Cognitive computing company VERSES has announced the first in a series of joint smart city projects with edge computing company Analog. The first project is optimising fleet operations in Abu Dhabi while minimising congestion and emissions.

The two companies will employ VERSES development toolkit, Genius, which generates intelligent software agents that enhance existing applications with the ability to reason, plan, and learn. This will be deployed alongside Analog’s edge computing technology which is designed to connect people, places and things using smart sensors and mixed reality devices.

The project has three main objectives. One is to increase the number of taxis in operation during designated periods of high demand, ensuring the highest possible fleet activity. A second is determining the optimal allocation of tasks for each taxi and driver, balancing operational demands with available resources. The third is automatically scheduling and conducting maintenance activities, ensuring that each taxi is regularly maintained. The latter also requires scheduling to align with facility capacities and capabilities.

By combining real-time disparate data sources into a probabilistic world model with factors such as local events, weather, fleet details, personnel preferences, legal requirements, maintenance schedules, and inventory, Analog will be able to monitor and respond better to the dynamics of the overall city ecosystem. This should have several benefits, including improved traffic and reduced air pollution.

The pilot project is the first in a series of commercial projects that VERSES and Analog, both G42-funded companies, expect to develop together in Abu Dhabi with expected generated revenue for VERSES of approximately US$3,000,000.

Building on VERSES’ Genius platform, future initiatives in Abu Dhabi intend to focus on projects in sectors such as smart mobility, healthcare, and energy, in collaboration with UAE industry stakeholders.

“We are excited to kick off this first commercial project and partnership with Analog,” said Gabriel René, CEO of VERSES. “Genius is ideally suited for smart cities where there are many stakeholders, each with different systems, hardware and methods for capturing and processing real-time sensor data. We aim to empower Analog with the tools to transform data from various sources into a unified model upon which Genius agents continuously generate insights and recommendations in order to optimise activity, with the goal of producing significant cost savings and efficiency improvements for fleet operators.”

“Our vision of AI-powered edge computing is well aligned with VERSES’ vision of a smarter world and we are eager to leverage Genius to not only provide business value but also to amplify human skills and simplify everyday life,” said Alex Kipman, Analog Founder and CEO. “This smart city project is a testament to Abu Dhabi’s commitment to advancing technology for the benefit of society. We expect a string of smart city projects that will address challenges in mobility, healthcare, energy, and more, paving the way for a more connected and sustainable future.”