Visionary eight-year-old Saudi wins global competition with glasses for blind

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Lama Al-Badin’s design incorporates eco-friendly materials such as bamboo and recycled plastic, and includes cutting-edge features. (Supplied)
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Winning the competition has brought immense pride to her family and the country. (Supplied)
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Winning the competition has brought immense pride to her family and the country. (Supplied)
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Winning the competition has brought immense pride to her family and the country. (Supplied)
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Updated 01 December 2024
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Visionary eight-year-old Saudi wins global competition with glasses for blind

  • Vision Friend uses cameras, sensors, and alarms
  • Design beat nearly 1,000 entries from 19 countries

JEDDAH: An eight-year-old inventor from Saudi Arabia won an international competition for designing a pair of glasses that aim to help blind people navigate the world safely.

Lama Al-Badin, from Dammam, won an $800 cash prize for her Vision Friend design after beating nearly 1,000 entries from 19 countries in the “Glasses of the Future” competition.

Organized by the International Agency for the Prevention of Blindness, the competition challenged children worldwide to reimagine eyewear to support eye health and accessibility.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Organized by the International Agency for the Prevention of Blindness, the competition challenged children worldwide to reimagine eyewear to support eye health and accessibility.

• Despite her young age, Lama Al-Badin demonstrated resourcefulness throughout the competition. She acknowledged the challenges she faced during the design phase.

Al-Badin’a design impressed the jury with its cameras and sensors that would detect obstacles and alert blind and visually-impaired users of dangers through various alarm sounds and vibrations.

“I always have scientific discussions with my family at home, which often spark various ideas that serve life in meaningful ways,” Al-Badin told Arab News.

“When I learned about the competition through a school announcement, the idea for the glasses emerged. I envisioned them as a companion to help people face road dangers through sensor systems. I wanted to add warning tones to enhance their auditory sensitivity and active awareness.”

Her design incorporates eco-friendly materials such as bamboo and recycled plastic, and includes cutting-edge features like sensors, an alarm system, and a multi-functional charging case.

Despite her young age, Al-Badin demonstrated resourcefulness throughout the competition. She acknowledged the challenges she faced during the design phase and said, “embarking on a new experience was an exciting challenge for me.

“During the design phase, the main challenge was translating my idea and vision from paper into a digital design. At that point, I sought help from my older sister because I hadn’t yet learned this type of drawing.”

Winning the competition has brought immense pride to her family and the country. She said: “I feel happy and proud. Winning is a motivation for me to develop further and achieve more accomplishments.

“I feel proud and hope to be an active member in the development and building of my beloved country.”

Her family, too, played a pivotal role in her journey. “They were very happy with this wonderful achievement. My family is my primary supporter, and I thank them.

“They have been my source of inspiration and encouragement. Praise be to God, I live in an aware family. At home, we love exchanging information and brainstorming solutions to all kinds of problems.”

Al-Badin’s design resonated with Caroline Casey, president of the IAPB and a member of the competition jury.

“The thing that stood out the most was how conscious and aware Lama was about her role in protecting the planet that she lives on and her ability to see how technology can be an enabler,” she told Arab News.

“In her mind, there were no barriers in the way of creating a product that was friendly to the planet and friendly to humans. When you consider her glasses, you’d think, ‘Yeah, why aren’t I doing it?’”

She continued: “A young person’s imagination doesn’t seem to focus on what we can’t achieve but on what is possible. I just love her approach and can’t wait to wear a pair.”

Casey also underscored the broader impact of initiatives like the “Glasses of the Future” competition. She said: “I want every child to be able to ‘see their future,’ both literally and metaphorically. Ensuring that every single child on this planet has access to affordable, accessible eyecare and health determines the future potential of our global citizenship and planet.”

Alongside Al-Badin, five-year-old Grace Rita from Kenya won the Younger Kids category for her vibrant and imaginative glasses, A Friend for My Eyes.

Rita’s design focuses on making eyewear fun and approachable for children with features like glow-in-the-dark frames and customizable lenses.

Besides Casey, the competition’s judging panel was composed of a global jury of experts, including Jo Frost, parenting expert and TV personality, and Dr. Prabha Choksi, ophthalmologist and founder of the Dr. Choksi Vitiligo Foundation.

Frost told Arab News: “I was truly impressed by the creativity and innovation of these little geniuses, each design brought a big smile of joy. We can all agree that eye health is often overlooked in our busy day-to-day lives of raising children, despite its importance to a child’s development and future.

“However, with Lama’s design’s inclusiveness, scientific aspects, and Grace’s bright and inspiring colors, these designs not only demonstrate the need to engage children in the global conversation about eye health but also empower eyewear wearers around the world.”

The competition also comes on the heels of critical research by the IAPB, which revealed that children with low vision learn only half as much as their peers with good or corrected vision in school.

This study, released in collaboration with the Seva Foundation on World Sight Day, underscores the profound impact of early interventions like eye exams and prescription glasses.

