UAE Uses AI to Demonstrate Ancient Civilization Data in Digital Art

General view of Dubai, United Arab Emirates, Saturday, Dec. 21, 2019. (AP Photo/Jon Gambrell)
General view of Dubai, United Arab Emirates, Saturday, Dec. 21, 2019. (AP Photo/Jon Gambrell)
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UAE Uses AI to Demonstrate Ancient Civilization Data in Digital Art

General view of Dubai, United Arab Emirates, Saturday, Dec. 21, 2019. (AP Photo/Jon Gambrell)
General view of Dubai, United Arab Emirates, Saturday, Dec. 21, 2019. (AP Photo/Jon Gambrell)

ICD Brookfield Place proudly unveiled DATAMONOLITH_AI, an innovative, digital artwork conceived by the new media studio, Ouchhh. The piece is seen as a creative collaboration between machines and humans.

DATAMONOLITH_AI is a representation of some of the world's oldest available data from the Middle East in the form of a digital sculpture hosted by Dubai. It is a cultural convergence of ancient and contemporary cultures, and it was exhibited across the globe in major metropolitan cities such as New York, London, Taipei, Tokyo and Barcelona.

To create this piece, the studio used data from the Pre-Pottery Neolithic period (9600–7000 BC) processed through a series of algorithms and powered by artificial intelligence.

This data is represented on four LED panels comprised of three billion pixels. Images collected from one of the world's oldest archaeological sites, located in Göbekli Tepe in south-eastern Anatolia, are translated into illuminations on a monumental obelisk, creating an ever-changing display that translates still images into a living sculpture.

The public art installation will be on display at ICD Brookfield Place until 23rd March 2021.

"Ouchhh discovers the hybrid spaces of the virtual and physical worlds as a combined environment that redefines the future of art in 21st century with DATAMONOLITH_AI. Ouchhh's main goal is not just to create an iconic landmark but also to create a data-driven public artwork to inspire and create a sense of marvel to everyone who experiences it. Data as paint, algorithm as a brush," said Ferdi Alici of Ouchhh.



Saudi Arabia: CST, SSA Launch SpaceUp Competition to Develop Innovative Space-Based Solutions

The SpaceUp Competition targets global and local entrepreneurs, startups, and SMEs through six challenge tracks
The SpaceUp Competition targets global and local entrepreneurs, startups, and SMEs through six challenge tracks
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Saudi Arabia: CST, SSA Launch SpaceUp Competition to Develop Innovative Space-Based Solutions

The SpaceUp Competition targets global and local entrepreneurs, startups, and SMEs through six challenge tracks
The SpaceUp Competition targets global and local entrepreneurs, startups, and SMEs through six challenge tracks

The Communications, Space and Technology Commission (CST) and the Saudi Space Agency (SSA) have launched the global SpaceUp Competition, in partnership with Neo Space Group (NSG), which aims to promote Space entrepreneurship, support local companies specializing in Space-based solutions, attract global entrepreneurs, startups and Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs), and encourage the adoption of Space-based solutions by entities operating across various vital sectors.
According to a CST statement issued Monday, the SpaceUp Competition targets global and local entrepreneurs, startups, and SMEs through six challenge tracks to develop Space-based solutions for challenges in vital sectors by linking the supply with the demand.
The competition presents about $28 Million contractual opportunities across all competition tracks, in addition to providing direct access with end-users, localization, and connecting with end-users to implement the proposed solutions.
The statement highlighted that the competition includes six challenge tracks supporting various sectors. The first track, “Monitoring Date Palms Pest and Disease,” sponsored by the Ministry of Environment, Water, and Agriculture and the Weqaa Center, focuses on providing Space-based solutions to monitor palm farms and detect pests. The second, “Improving City Livability by Monitoring Urban Heat Islands,” by the Quality of Life Program, aims at solving the problem of rising temperatures in crowded cities. The third is “Monitoring the Impact of Infrastructure Development” by Riyadh Infrastructure Projects Center to promote infrastructure projects and traffic management.
The fourth and fifth tracks are the “Optimizing Urban Road Assets” track which aims to provide solutions to detect urban road damage and elevate its maintenance, and “Mapping of Urban Trees” which aims to monitor and maintain urban green spaces, both sponsored by the Ministry of Municipalities and Housing. The sixth, “Greening Saudi Arabia,” seeks to monitor tree growth and support sustainability efforts related to the Saudi Green Initiative.
"The SpaceUp Competition extends the efforts of CST and the SSA in enhancing investment opportunities in the Saudi Space sector and stimulating research and innovation," the statement added.