The Nature of African Innovations

Professor Mike Bruton

  • Duration: 60min
  • Language: English
  • Ages: All Ages
  • Date: May 26, 2020 18:00
  • Recorded: Live session with recording available afterwards
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“Africa is internationally recognised as the ‘Cradle of Humankind’ and it is widely acknowledged that many significant inventions were made in Africa in ancient times. However, in the modern world, Africans are given little credit for the significant contributions that they are making to innovation in many different fields, including agriculture, medicine, astronomy and space science, sustainable living, architecture, education, transport, commerce and fintech, communications, smartphone apps, robotics, alternative energy and sport, as well as in art, culture, music and clothing design. The Fourth Industrial Revolution, which I prefer to call the First Post-Industrial Revolution, which is characterised by hyperconnectivity, the democratisation of technological innovation, robotics, artificial intelligence and the development of a ‘cyborg superorganism’ that brings together the computing power of human brains, computers and the Internet of Things for the first time, provides opportunities for African people of different cultures, generations and genders to participate fully in the new information economy and in the development of a new post-COVID-19 world order. Africans young and old are responding positively to this opportunity and are making amazing contributions to innovation in various fields.” – Professor Mike Bruton