Prof. Noble Banadda-Project PI and Chair, Department of Agricultural and BioSystems Engineering explaining how 3D printed face shields are made at a press conference held on 28th August 2020 in the Main Hall, Makerere University, Kampala Uganda.
Makerere University under the Department of Agricultural and Bio-Systems Engineering (DABE), College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences (CAES) on Friday 28th August 2020 unveiled three new additions to help control the spread of COVID-19 in public spaces. The Thermal Imaging for detection of COVID-19 as well as Three-Dimensional (3D) printing of biodegradable face shields and components for the Bulamu Ventilator are all aimed at boosting the contribution of local content to the fight against the pandemic.
The Principal Investigator of the project and Chair, DABE Prof. Noble Banadda while welcoming participants to the unveiling acknowledged the support of Makerere University Health Services led by Prof. Josaphat Byamugisha and the University of Liverpool in helping to develop the Thermal Imaging component.
“Although the hardware already exists in the public domain, our academic contribution has been the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Language (ML) to develop an algorithm that can; unlike the temperature gun, take readings from four places – the throat, mouth, nose and forehead and come up an average temperature” he remarked.
Prof. Banadda shared that over 7,000 images obtained with the help of the University Hospital were used to train the algorithm which can enable the Thermal Imaging to detect people with flu-like symptoms unlike the temperature gun. He noted that researchers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and partners had trained an algorithm that can identify COVID-19 from a cough and this would be integrated into the Thermal Imaging setup in the future.
He thereafter unveiled the 3D printing aspect with which the project had produced biodegradable face shields and components for the Bulamu Ventilator. “The shield component is made of acetate; a biodegradable polymer of wood and cotton, while the clasp was designed in consultation with a professor of medicine to ensure that it doesn’t form mist and is comfortable to wear.”
The reusable face shield also has antimicrobial properties, is easy to clean and is expected to retail for approximately UGX 5,000. The 3D Printer, said the PI can also be used to print three dimensional organs for disciplines of medicine, building models for architecture and any other programmes that rely on objects for teaching.
The Director of Quality Assurance Dr. Vincent Ssembatya and initiator of the Bulamu Ventilator innovation also made a brief presentation on how 3D printing has greatly aided the project. “Using the 3D printer, we are now able to print eleven components of the pneumatic system.”
In his remarks the Vice Chancellor, Prof. Barnabas Nawangwe thanked Prof. Banadda, Dr. Ssembatya and their respective teams for the efforts invested in contributing to the fight against COVID-19. “3D printing gives very accurate dimensions and has brought about a huge revolution in technology.”
The Vice Chancellor recognized the presence of the Chairperson Petroleum Authority of Uganda (PAU) Board of Directors Dr. Jane Mulemwa and Representative of Operation Wealth Creation (OWC) Lt. Gen. Charles Angina and thanked all partners for sparing time to attend the unveiling. “We are operationalizing the Intellectual Property (IP) office and are expecting to build a Science and Technology park where all our disciplines will work together to develop even more innovations.”
Introducing the Special Guest Lt. Gen. Angina, the Deputy Vice Chancellor (Academic Affairs), Dr. Umar Kakumba paid tribute to Gen. Caleb Akandwanaho and OWC for supporting the College of Business and Management Sciences (CoBAMS) Annual Entrepreneurship Expo. “The expo has over the years nurtured a lot of innovations into small businesses where our young people have been gainfully employed as part of small scale industries and contributed to the country’s development.”
In his remarks Lt. Gen. Angina commended the University leadership for the continued innovations that prove that Makerere can be the number one Higher Education Institution on the continent. “By coming up with such innovations, you have been patriotic and contributed to the global call for the fight against COVID-19.”
Lt. Gen. Angina remarked that the Kiira Motors Corporation (KMC) and other outstanding innovations have paved the way for new ones to follow in their footsteps. “With the manufacture of Electric Vehicles (EVs) in Uganda we will be able to have a double score on cars that can be powered by petroleum products and electricity.”
The Deputy Chief Coordinator OWC tasked the Bulamu Ventilator innovators to quickly secure approval for the essential device and produce as many as possible so as to meet the demand not only in Uganda, but the rest of the Africa. He equally tasked the Thermal Imaging team to expand their scope to night vision devices so as to enhance the nocturnal operations of security agencies.
He concluded his remarks by appreciating the President and Commander in Chief of the Uganda Peoples’ Defence Forces, H.E. Gen. Yoweri Kaguta Museveni for his leadership that recognizes the contribution of the academia, research and innovations to national development.
A selection of the newly installed micro studio equipment on display during the official handover ceremony held at CEDAT on Wednesday, 25th June 2025.
The College of Engineering, Design, Art and Technology (CEDAT) at Makerere University has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Project Management Committee of the “Enhancing the Distance Education Environment at Makerere University” initiative. This agreement formalizes the operational and managerial framework for the newly installed micro studio at CEDAT, aimed at strengthening the university’s digital learning infrastructure.
Assoc. Prof. Kizito Maria Kasule, Deputy Principal of CEDAT, signed on behalf of the college, while Dr. Shon JinGon, Project Manager at the Korea Institute for Development Strategy (KDS), represented the implementing partner during an event held on Wednesday, 25th June 2025.
Dr. Abubaker Waswa Matovu (R) Head of the Department of Computer and Electronics Engineering at Makerere University, emphasized the importance of the training in promoting workplace safety.
In response to Uganda’s growing workplace safety concerns, staff at the College of Engineering, Design, Art, and Technology (CEDAT) participated in an Occupational Safety, Health, and Environment (OSHE) training session aimed at increasing awareness and improving adherence to safety standards in professional and academic environments.
The workshop, organized by the School of Engineering, was part of a larger effort led by the OSHE Centers of Excellence, an initiative launched at Makerere, Kyambogo, and Busitema Universities on May 4, 2023. This program seeks to enhance workplace safety education, with a focus on hazard prevention, PPE usage, risk mitigation, and integrating OSHE principles into engineering curricula and industrial practices.
Speaking at the training, Dr. Abubaker Waswa Matovu, Head of the Department of Computer and Electronics Engineering at Makerere University, emphasized the importance of the training which was aimed at creating awareness about the need for the College, the university and the industry to proactively plan for safety at the place of work. It was indicated that Uganda was faced by alarming workplace injury rates, with over 25,000 workers suffering from job-related injuries annually, yet fatality statistics remain largely unreported.
Dr. Matovu highlighted the urgent need for OSHE integration in higher education, pointing out that 99% of engineering and science graduates enter the workforce without formal safety training. This lack of preparedness has led industries to withdraw internship placements, fearing liability if trainees suffer injuries or fatalities while on the job, he noted.
The NBD team and their hosts led by Dr. Robinah Kulabako pose for a picture at the CEDAT Block
Makerere University’s Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, has partnered with the Nile Basin Discourse (NBD) to collaborate on a World Bank-funded, two-year project aimed at improving transboundary water resource management in East Africa.
During a meeting held on 5th June 2025 at CEDAT, Eng. Sylvesta Matemu, head of NBD, engaged with Makerere University representatives, including Dr. Philip Nyenje and Dr. Seith Mugume, to discuss strategies for effective implementation. The project seeks to employ citizen science approaches to involve local communities in water governance, data collection, and policy formulation.
The team also met with Prof. Dorothy Okello, Dean of the School of Engineering, and Dr. Robinah Kulabako, Chair of the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, to explore key areas of collaboration. Experts stressed the importance of regional cooperation in water management, citing growing concerns over resource sustainability and environmental challenges.