Two engineering students of the Federal University of Technology, Akure (FUTA), Taofeek Olalekan Afeez and Alayande Abdulwaheed Abiola, have been declared winners of the 2018 Imagine Cup national finals in Nigeria.
The undergraduates of Physics Electronics & Electrical Electronics who jointly formed Team TREP invented an Internet of Things (IoT) solution called Real Drip – a device that reduces the risk of blood clot or deep vein thrombosis.
The non-invasive device monitors the flow of intravenous fluid during IV treatment and notifies medical staff in real time. The device monitors the rate at which intravenous fluid drops (flow rate) and notifies the medical staff on duty in real time, for the timely removal of the intravenous needle to prevent backflow of blood which may lead to pulmonary embolism if necessary action is not taken on time.
Their innovation was presented to the public at an event held at the Microsoft office in Lagos.
Speaking at the event, the General Manager, Microsoft Nigeria, Mr. Akin Banuso, said “Today’s students are the makers and doers that will build and change the world, as we know it. At Microsoft, we believe this new generation of innovators have the potential to address some of humanity’s most pressing problems; from how to predict and monitor diseases like Alzheimer’s and depression, to identifying ‘fake news’ or increasing response times during natural disasters.”
He added: “Through Imagine Cup, the world’s young, aspiring entrepreneurs and developers collaborate to build a technology application, create a business plan and gain a keen understanding of what is needed to bring a concept to market. In a cloud-first, mobile-first world, creators and makers must work together to create a cloud for global good.”
The Team Lead for Team TREP, Taofeek Olalekan Afeez, remarked: “We are excited about this win. We would like to thank Microsoft for this opportunity. We look forward to competing on the global stage and do our country proud.”
Also speaking, the Chief Judge of the competition and Principal Azure Apps & Infrastructure Lead at Microsoft Nigeria, Mr. Damola Solanke, said the winning idea was assessed based on four key areas – Technology, Innovation, Concept, and Feasibility.
“We would like to commend Team TREP for satisfying the requirements of the competition. Their idea was well articulated and we look forward to seeing more homegrown solutions to our pressing needs as a country,” Solanke said.
Microsoft says additional three special awards that represent the current state of digital transformation were included this year, namely:
- Artificial Intelligence – Best use of Azure Intelligence tools and APIs with the following technology: Azure Cognitive Services and Bot Services
- Big Data – Best use of Azure Analytics tools and APIs with the following technology: Azure Machine Learning, Stream Analytics, and IoT
- Mixed Reality – Best use of Windows Mixed Reality with the following technology: HoloLens, AR, and VR
The Imagine Cup competition, which is now in its 16th year, is aimed at giving young developers the opportunity to acquire new and critical technical, business and team-building skills — all while having fun along the way.
Organised by Microsoft subsidiaries, the National Finals select the best teams from each participating country as they pitch and present their ideas to experts to contest for a coveted spot at the Imagine Cup World Finals and stand a chance of winning about $100,000.
