Sports-minded Arab innovators are thriving in anticipation of the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022™
Doha, Qatar, October 6, 2021: For the first time, the FIFA World Cup™ will be hosted in the Arab world in 2022, fanning intense interest in the region’s sporting scene from the international community. In anticipation of the tournament, Arab youth are looking to contribute to the sporting world with their own technological solutions in football and in other sports.
This season of Stars of Science, Qatar Foundation’s edutainment TV initiative, features two sports-minded inventors in the top eight contestants, both of whom have introduced novel technologies aimed at tackling different challenges within the sports sector.
Khaoula Chaabna, an Algerian medical student, created Smart Knee Brace; a wearable device that warns the user of a possible Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) injury. It utilizes sensors placed on major leg muscles, such as the quad and hamstring, and monitors training to extract key electrical signals. This device could lower the number of preventable ACL injuries both professionally and in the amateur sporting world, reduce the rehabilitation period post-surgery, and encourage athletes to confidently perform at their best.
The other sport innovator is Mohammed Al-Qassabi, a Qatari third-year undergraduate student specializing in information systems, who combined his interest in science with his love for football to invent and work on developing a Football Offside Detection System. His invention tracks and analyzes the players’ positions in real-time and notifies referees when an offside takes place.
They are among the many young Arab entrepreneurs throughout the Middle East and North Africa who have seen the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022™ as an opportunity to make their mark in the growing sports sector. Multiple startups have emerged throughout the region, taking advantage of the budding sports innovation landscape and winning accolades in the process.
“We knew the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022™ would be an opportunity to help foster the region’s pioneering spirit, which is why we launched Challenge 22 in 2015 – a program that directly supports innovators across the Arab world,” said Fatma Al Nuaimi, Communications Executive Director at the Supreme Committee for Delivery & Legacy, the organization responsible for organizing the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022™.
“Through Challenge 22, hundreds of sports-tech start-ups were created and launched in the market and will definitely enhance the fan experience and accessibility and support Qatar’s hosting of the FIFA World Cup™ next year.”
Bahraini Theiab Al Dossary, a Stars of Science Season 6 finalist, went on to win the flagship innovation award from Challenge 22 for his invention Feelix – a Tactile Communicating Bracelet device which communicates information to the user via electro-tactile pads on their arm and is paired to a mobile phone.
“Over the last decade, we have witnessed a surge in innovative regional start-ups that developed technologies and solutions that are directly influencing the sports tech industry and helping us deliver a memorable tournament next year – ranging from immersive digital media, accessible assistive technologies and innovative platforms that will enhance the fan experience,” added Fatma Al Nuaimi.
Chaabna and Al-Qassabi are not the first Stars of Science contestants whose inventions are contributing innovation in sport. Dr. Abdallah Al Sairafi, a Stars of Science alumnus, recently launched My Peak – an athleticism and dietary consultancy center – in his home country, Kuwait. The center represents a continuation of his Stars of Science journey, where he was developing My Peak as a Sports Performance Patch System.
In the run-up to the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022™, multitudes of young Arab innovators are now more excited than ever to contribute to the world of sports by supporting both athletes and fans in the region. With the help of initiatives such as Stars of Science, Qatar is hoping it can continue to impact sports in the region for the better beyond 2022.
Stars of Science airs every Friday and Saturday on six channels in the region and online, from September 10-October 22, 2021. Please visit the broadcast guide for channels and timings: starsofscience.com.
To apply to be on Stars of Science Season 14 and put yourself in with a chance of earning the title of the Arab world’s top innovator, visit www.starsofscience.info
About Stars of Science
As the premier innovation show in the Arab world, Stars of Science – the edutainment TV initiative of Qatar Foundation (QF) – empowers Arab innovators to develop technological solutions for their communities, benefitting people’s health and lifestyles, and helping to preserve the environment.
Over a 12-week process, the contestants demonstrate the effectiveness of their solutions in a shared innovation space, competing against time with the support of a team of experienced engineers and product developers. An expert panel of jurors assess and eliminate projects every week across several prototyping and testing rounds, until only four finalists remain to compete for a share of $600,000 (terms and conditions apply). Jury deliberation and online voting from the public determine the rankings.
Stars of Science airs every Friday and Saturday from September 11, 2020 till November 6, 2020. Please visit the broadcast guide for channels and timings: starsofscience.com
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Qatar Foundation – Unlocking Human Potential
Qatar Foundation for Education, Science and Community Development (QF) is a non-profit organization that supports Qatar on its journey to becoming a diversified and sustainable economy. QF strives to serve the people of Qatar and beyond by providing specialized programs across its innovation-focused ecosystem of education, science and research, and community development.
QF was founded in 1995 by His Highness Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, the Father Amir, and Her Highness Sheikha Moza bint Nasser, who shared the vision to provide Qatar with quality education. Today, QF’s world-class education system offers lifelong learning opportunities to community members as young as six months through to doctoral level, enabling graduates to thrive in a global environment and contribute to the nation’s development.
QF is also creating a multidisciplinary innovation hub in Qatar, where homegrown researchers are working to address local and global challenges. By promoting a culture of lifelong learning and fostering social engagement through programs that embody Qatari culture, QF is committed to empowering the local community and contributing to a better world for all.
For a complete list of QF’s initiatives and projects, visit http://www.qf.org.qa