Summary
Highlights
The speaker welcomes attendees, emphasizing SANTECH's mission to make ideas happen by implementing Rwandan and African technology to create jobs and sustainability. They highlight Tech Forward Live as a platform connecting academia, industry, and policymakers for Africa's future, and introduce NERIDA (National Industrial Research and Development Agency) as a key partner.
Richard, Dean of the School of ICT at the College of Science and Technology (CST), discusses how research projects at the university are encouraged to develop tangible, impactful solutions. He highlights a supportive environment with facilities like innovative labs, incubation hubs (e.g., Unipot), and centers of excellence (IoT, AI labs) to foster student ideas and digital solutions for CST and broader society.
The panel discussion begins, featuring Dr. James Alexander Yu, Head of Computer and Software Engineering. Gil, a government veteran, introduces 'Policy Model 360,' an AI-native, adaptive system designed to optimize policy implementation. He points out that current policy success rates are low globally (40-60%) and in Africa (20-40%), with Rwanda doing better (60-70%), but still needing improvement. The system aims to address the implementation gap by treating policy as a complex, dynamic, interdependent, and technology-driven process. It suggests deploying 3,000 'model villages' with sensors and data collection to provide real-time monitoring and decision-making.
Following Gil's presentation, Dr. James Alexander Yu asks about the inspiration and problem identification for Policy Model 360. Gil explains his extensive government experience and discussions with elders led to the project. Another panelist, So Jingo, inquires about preventing incorrect policy recommendations and data security. Gil details the system's architectural approach from 'model villages' to national intelligence for data collection and real-time correction. A student asks about handling AI hallucination, signal attenuation, prediction accuracy, and device security. Gil acknowledges these are ongoing development areas, emphasizing that the project is a starting point for Rwandan solutions.
Kza Sha, a co-founder of Innovis Novator, introduces 'Smart Triage,' an AI-powered engine for hospital emergency departments. She highlights the inefficiency and inaccuracy of current manual triage, leading to high mortality rates. Their AI engine aims to reduce inaccuracies to 0%, shorten wait times from 30 minutes to less than 6 seconds, and increase patient outcomes by over 60%. The system combines IoT with the AI engine for continuous monitoring and decision-making, relieving the burden on ED staff. She advocates for its feasibility and potential for adoption in Rwandan and private hospitals.
Nathan Roy presents 'Coras Park,' a digital ticket queue management system designed to streamline public services such as banks and hospitals. He illustrates the problem of long wait times and confusion in manual queuing. Coras Park allows users to pre-book services and receive digital tickets, reducing physical waiting. He emphasizes its potential for use across Africa, highlighting its distinction from existing systems which are mostly found in Europe and the US, and only sector-specific.
The Principal of CST delivers a speech, connecting the event's theme 'from ideation to transformative impact' with Rwanda's National Strategy for Transformation. He praises SANTECH as an example of job creation and growth within the university, citing their success in winning tenders. He highlights the government's investment in creating an enabling environment for innovation, and the university's focus on industry-academia collaboration for demand-driven curricula. He encourages students to be leaders and innovators, aiming for global impact, and reiterates the university's commitment to supporting initiatives like SANTECH.
The awards ceremony begins, recognizing outstanding innovators and researchers. 'Smart Triage' is awarded Best Innovator, and Gil is recognized as Best Researcher. The Principal of CST, the Vice Chancellor, and other dignitaries present the awards. Final remarks are given, emphasizing the importance of lifelong learning, embracing challenges, and transforming prototypes into profitable businesses. The speakers encourage participants, especially the youth, to utilize platforms like Youth Connect and Hanga Pitch to advance their ideas and make a lasting impact.