 

 

Decoder

Lama Al-Badin

Lama Al-Badin is an eight-year-old inventor from Saudi Arabia, who won an international competition for designing a pair of glasses that aim to help blind people navigate the world safely. The girl from the eastern city of Dammam bested nearly 1,000 entries from 19 countries in the “Glasses of the Future” competition.


MENA tech startup launches first AI-powered Arabic phone bot

Updated 13 sec ago
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MENA tech startup launches first AI-powered Arabic phone bot

  • Smartphone bot developed by Maqsam transcribes speech, understands intent, and responds fluently in Arabic, offering 24/7 automated support
  • Unlike existing machine-learning solutions, which are predominantly optimized for English, the bot handles linguistic variations across the Arab world

RIYADH: Saudi-based tech company Maqsam has unveiled the region’s first phone bot powered by artificial intelligence capable of handling customer service calls entirely in Arabic and English, including several dialects.

Speaking to Arab News at LEAP 2025 Tech Conference, Fouad Jeryes, cofounder and chief business officer of Maqsam, said the innovation tackles a central challenge businesses face when trying to provide a seamless Arabic-language customer service.

“Most global AI solutions do not support Arabic well,” Jeryes said. “There aren’t solutions that actually speak Arabic, so it’s a big gap here.”

The smartphone bot developed by Maqsam transcribes speech, understands intent, and responds fluently in Arabic, offering 24/7 automated support. 

Unlike existing machine-learning solutions, which are predominantly optimized for English, the bot handles linguistic variations across the Arab world, ensuring a more natural and effective customer experience.

Despite Arabic being one of the world’s most widely spoken languages, businesses have struggled to implement tech-powered customer service solutions that accurately process different dialects.

The bot’s ability to recognize and adapt to different Arabic dialects makes it particularly valuable for businesses operating in several markets in the MENA region.

“Good customer service is crucial for customer retention and trust, as it takes many positive experiences to offset one negative one. Better service leads to happier customers, reducing time wasted and improving overall customer experience,” Jeryes said. 

Maqsam’s bot has the potential to transform customer interactions, making services faster and more accessible, while reducing operational costs.

“If you can get to someone where you don’t have to be on hold, where they pick up every single time and service you immediately, it’s going to be easier — less time wasted, more efficiency, and better service overall, which keeps you happy as a customer,” Jeryes added.

The bot also acts as a co-pilot for human agents, reducing their workload and improving efficiency.

“The agent speaking to the customer doesn’t have to know all the information or handle every process. The bot listens in real time and translates that information into necessary actions,” Jeryes said.

However, automation will not completely replace human agents.

“There will be fewer human agents and more bots in the future,” he said. “But the human element needs to be there, because the bots will not be able to service all the scenarios.”

While the technology presents significant advances, risks and regulatory concerns surrounding AI-powered customer services remain.

“There’s a lot that’s going to come into the realm of regulation in this space in particular,” Jeryes said. “In general, humans will remain a very integral part of this community.” 

As Saudi Arabia continues to advance its digital economy under Vision 2030, such innovations contribute to the development of a more tech-driven business landscape, enhancing efficiency and supporting the Kingdom’s push for digital transformation.


Saudi Embassy in Albania celebrates International Day of the Arabian Leopard

Updated 4 min 39 sec ago
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Saudi Embassy in Albania celebrates International Day of the Arabian Leopard

  • In 2023, the UN designated Feb. 10 as International Day of the Arabian Leopard to preserve the endangered wild species
  • Known as Panthera pardus nimr, the species is one of the smallest breeds of leopard

RIYADH: The Saudi Embassy in Albania marked the International Day of the Arabian Leopard, designated by the UN on Feb. 10.

The celebration on Monday started with a march from a lake in Tirana to the city’s zoo, followed by an official ceremony, the Saudi Press Agency reported.

Faisal Ghazi Hifzi, the Saudi ambassador to Albania, said that Riyadh is committed to supporting global environmental initiatives and enhancing cooperation to protect biodiversity, SPA reported.

In 2023, the UN designated Feb. 10 as the International Day of the Arabian Leopard to preserve the endangered wild species.

Known as Panthera pardus nimr, the Arabian leopard is one of the smallest breeds of leopard. Males typically weigh between 30 and 40 kg, while females weigh between 25 and 35 kg. Their fur color is a pale orange with small, spaced spots.

In recent years, the species’ numbers have declined to nearly 200 in Oman, Yemen, and Saudi Arabia. This sharp decrease in the Arabian Peninsula is attributed to habitat loss, a reduction in the availability of prey, attacks by herders, and illegal trade in wild species.

The Kingdom has been at the forefront of preserving and breeding the species at AlUla’s nature reserves in the western region.

Since 2021, Saudi Arabia has preserved and bred 14 Arabian leopards at AlUla’s nature reserves, doubling their number to 32 by 2024, SPA added.


Saudi FM discusses developments in Palestine with PM Mohammad Mustafa

Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan and Palestinian Prime Minister Mohammad Mustafa. (File/SPA/AFP)
Updated 53 min 8 sec ago
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Saudi FM discusses developments in Palestine with PM Mohammad Mustafa

  • Prince Faisal also received a phone call from his Pakistani counterpart Ishaq Dar
  • Kingdom’s Foreign Minister is in Paris attending a two-day international AI summit in Paris

RIYADH: Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan on Monday received a phone call from Palestinian Prime Minister Mohammad Mustafa.

