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Joint UAE-Bahraini nanosatellite Light-1 set to launch on 21st December

The team is made up of 22 students from Khalifa University, 10 Emiratis and 9 Bahrainis and 3 International students.

 

The joint UAE-Bahraini nanosatellite Light-1 will be launched to the International Space Station on 21st December 2021. It represents a major milestone of cooperation in space science, technology and engineering between the UAE and Bahrain.

 

Light-1 will take off onboard a SpaceX CRS-24 flight on board of a Falcon 9 rocket after undergoing rigorous safety and environmental tests for thermal and vibration, communication systems and more. Light-1 then will get deployed from the Japanese Experiment Module (KIBO) in the ISS into orbit, under supervision from the Japanese Aerospace Space Agency (JAXA).

 

The nanosatellite was built and designed in collaboration between the UAE Space Agency and Bahrain’s National Space Science Agency (NSSA). It is a testament to the bilateral ties between the Kingdom of Bahrain and the UAE, underscoring the social, economic and scientific cooperation between both countries in priority industries, including space.

 

Light-1 is a nanosatellite, but it is no different from other larger satellites in terms of the technology or technical expertise required to build or launch it. It is also a cube satellite that consists of three units and is often referred to as a 3U CubeSat.

 

Light-1’s name was inspired by His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa of Bahrain’s book, The First Light. It recounts key points in Bahrain’s history and the name symbolizes the country’s growth and scientific progress.

 

The research spacecraft was developed by leading Bahraini and Emirati engineers and scientists working from labs in the UAE. The team is made up of 23 students, including nine Bahrainis and 14 Emiratis from Khalifa University and New York University Abu Dhabi.

 

After reaching its orbit around Earth, Light-1 will monitor and study terrestrial gamma ray flashes (TGRs) from thunderstorms and cumulus clouds. TRG analysis is an emerging field of geoscientific research which the mission will contribute to at an international level. It will be the first study of its kind in the region. New York University will be leading the science data analysis aspect for this mission.

 

In addition to the joint Light-1 satellite, the Khalifa University of Science and Technology in Abu Dhabi supports the capacity building of NSSA staff by including them in key projects. This has helped train and upskill talent in space field.

 

The strong and mutually-beneficial partnership between the UAE Space Agency and NSSA will also see the UAE Space Agency participate in the Bahrain International Airshow 2022; in which an agreement was signed by Sarah bint Yousif Al Amiri, Minister of State for Advanced Technology and Chairwoman of the UAE Space Agency, and Eng. Kamal bin Ahmed Mohammed, Minister of Transportation and Telecommunications and Chairman of the NSSA at the Dubai Airshow 2021.

 

Bahrain is also a member of the Arab Space Cooperation Group, an initiative adopted to promote cooperation on space among Arab countries. It has 14 member states and is headquartered in Abu Dhabi.

 

 

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A New Blood Glucose Monitoring Device Using Holey Graphene

 

Real-time monitoring of sugar molecules is crucial in diabetes treatment, but current methods are invasive and expensive. Researchers from Khalifa University collaborated with an international team to investigate holey graphene, a novel low-cost material, for glucose sensors. 

 

The World Health Organization estimates that over 382 million people worldwide have diabetes, a metabolic disorder affecting blood sugar levels. The underlying cause of diabetes varies by type, but each type can lead to excess sugar in the blood, which could cause serious health problems. For all patients, blood sugar monitoring plays a crucial role in treatment.

 

The sugar molecules adsorb onto a layer of holey graphene, which alters the electronic properties of the material. These changes can be measured and correspond to blood sugar monitoring data to check the blood sugar levels without invasive testing.

 

Dr. Muhammad Sajjad, Postdoctoral Fellow, and Dr. Nirpendra Singh, Assistant Professor, both in the Khalifa University Department of Physics, collaborated with Dr. Puspamitra Panigrahi, Hindustan Institute of Technology and Science, India, Dr. Deobrat Singh and Prof. Rajeev Ahuja, Uppsala University, Sweden, Dr. Tanveer Hussain, The University of Queensland, Australia, and Prof. J. Andreas Larsson, Lulea University of Technology, Sweden. They published their results in Applied Surface Science.

 

“Since the first invention of a biosensor for glucose detection, there has been tremendous demand for low-cost, portable, and reliable glucose sensors,” Dr. Singh said. “So far, most of the available devices are dependent on an expensive glucose oxidase enzyme-based recognition unit and require people to deal with the painful finger-pricking process.”

 

Continuous monitoring of glucose levels in people with diabetes is essential to managing the disease and avoiding the complications associated with poorly-managed treatment. There are two types of glucose monitoring sensors, enzymatic and non-enzymatic, currently available in the market.

 

Enzyme-based sensors use glucose dehydrogenase (GDH) or glucose oxidase (GOx), which interact with glucose molecules, resulting in an electrical response correlated to the concentration of glucose. However, these sensors are expensive to manufacture and are sensitive to environmental conditions. Non-enzymatic sensors allow glucose to be oxidized directly on the surface of the sensor, where the atoms at the surface act as the electrocatalysts, resulting in high stability with repeated use and cost-effective fabrication.

