#CES2017 has started and there is a lot of AI theme being demonstrated, robotics has reached unimaginable levels over the west and this is something Africa should also try learn and venture at most. My concern is that there are more of the online solutions (E-commerce, E-health, Cooperate software solutions, payment solutions, mobile applications E.T.C ), I have seen less venture into the robotics and AI field. I am so into the mood of using our innovation or perhaps seeing Africa being digitized. The IOT should be something fully considered by developers and African geniuses. what is it that they have we don’t? lets say much exposure and funds but as the years are going we’ve seen angel investors and the Kickstarts raising funds for African hubs and startups. Every body is trying to go to the outside world open offices and companies over there, “An African company based in ………..” that is something I hate to see, have you seen Apple being stated that way? no!! it is time we venture and build our own society.
South Africa being much exposed has alot of ventures in the country and robotics being one of the fields they are trying to nature. I understand much of the innovations are being carried out in different places, at times we get to see just students come up with simple Intelligent solutions and small robots, just but a question, After the lime light feature on blogs, televisions and all sources of media where do they go after that ? or its just an applaud ?
Our governments need to follow the Rwanda routine, support technology, President Kagame was fully supportive when Zipline started its drone services to deliver blood, despite not being one of innovations lets not be shy to try out things ,.
President Kagame: I hope that this project will inspire more innovation and entrepreneurship in commercially viable technologies in #Rwanda
— Presidency | Rwanda (@UrugwiroVillage) October 14, 2016
Nigerian’s genius ACI institution is one of the place making a revolution around Nigeria by training 10, 000 students in innovate science and technology. This is a great impact in the Nigerian Innovation Space. Organizations like the Pan African Robotics Championships should also gain interest of the larger society. This championships do cultivate the Innovators exposing them to each other enabling them learn from each other. At this pace Africa can reach the level of making auto pilot cars despite our challenges in the infrastructures and roads.
Last year New York times had an article about bringing robotics to the children in West Africa . If all the schools could nature students in Math and science and at some point the technology hubs come with programs of forming computer science clubs/ science and innovation clubs in the schools, this would increase the Intelligence level in technology. In my studies I have seen that most of the western cultures develop the AI’s and robots to cub a certain habit despite this rendering some of the people jobless in the factories but it has done a lot of impact . The number of robotics company in the world is completely on the rise and Africa need to also rise to the trend, we should not be viewed as the third world part of the society.
The Number of Hub is Africa is increasing, but majorly the startups being born in the hubs are software based, coming with solutions that are online based. The big company venture in Africa should awaken us, they know we have potential in Developing and innovation not only man power but we offer a lot of resources . Quoting IBM’s Article :
[quotes quotes_style=”bquotes” quotes_pos=”center”]“Today, cognitive computing is about to unleash a whole new wave of innovation across Africa and around the world. Humans and machines are collaborating in sensible and meaningful ways,” added Uyi Stewart. “At the THINKLab we will demonstrate the role of machine learning in capturing key pieces of insight which can be used by leaders, government officials and even whole communities to drive transformation and positive change.”[/quotes].
