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Technology can help achieve a happier life for everyone
By 2050, the number of people living in cities is expected to double. Meanwhile advancements in technology are bringing in a new wave of innovation revolution.
- PUBLISHED: Wed 30 Mar 2016, 12:00 AM UPDATED: Wed 14 Aug 2024, 10:33 AM
City leaders today need to ensure a safe and happy life for their residents, and the best way to achieve that is through the proper use of smart technology, experts at the opening of the two-day Internet of Things Expo (IoTX) said.
"Since 2014, we have constantly focused on transforming Dubai into the world's happiest city, in line with the vision of His Highness Shaikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai. We envision a city where resources are optimised for maximum efficiency, and services are integrated seamlessly into daily life; a city where its citizens are protected and innovation creates the most enriched life and business experience possible for all. Our approach is founded on the belief that people's happiness can be measured," said Younus Nasser, assistant director general, Dubai Smart Government Office.
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Lt.-General Dhahi Khalfan Tamim, Deputy Chairman, Dubai Police and Public Security, touring the Future Technology Week at the Dubai World Trade Centre on Tuesday. Right, delegates attending a panel discussion at the Internet of Things Expo. - Photos by Dhes Handumon
"Our ambition is to touch the life of every individual, and to achieve a happier life for all. Technology today can deliver city-wide social happiness, and as we transform Dubai into the world's smartest city, the Smart Dubai blueprint will define smart city transformation," said Nasser. "As city leaders, we must rethink how cities are designed from the ground up, and prepare residents and citizens for a new era, as well as support opportunities and an enhanced quality of life enabled by smart technology."
He also highlighted how cities today, across the world, are changing. "More than 50 per cent of the world's population lives in cities. By 2050, the number of people living in cities is expected to double. Meanwhile advancements in technology are bringing in a new wave of innovation revolution. Experts estimate that by 2020, approximately half of the world's population will have network access, with 50 billion physical objects connected to the Internet. Just this week, Smart Dubai announced the Smart Dubai platform. In a first of its kind public-private partnership with strategic partner du, the Smart Dubai platform will be the new digital backbone of Dubai."
Mohammed Zaffin, the IT director at Dubai Municipality, who was also a speaker at the event, noted that cultures play a major role in the adoption of technology. "Dubai has a culture that has already adapted to and welcomed the changes that come with adopting smart technology today," he said.
Organised by the Dubai World Trade Centre, and running until Thursday, Future Technology Week is a new umbrella concept collecting four specialised industry trade platforms including: Gulf Information Security Expo & Conference (GISEC), Gulf Enterprise Mobility Exhibition & Conference (GEMEC), the Internet of Things Expo (IoTx) and The Big Data Show.
"The primary context for the IoT is that of a smart city. What we are seeing at the beginning of the 21st century is both the application of the digital revolution throughout the economy, which is really what the IoT means; and, in parallel, the rise or re-rise of the city - the city as the central context for both human experience, and for the interface between the human community and the application of these new technologies," said Nigel Cameron, president of the Centre for Policy on Emerging Technologies.
- rohma@khaleejtimes.com