DUBAI, 26th March, 2017 (WAM) -- Dubai Municipality has shown interest to develop a futuristic innovative personal mobility device for people with disabilities. This came when Honda Motor Company presented its personal mobility device – UNI-CUB Beta at a Dubai future accelerators event recently.
The UNI-CUB Beta personal mobility device features a compact size, comfortable saddle, Honda's proprietary balance control technology and the world's first Omni-directional driving wheel system (Honda Omni Traction Drive System), which makes possible the same freedom to move forward, backward, laterally and diagonally that people enjoy when walking.
Hussain Lootah, Director-General of Dubai Municipality said the move comes as part of municipality's keenness on achieving happiness for all segments of the community based on the vision towards building a happy and sustainable city.
He added that the municipality has always been looking for anything that would achieve the goals of Dubai future accelerators.
Honda Motor Company displayed and demonstrated the innovative device in the presence of Mohammad Al Gergawi, Minister of Cabinet Affairs and The Future, Abdullah Al Shaibani, Secretary-General of the Executive Council and Chairman of Dubai Government Excellence, Hiroaki Shibata, Director of Honda Motor Company (Africa & Middle East Office) and a number of other officials.
Lootah pointed out that Dubai Municipality is interested in the utilisation of UNI-CUB to realize Dubai Strategic Plan 2021. "The utilisation of personal mobility devices is a part of Dubai Municipality's keenness to provide excellent services and safe mobility to everyone including people with disabilities in the community," he said.
Lootah said the municipality was still a pioneer in the launch of community initiatives linking them to its strategic plan, as it is responsible for improving the principles and practices of corporate social responsibility in order to develop the municipality to become more innovative, productive and competitive.
"These initiatives do not often relate to our core functions and services, but vary with different community-based services. It is also proactive in developing its strategy for the care of persons with disabilities until 2020 as it is necessary for people with disabilities to enjoy a decent life and services," he said.
"We have adopted policies, plans and initiatives to ensure that persons with disabilities have all their rights and we promote respect and dignity and protect them from all forms of discrimination or abuse, neglect and exploitation. We provide appropriate working environment that encourages people with disabilities to take initiatives and show creativity as well as enable them to perform their work through the development of their skills and training with equality to others in the municipality," he added.