Dubai Future Labs (DFL) and Osaka University, under the oversight of the Japan Science and Technology Agency (JST), have signed an agreement to collaborate on the research and development (R&D) of new technologies and concepts. This partnership aligns with the “Dubai Research and Development Program,” which aims to support key economic sectors and create new growth opportunities by providing a comprehensive framework for research, development, and innovation across the emirate.
Under this agreement, Dubai Future Labs and JST’s Moonshot Goal 1 will engage in joint R&D activities with the University of Electro-Communications, RIKEN, Advanced Telecommunications Research Institute International, and Cyber Agent, Inc. Together, they will establish a world-class research laboratory named the Cybernetic Avatar Alliance: Dubai Japan Laboratories for Cybernetic Avatar Technologies.
The collaboration will focus on cutting-edge research in the field of cybernetic avatars across three main projects: operating a large number of Cybernetic Avatars (CAs) by a single operator using a large language model (LLM), developing a cybernetic avatar robot suitable for multicultural interactions, and conducting social acceptance studies on different types of Cybernetic Avatars.
This partnership will also bolster Dubai’s Research & Development Program, which supports key economic sectors and fosters growth through innovation in four priority areas: Health & Wellbeing, Environmental Technologies, Smart Built Infrastructure, and Space.
DFL and JST’s leadership teams discussed potential joint projects related to the JST Moonshot Research and Development Program, emphasizing Moonshot Goal 1: Realizing a society free from the limitations of body, brain, space, and time by 2050. Khalifa AlQama, Executive Director of Dubai Future Labs, highlighted the commitment to working with top researchers and institutions globally to advance critical areas of R&D.
Dr. Hashimoto Kazuhito, President of JST, emphasized the importance of building an international network of research partners and conducting demonstration tests in Dubai to achieve the Moonshot Goal and foster a new generation of global innovators. This collaboration aims to advance research in robotics, digital technology, AI, and cybernetic avatars, ultimately creating a society free from physical and cognitive constraints.
