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ABU DHABI / WAM
A student from the Masdar Institute of Science and Technology capitalised on the latest technological advances in computer science and signal processing to innovate one of the UAE’s oldest and cherished pastimes – camel racing.
Recognising the novelty and potential commercial applications of the student-led innovation, Masdar Institute has filed a provisional patent with the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) for the innovative camel monitoring system being developed by Saeed Alnofeli, an MSc student in the Engineering Systems and Management programme.
To date, the Institute has filed over 70 patents with the USPTO. Patents and inventions are considered a key measure of innovative performance within a university, company or country, and serve as a vital first step towards an invention’s commercialisation. Alnofeli’s patent reflects the Institute’s concerted efforts to drive commercialization of the technology-based innovations required to advance and diversify the UAE’s key industries and sectors.
The invention is based on Alnofeli’s thesis research, titled “Customer Driven Product Development Process for Camel Monitoring System,†which is focused on optimizing monitoring systems of a training platform that can be used to improve camel training and racing.
Camel racing is part of the UAE’s rich heritage. As a centuries-old cultural tradition across the Arabian Peninsula, the UAE formalised the sport immediately after the country was founded.