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Youth Interactive Correspondent

A Chitungwiza bred 26-year-old young man, along with his five friends,hogged the limelight last week on the announcement that they have invented Ruoko Bot, a neurorobotic prosthetic arm.

Zororai Mazarura who graduated this month from the Chinhoyi University of Technology with a Bachelor of Information and Technology Studies, was inspired by his late father to come up with the project.

He was awarded the Emmerson Mnangagwa Innovation Award.

“I lost my father at an early age when I was around five years but I have short memories of him although I can remember some of the things.

“I remember when he lost his leg and the family suffered a lot due to his depression and low self-esteem. I think those were some of the reasons which cut short my father’s life.

“It was hard to feed a family of five boys given he was disabled and, at that time, my mother became a breadwinner.

“Later on my father passed away and so I created this project with my friends Trymore Makombese, Josias Chauke, Dennis Dumbreni, Joshat Mudhosi, and Precious Musarurwa,” he said.

He said the device captures the brain wave signals.

“The device captures brain wave signals, translates and interprets them using AI models.

“So, with these AI models, you manage to capture the grab and release human hand function.

“This device benefits the nation as it is a locally developed prosthetic arm that is cheap, boosts self-esteem, and restores balance.

“Without the help of Dr FJ Kiwa, project supervisor, and Eng L Zari, department of ICT and Electronics, I would have not made this Ruoko Bot.”

He hopes to improve the device.

“I have been given high hopes by the university authorities to further the research on my project. During my academic journey at CUT, I won my first prize in the Department of ICT and Electronics

and we were overall winners in the School of Engineering Sciences and Technology.

“They say Africa is a cemetery but they do not know that the cemetery is the richest place in the world,” said Zororai.