The Sharjah Investment and Development Authority (Shurooq), has joined with Injazat, the market leader in the region for digital transformation, cloud and cybersecurity, to co-develop a first-of-its-kind user interface ‘phygital’ for House of Wisdom.
House of Wisdom is Sharjah’s new cultural edifice and an iconic architectural marvel near the University City of Sharjah, which glorifies the emirate’s yearlong tenure as UNESCO World Book Capital 2019.
With the announcement from UNESCO to make Sharjah the World Book Capital, the leadership of the emirate had decided to celebrate the appointment by building a new library designed for giving a unique user experience that is fit for the digital age.
Marwan Bin Jassim Al Sarkal Executive Chairman Shurooq
“At Shurooq, our ambition for over 10 years has been to facilitate social, cultural, environmental and economic development in Sharjah by enhancing the emirate’s appeal in a variety of fields. Therefore, when we started the House of Wisdom project, we were driven by the goal of completely redefining the library goer’s experience, by offering them a social space that did not yet exist in the UAE or the wider region.”
The House of Wisdom technology experience starts from the home, where the visitor can reach the high-tech library and culture center by viewing its offerings for booking a space or an event through the website or the app giving members a number of interaction points and advantages of creating a profile for the member and their respective families.
The communications happen with multiple touchpoints throughout the library which enable smartphone interactions with totems allowing visitors to conduct searches and make bookings, transparent screens giving visitors a hologram-like history lesson, a “Fab Lab” which is equipped with 3D printers, laser cutters and a Smart touch wall for interactive learning or working sessions with other users across the world and a dedicated Kids Area offering fun learning experiences to youngsters.
All of the facilities are complemented by the deployment of the Internet of Things, artificial intelligence, and robotic technologies for facial recognition, smart parking and tracking for children, making the overall experience truly entertaining, as well as secure.
Commenting about the technology platform, Khaled Al Melhi, CEO at Injazat said, “The House of Wisdom will serve as yet another example of how Injazat fulfills its purpose of Empowering Human Achievement by supporting all of our clients from across different industries, including Healthcare, Education, Smart Cities, Energy and Utilities, on their digital transformation journey.”
