DSAIL Events
World Economic Forum
DSAIL director and Data Science Africa board chair Prof. Ciira Maina attended this year’s World Economic Forum in Davos and participated in the launch of the International Computation and AI Network (ICAIN). This collaborative effort brings together the Swiss Federal Department of Foreign Affairs (FDFA), ETH Zurich, EPFL, the Swiss National Computing Centre (CSCS), the European Laboratory for Learning and Intelligent Systems (ELLIS), Data Science Africa and the Finnish IT Center for Science (CSC) in an effort to leverage AI and high performance computing resources to tackle global challenges......
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Kabarak DS&AI Conference
DSAIL recently partnered with Kabarak University in Nakuru, Kenya for their Data Science and Artificial Intelligence conference, and it was a huge success. Our director, Prof. Ciira Maina, was one of the five keynote speakers at the event, and he delivered an inspiring talk on the significance of Data Science and AI research in Africa. But that's not all - four of our researchers also presented their latest projects, covering areas such as agriculture, climate, and healthcare.......
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Dekut-Open Day
We recently had an incredible opportunity to showcase our research and products at the Open Day event organized by DeKUT. The event was full of energy and excitement, as we got to interact with students from various institutions and members of the community who were eager to learn about our work. It was truly an amazing experience to see the enthusiasm and curiosity of the attendees, and we were thrilled to be able to share our knowledge and expertise with them. We received a lot of positive feedback and interest, which has motivated us to continue pushing the boundaries of innovation and research. We are grateful for this opportunity and look forward to participating in more events like this in the future.
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Kenya Innovation Week
DSAIL participated in the Kenya Innovation Week, which took place from 27th November to 1st December. The event was hosted at the College of Insurance and focused on the theme "Innovating to Unlock Our Common Wealth". We had the chance to showcase our inventions and prototypes at the Dedan Kimathi University Booth. Professor Ciira was also part of a UNECA discussion, where he talked about how artificial intelligence could solve real problems in Kenya. He also discussed the potential advantages and disadvantages of AI for our society. The highlight of the event was the opportunity to connect with other innovative people, companies and institutions in Kenya.
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Research day 2023
DSAIL held its Annual Research Day on 24 November 2023 at the DeKUT Conservancy Conference Room, a place of great significance for our lab as it provided the data for some of our earliest and most thrilling projects. The event was a showcase of the amazing research projects that our team members had been working on throughout the year. The presentations were captivating, the discussions were stimulating, the meals were delicious, and the team-building activities were fun and energizing. Our Research Days have always strengthened the bond that makes our lab a collaborative and productive place. .
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STI&E Conference
The 7th DeKUT International Conference on Science, Technology, Innovation, and Entrepreneurship, held from 8th to 10th November 2023. The conference was centred around the theme 'Leveraging Science, Technology, Innovation, and Entrepreneurship for Sustainable Development.' Jason's presentation on 'Data Quality Control and Validation Techniques in IoT' was a highlight of the conference. He emphasized the significance of data quality control and validation for accurate information by exploring the application of machine learning algorithms for anomaly detection in time series data from IoT systems. Gabriel and Austin presented their projects on Analysis of Women Representation in STEM in Africa' and Introducing a Data Pipeline for The TAHMO Network, respectively, in the Poster Presentation session. Overall, the conference was a great success, and we're excited to see the impact of these innovative projects on sustainable development
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Deep Learning Indaba 2023
At one of the largest machine learning gatherings in Africa, Deep Learning Indaba, DSAIL represented by Antony exhibited its contributions to enhancing orthopaedic monitoring by presenting both a poster and a short paper on using wearable IoT and AI to improve orthopaedic monitoring.
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GeJusta Workshop
During the GEJUSTA workshop, we invited experienced guest speakers, distinguished women in STEM who took centre stage. These speakers shared personal experiences and navigated challenges within the field, offering insights and solutions to create a more inclusive STEM environment. In addition to that, the workshop covered guidance on developing a data science curriculum, with valuable insights from professionals already implementing data science courses. This event, focused on empowerment and advocacy, aimed to inspire future generations and cultivate a collective commitment to overcoming barriers for gender justice within STEM disciplines..
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Leeds-Africa Conference on Data Science & Artificial Intelligence
In a recent development, our director, Ciira Maina, was privileged to receive an invitation to present at the Leeds-Africa Conference on Data Science and AI across mathematics and sciences. During his engaging presentation, he delved into the intriguing realm of "Gaussian Processes for Spatial Anomaly Detection." His talk illuminated the profound impact of employing Gaussian Processes in the detection of anomalies within spatial data. Gaussian Processes serve as potent mathematical instruments, facilitating the detection of unanticipated or irregular patterns within spatially distributed data, rendering them indispensable for a wide spectrum of scientific and practical applications.
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IEEE AFRICON
The DSAIL Research team as a whole, delivered conference paper presentations and tutorial sessions at the 16th IEEE Africa (2023) International Conference. Taking place between 20th and 22nd September this year and hosted by Kenya School of Monetary Studies, the conference was centered around the theme “Advancing Technology in Africa Towards Presence on the Global Stage”. At the conference we got an opportunity to showcase our work in conservation technology. The tutorial sessions were training and discussion sessions that brought out the details of some of our projects’ methodologies.
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Tech4wildlife
At DSAIL, we are heavily involved in rolling out outreach programs. These programs aid in creating interest in young minds interested in data science, IoT and Machine Learning. At these events, we also get to showcase what is possible with open-source technology and get to exchange ideas with other researchers. As part of our outreach efforts, DSAIL hosted the DSAIL TECH4WILDLIFE workshop on 14th and 15th September at DeKUT. The program was in collaboration with Wildlabs and Fauna & Flora. During the event, we were exploring how AI can be used to aid in conservation efforts. Judging by the positive feedback we got, the event was a huge hit and we look forward to the next.
