From Monitoring to Prediction: How the UAE Is Preparing to Manage Environmental Radiation with AI
24 — Nada Samara
The UAE is embarking on a new phase in environmental radiation data management with the launch of the first national unified radio monitoring platform, bringing data from monitoring stations and laboratories together into a single system, while the Federal Nuclear Regulatory Authority (FNRA) is putting AI into the next stage to develop the platform's capabilities.
According to the agency, the platform provides a unified database of environmental radiation monitoring data, by collecting information from the network of monitoring stations spread across the country, along with results and reports from the agency's environmental laboratory, which specializes in analyzing radiation levels in soil, water, food and other environmental samples.
Immediate and archival data on radiation levels
It also provides access to timely and archival data on radiation levels in different regions of the country, as well as analytical reports and information related to radio monitoring, enhancing data consolidation and exchange among stakeholders within a single national system.
The Agency's plans do not stop at consolidating data, but include developing the platform using AI applications and advanced technologies, with the aim of expanding its use in various sectors and enhancing its analytical capabilities.
What will AI add?
The ability to analyze millions of radio readings instantly is one of the most prominent additions that AI can provide to the national platform, as it becomes able to detect precise changes that may not be apparent in traditional analysis. According to technical expert Sami A Nour, smart models can be trained to process data from monitoring stations and labs instantly, detecting any unusual indicators early.
In his opinion, the role of these models is not limited to comparing current readings with historical data, but extends to linking them to environmental variables such as wind direction, temperature, humidity, and rain, to determine whether changes are caused by natural conditions or require further verification.
Artificial intelligence can also support predicting the spread of any radioactive material based on weather models and geographic data, giving competent authorities more time to take faster and more accurate precautionary measures, according to Sami A Nour.
Automated technical reporting .
It also contributes to automating technical reporting and converting thousands of readings into smart indicators and summaries that support decision makers within minutes, as well as integrating drones, robots and computer vision technologies to make measurements in hard-to-reach locations and analyze their results directly within the platform.
In the long run, the platform can be linked to a broader national system of weather data, civil defense, environmental, health and police authorities, providing a unified picture of the environmental situation and enhancing the speed of emergency response.
On the research side, AI can help discover new patterns and relationships between environmental and radiation variables, supporting scientific studies and improving environmental control policies, especially as data volumes increase and monitoring scope expands, making their analysis even more complex under the constraints of disciplines, according to Sami A Nour.
It is recalled that the Federal Nuclear Regulatory Authority started its independent Radiation Environmental Monitoring Program in 2015 to monitor radiation levels in various environmental samples, publishing its results annually, and finally released the seventh edition of the Radiation Environmental Monitoring Report, and operates a network of monitoring stations and specialized laboratories to support the state's environmental monitoring system.
Source: 24