First “Made in Qatar” technology makes its international debut

A shift in the direction of the global flow of innovation has been realized as the State of Qatar exports new, homegrown technologies internationally. One such technology, a wireless information transfer platform known as RASAD is now deployed by the City of Rome through studies aimed at addressing prevalent health concerns in the capital.. The application of RASAD was demonstrated during a presentation at the Campidoglio in Rome yesterday, which was attended by Her Highness Sheikha Moza bint Nasser, Chairperson of Qatar Foundation for Education, Science and Community Development (QF).

RASAD is a direct realization of Her Highness’ vision to develop innovative technologies in Qatar that would not only benefit the country, but also be shared with the region and the world.

 “To see for myself how our “Made in Qatar” technology is being used in Italy is a very important moment for me,” said Her Highness. “It shows how our long-term investment for Qatar in science and technology is starting to bear fruit.  We have a vision to make our name on the global map of research and science, and to share our innovations with the rest of the world. And I am proud that QSTP is collaborating with top Italian institutions on this.”

RASAD is an ICT platform developed and owned by Qatar Science & Technology Park (QSTP) and ASPETAR. It enables real time remote monitoring using wireless sensors, and is the first technology developed in Qatar outside the energy sector to be commercialized and exported. In 2011, the Rome City Council adopted RASAD to assist in studying health patterns in Rome with an eye towards developing better monitoring and prevention methods. The RASAD platform is currently in operation in Al Ahli Hospital and ASPETAR in Qatar where subjects are being monitored for cardiovascular and lifestyle studies respectively.

RASAD allows doctors and caregivers the ability to remotely monitor and respond to patients with diabetes and hypertension, and also has applications for keeping tabs on children’s physical activity to help encourage the adoption of healthy lifestyle choices that could potentially prevent obesity and diabetes from developing in the early years. These applications are significant.

Dr. Tidu Maini, Science and Technology Advisor and QSTP’s Chairman, said at the event in Rome, “RASAD is proving to be an essential tool to monitor the health status of both children and adults. Seeing the impact of RASAD’s use outside Doha makes us all proud - it cements Qatar’s position as a technology and innovation provider and puts us another step closer towards realizing the country’s National Vision.”

With advanced technology increasingly forming an integral part of healthcare systems across the world, practitioners from Italy and Qatar updated Her Highness Sheikha Moza on the extensive benefits that both patients and medical practitioners have gained from RASAD.

Signing with Italian insurance company

At the event, a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) was signed between QSTP and Fondo di Assistenza Sanitaria Integrativa (FASI), the largest insurance company in Italy and one of the largest in Europe. Under the agreement, FASI will use QSTP’s RASAD platform as part of an initiative to shift focus to preventive healthcare.

Representing both sides of the MOU were Dr. Tidu Maini, Science and Technology Advisor and Chairman of QSTP, and Dr. Stefano Cuzzilla, Chairman of FASI.

Under the agreement, FASI, Italy’s private insurance scheme for executives and managers, will use RASAD within its national network of over 2000 clinics to complement its existing preventive medical services. The agreement further outlines collaboration initiatives between QSTP and FASI to exchange relevant information on preventive medicine with a focus on heart disease and diabetes.

Both Qatar and Italy stressed the mutual benefits of building upon a relationship that began in May 2011 between QSTP, and Rome City Council. Endeavors such as RASAD will only serve to deepen the existing and growing relations between the two forward-thinking countries.