'Omeife' Africa's first human-like robot built in Nigeria

 

The Nigerian Government has launched Africa’s first humanoid ‘Omeife’ to boost Artificial Intelligence (AI) and technological development in Nigeria and Africa.

Director General National Information Technology Development Agency NITDA Kashifu Inuwa who represented the Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Prof. Isa Ali Pantami, who was to serve as proxy for the Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, unveiled Omeife in Abuja.

The Vice President noted that the federal government would ensure the project's success and urged other stakeholders to support the Omeife project and develop new ones.

Omeife is 6-foot tall. Photocredit: NITDA Source: Facebook

Inuwa said:

“We are living in an exciting time of advanced technological advancement, where the science fiction of yesterday are becoming the reality in products and services of today,”

Omeife, the first African humanoid robot was developed by the Uniccon Group led by Chucks Ekwueme.

Explaining the features, Ekwueme said the humanoid has a real-time understanding of its surroundings, including active listening and the ability to focus on a specific conversation thread as it occurs.

He also noted that Omeife can speak eight languages besides English, including Yoruba, Hausa, Igbo, French, Arabic, Kiswahili, Pidgin and Afrikaans.

Speaking on whether Omeife can frown or show expressions of sadness.

Ekwueme added:

“No, I don’t think we want it to do that even it is possible”

But he explained that what really underscores the Africanness built into Omeife is its ability to speak each language with a native accent, pitch and vocabulary, with detailed pronunciations of words, sentences and even phrases.

He noted:

" African politeness values are also entrenched in their social interaction functions."

Ekwueme also stated that Omeife pays attention to a specific person to keep the conversation alive and chooses its words carefully—sieves out words, phrases, sentences and expressions that are not polite in African cultures.

“This particular attribute makes it safe to interact with kids"

Uniccon Group CEO added that Omeife's learning pipeline helps it improve and understand new things from conversations, and it can also recall and understand old concepts better with new information.

He continues:

"Omeife also has terrain intelligence in that it knows its own ground level and stability on the floor, which helps it navigate on non-flat surfaces and maintain good balance. It also has a position awareness feature and a grip sensor that allows it to size, understand shape, and how to hold things with its hands."

Meanwhile, another company making Nigeria proud Innoson motors, has first exported its vehicles to Sierra Leon.

The president of the country had thanked Innoson Motors as he moves to ensure military officers use it to tackle insecurity

According to reports, Innoson Motors made more than $4 million from the sale

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FG redeems 28-year pledge to Westerhof

 

The Federal Government has redenemed its pledge to one of the 1994 Super Eagles Team members 28 years after by handing over the keys of a 3-bedroom bungalow to Mr Clemence Westerhof, former Coach of the team.

The Minister of Works and Housing, Mr Babatunde Fashola handed over the keys to Westerhof at the prototype housing estate along Gwagwalada-Kuje road, on Wednesday in Abuja.

He was represented by Mr Solomon Labafilo, Director, Department of Public Buildings and Housing.

Fashola said that the government came up with the scheme called prototype housing scheme in Lagos, Abuja, Port-harcourt and other parts of the country.

“The programme was started in 2014 and we have phases I and II while the total houses completed and occupied are 206.

“The phase II is where the allocations for the two coaches were made, Jo Bonfrere has house 1A and Clemens Westehof has unit 1B,” Fashola said.

Fashola said government was committed to rewardiing citizens who made sacrifices to project the good image of the country.

“It will interest you to know that government’s pledge to the 1994 Super Eagles was not fulfilled until when President Muhammadu Buhari approved that all the members be handed over their houses.

“Westehof was allocated his in the prototype housing scheme here in Gwagwalada and other beneficiaries were allocated their homes in the respective states of their choice in the National Housing Programme estates across the country.

“We handed over keys and Certificate of Occupancy today to former coach of the Nigeria Super Eagles who led the 1994 Team, Clemens Westehof.

“This is to show government’s resolve to ensure that Nigerians, irrespective of time, who made sacrifices to project the good image of the country are recognised and encouraged to keep working for the corporate benefit of all.

“We have entered a season of completion and handover of keys to beneficiaries in 35 states and the FCT to Nigerians who have successfully subscribed for houses built under the National Housing Programme (NHP) through the ministry’s website: Https:nhp.worksand housing.gov.ng.

Fashola said the web-portal was launched on Nov. 12, 2021, adding that over 13,000 applications had been received from Nigerians who have created personal account profiles on the website.

The minister, therefore, called on all Nigerians to avail themselves with the opportunity of owning a house in the 35 states and FCT that have been completed except for Lagos State.

Also speaking, the Permanent Secretary, Mr Bashir Alkali, represented by Mrs Lucy Uzodimma, said the ministry was able to fulfill the pledge by the government with the completion of the National Housing Programme estates in 35 states and the FCT.

lAlkali said: “Nigerians should be aware that other members who had collected their houses did so in the National Housing Programme sites across the country.

“The philosophy behind the NHP is the provision of pilot scheme that is affordable, accessible and acceptable as contained in the National Housing Policy.

“The approach to the design and use of materials take cognisance of the cultural and climatic peculiarities of the region’s while responding also to the tenets of Building Energy and Efficiency Code (BEEC).”

Westehof, represented by Mrs Charity Biwet commended the Federal Government for fulfilling its promise after so many years, adding, ”it was something noteworthy.

“I stand in here with great joy to receive these keys to this beautiful edifice, I love the building and am sure the owner will love it.

“It is a promise kept and it is really encouraging to see that efforts are being recognised and rewarded. We appreciate this and I will convey the goodwill of the president and the minister to Mr Westehof.”

The other beneficiaries who had since collected their keys and title documents to their homes were: Alloy Agu, Uche Okafor, Emmanuel Amunike and Thompson Oliha.

Others were.Peter Rufai, Efan Ekoku, Isaac Semitojo and Austin Eguavoen, among others. Source:NAN.

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