 

Different materials have been used to develop non-enzymatic sensors, and although each material has its own advantages and limitations, the research team focused on graphene—specifically, holey graphene.

 

Graphene is a unique material comprising densely packed carbon atoms arranged in a hexagonal honeycomb lattice and can be exfoliated from the graphite. It is extremely versatile and has potential applications in various fields, particularly thanks to its superior optical, electrical, thermal, and mechanical properties.

 

In its purest form, graphene offers myriad applications. However, in recent years, the nanoscale perforation of 2D materials has emerged as an effective strategy to enhance and widen the applications of the material beyond its pristine form.

 

Holey graphene is a form of graphene with nanopores in its plane. The performance of the material is affected by the pore size, density, shape, and volume. Uniform pore shape and size distribution are usually optimal as it leads to enhanced thermal, mechanical and electrical properties. These pores are perfect for adsorption, where target molecules are collected by attaching to the surface of the pores.

 

“Since the performance of an electrochemical biosensor depends on the surface area to improve charge transfer and catalytic activity, two-dimensional graphene-like nanomaterials and functionalized graphene are now the best possible materials for a new generation of highly sensitive glucose sensors,” Dr. Singh said. “The holey graphene is very sensitive even at very low concentrations of glucose.”

 

These fluids are easily accessed without the need for any finger pricking and can be examined to identify various biomarkers, such as those involved in cancer, Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, cystic fibrosis, systemic sclerosis and glaucoma, and blood sugar levels for diabetes management.

 

When saliva, tears, or sweat hit the surface, the sugars interact with a layer of nitrogenated holey graphene (C2N) that is only a single atom thick. Glucose, fructose and xylose are the sugar molecules found in the body and when they interact with the holey graphene layer, the electronic properties of the layer are altered. These changes are measured and interpreted as various levels of sugar in the bodily fluid tested.

 

 

This work was supported by the Swedish Research Council, the Abu Dhabi Department of Education and Knowledge, and Khalifa University of Science and Technology.

 

Jade Sterling
Science Writer
20 December 2021

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KU EECS Senior Students Win 2nd Place at 15th IEEE UAE Student Day 2021 Competition

A team of four Electrical Engineering and Computer Science senior students have won 2nd place at the 15th IEEE UAE Student Day 2021 competition in the category “Senior Design Project – Power and Renewable Energy,” for their innovative electric vehicle wireless charging system. The Competition took place virtually on 6 November 2021.

 

The 7kW multi-coil wireless charging system the team designed was based on a thorough research/literature review of wireless charging systems. The team studied the various compensation strategies, selected the best compensation strategy, modeled and designed the wireless charging system, verified it through computer simulation, and finally built an experimental prototype.  

 

The team included senior students Faris Alazzani, Esmaeil Alhajeri, Ali Alzaabi, and Saeed Al Qubaisi. They were supervised by Dr. Balanthi Beig, Associate Professor, Dr. Khaled Al Jaafari, Assistant Professor, and Dr. Khalid AlHammadi, Assistant Professor, all from KU’s EECS Department. Dr. Nazar Ali, Associate Professor of EECS is the course instructor. 

 

“Participating in such competitions motivates students to work hard, and winning 2nd place encourages us to develop our project further,” Faris, the Team Leader, shared. 

 

“Since the sky’s the limit at Khalifa University, we will do our best to participate in more competitions and conferences with our project and aim for first place. Many thanks to Khalifa University and the EECS department for giving us this opportunity to participate in this competition and for providing all the equipment we needed to develop and test our system. Moreover, many thanks to our supervisor Dr. Balanthi Beig. He supported us from the beginning and he encouraged us to participate in this competition. Lastly, we are thankful to our supervisors Dr. Khaled Al Jaafri and Dr. Khalid Al Hammadi, and to researchers Dr. Ahmed Shehada, Dr. Motiur Mohammed and Mr. Nguyen The Hoach for their help in the lab. We would also like to thank Dr. Shihab Jimaa, Associate Professor of EECS and KU coordinator of the IEEE Student competition for his encouragement.”

 

The KU multi-coil wireless EV charging system consists of a rectifier with capacitor filter – a device which converts an alternating current (from the Abu Dhabi Distribution Company’s  distribution supply socket at 230 volts and 50 Hertz),  into a direct  current. 

 

Then this DC power is converted to 85 kilohertz high frequency AC using a silicon carbide-metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistor (SiC-MOSFET) based DC to AC converter.

 

This high frequency AC power is then transmitted wirelessly through a magnetic field using transmitter and receiver coils. 

 

The electric vehicles are fitted with receiver coils and the high frequency AC signal is converted to DC using another high frequency rectifier. This DC is then used to charge the car battery.

