Emirati cities are laying the groundwork for futuristic living with a welcoming approach towards modern tech including AI and online apps to enhance public infrastructure. The city has recently set up a facility to convert waste into energy, while its local body is relying on AI to monitor the drainage network for emergencies and to control water pressure.

As digital platforms and monitoring devices safeguarded Emiratis from an outbreak during the pandemic, wastewater was also being analysed to look for traces of covid-19, to ensure well being. Sticking to the same approach to steer clear of diseases in the future, the country is setting up an AI-powered lab in Abu Dhabi to look for bacteria and hazardous substances in the drainage system.

The wastewater monitoring unit will analyse samples from Emirati cities, to detect pathogen, fungus, pharmaceuticals and toxic waste, in addition to infectious diseases. This way it'll be able to warn authorities about the presence of viruses or the risk of an outbreak, so that timely action can be taken to prevent a healthcare emergency.

Launched in collaboration with health-tech firm G42, the facility will collect samples automatically, and AI will be used for analysing the data extracted from them. The first-of-its-kind lab in the Middle East, can also be used for spotting banned substances in wastewater flowing out of cities, so that authorities can take steps to crack down on the menace.

Over the past year, UAE has also displayed expertise in spotting infections among residents and travelers, thanks to thermal scanners, digitised medical records and tele-medicine.

Machine learning tools developed in the region are also enhancing healthcare for the future, by analysing the exact effect of drugs, for development of more effective pharmaceuticals.

As for waste management, Dubai also boasts of one of the world's largest facilities for recycling e-waste. Like the regional tech oasis, Abu Dhabi has also employed AI to process info that helps residents cut down on wastage of water and power.