ghanaopendata/ghanaian-research-english huggingface dataset:
Pulse oximeter output signal adjustment to increase accuracy for pigmented skin

With increase in the use of pulse oximeters upon the offset of COVID-19, it was discovered that pulse oximeters have some racial bias in their design. People with pigmented skin receive erroneous and imprecise results as a result of this racial prejudice. In extreme circumstances, this racial bias has resulted in hypoxia and even death. This gap was made apparent by COVID-19, but it has existed from the program's beginning in 1987 [8]. This study aims to develop an analog and digital signal processing method that can improve the precision and accuracy of pulse oximetry readings in people with pigmented skin. To distinguish between the light absorption by oxygenated and deoxygenated hemoglobin and that of melanin, the suggested method will combine digital and analog signal processing techniques. Clinical data from patients with a range of skin tones will be used to examine the project's potential to improve the accuracy of pulse oximetry results. This research should result in a signal processing algorithm and hardware that can be combined with current pulse oximeter devices, increasing the accuracy of oxygen saturation measurements in patients with pigmented skin. The designed pulse oximeter provided significant difference in readings from those on the market. In addition to measuring results that were significantly different from those found on the market, the created pulse oximeter also had a considerably faster response time. The designed pulse oximeter provided readings with difference from the readings of a normal pulse oximeter proportional to the amount of melanin present in the patient. This could have a big impact on how respiratory distress is diagnosed and treated in this population, especially when it comes to COVID-19. Also, the research is anticipated to advance the field of digital and analog signal processing in healthcare.

Source: Ashesi
QR code verification system for Ashesi transcript

The current approach adopted by universities in Ghana to verify transcripts is time consuming and error-prone. The verification process involves personnel comparing students’ grades on a hard copy transcript to grades retrieved from the academic institution’s database. This approach increases the possibility of academic institutions mistakenly approving incorrect or falsified transcripts as genuine. In this project, a software system is developed to automate the transcript verification process at Ashesi University College. The system is used to generate transcripts with QR code embedded on them. The information stored in the QR code is used to automate the transcript verification process.

Source: Ashesi
Question and Answer site for Ashesi community

The need for communication in the world has become increasingly daunting and so has the technology to enhance it. The primary reason for communication has been pegged largely to demand for factual data. This project’s sole aim is to redirect the boundless information in education available both in human minds and on the internet into a single space, available for queries, implementation and further discourse. The project is the development of a Question and Answer site tailored specifically to the needs of Ashesi Students. It utilizes a web bot capable of submitting queries to search engines and retrieving information from configured websites as a supplement to posted answers. The project further discusses the benefits of a site as this, “an electronic mediated learning forum” to the Ashesi Community, both in terms of student development and knowledge transfer.

Source: Ashesi
Radio and television application (RNTApp)

In Ghana, many media houses, both radio and television, have sprung up and thus have increased the level of competition amongst them. Advertisement is one area where media houses try to have an edge over their competitors. Some media houses advertise their programs in newspapers whiles others do so on billboards. However these methods of advertisement are expensive and media houses cannot do it as often. Media houses also advertise programs that involve the participation of viewers and listeners such as commenting on programs and voting. Both of these activities involve viewers and listeners memorizing some name or code of some sought which creates a problem. In the case of commenting on programs, viewers and listeners have to memorize social media profile names of the media house they are commenting into. Voting for nominees of reality shows for instance also involves viewers and listeners memorizing short codes for their preferred nominee. Another problem is created when viewers and listeners miss their favourite programs. The RNTApp is a radio and television application which seeks to address all these problems. Media houses now will only have to upload their program schedules into a database created for them without incurring any costs. Viewers and listeners no more have to memorize social media profile names as it would be provided by the media houses in the application. Voting for nominees is made simple with the names and the pictures of nominees listed instead of memorizing short codes. With RNTApp, viewers and listeners will be able to set reminders of favourite programs they would not want to miss. The RNTApp benefits both media houses and viewers and listeners and will enrich viewer and listener participation into programs aired by media houses which will also enrich the programs in effect.

