Abu Dhabi: The Augmented Humans (AHs) International Conference 2025 is currently underway at the Mohamed bin Zayed University of Artificial Intelligence (MBZUAI). This event, running from March 16 to March 20, offers participants the chance to explore the latest advancements in the physical, cognitive, and perceptual augmentation of humans through digital technologies.
According to Emirates News Agency, the conference is organized in collaboration with the Association for Computing Machinery (ACM) and gathers over 100 leading researchers, technologists, and industry pioneers focused on human augmentation technologies. This marks the first time the five-day conference is being held in the Middle East, highlighting the significance of MBZUAI's Human-Computer Interaction (HCI) Department, which was established last year. The department has successfully attracted prominent research scholars to the region, contributing to the UAE's innovation goals.
The conference features the presentation of 30 selected papers from a record 77 submissions. It also includes 20 posters, two workshops, and seven live demonstrations. The showcased innovations cover areas such as brain-machine interfaces, wearable computing, exoskeletons, and augmented reality, with applications in healthcare, sports, and security.
Professor Elizabeth Churchill, Chair of the Human-Computer Interaction Department at MBZUAI and keynote speaker at AHs 2025, stated, "The idea of augmenting human intellect and physical abilities has a long tradition... Now, augmentation in this new AI era isn't just about simple tools, about computer screens and about things on your body-it's about adaptive things in our bodies and in our physical and digital environments, it's about us amplifying what is possible with advanced 'intelligent' tools that can adapt to us and learn with us."
The conference welcomes notable researchers and professionals from institutions such as The University of Sydney, MIT Media Lab, The University of Tokyo, and DFKI German Research Center for Artificial Intelligence. Discussions will focus on advancements in bionic systems, brain-machine interfaces, digital health, and tele-manipulation, while also addressing the ethical, security, and privacy implications of augmented human technology. Sessions will examine how AI-driven augmentation affects medicine, sports, and rehabilitation, enhances human capabilities, and transforms interactions with digital systems.
Dr. Yomna Abdelrahman, General Co-Chair of AHs 2025 and Postdoctoral Researcher at Bundeswehr University Munich, highlighted the conference's impact, noting, "With the high number of paper submissions in the history of AHs, this edition has set a new benchmark for innovation and research in human augmentation. From brain-machine interfaces to wearable computing and AI-driven rehabilitation, the depth and breadth of topics covered by world-class experts reflect the growing impact of human augmentation technologies on society."