BLANTYRE, MALAWI – Young Malawian inventor Chimwemwe Liwonde has developed an innovative AI-driven technology that allows people with motor disabilities to use computers by moving their eyes.
The invention has been showcased at the UNiPod innovation centre in Blantyre. The program works offline using standard computer webcams and is therefore much cheaper than other solutions that require specialised eye-tracking equipment.
Many people with motor disabilities currently depend on their carers for basic computer tasks. “I invented this innovation to give back independence and allow them to join the digital world,” Liwonde says.
Lyson Mapanga, Communication Officer at the Federation of Disability Organisations in Malawi (FEDOMA), emphasised the significance of this technology during the demonstration. Mapanga stressed that it used to take three to four hours to type a four-page document using one hand. “Thanks to this program… I will be able to maximise my potential in performing necessary tasks,” Mapanga says.
The innovation has received nationwide recognition by winning the Best Social Impact Award at the Malawi National ICT Innovation Awards. According to Francis Masi, the UNiPod Manager, the team has worked to involve relevant stakeholders to commercialise the innovation, saying, “We should see this innovation being used out there.”
It has been reported that in Malawi, 56.5% of people with disabilities need assistive technology, but only 6.1% get this facility. Liwonde’s innovative design offers a vital solution to this problem.
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