Innovative projects scheduled to launch in 2017
“Many millennia ago, Africans were the first to enter the era of agriculture. They were the first to start building from stones. Pioneers in technology ”- Prominent Nigerian scientist Philip Emeagwali told the BBC about this.
“Today Africa is at the bottom of technology compared to any other continent, and as a result, is the poorest,” the specialist said in a radio interview in 2010.
However, this seems to be changing. And Africa proves that need only sharpens the mind. Like Botswana, for example, a country that has multiplied its wealth 100 times over the past 50 years.
The African continent’s influence in the technological universe is growing. This is confirmed by the following innovative projects, which are scheduled to launch in 2017. BBC World will present some of the most interesting.
Vest that diagnoses pneumonia
Pneumonia kills 27,000 Ugandan children under the age of five each year. In most cases, it is misdiagnosed as malaria.
To solve this problem, Ugandan engineer Brian Turiabagie has developed a smart vest that quickly and accurately detects pneumonia. Mamaope, as he called it, is able to measure a baby’s temperature and breathing rate, thus identifying illness. The vest allows you to diagnose the disease three to four times faster than a doctor, and eliminates the possibility of human error.
A modified stethoscope is placed inside the vest. It is connected to an app that records patient data. And at the same time, the analysis of sounds is carried out, which help to detect wheezing in the lungs and thereby form a preliminary diagnosis.
The device was nominated for this year’s Royal Academy of Engineering Award for Africa.
Solar electricity system to supply an entire village
According to the Yale Environment 360, an electronic journal of the environment, 1.3 billion people in the world do not have electricity. And according to the International Energy Agency (IEA), more than 95 percent of these people live in sub-Saharan Africa and developing countries in Asia. Of these, about 80 percent live in rural areas.
SteamaCo, based in Kenya and with offices in the UK, has developed a solar microgrid to power an entire village. It is a network of batteries that operate independently of each other.
The idea of a microgrid of batteries is not new. New from SteamaCo is the automatic regulation of electricity. If the system detects that there will be an increase in the demand for electricity, for example, when it will be needed for a specific purpose and there is enough sun, the system will automatically adjust the network. And, if necessary, will send a text message to all clients of the network with a notification of the decrease in electricity, so, for example, the hospital can continue to function.
In October, this project was named in the annual list of 100 Most Outstanding Projects by the Cleantech Group, based in San Francisco, USA, to promote sustainable innovati
on. The Tablet That Controls Your Heart
It is difficult for residents of rural areas to get to the city for consultation with medical specialists. Cameroon, for example, has only 50 cardiologists and has a total population of 20 million.
Computer engineer Arthur Zang invented the CardioPad for medical use in rural areas, which sends heart exam results to specialists through a dedicated app.
The device is provided free of charge to hospitals and clinics in Cameroon for screening patients, which pay $ 29 for an annual subscription. The device allows you to take digital indicators of the patient’s cardiac function. Within a few seconds, the results are sent to a specialist in one of the clinics in the capital.
The invention won the Royal Academy of Engineering Prize in 2016 and the Rolex Company Prize in 2014. A. Zang told the BBC that the development of these systems takes time. In 2016, it received approval from the Cameroonian authorities, so it is likely that people will be able to see the device in medical practice in 2017.
Source: http://www.bbc.com