A Mount Kenya University (MKU) student has come up with an Artificial Intelligence (AI) innovation that allows lecturers to teach virtually without the need for blackboards, white boards or pens.
Daniel Kadurha Mulala from the Democratic Republic of Congo says the lecturers will only be able to use hands to write and explain mathematical concepts.
Mulala, who studies Bachelor of Technology, Computer and Electronic Systems, says students learning virtually will see and understand concept, after which the lecturers can then erase the virtually written material using his or her hand.
Speaking after showcasing his innovation during a symposium at the institution, Mulala said if supported, the innovation will revolutionize the education sector, making away with the purchase of the blackboards, dusters and pens.
Other students showcased top end innovations during the Hackathon Artificial Intelligence (AI) competition at the university’s main campus in Thika.
Another innovator, Wesley Njenga, a public health student at MKU and leader of the Darubini ya Afya Innovators group, emphasized the urgent need for government backing to help young innovators turn their ideas into viable businesses and job opportunities, particularly in critical sectors like healthcare.
Njenga and his team have invented “Eco-Pure Scrubbing,” a device designed to clean flue gases produced by industrial operations, reducing toxic emissions and leaving the air cleaner and odorless.
Oh his part, Dr. Donatus Njoroge, Mt. Kenya University’s head of innovation, echoed this sentiment, urging students to aspire to become job creators rather than job seekers.
Njoroge challenged the students to tap into the vast pool of expertise offered by academic professionals, researchers, and industry experts.
He further highlighted the university’s commitment to scaling new heights in research and innovation, assuring the students that their ideas would be protected.
However, the innovators urged the government to create a suitable platform where young innovators can showcase their research, which with sufficient support could help advance national development.
One of the participants, Veronica Nduku, a public health student, described the symposium as “brainstorming and an eye-opener to today’s technology.”
She noted that the event was packed with new ideas and provided valuable encounters with professionals and experts in the field.
The symposium concluded with the Vice-Chancellor, Professor Deogratius Jaganyi, presenting the prizes to the winners.
Jaganyi thanked the students for embracing technology and for their willingness to tackle global challenges through innovation and research.
As the symposium came to a close, it was evident that the students left not only with trophies and certificates but with a renewed sense of purpose.
