Computer Engineering sophomore student Muhamed Nebuhan Shajahan was part of the team who won first place in the recently concluded RTA Transport Hackathon 2022. Muhamed’s team was composed of other students from universities around the UAE.
The Hackathon, one of the biggest competitive events in the UAE, aims to promote the culture of digital transformation in the country. The event focuses on enhancing RTA’s services through technology and research, with the wellbeing of the community at the center. It also helps identify the future of mobility and infrastructure by addressing the needs of the next generation of users.
Muhamed’s team developed the winning app, Scooty, to provide a safe riding experience for e-scooter users. As the number of e-scooter users steadily grows, it is important to ensure that not only the riders but everyone in the community is safe.
The Scooty app includes regulatory features wherein the RTA can incorporate functionalities such as adding scooter licenses that users can apply for within the app. With safety as the main goal, the app monitors adherence to riding rules. Scooty uses computer vision and machine learning techniques to detect if the rider is wearing a helmet, and a rider’s speed and navigation in following e-scooter lanes are tracked through GPS technology. The app also rewards riders with points when they follow correct riding practices.
Joining the Hackathon was a great learning experience for Muhamed. “Khalifa University is committed to nurturing students’ potential and skills, particularly teamwork and collaboration. The opportunity to be able to participate in competitions such as the RTA Hackathon has helped me collaborate with individuals from different schools to brainstorm and conceptualize innovative solutions to some of the pressing challenges in our communities,” he said.
Ara Maj Cruz
Creative Writer
8 April 2022
