Uniccon Group, an Abuja-based Nigerian technology business, has created Africa’s first humanoid robot, called ‘Omeife.’
The News
Omeife, a humanoid robot, was invented by Uniccon Group of Companies, one of Nigeria’s fastest-growing technology firms that provides eclectic, innovative technological solutions to businesses and government organisations around Africa.
This is a fact, and we are all in the front row, watching history unfold: Africa’s first humanoid robot was formally unveiled at Gitex, the world’s largest technology expo, which took place from October 10th to 14th at the Dubai World Trade Centre.
Another news by techcabal disclosed that Omeife was supposed to be unveiled during the GITEX 2022 event in Dubai but it wasn’t cleared at the border, along with the military-grade drone the company has also developed. Ekwueme said the reason behind wanting to unveil in Dubai was because of the global exposure it would drive to Nigeria and Africa. “Tech like Omeife is not too mainstream, especially in Africa, so we want to show the world and then start a new narrative for African tech,” Ekwueme told TechCabal. “We also wanted to engage global AI and robotic partners as we are planning to mass-produce our products.”
A closer look at Omeife
Omeife is a 6-foot-tall humanoid robot that can communicate in eight languages: Igbo, English, French, Arabic, Kiswahili, Pidgin, Wazobia, and Afrikaans.
The robot was conceived in 2020 and has been in development ever since. Omeife is controlled by artificial intelligence, which was also created in Nigeria by Uniccon scientists.
The AI allows it to respond to the terrain as well as conversation and vocal instructions in real-time.
Omeife can travel around flat surfaces and grasp objects. Though robots are being designed to perform human labour, progress has been modest thus far, with Tesla CEO Elon Musk’s ‘Optimus’ being another example. The robot is barely capable of doing human activities.
Omeife, according to the CEO, is not designed primarily for labour but rather for intellectual abilities.
The company plans to produce the robot in bulk and sell it for at least $30,000.
So, what exactly is Omeife built for?
Motion
Ground intelligence:
Knowing the level of the ground and its own stability on the floor will aid it in navigating non-flat terrain and maintaining a good balance Position. Awareness is achieved through the use of GPS for location and State-management for knowing whether the system is standing, walking, conversing, and so forth.
Advanced Movements:
Talking expressions, hand depictions, smiles, and other bodily gestures.
Grip:
It has the ability to size, understand shape, and grasp objects with one’s hand.
Conversation
Active listening:
Omeife has the ability to focus on a specific discussion thread as it occurs for real-time understanding.
Multilingualism:
It can flip between languages and interact with distinct gestures. Pitch and vocabulary through pronunciations of words, sentences, and even phrases in a native accent
Face detection
It detects and identifies persons based on their faces and facial expressions. Identifies objects and understands their properties. Determines the positions and distances of things it observes.
Interactions with Others
Discussion awareness and focus:
It Pays close attention to one person in order to keep the conversation going. Being mindful of words, phrases, sentences, and expressions that are considered polite in African cultures. Knowledgeable in a variety of subjects and always teachable
Children’s safety:
Smooth and non-reactive connection.
Retention:
Ability to recall and understand old information better with fresh information.
Speaking on the Omeife project, Chuks Ekwueme, CEO of Uniccon Group of Companies says:“ Africa is fast being recognized for its contribution to the global tech ecosystem. Through Omeife and other projects, we’re happy to play a part in helping businesses And people all over Africa to achieve their fullest potential by providing access to the most innovative technologies for efficiency.”
Meet Chuks Ekwueme
Chairman Uniccon Group of Companies. Major Player in Agro export, General Tech: Cybersecurity, AI, STEM, Marketplace, IoT, FINTECH, Robotics, NFTs, and Metaverse.
A professional Businessman and president of a group of Companies, with so much experience in the international trade/community. A professional in Information Technology, STEM, Industrial Chemistry, and agribusiness. Have established a stronghold in the Technology sector ( Artificial Intelligence, Advance Software Development, Robotics, Fraud Detection/Cyber security & STEM), Cloud Service, Data Science, Research and Analysis, also Agricultural practice, processing, and export from Nigeria.
