wireless networks, eLTE-LiTRA, cloud computing and large data technology integration, OpenLab Dubai is working with Yitu, Zenith and other partners for face and licence plate recognition, population density analysis, public opinion analysis solutions, working towards creating a harmonious and safe social environment.
Smart city: Huawei combines low-power, wide-coverage NB-IoT/eLTE-IoT, smart gateway, cloud computing and large data, working with Honeywell, Nedap, Johnson Controls and other partners. Huawei is also working with Esri in data management to jointly build intelligent parking, intelligent buildings, smart metres, intelligent lights and many other smart solutions.
Oil and gas: Huawei will combine 4G wireless broadband network eLTE with Honeywell and Emerson's various oilfield-sensing devices to provide digital field-wide connection solutions to solve real-time communication problems in oil fields, help oilfield visualisation production, improve oil recovery and reduce security risks.
In other words, we're in for some serious tech fun.
With the "Platform + Ecosystem, accelerate the Middle East digital transformation of the industry", OpenLab Dubai brings together partners and customers from around the world to discuss the importance of collaboration in the development of a local digital ecosystem.
"Digital transformation is causing disruption across every industry. Huawei has established OpenLabs across the world with the theme 'platform + ecosystem', and is committed to working with global multi-specialty and industry partners to build customer-centric, innovative industry solutions to promote digital transformation and promote ecosystem development through the creation of an 'open, flexible and safe' platform that fully supports the ecosystem," Fan Siyong, president of public sector at Huawei, said at the event.
OpenLab Dubai is Huawei's first in the Middle East, and is touted as an "important part" of its wider global programme.
Huawei plans to add seven new OpenLabs across the world in 2017, and in the next three years will invest $200 million and in nearly 1,000 people globally, bringing the total number of OpenLabs to 20 by 2019.
The programme has attracted over 20 partners, including Yitu, Zenith, Walkbase, 7G, IOmniscient, Nedap, Richfit and others.
Fan added that Huawei is committed to helping governments and enterprises in the Middle East to rely on new ICT technology and applications to maintain steady growth, achieve excellence and enhance the competitiveness of the ICT industry in the region.
"Huawei's OpenLab Dubai was built based on local market demands, talents and technologies, and will focus on cooperation between enterprises, services, partners and customers in the Middle East," he said.
"OpenLab Dubai will aggregate the world's best resources to meet local digital transformation needs, and continuously enhance the ICT platform capabilities and development of local ecosystems," said Xijiang Lin, director of the Middle East Solution Development Centre at Huawei EBG. "OpenLab Dubai is focused on building capabilities to easily apply technical solutions in the actual network environment; developing competitive, commercially viable and industry-oriented solutions; empowering innovation capabilities, rapid response to market demand; achieving industrial chain value aggregation and a customer/partner/vendor win-win-win situation."
- alvin@khaleejtimes.com