Technology is progressively assisting us with working on our lives, incrementing efficiency, and saving time in numerous areas, including football. From 21st November to 18th December, the biggest men’s football tournament on the planet, FIFA World Cup 2022, will officially take place. Hosting 32 nations including Ghana and Senegal in Qatar.
Let’s take a look at some of the technologies that will be applied in the tournament to make it fair and decisive.
1. VAR Technology
Following quite a while of testing with many matches, the IFAB has formally placed into utilization video assistant referee (VAR) innovation. The 21st FIFA World Cup is the first competition to apply this innovation to help arbitrators. After the progress of the 2018 FIFA World Cup, VAR innovation will likewise be applied in the 2022 World Cup. Thanks to this technology, the transparency in football in particular, and sports, in general, has been significantly improved. Also, sports betting players can be assured of the results when placing bets at reputable betting sites like soccer Betway.
VAR associates three distinct camera frameworks:
Hawk Eye: comprises 7 to 14 high-velocity cameras mounted on the top of the arena. Peddle Eye will foresee the way of the ball to guarantee that no less than two cameras can record it. At the point when the ball turns over the objective line, the official’s watch will flag that the ball has entered the net.
GoalControl-4D: incorporates 14 cameras put on the goal, following the ball’s movement and conveying messages to the arbitrator’s watch.
GoalRef: is an electromagnetic enlistment framework mounted on the crossbar and vertical post of the goal, making an attractive field. At the point when the ball turns over the goal line, out of the touchline, the chip inside the football will sound, and the ref’s watch will likewise get a sign.
As needs are, a gathering of colleague refs will observe all improvements of the match through TV screens and sit in a different room of the arena stands. When distinguishing mistakes from the choice of the ref on the field, they will convey a message to the referees on the field to survey what is happening through TV. Obviously, the ultimate choice actually lies with the ref, yet this innovation will assist with settling disputable circumstances well.
2. Goal-line technology
At the 2014 FIFA World Cup, France’s Karim Benzema was quick to profit from goal-line technology as the ball crossed Honduras’ objective inside milliseconds. . Goal-line is a technique that utilizes PCs to decide if the ball has totally crossed the objective line or not. This innovation assisted officials with tackling up to eight circumstances at the 2015 FIFA Ladies’ Big showdown in Canada.
At the 2018 FIFA World Cup, arenas in Russia were all furnished with Goal-line innovation with 14 high-velocity cameras, which can convey a message to the official’s watch in less than a second when the match shows up. The ball crosses the goal line. What’s more, this innovation will continue to be applied in the 2022 World Cup competition.
3. Electronic tracking system
This innovation will constantly be utilized in each match at the 2022 FIFA World Cup, including various specialized apparatuses and gadgets for the two teams. The specialized and clinical staff of the partaking groups will be furnished with workstations and a devoted line to speak with mentors, as well as clinical staff on the seat. By investigating the player’s movement on the field, the mentor can change the strategies as needed.
Who will emerge as champions of the 2022 world cup at the end of the competition? We will wait and see.
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African Green Revolution Forum (AGRF), Heifer International and Generation Africa are announcing Pitch AgriHack 2022. An agritech competition focused on accelerating entrepreneurial growth and job creation in the agriculture sector. By identifying youth-led businesses with technological solutions to food security challenges and awarding them with cash grants, media visibility and investor exposure. It will award up to $45K in cash prizes to youth technology innovators in Africa’s agriculture and food sectors.
The open competition part of Pitch AgriHack 2022 will support businesses that are driving innovation in agriculture across three categories Early-stage, Mature/Growth-stage, and Women-led. Prizes will be awarded to six winners totalling US$45,000. A fourth invite-only category known as the AYuTe Africa Challenge, sponsored by Heifer International, will award up to $1.5 million in grants to scalable ventures that are already generating measurable impact for Africa’s smallholder farmers.
The Pitch AgriHack 2022 finals will see the top 12 applicants face off in a business pitching contest at the African Green Revolution Forum Summit (AGRF) in September. Finalists will participate in the AGRF Agribusiness Deal Room, where over 800 companies, 15 government delegations and 150 public and private investors will convene to generate exciting new opportunities.
Applications for Pitch AgriHack are open from 20 June to 29 July 2022 at genafrica.org/pitchagrihack. It is open to African founders or co-founders, aged 18-40 of technology-based and digital services businesses in the agriculture sector. The Top 12 applicants will be selected by an expert jury, followed by an award ceremony where three category winners and three runners-up will receive cash grants to grow their businesses.
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Microsoft is promising its commitment to working with both the private and public sectors to accelerate digital transformation in African agriculture in order to increase food security for the continent.
Speaking during a virtual roundtable panel discussion on the topic, Microsoft Kenya Acting Country Manager Kunle Awosika said the organisation is committed to continuing investing in agritech on the continent, with the goal of developing agritech that enables data-driven, precise and connected farming that optimises yields, boosts farm productivity and increases profitability.
“We understand that these important issues will not be solved by one company, but through partnerships with the private sector and our partners in government for maximum impact and benefit to the farmers of Africa,” he said.
Speaking at the same forum, ATO Coordinator, Agriculture Transformation Office, Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock, Fisheries and Cooperatives Thule Lenneiye, said: “Through partnerships such as the one with Microsoft, we can offer our smallholder farmers valuable services that help them modernize and digitize age-old farming practices, increasing productivity and boosting food security for our communities and country.”
