Technology Innovation Institute (TII) and the University of Modena and Reggio Emilia are participating as Team TII-EuroRacing in the Autonomous Challenge at CES 2022 in Las Vegas. TII is also a premier sponsor of the event, which features head-to-head autonomous racecar competition at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway. Team TII-EuroRacing will compete with its DO12 racecar, a Dallara AV-21 retrofitted for automation, after making it to the finals at the Indy Autonomous Challenge in October 2021. Why it matters: This event highlights the UAE's commitment to advancing autonomous robotics and positions TII as a leader in the development of autonomous racing systems.
TII-EuroRacing Team, comprised of researchers from TII's ARRC and UNIMORE, is participating in the Indy Autonomous Challenge (IAC) at CES 2023 in Las Vegas. The team will compete with its DO12 racecar, a Dallara AV-21 retrofitted with automation hardware and advanced prototype software. The IAC aims to accelerate the commercialization of fully autonomous vehicles and advanced driver assistance systems. Why it matters: This participation allows TII to test and improve its autonomous vehicle technology in a dynamic environment, contributing to the advancement of autonomous systems in the region.
Technology Innovation Institute (TII) has developed AI-powered autonomous drones capable of navigating complex environments at speeds up to 80 km/h using only a camera and IMU sensor. The drones use onboard AI-driven visual odometry and reinforcement learning to adapt to their environment in real time. In direct competition, the TII drone set a best lap time of 4.38s, compared to 6.32s and 5.34s for human pilots. Why it matters: This research demonstrates the potential of AI-powered UAVs to surpass human-operated drones in agility and precision, with applications for the transport of goods and potentially people.
Researchers at the Technology Innovation Institute (TII) have released a fully-annotated dataset for autonomous drone racing, called "Race Against the Machine." The dataset includes high-resolution visual, inertial, and motion capture data from both autonomous and piloted flights, along with commands, control inputs, and corner-level labeling of drone racing gates. The specifications to recreate their flight platform using commercial off-the-shelf components and the Betaflight controller are also released. Why it matters: This comprehensive resource aims to support the development of new methods and establish quantitative comparisons for approaches in robotics and AI, democratizing drone racing research.
Team TII EuroRacing (TII-ER) developed a full autonomous software stack for oval racing, enabling speeds above 75 m/s (270 km/h). The software includes modules for perception, planning, control, vehicle dynamics modeling, simulation, telemetry, and safety. The team achieved second and third place in the first two Indy Autonomous Challenge events using this stack.
The Quantum Research Centre (QRC) at the Technology Innovation Institute (TII) in Abu Dhabi has expanded its team. The center recently added two Senior Researchers, four Young Researchers, and one Visiting Research Professor. TII aims to advance knowledge through scientific research and technological innovation. Why it matters: This expansion indicates continued investment in quantum computing research and development within the UAE, potentially fostering advancements in the field.
The Technology Innovation Institute (TII) is hosting an AI seminar by Kajetan Schweighofer on October 28, 2025, from 11:00 AM to 12:00 PM GST. TII describes itself as a global research center focused on discovery science and transformative technologies. The seminar series is part of TII's efforts to share its developments and research. Why it matters: Such seminars contribute to the growth of the AI ecosystem in the UAE by facilitating knowledge sharing and collaboration.
The Autonomous Robotics Research Center (ARRC) at TII won the Nanocopter AI Challenge 2022, part of the International Micro Air Vehicle Conference. The challenge involved developing AI-enabled solutions for Bitcraze’s Crazyflie nanocopters to perform vision-based obstacle avoidance. The ARRC team's nano-drone completed a 110m flight in 5 minutes with no crashes in a dynamic environment. Why it matters: This victory demonstrates the growing expertise in autonomous robotics and AI-powered drone technology within the UAE, with potential applications in search and rescue, industrial inspection, and precision agriculture.