Abu Dhabi furthers its position as a 3D printing capital with a new announcement from the city’s police department. According to reports from Emirates News Agency, the official news agency of the United Arab Emirates (UAE), also known as WAM, the Abu Dhabi Police has launched a 3D printing initiative to help solve crimes.
3D printing in the UAE
From 3D printed buildings, to the millions of dollars available to startups, the UAE is committed to becoming a world leader in cutting-edge technology.
Many of the activity has been localized in Dubai, through the Future Accelerators fund, efforts by the Roads and Transport Authority, and inauguration of the Smart Buildability Index.
Recently, the Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA) and GE Additive signed an MoU in March 2017 committing to a project for advancing the UAE’s commitment to the ‘Industrial Internet of Things’ (IIOT), and accelerating its status as a hub for 3D printing by the year 2030.
Following this, Abu Dhabi launched its Global Manufacturing and Industrialisation Summit (GMIS) with 3D printing as a key focus for the future and GE as a founding partner.
Further, 3D software company Autodesk invested $100 million in future UAE startups through the Spark Fund.
A new layer of fighting crime
Believing that tech innovation too is the way forward for the city’s police force, Abu Dhabi Police will be applying 3D printing to help in handling of evidence.
3D printed dioramas could, for example, be used to help thoroughly asses a crime scene, or communicate to the court a series of events. A similar initiative has been set up in the UK by the West Yorkshire Police and, in Cascade County, Montana the police are applying 3D scanning for crime scene investigation.
Brigadier Abdulrahman Al Hammadi, Director of the Criminal Evidence Administration, is leading the initiative and also hopes to make 3D printed models that are helpful in training exercises, and customer service activities that help promote the force.
In line with the UAE’s vision of the future, the new 3D printing inititive is part of Abu Dhabi Police’s 2057 Plan for a city powered by technology.
According to Lt. Colonel Sulieman Al Kaabi, Director of Innovation and the Future, at the time of the announcement, “Forecasting the future is a key engine for Abu Dhabi Police’s efforts to address global trends, challenges and opportunities through preventive scenarios and solutions.”
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Featured image shows an Abu Dhabi Police officer and a Lykan Hypersport car. Photo by Simon Huber, Jonas Abenstein, Felix Berndt & Burak Ekin for Abu Dhabi Police GHQ.