 

The KU students selected the series compensation strategy after conducting a thorough literature review. In the first stage, they modelled and designed a wireless charging system based on a single coil arrangement. Through simulation studies, they found that the energy transfer is reduced due to misalignment and the distance between transmitter and receiver coil. To increase energy-transfer efficiency, three coils were used at the transmitter end. The design was then verified through computer simulation using MATLAB/SIMULINK software.

 

The team then fabricated a scaled down experimental prototype and successfully tested it at the power electronics and sustainable energy research lab in KU’s Advanced Power and Energy Center. 

 

Erica Solomon
Senior Publication Specialist
20 December 2021

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On the Hunt for Carbon Capture Materials with Computer Modeling Technologies

A team of researchers from Khalifa University asks: Are we missing something when evaluating adsorbents for CO2 capture at the system level?

 

We may be on the brink of global-scale change in the way we consume hydrocarbon fuels, but until the policies and agreements made at COP26 in Glasgow this month can be actualized, our relentless fossil fuel consumption continues to pump carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. These continuous emissions are the leading cause of climate change and it’s clearer than ever that we need to do something about the levels of carbon in our atmosphere.

 

In 2015, the international community adopted the Paris Climate Agreement, agreeing to limit the global average rise in temperature this century to less than 2° C, compared to pre-industrial levels, but with ambitions to limit the rise to less than 1.5° C. Along with a paradigm shift from fossil fuels to renewable energy sources, deployment of carbon capture, utilization and storage technologies was proposed as a core strategy to actively and significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions. This is in addition to the clear economic benefit that could be derived from using CO2 as a feedstock material for chemical products in a resilient circular economy.

 

This means that carbon capture and storage technologies can be implemented across a range of industries from heating to electricity generation. To remove existing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, we can use chemical solvents of different types, including membranes that adsorb carbon dioxide into porous molecules such as potassium hydroxide. However, this technology is currently expensive and energy intensive, as the amount of CO2 in the atmosphere is much diluted. Alternatively, CO2 capture from concentrated sources such as power plants is expected to play an important role in avoiding CO2 emissions, contributing to climate change mitigation. The more mature technology used in industry today for this purpose is absorption with chemical solvents.

 

Absorption works well but there’s a trade-off: many of our existing solvents come with an energy cost associated with heating the water for the removal of the CO2 to recover them. Ideally, we need processes that require less energy to capture and separate the CO2.

 

Dr. Ahmed AlHajaj, Assistant Professor, Hammed Balogun, Research Engineer, Dr. Daniel Bahamon, Research Scientist, Saeed Almenhali, Master student, and Prof. Lourdes Vega, all from the Khalifa University Research and Innovation Center on CO2 and Hydrogen (RICH), developed a systematic tool uses various key performance indicators such as energy consumption and cost to screen novel adsorbents operating at a commercial scale, while maintaining the US Department of Energy requirements of 95 percent CO2 purity and 90 percent CO2 capture rate. They published their results in the prestigious journal Energy and Environmental Science.

 

“There have been many previous attempts to assess the technical performance of adsorbents using experimental and modelling approaches,” Dr. AlHajaj explained. “Ours goes further by considering non-monetized factors including the purity of the captured CO2 as well as the quantity captured, and the energy required for the whole process at commercial scale.”

 

The team used molecular simulations to generate missing experimental data on the efficacy of the adsorptive material – how much it could adsorb – and a dynamic process model to simultaneously determine its economic potential.

 

Then, they selected the five most promising candidates for the detailed assessment at industrial carbon capture conditions. These five materials included a zeolite, three metal organic frameworks (MOFs), and activated carbon, all of which were evaluated for capturing CO2 from the flue gas of an industrial coal-fired power plant. The materials were examined for their performance in terms of CO2 purity, CO2 capture rate, productivity, energy consumption, and unit cost of CO2 captured at a commercial scale.

 

Flue gas is the by-product gas that leaves a fossil fuel power plant via a chimney known as a flue. While its composition depends on the fuel being burned, it mostly comprises nitrogen, carbon dioxide, water vapor and a number of pollutants such as particulate matter, carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxides and sulfur oxides. The ‘smoke’ seen pouring from these flues is not smoke at all, but the water vapor in the gas forming a cloud as it meets cooler air. Carbon dioxide is the second largest component of flue gas at around four to 25 percent, depending on the fuel source. It is sent to the atmosphere unless a carbon capture unit is used to separate it from the flue gas.

 

“Since the performance of a process can be altered when we scale it up, it was essential to evaluate these materials at commercial and industrial scales,” Prof. Vega said. “The zeolite was included as a comparison as it is already widely used in industry for air separation, where CO2 needs to be removed as an impurity. While one particular MOF performed as well as the traditional zeolite, the zeolite was still the best performing low-cost material, as it’s cheaper to synthesize than the MOF. A very relevant result is that other MOFs appear to be very good for CO2 capture when examined at lab scale using technical performance indicators, but fail when considered at industrial carbon capture conditions.” 

