WASHINGTON: Saudi Arabia’s Minister of Communications and Information Technology Abdullah Al-Swaha met with US Deputy Secretary of State Kurt Campbell in Washington on Friday.

The two discussed ways of strengthening the partnership between the Kingdom and the US in the digital economy sector.

The meeting was part of Al-Swaha’s visit to the US that is intended to strengthen relations and support the growth of Saudi’s digital economy. 

The visit includes meetings in several states with leaders of major tech companies to boost technology investments, stimulate venture capital, support entrepreneurship, and create cooperation opportunities among private sector companies.

JEDDAH: The University of Jeddah has developed a device that detects preterm birth using the Internet of Things (IOT) and artificial intelligence (AI) technologies, the Saudi Press Agency reports.

The innovation calculates the percentage of amniotic fluid inside the fetal sac and also identifies potential problems in the fetus at an early stage, allowing timely medical interventions and improving outcomes by promoting fetal lung development and placental health.

The innovation, undertaken by Dr. Qamar Nayteh and Dr. Youssef Al-Sohafi from the College of Computer Science and Engineering at the University of Jeddah, received the gold medal in addition to a special international award during its participation in the Romania’s International Exhibition of Inventions, Innovations and Technology, SPA said.

“This demonstrates the efficiency of Saudi innovations and their ability to compete on the global level,” the report said.

As explained in the report, the medical innovation works to provide continuous health monitoring, which reduces hospital visits and ensures immediate medical care when needed.

“ It uses the advanced technologies of ultrasonic sensors and AI to ensure high accuracy, avoiding false alarms, and the ability to monitor remotely,” it said.

It also allows health professionals to follow up on the patient’s condition via mobile phone applications, which reduces the need for frequent visits to the hospital.

Moreover, it is an easy-to-use interface and allows pregnant women to easily monitor amniotic fluid levels at home, the report said.