Source: Ashesi
RCA-CONNECT: A social platform for Rwandans in the diaspora

Whether formal or informal, communication is very important for any two or more parties that need to work with each other. After four years as member of Rwandan Diaspora in Ghana, I have realized that the existing channels of communication are not good enough to satisfy the unique communication needs of Rwandans living in Ghana. After a leader of the Rwandan diaspora in Ghana requested it, I started building a social platform called RCA CONNECT for Rwandans living abroad. This report illustrates different communication challenges faced by Rwandans living abroad, points out the inefficiencies of the existing platforms in dealing with these challenges, and then describes a proposed social platform, RCA-CONNECT. RCA-CONNECT comes as a solution that considers the diverse backgrounds of Rwandans living abroad as well as their busy schedules. It provides functionalities that makes it a better option for Rwandans living abroad to connect with each other, as well as the government.

Source: Ashesi
Real estate management application

Searching for a property for sale or rent is cumbersome and expensive in Kenya since you reply on the help real estate brokers provide in acquiring a property. This project seeks to find an efficient way of advertising and searching for property. I developed an application that creates contact between property owners or managers and property seekers. The web application can be accessed on both mobile devices and computers. Users can also install an Android or Windows application on their smart phones. The functionality of this application includes a combination of features from existing solutions. This includes subscription for email or message alerts on properties that a user is searching. Development and user testing were conducted to evaluate if the application met the functionality stated in requirement specification.

Source: Ashesi
Real-time condition monitoring of electrical machines using IoT

Electrical machines are heavily used in industry today as they form an integral part of the production. In the occurrence of a breakdown, processing and production are delayed hence the importance of motor condition monitoring. Unfortunately, manual condition monitoring techniques are not entirely reliable. IoT emergence proves to be reliable and decreases downtime in the daily use of the induction motor. In this project, an IoT platform is built using Bluetooth technology, temperature, current, voltage and accelerometer sensors for data collection, storing data on the cloud and building a machine learning model to predict faults based on prevalent faults diagnosis techniques on induction.

Source: Ashesi
Real-time monitoring of photovoltaic panels

With the increase in population comes the increase in demand for electricity. Day in and day out, the non-renewable sources of energy are getting depleted; thus, many countries and continents are switching to renewable energy sources. Solar energy has proven to be pollution-free and the most accessible form of renewable energy. Photovoltaic Panels (PV) Panels are the devices used to harness solar power, and they have a life span of 25 years. However, several faults can occur in the PV panel and drastically reduce the efficiency and lifespan of the Solar Panel. In this research project, a real-time monitoring system is developed to observe the emergence of any faults and put a plan of action to preserve efficiency. The system would provide both a visual and thermographic assessment of the Photovoltaic Panel. This is achieved using Internet of Things.

Source: Ashesi
Recognition of walking terrain by gait cycle using embedded machine learning

In today's world people are more conscious of their health and fitness, this has led to a revolution of technologies regarding fitness such as smartwatches and fitness bands. These technologies have adapted a recent technology known as Human Activity Recognition (HAR), used for determining human activity. This is helpful because inferences such as the walking, jogging and running can be inferred which helps improve the inferred statistics such as calories burned. This study aims to extend the capabilities of current HAR technology in the field, by determining fine-grained activities, specifically walking on flat ground, walking up a staircase and walking down a staircase, using embedded learning. The study was successful, the embedded machine learning model was able to classify the different walking terrains, except for walking up a staircase, due to ineffective labelling mechanism. The current state of the embedded model can be leveraged by smartwatch and fitness band companies such as Apple, Fitbit, among others for better statistics.

Source: Ashesi
Recruitment agency database management system

In this era of technological outburst and advancement, it has become very necessary for organizations and institutions to keep abreast with all developments. Technology introduced in any department of an organization goes a long way in improving all its processes. Various businesses and organizations need to keep records of their data and handle huge quantum of data, thus they therefore have the responsibility to make sure that data input and access is controlled and managed properly so as to prevent financial loss. It also becomes necessary for the organization, in its quest to acquire software to handle the control and management of its own database, to find one that perfectly suits the processes as well as the structure of the organization. Any software that is meant to improve any process should do just that and not rather cause difficulties for the user.