 

“This is very relevant in the search for the right materials for CO2 capture”, added Dr. AlHajaj. “Using the tool we have proposed to assess materials for carbon capture, including the right key performance indicators, will save time and economic efforts towards this goal.”

 

Zeolites are microporous materials commonly used as adsorbents and catalysts and are often considered “molecular sieves” as they can selectively sort molecules based primarily on a size exclusion process. However, they have limited capacity for CO2 capture and they are deactivated with water and other impurities. The best performing MOF would become a much more viable alternative if its production cost could be reduced. Hence the need for continued laboratory research on MOFs for use in carbon capture operations.

 

Jade Sterling
Science Writer
13 December 2021

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KU Professor Chairs Research in Options: RiO 2021

Dr. Jorge P. Zubelli, Professor and Chair of the Mathematics Department, recently chaired the 16th annual Research in Options: RiO 2021 conference. RiO 2021, which was held virtually from 21-24 November, provided a forum for experts to discuss some of the latest breakthroughs in mathematical research in Applied Mathematics.

 

This year’s meeting was co-hosted by FGV EMAp (School of Applied Mathematics in Rio de Janeiro), Universidade Federal Fluminense (UFF), Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina (UFSC) in Brazil, and KU’s Mathematics Department. Over 200 scientists, mathematicians, and practitioners who work on the interface of mathematics and finance discussed the latest research and tools that are advancing understanding of complex financial phenomena. 

 

The conference builds on the success of previous editions, which were hosted by Brazil’s National Institute for Pure and Applied Mathematics’ (IMPA) and the Laboratory for Analysis and Mathematical Modeling in the Applied Sciences (LAMCA), which was headed by Dr. Zubelli from 2011 – 2019. 

 

This year, the conference focused on different aspects of mathematical finance, including option pricing, fixed income, volatility trading, real options, commodities, algorithmic trading, portfolio and risk management.

 

Some of the most prominent names in quantitative finance and risk management participated in the event, including Bruno Dupire, Head of Research Bloomberg, who is recognized as one of the most influential quantitative analysts having received in 2008 the “Lifetime Achievement Award” by Risk Magazine. KU’s Dr. Giorgio Consigli, Associate Professor of Mathematics, also participated in the conference and presented on the topic of “Optimal option portfolios with volatility as asset class in a discrete market.” While KU’s Dr. Marcos Lopez de Prado, Professor of Practice in the Mathematics Department and ADIA’s Global Head on Quantitative Research & Development, presented on “Escaping The Sisyphean Trap: How Quants Can Achieve Their Full Potential.”  

 

The RiO conference sheds light on the increasingly important role of mathematical tools to model and understand how risk is assessed and managed, and how to address the growing number of mathematical and computational challenges the financial industry is facing.

 

Submitted manuscripts from RiO 2021 will be published in a special issue of the Journal of Computational Mathematics and Data Science, titled “Computational Mathematics and Data Science Methods in Quantitative Finance,” with Dr. Zubelli and two others serving as guest editors. 

 

Erica Solomon
Senior Publication Specialist
13 December 2021

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KU Student Team Places 3rd in World Robot Olympiad

First time Khalifa University joined the WRO competition. 

 

A team of Khalifa University students won 3rd place at the World Robot Olympiad (WRO) UAE 2021 that was held from October 1 to 3, 2021. 

 

The WRO is a series of national robotics competitions of WRO member countries with over 85 national events organized worldwide. The WRO UAE 2021 event gathered around 800 participants grouped in 300 teams.

 

The teams competed in three categories, Regular, Open, and Future Engineers, under the theme “Powerbots – The Future of Energy.” This season’s theme focused on the challenges that come with using more energy from renewable sources. The teams were asked to build robots that specifically address the following:

 

  • Modernizing the energy use of a house;
  • Assisting e-vehicle charging in a parking garage;
  • Managing the energy mix on the grid; and
  • Designing self-driving cars that use sensors to avoid obstacles. 

 

Students in the Regular category were tasked to design, build, and program robots to solve specific challenges within a set timescale. The instructions were given at random during the day of the competition and the students had to video record themselves as they worked on their robot to complete the challenges given to them. They submitted their video within 24 hours after the instructions were given to them.  

 

Khameis Mosabbah Alzeyoudi, BSc in Electrical Engineering, Wasan Khameis Aldhanhani, BSc in Aerospace Engineering, Humaid Abdulla Alhammadi, BSc in Computer Science, Khaled Ali Alshaloubi BSc in Mechanical Engineering, Khawla Mohammed Ashkanani, BSc in Electrical Engineering, Shamma Fadhel Alghfeli, BSc in Chemical Engineering, Muna Abdelrahman Almaazmi BSc in Aerospace Engineering, and Mahra Eid Alsuwaidi, BSc in Industrial and Systems Engineering, competed as two teams in the Regular Senior Category where they designed a robot that was built and programmed to perform certain tasks that can facilitate the use of renewable energy. 

