A Kenyan who has invented a villager ATM for sanitary pads, condoms and diapers is among the four Kenyan finalists in the first international competition for hardware-led social innovation.
The competition was organised by the American Society of Mechanical Engineers, the world’s largest mechanical engineering organisation will see the winner bag Sh. 50 million cash reward.
Ten of the finalists, from Kenya, Ghana, Tanzania and Uganda, will present their prototypes next month in Nairobi.
The winners selected in Nairobi and in Bangalore, India, and Washington DC will share Sh. 50 million in seed grants, technical assistance, design and engineering reviews and access to the 2017 ASME Innovation Showcase partnership network.
The other Kenyan innovations include a noninvasive device created by Brian Gitta to test for malaria. It uses custom-made hardware, which is then connected to a smartphone for easy diagnosis.
Esther Mwangi has devised a system to increase access of sanitary items including pads, diapers and condoms through locally fabricated vending machines.
George Chege has created a system to brood chicks with heat to keep them warm.
The last innovation by Angeline Muga is a mobile phone-based fetal heart monitor that enables caregivers to serve pregnant mothers effectively by providing comprehensive data.
