Khatib & Alami (K&A), an international multidisciplinary consultancy, said it has deployed smart technologies at the Special Olympics World Games Abu Dhabi 2019 to help people navigate their way around venues.

A multi-sport event for athletes with intellectual disabilities, Special Olympics World Games Abu Dhabi 2019 will run until March 21 in the UAE capital.

As an official supporter of the Games, K&A is providing a suite of Geographic Information System (GIS) wayfinding tools aimed at improving the experiences of attendees, as well as participants.

These tools include indoor navigation, augmented reality and chatbot features which can be accessed from the World Games App.

In addition, K&A is providing the technology behind wayfinding kiosks that can be found at Games venues, and which also include chatbot functionality through which users can perform searches or view information about the venue, timings and activities.

Chairman and CEO Dr Najib Khatib said: "We are delighted to be playing our part in the delivery of the first Special Olympics World Games to be held in the Mena region."

Khatib & Alami is a world leader in providing GIS expertise, and is a Platinum Partner of US software specialist Esri. The company’s GIS experts are supporting the development of geo-empowered smart cities across the Middle East, Africa and Asia.

"The key to the success of any smart technology is that it should be easily accessible and user-friendly – these are the measures that our experts are applying to ensure that the tools we’re providing add to the experience of everyone at the event, whether they are participants, organizers or spectators," he stated.

Dr Khatib said: "The Games are bringing together tens of thousands of people from across the world, so it provides an exciting opportunity to draw on the full potential of smart wayfinding technologies to help people get the most out of their visit, both at the event and elsewhere in Abu Dhabi."

The tools being provided by Khatib & Alami include a “story-telling” feature which allows people to record their trip routes, save memories and share their experiences with friends via social media.

Users can also continuously view their current location on the displayed map, along with all trip statistics,. he explained.

Manal Sayed, the senior director of K&A’s Geospatial Systems Integration team, said the smart tools that have been developed for the Games showcase some of the latest wayfinding technologies.

"The app is incredibly easy to use because it includes an augmented reality feature, which is a significant step up from most of the pedestrian wayfinding applications that people are familiar with," explained Manal.

“It can directly tell you which way to turn while looking at your surroundings, instead of at a map, which can be more reassuring and helpful. The inclusion of a chatbot is also important because it provides an intuitive experience for users, thanks to advanced artificial intelligence technology,” she added.-TradeArabia News Service