Sharjah: An Emirati inventor has made a ship protection system, robot doctor and a smart glove to control wheelchairs - and he’s only 13 years old.
Ali Hamid Al Lughani wowed the audience with his speech at the International Government Communication Forum (IGCF) in Sharjah on Wednesday. Ali was presenting alongside Professor Rachid Yazmi, an engineer and scientist specialising in materials science.
Right after his talk, Ali was called by His Highness Dr Sheikh Sultan bin Mohammed Al Qasimi, Member of the Supreme Council and Ruler of Sharjah, who was in the audience, to meet him. Sheikh Sultan shared words of encouragement with Ali.
The teen has won 66 awards, including intellectual property (IP) rights from the Ministry of Economy. Ali expressed a desire to serve his country and to become a leader or minister in the future.
In an exclusive interview, Ali told Gulf News he is passionate about technology and helping others - which is why he focuses on projects which can improve people’s lives in various fields.
Ali, a student of Al Kamal American International School - Halwan Branch, said he owes his success to the support of his parents and Sheikh Sultan. “I thank my mom and dad because they’re always with me. I would like to thank the Ruler of Sharjah, Baba Sultan, for his continuous support for me.”
Ali said his mother discovered his talents when he was six years old.
“I was curious about how toys worked. I used to open up toys to see what was inside and would ask my parents many questions. It was then that my mother realised I had skills that needed to be refined and developed, so she started looking for camps, courses, and clubs for me to join,” he explained.
Mother’s advice
The first step toward success was a mental intelligence competition held in Ras Al Khaimah at the national level.
“My mother shouted with joy when I was awarded fourth place. From that day on, my mother told me words that still resonate in my mind, and she reminds me every day that the path to success is challenging and that reaching the top requires effort. She also advised me to put my trust in God, not to forget my prayers, and to appreciate the kindness of others.”
As an Emirati programmer, Ali took a course at Johns Hopkins University, USA, through the National Fund and graduated with honours, achieving a distinction.
Ali had joined the Emirates Scientific Club in 2020 when he was just 10. Since then, Ali has received 19 prestigious awards, including seven gold medals, two silver medals, and one bronze medal, in addition to nine special awards.
Top projects
Ali mentioned of his favourite projects, the ‘Ship Protection System Using Artificial Intelligence’, which was granted IP rights from the Ministry of Economy. The project aims to reduce the risks of ship accidents and enhance maritime and environmental safety. The system consists of a remotely operated vehicle (ROV) and a small boat, and it is characterised by its ability to detect a wide range of maritime hazards such as other ships, icebergs, underwater cables, marine stations, wind turbines, and oil platforms, in addition to adverse weather conditions. Upon discovering any danger, the system alerts the ship’s crew and provides them with recommendations on how to avoid it. It can also predict accident risks and develop safety plans for specific routes.
Jury Award in the Future Sciences Challenge at the Gulf level, 2024.
CONIC COSMOPOLITAN BUSINESS AWARD for BEST YOUNG INVENTOR, 2024.
Bronze medal at the International Inventions Exhibition in the Middle East in Kuwait, 2024.
Inspiring Young Leader Award, 2024.
Social Media Ambassador Award, 2024.
Outstanding Student Award at the Sharjah Award for Educational Excellence, 2024.
Future Leaders Award, 2023.
Three gold medals at the Global Development Inventions Exhibition in the UAE, 2023.
Gold medal at the International Exhibition of Technology, Science, and Energy held in Turkey, 2023.
Second place in the Sheikha Latifa bint Mohammed Al Maktoum Award for Childhood Creativity in the Programming Creativity category, 2023.
Three gold medals at the Inventors’ Exhibition in London, 2023.
The Diamond Category Inventors’ Cup as a special award at the Inventors’ Exhibition in London, 2023.
Platinum category championship shield at the Inventors’ Exhibition in London, 2023.
Gold medal at the World Inventors Championship held in Indonesia, 2023.
In December 2023, Ali won the jury award at the level of the Gulf Cooperation Council in the Future Science Challenge competition organised by the Hamdan Centre for Talent and Innovation for his project ‘Doctor Robot’. This followed his win in November 2023, when he received the gold medal at the International Exhibition of Engineering, Energy, Science, and Arts in Turkey for his project ‘Sustainable Electric Charging Station’.
Earlier, in July 2022, Ali had secured second place in the Arab Robotics Championship in Egypt for the project ‘Remote Control of a Wheelchair Using a Smart Glove’. In the same year, he secured first place at the national level in the technology category of the ‘Emirates for Young World’ competition organised by the Ministry of Education for the same project.
Ali is a member of the UAE Children’s Parliament, the rapporteur of the Environment Committee, and the second deputy of the Sharjah Children’s Council. He was also the founder of the Sharjah Generations Volunteer Team and a member of the Student Red Crescent Team and the school’s Volunteer Club.
