Science is the springboard for the leap in technology and innovations. And schools are the nursery of science and innovations. Schools are ideal places for students to change the theoretical ideas they leant in classes in to practice. Primary laboratories at school levels are helping youths to practice their ideas and to invent new things. Most of the time, students learn the science and practice the theory in schools. Hence, schools form the footwork for science, innovation and technology.
As a country which accords due focus on the development of science, technology and local innovations, Ethiopia focuses on promoting technological inventions in the younger generation. To cultivate the ideas of students, to promote the innovational products of students and also to develop competitions among students, nowadays, different exhibitions are being organized targeting school innovations.
Recently, the Addis Ababa Education Bureau has organized school level innovation expo that gathered innovations from all schools of the metropolis. The ninth city level science and innovation competition trade fair of schools was held recently in Addis Ababa under the theme “Innovative Generation for inclusive development and prosperity” organized for three days at Friendship Park.
Students, gathered from different schools of the city, presented their innovational products at the students’ innovational expo. Bereket Belete was one of the mastermind students who presented their creative works during the expo. The Yemariyam Tsion Catholic School Grade 12 student, Bereket, presented his innovational product of Silent and Supersonic Rocket Launcher weapon.
According to Bereket, his innovational weapon product has its own features compared to the current weapons. As to him, the Silent and Supersonic Rocket Launcher can serve multidimensional purposes at once. As to the student, the current weapons being used during wars demolish infrastructures, injure or kill civilians and even the weapons, by themselves, are exposed to destruction by other weapons. Bereket said that his innovational product was designed to solve these problems.
For Bereket, an artificial intelligence (AI) is installed in the weapon. Hence, the weapon is controlled by AI not by human beings. And based on the instructions and targets, the weapon performs the task successfully. He designed the weapon to perform multitasks at once, according to Bereket.
Relating about the benefits of the weapon, Bereket, said “by placing the weapon in the battle field, we can instruct and manage the weapon to fight the war from anywhere that allows fighters to fight the battle from afar or safe position” The other benefit of Bereket’s innovational weapon, as to him, is the weapon cannot be targeted by radar system. “The current weapons are targeted by radar system and it is simple to easily target and destroy the weapons,” Bereket stated adding “However, the new innovation is designed with a radar barrier and it makes difficult to destroy the weapon using radar.”
According to Bereket, during a war, the soldier only fulfills one man task and if the soldier may wound, the service that the soldier can play could fail. However, his Rocket Launcher placed in a hidden place and without sound can perform tasks replacing the role of six soldiers at once. As to him, the weapon is equipped with a system that enables it to function within the radius of up to 50 kilometers of a battle field within five minutes. As to the student, the weapon installed with a Rockert launcher never creates explosion and due to this reason, the weapon never creates infrastructural destruction.
The student stated that as it stands, the weapon product is ready to fulfill a task. He mentioned that by taking permission from authorized body, the weapon was tested. And as to him, the test confirmed that the weapon is successful to perform tasks. Bereket noted that he started to produce the weapon so as to avoid collateral damage of wars. “Infrastructures and urban centers are built with a huge resource but they could be destroyed within a single day due to wars. Battles are consuming lives. Hence, I innovated the product to manage the collateral damage of wars and to minimize the lives lost in wars,” Bereket stated.
Meanwhile, Bereket stated that it is crucial to focus on technological innovations to solve societal and national problems. “The youth have the chance and capacity to innovate problem -solving products” Bereket stated calling the youth generation to give due attention for technology, innovation and science sectors. “We can come up with problem solving products to solve our country’s problems,” he stated.
According to Berekete, the Silent and Supersonic Rocket Launcher weapon was produced at prototype level from materials he found in his surroundings and he spent 30,000 Ethiopian Birr to produce the prototype weapon. As to Bereket, such invention-related expos can promote innovational and creativity competitions among students. In addition, they prompt students to translate the theoretical ideas they learnt in classes to practice to change the ideas in to products. Bereket has received financial awards for his inventions and he said that he will continue to invent problem-solving gadgets to contribute his share for his country.
Yohannes Solomon and his two school friends had also presented their products during the exhibition. Yohannes and his two friends are 11th Grade students of School of Indiana at Akaki Kaliti Sub City. They invented a product that can prevent water wastage. The product can measure and release water.
The three school friends started to invent the product as they observed the wastage of water in their surroundings. “This machine can save the water that lays waste due to misuse,” Yohannes stated. In addition to using the machine in households, as to the inventors, it can be used in agriculture for irrigation system. As to him, farmers can order the machine the amount of water needed to irrigate the farm and they can perform other tasks as the machine fulfills the task by itself. The machine can also be used to watering plants.
Similarly, the machine can be used in the health sector to hold medicines in liquid form in the prescribed amount, in laboratories to measure and record chemicals and in gas stations to collect fuel, Yohannes noted. The machine can perform its tasks using energy sources both from electricity and battery. As to Yohannes, the product can be used as it stands as it was verified through inspection. Currently, team Yohannes members are working to produce a water filter machine.
The water wastage saver machine, according to Yohannes, is produced from simple products found locally and they spent 3,000 birr to produce the machine. “Compared to its benefits, the cost is cheap” Yohannes stated. Yohannes said that he participated in the expo for the first time and it inspired him and he drew a lot of lessons from other students.
Ahmed Jemal also presented his three innovational products during the expo. Ahmed is Alhuda School Grade 8 student. Ahmed created Smart Cape from blind people, Mathematical Calculator for children and flying train. The Smart Cape, according to Ahmed provides services for blind people. The Smart Cape senses things that can collide from 20 to 25 meters and alert the blind person to take care. Using the smart cape helps blind people to move from place to place freely. While his second product, calculator helps youth and deaf people to learn mathematics easily. The third product of Ahmed is a flying train.
BY DARGIE KAHSAY
THE ETHIOPIAN HERALD FRIDAY 21 JUNE 2024