 

 

Not only were the students able to build up on their STEM and robotics knowledge, but they were also able to hone other soft-skills such as creativity, collaboration, critical thinking, and communication, all of which are important and needed in the digital transformation of global businesses and industries. 

 

Team member Shamma shared, “We are so honored to be one of the top three teams in the National World Robotics Olympiad 2021, and grateful to be the recipient of the third position award. A huge thanks to our team for always working hard and still maintaining a friendly environment. In addition, special thanks to the university for supporting us by providing us with the required materials and a space for us to embrace our creativity and to potentially win this competition. We are always willing to compete again in this competition and hopefully win the top position one day.”

 

Ara Maj Cruz
Creative Writer
13 December 2021

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Khalifa University and Lockheed Martin to Collaborate on Image Analysis System for Aircraft

Project Framework to Integrate Computer Vision, Machine Learning, and Expert Systems, Capable of Accurately Locating Markings and Symbols on Aircraft  

 

Khalifa University and Lockheed Martin today announced the signing of an agreement to create a framework to utilize Artificial Intelligence (AI) and computer vision to inspect and verify measurements, in order to improve the speed and accuracy of logo inspections during aircraft production cycle. 

 

The agreement was executed by Dr. Arif Sultan Al Hammadi, Executive Vice-President, Khalifa University, and Dr. Steve Walker, Vice President and Chief Technology Officer, Lockheed Martin, at Dubai Airshow 2021, held from 14-18 November 2021 at DWC. 

 

Lockheed Martin and Khalifa University will collaborate on a Computer Vision & Pattern Recognition (CVPR) project using AI reinforcement learning and training sets. CVPR techniques have become more ubiquitous as computer hardware and software techniques have improved over the past 20 years. CVPR has been applied to biometrics, target identification, aimpoint refinement and automated control. It is of interest to Lockheed Martin for use across all domains. 

 

“Khalifa University’s collaboration agreement with Lockheed Martin signifies our status not only as a top-ranked research-intensive university but also as a center for academic and innovation excellence in advanced technologies such as machine learning and augmented reality systems through our research centers,” said Dr. Arif Sultan Al Hammadi. “We believe this partnership will lead to an outcome that will benefit industry stakeholders while ushering in quality systems to assist professionals in the global aviation sector.” 

 

“We are excited by the opportunity to collaborate with Khalifa University on this AI project based on the Memorandum of Understanding we signed last year,” said Dr. Steven Walker. “Khalifa University is a leading research institute in the region and the results will be applicable to the production line and a variety of technology developments efforts across space, air, land, sea, underwater and cyber.” 

 

This effort will research techniques to improve the ability of CVPR to accurately register standard symbology in imagery. The techniques developed can then be applied to any product that is attempting to accurately locate markings and symbols. 

 

Dr. Naoufel Werghi, Professor of Electrical Engineering and Computer Sciences, Khalifa University, will be the Principal Investigator, while Dr. Ernesto Damiani, Director, Research Center on Cyber-Physical Systems (C2PS), will be the Co-PI.

 

Clarence Michael
English Editor Specialist
12 December 2021

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Dr. Jiju Antony Honored with the UK Institute of Six Sigma Professionals’ Significant Contribution Award 2021

Dr. Jiju Antony, Professor of Industrial and Systems Engineering, won the Institute of Six Sigma Professionals (ISSP) Best Project Awards 2021 in the category “Significant Contribution to the field of Lean Six Sigma.”  

 

Upon winning the award, Steve Anthony, CEO of the Institute of Six Sigma Professionals, UK, said: “Dr. Antony has for many years been the go-to person for robust research and opinion in the world of Lean Six Sigma, and his international conferences, publications, students and research are world class. The ISSP wishes to recognize Dr. Antony’s contribution to the world of Lean Six Sigma by honoring him with the ISSP 2021 Significant Contribution award.”

 

 Professor Antony’s contribution to the body of Lean Six Sigma include:

  • Highest number of citations for his research outputs on Lean Six Sigma according to Scopus and Google Scholar
  • Highest number of academic journal papers and practitioner-oriented papers published on various Lean Six Sigma topics
  • Founder of the International Conference on Lean Six Sigma since 2004
  • Founder of the International Journal of Lean Six Sigma published by Emerald since 2010
  • Trained over 1000 professionals from 185 plus companies across over 20 countries
  • Winner of the Walter Mazing Book prize in 2020 for his book entitled “Ten Commandments of Lean Six Sigma”
  • Outstanding Contribution to Quality Management practice award from the Chartered Quality Institute (UK) in 2020
  • “Lifetime Outstanding Contribution to Lean Six Sigma” award from the International Lean Six Sigma Institute in summer 2021

 

Dr. Antony is recognized worldwide as a leader in Lean Six Sigma (LSS) methodology for improving processes and achieving operational excellence. He has put his passion for process improvement to use. As a certified LSS Master Black Belt (the pinnacle of Six Sigma expertise), Dr. Antony has a proven track record for conducting internationally leading research in the field of Quality Management, Continuous Improvement and Operational Excellence.

