The United Arab Emirates has launched an annual award that asks you to combine robotics and artificial intelligence to improve how governments meet citizens' needs in the areas of education, healthcare and social services.

As with its predecessor, the UAE Drones for Good contest, there is both an international and a national competition with prize money of $1 million and Dhs1 million respectively and both are open to students, individuals and institutions. 

Launching the contest, His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai stated:

 "Our goal is to harness science and technology to promote a better life for people and enhance happiness in communities."

The Minister of Cabinet Affairs for the UAE government, encouraged researchers, entrepreneurs and innovators to be creative in their thinking, commenting:

"This competition will put the best minds in the world to the test, challenging them to incorporate the latest technologies and develop new ones. The possibilities are limitless, from improving life for those with disabilities, to transforming education, to aiding with complex tasks such as fire-fighting, construction work and social care."

The contests three categories are education, healthcare and social services, although this can be interpreted very broadly given the official statement that "the real boundaries are only in the imagination of entrants".

One possible scenario is is suggested by the launch video:

Based on the success of  Drones for Good which attracted over 800 entries from around 60 countries, a panel of 15 judges has been appointed to determine the outcome of the contest, including Bruno Maisonnier, CEO of Aldebran; Professor Sturt Russell of University of California Berkely and co-author of Artificial Intelligence: A Modern Approach; Justine Cassell, Associate Vice-Provost for Technology Strategy and Impact Carnegie Mellon University and Paolo Dario Director, The BioRobotics Institute Scuola Superiore Sant'Anna Pisa. 

Full details of how, what and when to submit have yet to be added to the contest website which currently asks those interested to register in order to be notified when this information is available. 

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