Bots

#TECH: Global high-tech showcase

Technology and innovation play a huge role at the Dubai Expo 2020

IT was an out-of-the-blue idea to take a short break away from the country. Browsing the Internet for countries that do not require visitors to quarantine upon arrival, my wife and I narrowed down two options, namely Turkey and the United Arab Emirates (UAE). And we decided on the latter as we've been to Turkey before.

One of the reasons why we picked the UAE is the ongoing Dubai Expo 2020, which has been running since October last year. And since we flew Emirates, we got complimentary admission to the site.

Frankly, I do not have much idea of what the expo is all about, but from the YouTube videos I watched, it is suppose to be a showcase of countries all over the world.

As a tech journalist who has covered many technology conferences worldwide, my idea of an expo is always an exhibition held in mega conference halls that can accommodate thousands of exhibitors.

But I was wrong, the Dubai Expo 2020 is beyond my imagination.

THE REALITY

Just like everything is huge in Dubai, the Expo 2020 is massive. The area is 437 hectares wide, with 192 participating countries and 200 pavilions. There is also free fast Internet coverage at the site to make it easy for visitors to access information.

It's really massive, and judging from the number of participating countries and pavilions, you'll need at least three to four days if you want to visit all of them.

Since the expo is held with Covid-19 still raging, proof of vaccination is needed to enter the site. And, best of all, our MySejahtera digital certificate (printed) is accepted.

The site is purposely built for the expo and all pavilions (individual buildings, actually) have unique designs, the majority of them reflecting the countries they represent.

EVERYTHING IS HIGH-TECH

Walking into the expo site, the first thing you'll see is the huge Al Wasl Dome.

My first jaw-dropping reaction was "how did they build this massive structure?"

To me, the Al Wasl Dome is a technological marvel. It doesn't just provide shade to visitors, but also offers a mesmerising LED showcase after dark.

The interior of this iconic dome is a massive 360-degree projection surface that provides an unparalleled viewing experience. The steel dome stands 67.6 metres high and 130 metres wide, covering an enclosed space of 724,000 cubic metres.

You can sit under it for hours and spend the whole night watching a variety of colourful LED shows.

The expo site is divided into three sections — Mobility, Sustainability and Opportunity — and all the countries' pavilions are located along the lanes on these sections.

Since the expo site is massive, and you may get lost among the pavilions, the organiser has created an app called "Expo 2020 Dubai", which you can download for free on iOS and Play Store.

The app will give you all the information you need about the expo, such as pavilions, restaurants, events and many more. There are also schedules for transport services, descriptions of attractions, and location of toilets and plazas.

Since there are 200 pavilions and you may not be able to visit all at one go, you can use this app to pick and choose the ones that you love to explore.

Besides the pavilions, there are also many other attractions that you may not want to miss, like the Expo Waterfall, located not far from the Al Wasl Dome.

This unique water feature comprises three sections of 13-metre high curved black pebble walls arranged in a circle, with water spouting out from the top and gushing down below. However, the water quickly disappears when it reaches the porous bottom. You can even stand on the pebbles to feel the water rushing towards you without getting all wet.

TECH-DRIVEN PAVILIONS

Visiting the pavilions is like visiting the countries they represent. Each participating country will give the best of what it has to offer, such as culture, people, education, technology, and healthcare.

What I'm fascinated with, in all those pavilions, is their presentations to mesmerise visitors. It's all high-tech with the use of huge wall-to-wall LED/LCD screens, robots and creative designs.

Even the structures of the pavilions are uniquely designed to reflect the participating country.

For example, the huge UAE Pavilion, which is nearest to the Al Wasl Dome, is designed to mimic the wings of a falcon — the national bird of the Emirates. Those wings, 28 in total, can spread to harvest solar energy through integrated photovoltaic panels.

Inside, you get to see a 3D presentation of the history of the UAE amidst the "country's desert", small dunes constructed from sand taken from the seven emirates. You'll also be able to walk through the "old city" of the UAE with the help of video presentations and projections.

The India Pavilion offers a four-storey display of what India is all about. It also has one floor full of 360-degree digital recreations of the country's past, present and future.

The Pakistan Pavilion is also worth visiting for its unique design and the use of a huge LED screen to showcase the country.

The second largest pavilion, which is the Saudi Arabia Pavilion, is very innovative in terms of design and presentations. The highlight of its exhibition is the "Vision" space; a floating virtual sphere almost 30 metres in diameter. This colossal art installation is brought to life by a collective of Saudi artists. Among its other features are 650 solar panels manufactured in the kingdom.

At the colourful Russia Pavilion, visitors get to see how the country pays tribute to the human brain with a huge display of the complex organ working at the centre of the pavilion.

At the United States Pavilion, visitors get to experience a historical journey of the country's innovation and inventions. Visitors will also get to see a scale replica of the SpaceX Falcon-9 rocket just outside.

The China Pavilion offers the country's latest achievements in information technology, modern transportation, artificial intelligence, smart living and space exploration. But what I'm fascinated with is its spectacular night drone show, featuring a fleet of drones flying in various formations just above the pavilion.

Another pavilion you don't want to miss is Terra — The Sustainability Pavilion, which showcases the possibility of architectures with an intelligent concept of future sustainable living. Drawing inspiration from complex natural processes like photosynthesis, the dynamic form of the pavilion is in service to its function, capturing energy from sunlight and fresh water from humid air.

Finally, our very own pavilion, the Malaysia Pavilion, is also unique, though it is also related to sustainable living. Visitors will learn of our country's commitment to sustainable development, and our focus on climate change issues. The Malaysia Pavilion is located in the expo's Sustainability section.

Due to their large size, my wife and I managed to cover only a few pavilions, but I bet the rest of them are very innovative and informative too.

ROBOTS EVERYWHERE

Besides the pavilions, you'll also see cute interactive robots strolling around to help visitors with all sorts of information on the expo. There are also robots being used to transport food and stuff all over the site.

In conclusion, the Dubai Expo 2020 is really a one-of-a-kind exhibition. It shows how all the countries in the world can come together to give off a positive vibe to people and the planet, as well as embracing the opportunities of tomorrow and discovering life-changing innovations.

The Dubai Expo 2020 will end on March 31, 2022.

Most Popular
Related Article
Says Stories