Sharjah, UAE. May 11, 2023 – American University of Sharjah (AUS) continues its commitment to research that positively impacts society, as renowned professor and researcher Dr. Abdul-Rahman Al-Ali publishes research on smart cities applications and employing the Internet of Things (IoT), cyber-physical systems and artificial intelligence (AI) based platforms. Dr. Al-Ali is a professor in the AUS Department of Computer Science and Engineering.
The significance of Dr. Al-Ali’s research lies in the potential benefits it can bring to the community in everyday life activities, including monitoring of smart home appliances, efficient energy usage, smart transportation solutions and advancements in smart farming techniques.
Dr. Al-Ali and his team have developed innovative solutions for smart home energy management systems through their research work using an IoT and Big Data Analytics approach. Their groundbreaking research sheds light on how homeowners and utility service providers can optimize their electricity consumption by efficiently managing smart home appliances. The team’s research has significant implications in achieving the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UNSDGs), particularly Goal 7: Affordable and Clean Energy and Goal 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities.
The findings of this research have been published in top-tier academic platforms. The first paper, “Smart Home Energy Management System Using an IoT and Big Data Analytics Approach,” presented a comprehensive approach to energy management and earned the best paper award from the prestigious journal Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) Transactions on Consumer Electronics. Their second paper, “Deep Learning Approach for Smart Home Appliances Monitoring and Classification,” highlighted a deep learning-based approach that helps in monitoring and classifying smart home appliances, leading to more efficient energy consumption management. This paper was presented at the IEEE International Conference on Consumer Electronics (ICCE).
“My future plans for this research are to work on more smart cities applications such as smart farming and COP28-related applications. These kinds of projects satisfy some of the UN 17 SDGs, namely Goal 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities, which aligns with the COP28, which is under the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change,” said Dr. Al-Ali.
One of his recent projects that satisfies SDG 8: Promote Sustained, Inclusive and Sustainable Economic Growth, Full and Productive Employment and Decent Work for All. The work focuses on designing a smart cane that can help visually impaired people. The project was co-authored with faculty from his department and undergraduate students. Dr. Al-Ali’s team created an IoT-based mobile sensor unit that can be attached to an off-the-shelf cane, providing independent movement for visually impaired people. As the user is walking, the unit collects information about the user and the surroundings and alerts the user about detected obstacles. Additionally, in case of emergencies such as a fall, the unit alerts the user and their emergency contact. A mobile application was developed to track the cane user via Google Maps as an additional safety measure.
Dr. Al-Ali added: “In the future, I aim to expand the applications of my research to include areas such as smart health monitoring systems, energy management systems for smart buildings, air pollution monitoring systems and smart factory solutions. This will allow for broader implementation of the research findings and contribute to the development of various smart technologies in different sectors.”
AUS is recognized for its research, graduate studies and scholarly endeavors. Its faculty members conduct cutting-edge research that contributes to the body of scholarly knowledge and has a profound impact on society and the future. AUS is a premier choice for those seeking to pursue graduate studies and engage in innovative research. To learn more, please visit www.aus.edu/research-and-graduate-studies.
For more information on AUS College of Engineering, please visit www.aus.edu/cen.
About AUS
American University of Sharjah (AUS) was founded in 1997 by His Highness Sheikh Dr. Sultan bin Mohammed AlQasimi, Member of the Supreme Council of the United Arab Emirates and Ruler of Sharjah. Sheikh Sultan articulated his vision of a distinctive institution against the backdrop of Islamic history and in the context of the aspirations and needs of contemporary society in the UAE and the Gulf region.
Firmly grounded in principles of meritocracy and with a strong reputation for academic excellence, AUS has come to represent the very best in teaching and research, accredited internationally and recognized by employers the world over for creating graduates equipped with the knowledge, skills and drive to lead in the 21st century.
AUS values learners not driven only by academic success, but by those that embrace our dynamic campus life and embody our ideals of openness, tolerance and respect. This combination of academic excellence and community spirit ensures AUS is filled with world-class faculty and students, poised to become the innovators, thinkers, contributors and leaders of tomorrow.
About AUS’ Silver Jubilee
Celebrating 25 years of excellence, AUS is ranked among the top 10 universities in the Arab world, acclaimed for its academic excellence, multicultural environment and outstanding facilities.
Since 1997, AUS has been nurturing and equipping students to become award-winning architects, designers, scientists, journalists, engineers, innovators, researchers, successful entrepreneurs–and even leaders of the UAE’s space program.
AUS offers 28 undergraduate majors and 45 minors, 15 master’s degrees and four PhD programs in the areas of architecture, design, humanities, science, engineering and business. Formed on the American liberal arts model, all classes are conducted in English.
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