Overview

The Center's vision and mission are aligned with an overarching theme of self-powered wireless sensing and monitoring systems. This defined vertical theme lends itself to applications in key sectors such as safety and security, public health, semiconductors, aerospace, water quality and the environment. As such, the Center will serve as a catalyst for achieving the Abu Dhabi 2030 strategic vision calling for diversifying the economy beyond oil and gas and into these key sectors.

ACE⁴S is envisioned to help create a regional ecosystem in the areas of design and testing of integrated energy efficient micro systems. It will enable the creation of a technology hub in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) to serve the region as a center of innovation and excellence in energy efficient microelectronic systems. It will provide faculty and students with access to cutting edge technology facilities and foundries and help to create a fertile ground for technology incubation—from university research to intellectual property creation, to spin-off companies and startups.

Through research and training in self-powered wireless sensing and monitoring systems, ACE⁴S will create knowledge, educate, train, and enable a highly skilled workforce to drive innovation and entrepreneurship in the UAE’s semiconductor sector in line with the Abu Dhabi 2030 vision.

Research Focus

The Center will be organized around an overall theme that vertically ties together local UAE research strengths in energy efficient wireless chipsets and sensors, wearable devices, MEMS, energy harvesting, power management, and scalable nanometer system-on-chip. 

ACE⁴S aims to focus on extremely low power electronic systems achieved through innovation in energy scavenging, power management, sensor technologies and communications networks.

Center Management

The ACE⁴S Center will be co-directed by Professors Mohammed Ismail El Naggar (Khalifa University) and Ibrahim (Abe) M. Elfadel (Masdar Institute). Professor El Naggar will serve as PI and Professor Elfadel will serve as Co-PI. Khalifa University has agreed to serve as the administrative lead institution for contractual and financial purposes.

ACE⁴S will be led jointly by researchers at two Abu Dhabi institutions: Khalifa University of Science, Technology and Research (KU) and Masdar Institute of Science and Technology (MI) and will leverage the complementary resources, research infrastructure and expertise in the two institutions. Three other UAE universities that will participate initially are UAE University (Al Ain), American University of Sharjah (Sharjah), and New York University (Abu Dhabi).