THE TECH PRODIGY – JOSHUA OPOKU AGYEMANG
HACK CoronaV DEVICES
When COVID-19 hit Ghana, 27-year-old Joshua Opoku Agyemang, and his team at the Internet of Things (IoT) Hub in Accra, did not come up with just one mitigating solution, they invented three! Under the umbrella term “Hack CoronaV” they have so far developed: Touchless Washing Buckets; 3-D Printed Reusable and Recyclable Facemasks; and an AI-powered Smart Home System.
WHAT INSPIRED YOU TO CREATE YOUR PRODUCTS?
We came up with a range of products. First, is the touchless washing bucket, which has sensors attached to it that senses the hands and automatically opens the tap for you without one having to touch it. Second, is the 3D printed reusable and recyclable Facemask, shield and mask trap. We were inspired by 3-D printing technology and its endless possibilities in printing 3-dimensional objects in helping to fight COVID-19 in Ghana and Africa. Third, is the Smart Home System, which is able to control lights, switches, sockets, elevators and appliances with an app on the phone without touching surfaces. Our aim is to create more touchless solutions.
WHAT HAS BEEN THE IMPACT OF YOUR PRODUCTS?
We have over 1,000 orders, with people waiting to purchase the products. We have also created about 20 jobs and we are hoping to create about 200 jobs when we begin mass production. We have also been featured on a number of television and radio stations.
WHAT ARE THE CHALLENGES TO PRODUCING OR DEPLOYING YOUR PRODUCTS?
Limited resources and materials for production which were due to the lockdown closures, including borders – so no imports came from outside. We were also unable to move into our hub, so production is spread out across various locations with bedrooms and porches being converted.
WHAT HELP WOULD YOU NEED TO SCALE UP AND IMPROVE YOUR INNOVATIONS?
Financial resources to scale up production including getting large amounts of materials. We also need to get a production location, which can also store our equipment and materials.
WHAT ARE YOUR HOPES FOR THE FUTURE OF YOUR INNOVATION AND YOUR BUSINESS?
My hope is to get these touchless buckets to every household, school, church and office in Ghana and even Africa. I strongly believe that regular handwashing should be a lifestyle. Post COVID-19 and in the next decade, my hope is to create over 100,000 jobs with my innovations.
