KAUST showcases its smart health technologies at global forum

About

King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST) is accelerating a new era of smart health innovation – transforming scientific discovery into practical technologies that strengthen healthcare systems in Saudi Arabia and around the world. At the heart of this effort is the KAUST Center of Excellence for Smart Health (KCSH), led by Professor Imed Gallouzi. KCSH is tackling critical medical challenges through AI, computational biology, advanced sensors, and next-generation diagnostics.

This mission recently took the spotlight at the Global Health Exhibition in Riyadh, where KAUST showcased breakthrough technologies and signed agreements with Saudi partners for research collaborations. As one of the world’s largest gatherings of healthcare innovators, the exhibition provided a prominent stage for KAUST to present its research portfolio, featuring technologies that are being developed with the aim of being adopted and implemented in patient care in the future.  

Pioneering therapies in autism

 With one in 30 children in Saudi Arabia diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder, advancing early diagnosis and effective management has become an urgent national priority. In response, KCSH researchers are developing scalable, data-driven tools to improve early detection and long-term support.

Professors Ahmed Eltawil and Xin Gao are pioneering a suite of technologies to transform autism diagnosis and care from multi-sensor wearables that capture everyday behavioral patterns, to a multilingual AI assistant that builds communication and social skills through interactive stories. Their work also includes an assistive companion robot designed for real-world learning and play, and an adaptive web platform that uses computer vision, emotion recognition, and language analysis to personalize learning and track developmental progress.

Read the full press release on KAUST News.