General
The Mak-developed cellphone-based remote car control system
Developed using a toy car as the prototype, one could hardly believe that it was going to be used in a real life car and be able to do the exact same functions. The cell phone based remote control technology will help minimise vehicles robbed per month by embracing the ICT based systems.
Developed using a toy car as the prototype, one could hardly believe that it was going to be used in a real life car and be able to do the exact same functions. The cell phone based remote control technology will help minimise vehicles robbed per month by embracing the ICT based systems.
The system works in such a way that the software is embedded into the microprocessor which acts as an intermediary between phone and vehicle and that is how commands are executed from the mobile telephone to the vehicle.
The project is funded by the Faculty of Computing & IT and a car tracking company known as Uganda Motor Vehicle Safety and Remote Engineering Services owned by Engineer Wekesa John. He has been the brains behind the project since its inception in 2006.
The project has been faced by a number of challenges like inadequate operation in areas with poor mobile phone network reception. The other common problem faced is with financing, though this is being worked on after submission of a funding proposal to the University.
The project as a vehicle safety system is unique in that unlike most alarms which only operate within a certain range, this has no limited working range. The other would be that unlike other companies which rely on computer-based tracking systems, one only needs his mobile phone to locate his/her vehicle.
The project is expected to kick off by the end of July 2010 and technical staff have already been trained to assemble and in install the components being imported from Singapore at a cost of 300 to 400 US dollars depending on the number of functions. These functions include; engine start/stop, hooting, window operation and camera functionality and the customer will be left with the option of choosing which functionality they would like to have in their car. The project is targeting private car owners, transport companies and corporate companies with vehicle fleets.
Article by Isaac Musimenta
By Agnes Namaganda
On July 22nd 2022, Makerere University–Child Health and Development Centre (Mak–CHDC) launched a draft manual for the National Parenting Standards. The Centre has been working together with the Ministry of Gender, Labour and Social Development (MGLSD) with funding from UNICEF (United Nations Children’s Emergency Fund), to develop standards that are agreeable to all organisations in the country that are involved in parenting work. The draft manual was being presented to members of a consortium that brings together all these organisations together, called the Parenting Agenda Consortium.
“We produce many documents and they are shelved,” Irene Ayot Chono, who was speaking on behalf of UNICEF said. “We hope that this document will not be one of them,” she emphasized.
Dr. Godfrey Siu, the Principal Investigator from Mak-CHDC who presented the draft manual to participants, emphasized that if any organization is doing parenting work, there should be a minimum package that they should offer.
Draft Manual Content
The manual which will have several modules. These modules will be delivered face-to-face in 1.5 hour sessions. Some of these include; Module 6 which will focus on “understanding responsible masculinity and fatherhood” and on “understanding the concept of head of family.”The draft manual also proposed that Module 11 focuses on Parenting in the 21st Century. Some of the sessions in this module will include Children and Technology, Contemporary Influence on Children and Modernity, Culture and Morality.Module 9 will focus on Parenting for Adolescents and some of the suggested sessions within this module are Needs for Adolescents and The Art of Communicating with Adolescents. Module 5 will focus on Preventing Violent Parenting and Promoting Alternative Discipline Strategies while Module 10 will be about Parenting to Address the Mental Health for Children and Adults.
Participants’ suggestions
After the presentation, participants raised several suggestions for discussion and consideration. These included whether there should be a module on spirituality since Uganda is a strongly religious nation. There was also the concern of how children in remand homes should be parented. Another concern raised by a participant was as to whether teachers who make an undeniable contribution to parenting, should be taken through the parenting manual.
In her closing remarks, Ms. Juliana Naumo Akoryo, the Director of Cultural Affairs at the Ministry of Gender, Labour and Social Development (MGLSD) said that the manual is for the parenting organisations to utilize and not for MGLSD.
Ms. Chono also adjured the team behind the manual to use picture illustrations in the manual that can be relatable by the Ugandan parents.
Contact: Agnes Namaganda – agnesvioletnamaganda@gmail.com
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