Source: Ashesi
Recycling of Plastic Waste Materials: Mechanical Properties and Implications for Road Construction

The main purpose of the project is to convert polyethylenetetraphylate (PET), a known plastic waste material in Ghana, to wealth. Composite samples were produced by heating aggregates together with shredded PET plastic waste material, while bitumen was added to the plastic-coated aggregates.The composites produced were of 4.5 wt%, 9.0 wt%, 13.6 wt%and 18.0 wt% concentrations of PET. Mechanical and optical characterisation of the fabricated composite samples were studied for optimization. Moreover, corrosive studies via mass loss and thermal degradation studies were performed on the test samples. From the statistical analysis conducted, it was demonstrated that shredded PET plastic waste material acts as a strong binding agent for bitumen making the asphalt last longer. From the results, 13.6 wt% concentration of PET was shown to have the maximum compressive strength. In addition, water resistance was shown to increase with increasing PET concentration of 4.5 wt%, 9.0 wt%, 13.6 wt% and 18.0 wt. The optical characterisation results revealed that the samples with 13.6 wt% PET plastic concentration had lesser voids, lesser discontinuities and maximum bonding strength.From the data analysed, 13.6 wt% PET plastic gives the optimum plastic concentration that enhances the rheological properties of bitumen.The implications of the result are therefore discussed for the used of 13.6 wt% PET in road construction.

Source: Ashesi
Recycling of plastic waste materials: Mechanical properties and implications for road construction

This paper presents a recent study on recycling poly-ethylene-tetraphylate (PET), known as plastic waste material in Ghana, to wealth. Composites were produced by heating aggregates together with shredded PET plastic waste material, while bitumen was added to the plasticcoated aggregates. The composites produced were reinforced with 4.5 wt%, 9.0 wt%, 13.6 wt%, and 18.0 wt% PET. Mechanical properties of the fabricated composite samples were studied with a Universal testing machine for optimization. The work demonstrated that shredded PET plastic waste material acts as a strong binding agent for bitumen that can improve on the shelf life of the asphalt. From the results, 13.6 wt% concentration of PET was shown to experience the maximum compressive strength and flexural strength. Besides, water resistance was shown to increase with PET concentrations/weight fraction. From the data characterized 13.6 wt% of PET plastic gives the optimum plastic concentration that enhances the rheological properties of bitumen. The implications of the result are therefore discussed for the use of 13.6 wt% PET in road construction.

Source: Ashesi
Reflect: Teaching machine learning models to reconsider their biases

Machine learning models have gained prevalence in the world we live in today. Currently, they are employed in different fields to automate the decision-making process of various institutions. With the increasing availability of data to train these models, machine learning models are adopted to solve complex classification problems that have the potential to affect people’s lives both positively and negatively. Unfortunately, certain patterns of bias that are tied to the presence of socio-economic characteristics of individuals such as race, gender and income levels may exist in the data used in training these models. When such data is employed in creating predictive machine learning models, they go on to make decisions that go against certain classes of individuals in society and favour others. This paper elaborates on a method that improves the fairness of machine learning models by closing the disparity between the misclassification rates of predictions made for classes within a sensitive group under consideration. It achieves this by modifying the loss function of a classifier such that it considers the disparate mistreatment of people, based on their membership of a particular sensitive class. This is done by calculating for the gradient of the error between predictions made and the ground truth for each sensitive group (based on the sensitive feature taken under consideration that may contribute to unfair decision making). This gradient is then added to the gradient of the Cross-Entropy loss function of a Logistic Regression classifier. By including this modification to models’ loss functions, it learns parameters that not only correctly predict recidivism, but also minimize disparate mistreatment. This experiment was able to close the disparity between the false positive rates of recidivism risk score predictions made on African Americans and individuals of other racial origin in a subset of the COMPAS Recidivism Dataset by 52% (from a difference of 0.25 to 0.12). It was able to do so with a test accuracy of 70.4%. Keywords:

Source: Ashesi
Reflection: a Kinect-based interactive artwork in Ashesi beta space

The campus of Ashesi University Collage has a unique architecture which creates a relaxing feeling for the people who work there or visit it. Even though this is true for most spaces on campus, there are some spaces on campus which have a few design issues like the confined spaces and the lack of natural light. This has caused a dull effect on the people using these spaces as they use them. The location being examined in this project is a staircase which has a low ceiling and little natural light. This problem has been addressed in this project by the implementation of interactive art which has proven useful in bringing excitement to the people using the staircase. This document describes the process of design, implementation and testing this artwork to evaluate its effectiveness.

Source: Ashesi
Remote Health Monitoring Device for Distribution Transformers

The poor response time of maintenance teams during transformer-related problems is a very frustrating event for many customers. Numerous ways of remotely monitoring transformers have been proposed, including the use of GSM technology, Machine learning, and transformer health index prediction. Rural areas tend to be sidelined with these approaches to monitoring the transformer health, and some approaches do not provide real-time monitoring but tend to predict using specific transformer parameters. With the help of LoRa communication and the IoT network, it is possible to monitor in real-time some parameters of the transformer that could contribute to transformer failure if they are left unattended. This study proposes a simple LoRa communication approach to real-time monitoring of transformer health to accommodate transformers located in far places away from maintenance teams. A hardware system is designed and built, a system integration and communication module is implemented and a frontend is developed to visualize the results. The experimental results proved that the system would be able to measure the needed parameters and display in real-time the condition of a distribution transformer.