 

For example, Dr. Antony was instrumental in introducing Lean Six Sigma to a public sector organization with over 400 employees in Scotland, UK in 2012. He was responsible for training, coaching and mentoring over 60 Lean Six Sigma projects in this organization and demonstrated savings of more than 1.5 million sterling pounds over a three-year period. 

 

He was also responsible for introducing Lean Six Sigma at a Scottish Utility company, where he trained, coached and mentored over 30 people, which resulted in hard cash savings of more than 2 million sterling pounds over a period of less than 18 months. 

 

He has also helped a Scottish university develop an LSS program and delivered over 50 business process improvement projects with varied complexity.

 

Dr. Antony teaches quality and reliability engineering and advanced quality management practices in the Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering. He aspires to set up an Operational Excellence Research Center integrated with Industry 4.0 at KU so that many local businesses can improve the efficiency and effectiveness of their processes. 

 

The Institute of Six Sigma Professionals was established in 2011 in order to link like-minded people with an interest in Six Sigma around the UK. They support and develop Six Sigma professionals through various networking events, access to training materials, accreditation services and more.

 

Erica Solomon
Senior Publication Specialist
12 December 2021

 

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Khalifa University and Strata Researchers Develop Vision-Guided Cobots for High-Precision Manufacturing Tasks

Project to Offer Numerous Advantages in Performance, Productivity, Efficiency, and Safety, in Line with UAE’s 4th IR and ‘Operation 300bn’ Strategies  

 

Khalifa University today announced researchers at its Aerospace Research and Innovation Center (ARIC) are exploring the deployment of industrial robots guided by computer vision to perform high-precision manufacturing tasks for Strata Manufacturing, in line with the UAE’s 4th IR and the ‘Operation 300bn’ strategies. 

 

These industrial robots, also called vision-guided cobots or collaborative robots, will be used in automated cyber-physical manufacturing and machining processes that will offer numerous advantages in terms of performance, productivity, efficiency, and safety. The aim of this project is to develop things at the lab then deploy them at Strata. These cobots will be used for solving real-world industrial challenges, especially through Khalifa University’s collaboration with the Al Ain-based composite aero-structures manufacturer Strata, which is wholly-owned by Mubadala Investments. ARIC is jointly funded by Khalifa University, Strata, and Mubadala.

 

At the same time, the project is also building industrial know-how and expanding knowledge base locally through providing students with learning at different stages of their campus life. Two graduate students and four UAE national undergraduate students are also involved in this project. Ameera Al Shehhi, Nouf Al Mesafri, Bushra Al Dhanhani, Mouza Al Zaabi and Anoud Al Zahmi are senior engineering students from Khalifa University who have conducted their summer internship program with Strata. They are currently working on automating repetitive and labor-intensive tasks with advanced computer vision-based technologies that enable robots to operate smarter and safer in the factory.

 

Dr. Arif Sultan Al Hammadi, Executive Vice-President, Khalifa University, said: “This vision-guided collaborative robots project is another stellar example of Khalifa University’s research projects that are not only industrially-relevant but also economically and financially significant. The outcome of this project will prove beneficial to our partners Strata, through technology enhancements. This project is also in line with the UAE’s 4th IR strategy that aims to work towards advancing the national economy, while making the industrial sector the driving force that contributes to sustainable development.” 

 

This project is among several projects currently being executed at ARIC where researchers from Khalifa University and Engineers at Strata work hand-in-hand to develop groundbreaking solutions for practical problems in advanced manufacturing. 

 

Mr. Ismail Ali Abdulla, CEO of Strata said: “ARIC has a unique model for joint R&D between industry and academia in the whole region. It provides an innovative environment for integrating science and engineering to develop practical solutions in addition to developing human capital know-how that is critical for the growth of the advanced manufacturing industry in UAE.” 

 

The Principal Investigator of the project is Dr. Yahya Zweiri, Associate Professor, Aerospace Engineering, and the Co-PI is Dr. Cesare Stefanini, Professor, Biomedical Engineering, while the lead researcher is Abdulla Ayyad, Research Associate. Strata Engineers Dewald Swart, and Gordon Ferguson are also involved in this project.

 

Researchers at ARIC use artificial intelligence and computer vision to develop guidance and control strategies for these industrial robots to perform manufacturing tasks quicker with higher reliability for a wide range of shop-floor applications. In addition, the collaboration with Strata allows validation of these technologies in natural living environments that capture the complexity of the end-use applications. 

 

Concurrently, researchers are also laying the groundwork for the use of vision-based tactile sensing in robotic machining. Tactile sensing is crucial for the success of precise and sensitive machining operations to guarantee repeatability and to avoid damaging delicate work-pieces. It brings advantages in bandwidth, resolution, and cost-efficiency, compared to conventional tactile sensing approaches.

