Abu Dhabi’s Technology Innovation Institute (TII) and Virgin Hyperloop have announced their collaboration on research, innovation and localisation of the futuristic transportation method.
The agreement was signed by His Excellency Faisal Al Bannai, Secretary General of ATRC; and Sultan Bin Sulayem, Group Chairman and CEO of DP World and Chairman of Virgin Hyperloop, during a virtual ceremony.
Under the partnership, the TII and Virgin Hyperloop will explore research for hyperloop systems on TII’s premises, including pulsed power and magnetic levitation technologies and material sciences, which are key to developing the next-generation transport system.
(LtoR) HE Faisal Al Bannai, ATRC and Sultan Ahmed Bin Sulayem, DP World
Technology Innovation Institute is the dedicated ‘applied research’ pillar of the Advanced Technology Research Council (ATRC). It has seven initial dedicated research centres in quantum, autonomous robotics, cryptography, advanced materials, digital security, secure systems, and directed energy. The partnership will involve cooperation between three of TII’s research centres; Directed Energy Research Centre (DERC), Autonomous Robotics Research Centre (ARRC) and Advanced Materials Research Centre (AMRC).
HE Faisal Al Bannai, Secretary General of ATRC, said, “As the R&D ecosystem in Abu Dhabi and the UAE continues to evolve at a rapid pace, particularly with the formation of the ATRC and TII, we are proud to partner with Virgin Hyperloop to achieve global breakthroughs in transportation, AI, and sustainable energy solutions. Advanced technology allows us to progress every aspect of life and collaborations with industry partners like Virgin Hyperloop help leverage it for the greater good.”
Sultan Ahmed Bin Sulayem, Chairman of Virgin Hyperloop and Group Chairman and CEO, DP World, said, “The collaboration between Technology Innovation Institute and Virgin Hyperloop will strengthen the position of the United Arab Emirates as a global research hub. We are one step closer to ushering in a new era of ultra-fast, sustainable movement of people and goods.”
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Bin Sulayem further noted that hyperloop is a cutting-edge technology that will drive entrepreneurship and leadership in the transportation space through the partnership with TII. “This in turn will provide opportunities for economic growth through the creation of a strong R&D hub in line with the country’s vision,” he said.
The partnership not only creates an opportunity for a research hub but also provides Abu Dhabi with a first mover advantage on a passenger and cargo system.
Virgin Hyperloop has been making major strides in advancing this new form of mass transportation. In November, transportation history was made when Virgin Hyperloop tested human travel in a hyperloop pod for the first time.