Source: Ashesi
Remote low-cost universal motor drive

It is undeniable the usefulness of motors in our current age. Used in almost every major industry of business globally, these deceptively simple devices drive the world forwards without a hitch. A few examples of this claim, in no particular order, would be the automation industry, in which motors are arguably the backbone of the business; factory management, which utilizes said appliance to ease most tasks with efficiency; the computer industry, which employs motors in ventilation and storage. With much use comes the need for control to achieve desired results and functionality, two prime examples being the speed of a car or a conveyor belt. Control of motors is in no way a functionality feature that is alien to the human race. A basic electronic kit with a motor driver can be employed to drive a small motor for a relatively low cost. Despite this, the control of larger motors is more complicated, with the previously mentioned motor driver not able to impact the now senior-level motor. Another concern entails the current pandemic we face today, with COVID-19 still posing a threat to the population. Contact and proximity amongst individuals must be limited to keep everyone safe, and the current working climate regarding heavy use of motors seems almost impossible. With this predicament, a method of moderating and operating motors with minimum contact is needed. This capstone project intends to solve the issues mentioned above by creating a Universal motor using wireless technology for convenient control.

Source: Ashesi
Remote sensing of quality parameters of major water bodies in Ghana using satellite imagery

The concept of remote sensing to assess environmental conditions is a relatively new concept. Historically, information about the environment has been attained through physical investigation and more recently through sensors in IoT (Internet of Things) systems. Currently, in Ghana, there are a lot of activities such as illegal mining that tend to pollute water bodies. A significant proportion of Ghanaians depend on surface water for their domestic and commercial needs and so these water bodies must be protected and monitored. This project seeks to capitalize on this concept of remote sensing by monitoring of quality parameters of major water bodies in Ghana as a more cost-effective and sustainable approach.

Source: Ashesi
Remote sensing with satellite images: Burned area detection

Remote sensing by satellite image is emerging technology that does not require physical data measurement and collection. Satellite imaging helps us to easily study natural resources over time, as the ecosystem changes. The state of our lands and vegetation in Ghana, if bad, hinders food production and even wood and mineral extraction. Burned areas result in loss of vegetation for a period depending on the severity of the burn and sometimes even forever. This project uses remote sensing to study the state of burned areas especially vegetation in Ghana and the degree of damage and degree of recovery after the fires.

Source: Ashesi
Renewable Energy Adoption in The Plastic Manufacturing Industries of Accra, Ghana.

Ghana's plastic manufacturing indwilry plays a crucial role in economic development but remains heavily dependent on fossil fuel-powened plants. contributing significantly to greenhouse gas emissions and environmental degradation (UNEP, 2021). Despite global momentum toward renewable energy adoption. the sector faces barriers. including high upfront costs, technical limitations and inadequate policy support (Dzage et al., 2024). This study examines the challenges and opportunities in transitioning Ghana's plastic manufacturing industry to renewable energy, focusing on five key firms in Accra: Miniplasl, Oraplawt. lnlcrplasl. Shcfcr, and Blowplasl. Using a qualitative research approach, the study conducted semi-structured interviews and observational analyses with industry stakeholders to assess the level of renewable energy adoption, identify barriers, and evaluate the effectiveness of existing initiatives (AGI, 2022). Findings reveal minimal adoption rates as well as technical challenges, including a lack of skilled personnel (Nyimakan, 2022). Policy gaps further exacerbate these issues, with weak enforcement of regulations and insufficient sector-specific incentives (IRENA, 2020). This study underscores the urgent need for targeted interventions, including financial mechanisms, policy reforms, and capacity-building programs to enhance technical expertise (Bawakyillenuo, 2021). By addressing these barriers, the industry can align with SDGs 7, 9, and 13 while improving long-temr sustainability. This research contributes to the broader discourse on industrial renewable energy transitions in Sub-Saharan Africa. olTcring actionable recommendations for policymakers, industry leaders, and sustainability advocates. The findings highlight the necessity to overcome these barriers and accelerate the adoption ofclean energy solutions in Ghana's manufacturing landscape.

Source: Ashesi