OULU, Finland, April 19, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Augumenta, Ltd., today announced it was selected to supply software and systems integration services to support technical training programs for life sciences and agricultural researchers in Africa working with the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA). The training solution is based on the Augumenta SmartEyes system, which uses camera-equipped smart glasses to connect field workers in Africa with Japanese experts who can view the local scene and provide instructions and support in real-time.
JICA is responsible for delivering Japan’s official development assistance as an implementing agency, providing ODA Loan and Grant Aid, and executing Technical Cooperation in developing countries. With approximately 100 offices and a network of people cooperating within its numerous programs running all over the world, the organization provides, for example, technical training for participants from developing countries in a wide range of fields, such as medical, industrial, and agricultural fields.
Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, JICA programs allowed Japanese counterparts to host experts and researchers from developing countries in Japan and thousands of Japanese experts to travel to the target countries to arrange hands-on training locally. The pandemic caused disruptions to the programs: experts have been forced to evacuate and the hosting of trainees has been suspended. Last autumn, JICA launched an open call for proposals to find solutions that enable the programs to continue operating despite travel restrictions.
The Augumenta system will initially be deployed in two African countries, Ghana and Zambia, as a tool to aid technical guidance in infectious disease control and agriculture. The SmartEyes remote collaboration solution, designed to solve remote working challenges in industrial settings, functions well in challenging environments and varying network conditions and is easy to use by workers with different skill levels.
Augumenta provides the total solution including the needed software, hardware, and support services, and is coordinating the field-testing phase. The company works in close cooperation with Iristick, which supplies the smart glasses used in the project. Iristick has extensive experience in remote assistance in general, and various types of NGO projects in developing countries in particular and brings valuable expertise to the project.
NOTE: Additional project details and statements from the involved parties can be found online: https://www.augumenta.com/library/