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Bowen Bat Conference 2023
Prof. Ciira wa Maina,the director of DSAIL, delivered a keynote address at the Bowen Bat Conference 2023. Taking place between 3rd and 6th July this year, and hosted by Bowen University, the conference was centered around the theme "New Frontiers in Bat Research and Communication".This conference aimed to bring together researchers from various fields of bat study with the primary focus being the necessity for concerted efforts to demystify and enhance the conservation status of bats, particularly in Africa. This was pursued through collaborative research initiatives and effective communication strategies.
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Smart Agriculture Training
Gabriel Kiarie from DSAIL was invited to conduct a training for agricultural extension officers from Mombasa County on Smart Agriculture from June 22nd to 25th, 2023. The training, facilitated in collaboration with Ms. Hilda Manzi of Geo-Spatial Research International, aimed to disseminate knowledge on the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in agriculture. Gabriel showcased IoT devices developed by DSAIL specifically for the agricultural sector, highlighting their potential to enhance farming practices. The training focused on promoting the understanding and application of smart agriculture for sustainable and efficient farming in Mombasa County.
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The AfricAI Conference 2023
A team from DSAIL attended and presented at the AfricAI conference, which took place in Kigali, Rwanda between June 11 th and 14 th, 2023. Organized by the IDRC, GIZ, and Niyel, and under the theme of advancing responsible and open AI ecosystems in Africa, this inaugural conference focused on data privacy, bias mitigation, and algorithmic transparency. It aimed to shape the future of AI by forging alliances and collaborations among stakeholders. The team from DSAIL, in collaboration with representatives from Busitema University, Uganda, demonstrated cutting-edge hardware and sensor systems, showcasing the value of bringing together diverse stakeholders to explore new possibilities in AI.
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Data Science Africa 2023 Event
DSAIL team attended the Data Science Africa 2023 event.
This year, the event took place from 8th to 12th May at the University of Rwanda in Kigali with the
theme
of "Harnessing Data Science for Africa's Socio-Economic Development".
Participants at DSA 2023 had the opportunity to
select their preferred track, either AI or Data Science. Additionally, there was introduction of
DSA
Hackathons, encouraging
collaboration among attendees across countries and institutions to address data science
challenges in the African context.
The event attracted attendees from various African countries and beyond,
representing different
backgrounds and institutions.
Kieni Forest Fieldwork Expedition
A team from DSAIL in collaboration with the Institute of Geomatics, GIS and Remote Sensing (IGGRES)
of Dedan
Kimathi University of Technology undertook a data collection exercise in Kieni forest located in
Kiambu County, Kenya.
The exercise aimed at collecting aerial and terrestrial images for use in estimating the biophysical
parameters of trees in a recently replanted section of the forest. The parameters will be extracted
using
stereoscopic
computer vision technology developed by the DSAIL team...
IST-Africa 2023 Conference
DSAIL submitted four papers for IST-Africa 2023 Conference all of which were accepted. The conference took place in Tshwane, South Africa between 31st May - 2nd June 2023.
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Tech for Wildlife Conservation: DSAIL presents at WiCT workshop 2022
The DSAIL team presented the DSAIL-Porini dataset, the cutting-edge software and hardware used to collect images, and automate the data annotation process to the Women in Conservation Technology Program audience at Ol Pejeta Conservancy.
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STI & E 2022
DeKUT hosted their 6th International Conference on Science, Technology, Innovation, and Entrepreneurship with aim of creating a platform for researchers and practitioners to present, discuss, engage and publish research work related to national development. DSAIL was previleged to have had two participants presenting during the conference Gabriel Kiarie and Stephen Githinji. Where Gabriel Kiarie emerged the best in the Prof. Minoru Sasaki Young Researcher’s Award category.
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Research Day 2022
DSAIL hosted their annual Research Day at the Dedan Kimathi Conservation. Which was organized by DSAIL members under the guidance of Dr. Ciira and leadership of Gabriel Kiarie and Lorna Mugambi. Team members together with alumni show cased their research work.
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DSA 2022
Data Science Africa (DSA 2022) was held at the Institute of Accountancy Arusha (IAA). In the tradition of previous Data Science Africa participants were able to first attend Summer school then workshop where attendees had their chance to show case their research projects.
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DSAIC Data Science Hackathon 2022
DSAIC hosted a Data Science Hackathon with collaboration of DSAIL where members of DSAIC competed to optimize machine learning models for the best results using Zindi Data Sets. Participants were able to compete in groups where they various groups were free to use either Python or R programming language for machine learning. Winning groups were awarded for their efforts.
tinyML for Good
Collins Emasi, a research assistant at DSAIL shared insights into how we can leveraged the power of tinyML to help differentiate bird sounds and non-bird sounds of the hundreds of hours of recording we have from the "DSAIL Acoustic sensor" developed by Gabriel Kiarie...
Research Day 2021
A first event of its kind by DSAIL, the Research Day was organized by DSAIL members under the guidance of Dr. Ciira and leadership of Gabriel Kiarie. This was an event organized to allow interaction and sharing of ideas among members of DSAIL and allies.
DSAIL at the Umoja Hackathon
DSAIL members ranked as high performers at the Umoja Hackathon. Through the guidance of our director, Dr. Ciira Maina, were able to form two teams that participated in various categories of the UmojaHack Africa 2021 event...