A Dubai-based tech startup has launched an artificial intelligence powered device that has the sole function of improving safety in school buses around the UAE.
Almas Robotics has produced a revolutionary product that uses AI and sensors to track passengers, in this case school children, and make the driver and transportation company aware of how many people had entered the bus and how many have left.
The main purpose of this useful solution is to prevent children from being mistakenly left on school buses, to help save lives, and to improve safety standards in the UAE.
According to Fahim Almas, CEO of Almas Robotics, “We have high expectations for this device as it brings a new concept to the market that addresses a serious problem in an innovative and seamless way.”
He also added that his discussions with schools and transport companies have been quite successful and productive. This innovation is in line with contributes towards the UAE’s smart cities development goals.
To spread this innovative device, the company has decided to keep the product cost affordable. The desire for affordability is to encourage the fast distribution of this life-saving technology. This is because of the rise in students taking school buses regardless of how far or close they live to the school.
A 2018-2019 education report conducted by property consultant Knight Frank showed that 46 per cent of students use school transport, whereas the remaining live within a five-kilometre radius. These figures indicate the importance of such inventions in moving towards sustainability and safer standards.
The way this device works is by turning the vehicle’s engine on, which will automatically activate the Safe Bus device. The moment the device has started to function, it starts detecting.
When it’s time to turn the engine off, the Safe Bus device will complete a final check to figure out if the number of exiting passengers matches the number of those who initially entered. An alarm will be triggered and an SMS notification will go to the driver and transportation company when the device realises that the number of remaining passengers on board is higher than zero.
Almas Robotics is a company with high ambitions and futuristic projects. “we hope one day to see the device used in every school bus in the UAE,” Fahim Almas stated.
The company also specialises in training and interactive workshops. Almas Robotics has big plans on working with schools around the UAE in introducing workshops for children to understand how robotics, 3D printing and artificial intelligence works.