One way in which agritech changes the face of agriculture is through democratising information. In partnership with the Ministry of Agriculture, Microsoft is investing in the Kenyan National Agriculture Platform as a key initiative to drive digitalization in agriculture. As part of this investment, a developer team based in Kenya has developed an Agri chatbot, which provides extension and advisory services to smallholder farmers using either feature phones or smartphones, via SMS, WhatsApp and Telegram.
The AgriBot provides a key platform that farmers can use to access all the relevant information from the Ministry of Agriculture and other government institutions, as well as services from the private sector. These services are invaluable to the over 400,000 farmers already on the platform who would otherwise not have access to such a resource.
Olatomiwa Williams, Microsoft Country Manager Nigeria and Ghana speaking at the forum said the organization is working with stakeholders to identify and develop sustainable and inclusive digital solutions for agro-products and services that seamlessly connect farmers, customers and other stakeholders in the ecosystem. Importantly to improve the economic situation of farmers in Nigeria.
Microsoft also recently announced that it is extending its partnership with the Alliance for Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA). The initial collaboration between the two organizations started in 2019 when Microsoft and AGRA co-created the AgriBot as a digital solution for localized extension and advisory services for smallholder farmers.
The new phase of the relationship will promote digital innovation and technology as an enabler to connect the agriculture ecosystems, sustainably integrating stakeholders in the service of strategic value chains.
“Our partnership with AGRA forms part of Microsoft’s ongoing investment in agritech across the continent as we support digital transformation in the sector. We’re excited to continue building locally relevant technology solutions that address the local farmers’ needs and deliver meaningful impact,” added Kunle.
On his part, John Macharia, AGRA Kenya Country Manager, said: “At AGRA, we realized early on that digital innovation is critical in advancing food security and poverty eradication in Africa. Our partnership with Microsoft will directly support governments, SMEs and farmers, by bringing the digital tools needed to build resilient food systems.”
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TECNO is announcing the latest Spark model, the Spark 9 Pro which comes with a 32MP HD front camera, MediaTek Helio G85 chipset, a 6.6″ 1080P Full HD large screen and a 5000 mAh battery. The device comes with an upgraded design, a lighter body and an improved photography experience. The Spark 9 series will have three devices, the 9 Pro, 9T(64GB) and 9T(128GB).
It spots a right-angled edge and the 8.42mm lightly slim body which TECNO says makes it pocket friendly. The Spark 9 Pro comes with a 1080P FHD+ 6.6” Ultra HD screen and a 90Hz high refresh rate. This upgrade is expected to make scrolling smoother and touch feedback more sensitive. It will be powered by a MediaTek Helio G85 Chip Engine which comes with an Arm Mali-G52 GPU.
TECNO Spark 9 Pro will be available in Quantum Black, Burano Blue, Holy White and Hacker Storm colors.
No pricing and availability date has been announced but we believe it will be under $180 and will launch before July. It is expected to become available in African markets such as Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria, Rwanda, South Africa, Senegal, and Liberia before rolling out globally.
Update: The device is coming to Ghana on June 20th and will retail at the following prices: Spark 9 PRO (128+4GB) – GHS 1,360, Spark 9T (128+4GB) – GHS 1,269, SPARK 9T (64+4GB) – GHS 1,110. In Nigeria, it starts selling at Tecno Spark 9 Pro (128+4GB) – NGN 99,000, Tecno Spark 9T Price – NGN 78,300 (4GB 64GB) and NGN 88,000 (4GB 128GB).
Spark 9 series launches in Kenya and retails at Spark 9 (64+4 GB) – Ksh 15,599, Spark 9T (64+4 GB) – Ksh 17,199 and Spark 9 Pro (64+4 GB) – Ksh 20,899.
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AFS Intercultural Programs launches the AFS Global STEM Accelerator: a full-scholarship, virtual exchange program designed to empower 150 young women worldwide with access to education in sustainability, STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math), and social impact.
Through immersive learning experiences, AFS Global STEM Accelerator scholars will develop critical technical competencies, like digital skills, design thinking, and data literacy, paired with global competencies, such as emotional intelligence, intercultural awareness, and teamwork – valuable skills that are increasingly necessary for the global economy and vital to contribute to a sustainable future.
Over the course of twelve weeks, scholars will develop social impact prototypes and capstone presentations that offer potential solutions to real-world challenges, with an emphasis on sustainability. Upon completion, scholars earn the Advanced Certificate on Global Competence for Social Impact, awarded by AFS and the University of Pennsylvania, along with official feedback and validation from Penn’s Center for Social Impact Strategy. In addition, scholars will be invited to join AFS’ global alumni community, which offers diverse mentoring opportunities and networking resources.
Applications are open to young women (ages 15-17.5) worldwide, with a keen interest in becoming changemakers in their communities. In addition, AFS will allocate scholarships specifically to refugees and girls from displaced populations worldwide.
The Accelerator program is part of the broader AFS Global STEM Changemakers Initiative, a five-year grant which aims to provide 5,000 young people worldwide with immersive learning experiences through STEM, global competence, and sustainability-focused intercultural exchange programs. The initiative is administered by AFS and funded by bp, a globally integrated energy company. bp supports initiatives such as this to help build the STEM talent that the world needs to create sustainable solutions and improve the diversity of talent in the STEM fields.
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