 

Clarence Michael
English Editor Specialist
11 December 2021

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Khalifa University and ADNOC Sign R&D Framework Agreement to Undertake Research and Development Program

Agreement Paves Way for Advancing Innovation in the Abu Dhabi Oil and Gas Sector  

 

Khalifa University of Science and Technology and the Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC) announced they have signed a research and development framework agreement for undertaking a joint research and development program that will advance innovation in the oil and gas sector in the areas of strategic importance to ADNOC. 

 

The agreement was signed by Dr. Arif Sultan Al Hammadi, Executive Vice-President, Khalifa University, and Abdulmunim Saif Al Kindy, Executive Director, People, Technology & Corporate Support Directorate, ADNOC, on the sidelines of the Abu Dhabi International Petroleum Exhibition and Conference (ADIPEC) 2021 that was held from 15-18 November at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Center (ADNEC). 

 

According to the agreement, a research and development board will be established with particular focus on upstream, downstream and digital solutions for the oil and gas industry and will have members from both partners. Khalifa University’s members are Dr. Steve Griffiths, Senior Vice-President, Research and Development; Dr. Saeed Alhassan, Senior Director, Petroleum Institute; and Dr. Ernesto Damiani, Senior Director, Robotics and Intelligent Systems Institute. 

 

Khalifa University’s Petroleum Institute is home to the Center of Catalysis and Separation (CeCaS) and the Research and Innovation Center on CO2 and H2 (RICH Center). The two research centers, along with other research undertaken at the Petroleum Institute and elsewhere at Khalifa University, contribute to technology innovations in areas such as hydrogen, carbon capture, catalysis and enhanced oil recovery. Khalifa University’s Robotics and Intelligent Systems Institute provides a broad spectrum of intelligent systems capabilities that can be tailored to the needs of the oil and gas sector.

 

Clarence Michael
English Editor Specialist
9 December 2021

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Abu Dhabi to Strengthen its Capabilities as a Life Sciences Hub Through a Pharma Collaboration with Belgium

  • The collaboration will establish a fully compliant origin-to-destination pharma air corridor between Abu Dhabi and Brussels 
  • The collaboration enhances Abu Dhabi’s positioning as a world-class pharma logistics hub and a destination focused on global welfare 
  • Led by the Department of Health – Abu Dhabi, the Hope Consortium, Khalifa University of Science and Technology, and Abu Dhabi Airports Company collaborate to strengthen the emirate positioning as a life science hub 
  • “Pharma Logistics Masterclass” hosted by Khalifa University to take place in Abu Dhabi in September 2022

 

Abu Dhabi has set its sights on Belgium, as a leading global pharmaceutical hub, to establish a global distribution corridor to serve the world in vaccine delivery and future life science needs. The collaboration builds on the capabilities of Abu Dhabi’s healthcare sector as a leading life sciences hub and the efforts of the HOPE Consortium in providing vaccine solutions for the world.

 

This initiative entailed a delegation visit from Belgium to Abu Dhabi, hosted by the Department of Health – Abu Dhabi (DoH). The visit saw the signing of two declarations of collaboration between Belgium and Abu Dhabi, Witnessed by H.E. Abdullah bin Mohammed Al Hamed, Chairman of DoH and H.E. Peter CLAES, Ambassador of Belgium in the UAE.

 

The first agreement was between the HOPE Consortium, Abu Dhabi Airports Company (ADAC), Brussels Airport Company and Pharma.Aero. Led by the Department of Health – Abu Dhabi, the regulator of the healthcare sector in the emirate, the collaboration aims to establish a fully compliant origin-to-destination pharma air corridor between Abu Dhabi and Brussels Airports. The dedicated pharma trade lane will unite key compliant and sector certified supply chain stakeholders, including forwarders and ground handling agents.

 

“Our goal is to enhance Abu Dhabi’s positioning as a world-class pharma logistics hub and a destination focused on global welfare by investing in strategic public and private sector collaborations, and the allocation of expertise and resources,” commented H.E. Dr. Jamal Al Kaabi, Undersecretary of the Department of Health – Abu Dhabi.

 

Earlier this year, a delegation from the HOPE Consortium met with pharmaceutical industry stakeholders in Brussels to showcase Abu Dhabi’s global vaccine distribution success. Thanks to its network of partners, the HOPE Consortium has handled over 200 million doses of Covid-19 vaccines, contributing to vaccination programmes in over 40 global destinations.

 

Western Europe currently ranks as the world’s second-largest pharmaceutical export market with a total export value of nearly EUR 42 billion in 2020. “, Brussels Airport is the leading hub serving the pharmaceutical and life sciences industry in Europe with over 750 million vaccines handled at the airport, serving 60 destinations worldwide” said Nathan De Valck, head of cargo at Brussels Airport.