During the call, the two officials discussed developments in Palestine and efforts made in regard to them, Saudi Press Agency reported.

Prince Faisal also received a phone call from his Pakistani counterpart Ishaq Dar.

They discussed regional developments and joint efforts with regard to them, SPA said. 

The Kingdom’s Foreign Minister is in Paris attending a two-day international artificial intelligence summit in Paris. Heads of state, top government officials, CEOs and scientists from around 100 countries are participating in the summit from Monday.


Saudi Arabia leads AI governance on global stage

Updated 10 February 2025
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Saudi Arabia leads AI governance on global stage

  • Abdullah Al-Ghamdi highlights Kingdom’s AI ethics, policies, leadership at Paris summit

Riyadh: President of the Saudi Data and AI Authority Abdullah Al-Ghamdi said that Saudi Arabia has presented a pioneering model for strengthening comprehensive artificial intelligence governance at both regional and global levels.

He noted that this comes amid a growing global need for such governance, as AI continues to shape economies, societies, and global power structures, transcending international borders and impacting industries, governments, labor markets, and security.

His remarks came during his speech at a session held on Monday as part of the AI Action Summit, hosted in Paris from Feb. 10–11, the Saudi Press Agency reported.

The session was attended by French President Emmanuel Macron and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, along with several world leaders, policymakers, and leading AI experts.

Al-Ghamdi emphasized that comprehensive AI governance ensures all stakeholders — including governments, businesses, civil society, and underrepresented communities — have a role in shaping the future of AI.

He noted that by fostering collaboration and transparency, comprehensive governance can mitigate risks, build trust, and establish a framework that ensures AI serves all of humanity rather than benefiting only a specific group, the SPA reported.

Al-Ghamdi added that without diverse perspectives in policymaking, AI risks exacerbating inequalities, reinforcing biases, and favoring only certain groups.

He highlighted that Saudi Arabia has published 65 AI-related policies on the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development’s AI Policy Observatory, ranking third after the US and the UK.

Moreover, Al-Ghamdi said the Kingdom launched the AI Policy and Incident Observatory for the Middle East in Arabic, reflecting its commitment to regional transparency and data-driven policymaking.

He also highlighted Saudi Arabia’s local, regional, and international efforts in data and AI, noting that in 2020, before the latest AI breakthroughs, the Kingdom hosted the first Global AI Summit in Riyadh.

In 2024, the Kingdom organized the third and largest edition of the summit, bringing together experts, policymakers, and industry leaders from over 100 countries to shape the future of AI for the benefit of humanity, he said.

Driven by its commitment to ensuring AI advancements align with Islamic values and ethical principles, Saudi Arabia hosted the largest consultative session of the UN Advisory Body on AI in Riyadh, with representatives from over 53 Islamic countries, Al-Ghamdi said.

These efforts, he added, culminated in the launch of the Riyadh Charter for AI Ethics in the Islamic World last September, reflecting AI’s impact on the lives of 2 billion Muslims worldwide.

Al-Ghamdi said that Saudi Arabia’s role in AI governance extends beyond initiatives to the establishment of the International Center for AI Research and Ethics in Riyadh. As a Category 2 center under UNESCO, it will play a pivotal role in shaping AI policies, enhancing capacity building, and supporting the development of ethical and responsible AI, he noted.

The center has organized several events in collaboration with the Arab League and the Gulf Cooperation Council, bringing together over 100 experts from 28 countries and institutions with the aim of strengthening regional AI governance and establishing clear ethical regulations.

Al-Ghamdi concluded by emphasizing that, as the heart of the Arab and Islamic worlds, Saudi Arabia is ready to contribute to shaping the future of the Global Partnership on Artificial Intelligence, which will hold its 2025 ministerial council meeting in Slovakia.

He called for unified international efforts to build an innovative, trustworthy, and inclusive AI ecosystem.


Somalian PM visits Makkah’s Hira Cultural District

Updated 10 February 2025
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Somalian PM visits Makkah’s Hira Cultural District

JEDDAH: Somalian Prime Minister Hamza Abdi Barre visited the Hira Cultural District in Makkah, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Monday.

He toured sections of the Revelation Exhibition, including the stories of revelation with the prophets and other components of the district.

The exhibition features a pavilion detailing the Cave of Hira and Khadijah bint Khuwaylid, the Mother of the Believers, along with a depiction of the first revelation.

The prime minister also visited the Holy Qur’an Museum, where he viewed manuscripts and exhibits that highlight the status of the Qur’an and efforts to preserve it.

He praised the district’s scientific content, its techniques, and the Kingdom’s efforts to enrich visitors’ religious and cultural experiences, according to the SPA.

The Hira Cultural District spans about 67,000 square meters near Jabal Hira, one of Makkah’s most famous landmarks.

The tourism and educational destination bridges the past and present, aligning with Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 to enhance quality of life and visitor experiences.