African inventors in spotlight ahead of top engineering prize

Dr Atish Shah, who took part five years ago, says his company Roverlabs is now developing a bionic hand for amputees. The continent’s inventors are in the spotlight as Johannesburg prepares to host the final of the Royal Academy of Engineering’s Africa prize. Previous participants have been given a boost in their quest to create life-changing tools. Atish Shah, who took part five years ago, told Semafor his Dar es Salaam-based company Roverlabs is now developing a bionic hand which uses electromyography technology to transform electrical impulses in muscle tissue into movement for amputees. The firm uses 3D printing to manufacture customized assistive devices for people living with disabilities, including insoles, helmets, dentures, and braces. Next month, it is set to begin a home imaging service to ensure people living in Tanzania’s rural areas have access to X-ray and ultrasound technology.