 

Captain Mohamed Juma Al Shamisi, Chairman of the HOPE Consortium Executive Committee and Group CEO of AD Ports Group, added that the proactive sharing of knowledge and expertise among stakeholders remains vital to the partnership’s ongoing success. “The HOPE Consortium, along with our partners, has developed one of the most extensive end-to-end vaccine supply chains, capable of delivering millions of Covid-19 vaccines anywhere around the globe.”

 

“Working together, we have successfully resolved some of the major challenges associated with vaccine logistics, and we are pleased to have the opportunity to showcase our capabilities and pass on our learnings to students attending the Masterclass. At the same time, we look forward to further strengthening the relationship between Abu Dhabi and Belgium through the establishment of a future pharma corridor, benefiting the region and the world,” said Capt. Al Shamsi.

 

The development of the dedicated Pharma Air Corridor will leverage API-IoT devices-webforms-internet shared with all relevant stakeholders to monitor pharma shipments closely. “Our relationship with Etihad Cargo and the HOPE Consortium sharing best practices makes us confident that the corridor will promote commitment for transparency with customers and stakeholders.” said Nathan De Valck who also serves as Chairman of Pharma.Aero.

 

The other declaration of collaboration was signed by the HOPE Consortium, Pharma.Aero, Khalifa University of Science and Technology and the University of Antwerp to host the second edition of the “Pharma Logistics Masterclass”, a course focused on critical challenges and developments in pharma supply chains and logistics, by Khalifa University in Abu Dhabi from 5th to 9th September 2022.

 

“We are excited to bring the second Masterclass to Abu Dhabi. The HOPE Consortium partners and Khalifa University have extended great support and offer a unique platform to be shared with the participants of the next Masterclass,” said Prof. Dr. Roel Gevaers, University of Antwerp and Chair of the organizing Committee.

 

Frank Van Gelder, Secretary General of Pharma.Aero and co-chair of the “Pharma Logistics Masterclass”, continues: “Pharma.Aero’s vision and mission underline fostering collaboration. By continuously giving insights and sharing the latest changes between pharmaceutical companies, industry stakeholders and the academic world, the overall knowledge and the quality of the pharma and MedTec supply chain improves. Bringing the 2nd edition of the masterclass to Abu Dhabi and bringing academics and business again together, contributes significantly in achieving this vision.”

 

Dr. Arif Sultan Al Hammadi, Executive Vice-President, Khalifa University, said: “We are pleased to bring the next Pharma.Aero Logistics Masterclass to Abu Dhabi in September 2022, in collaboration with our partners. Khalifa University has the necessary expertise, especially through our Digital Supply Chain and Operations Management (DSOM) research center, which provides real-world, cutting edge work on the digital transactions, management, and optimization in multiple domains such as maritime logistics, production lines, and healthcare delivery systems. We believe the Masterclass in Abu Dhabi will further affirm our strong commitment to delivering top quality academic and professional programs that benefit students and youth interested in charting their future career in this area.”

 

The agreement was welcomed by Dr. Ghalia Ali Al Humaidan, Chargé d’affaires of the UAE Mission to Belgium, who said: “The strategic ties between the UAE and Belgium are vital in supporting trade routes between the Middle East and Europe. This commitment further expands the effectiveness of a collaborative approach to addressing pharmaceutical demand flows between the two regions.”

 

H.E. Peter Claes, Belgium’s Ambassador to the UAE, added: “Abu Dhabi has developed into a world hub for the distribution of pharmaceuticals. The emirate has done so in close cooperation and synergy with Brussels Airport. I am therefore pleased to know that at the invitation of Pharma.Aero and its partners, distinguished executives of the Abu Dhabi Department of Health, Etihad and Rafed participated in the 1st International Masterclass on Pharma Logistics, held in Antwerp in September.”

 

Staff Report
8 December 2021

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These are the Pollution Hotspots of the Middle East

Middle Eastern governments must do more to tackle air pollution, experts say, with fuel subsidies and poor public transport the cause of poor air quality in many major cities.

 

Air pollution is a major health hazard across the globe, with the World Health Organisation stating that in 2019, 99 per cent of the world’s population lived in places where the institution’s air quality guidelines were not met.

 

Vehicles and dust major sources of pollution

As is the case elsewhere in the Gulf, road vehicles remain a significant source of pollution in the UAE, with more than three million vehicles using the country’s roads despite heavy investments in public transport, such as the Dubai Metro.

 

Aside from vehicle emissions, other major sources of PM2.5 in the Middle East include power plants, various industrial facilities and sand storms, the last of which may be affected by climate change, although current evidence is unclear.

 

Dr Diana Francis, a senior research scientist and head of the Environmental and Geophysical Sciences laboratory at Khalifa University in Abu Dhabi, says that from between about 2000 and 2010, dust emissions increased, but then fell back the following decade.

 

Read the rest of the article here: https://www.thenationalnews.com/mena/2021/11/25/these-are-the-pollution-hotpots-of-the-middle-east/