Students from Caleb University have clinched the top prize at the Bell’s University of Technology Hackathon competition, showcasing the innovative capabilities of Nigerian undergraduates.
The winning team, comprised of final-year and 400-level Computer Science students, developed “Valor,” an artificial intelligence (AI)-powered app designed to detect mango ripeness with remarkable precision.
The team’s project is a fusion of AI and computer vision to solve a longstanding challenge in agriculture: determining the ripeness of mangoes.
Valour uses deep learning and machine learning algorithms to analyse images of mangoes, offering an accurate assessment of their ripeness level.
This is a significant improvement over traditional methods, such as visual inspection and manual squeezing, which are often unreliable.
The winning team includes Harmony Abayomi, a Software and Computer Vision Engineer; Nwachukwu Chibuzor, a Data and AI Engineer; and Efod Freda, a Data Analyst.
According to them, their app addresses the issue of mango wastage due to overripe fruit or the lack of market demand for underripe ones.
Valour ensures that only mangoes at their peak ripeness make it to market, preventing unnecessary waste and increasing consumer satisfaction.
Sunday Adewale, the acting Vice Chancellor of Caleb University, congratulated the students during a visit to his office, describing the university as a growing hub for innovation and academic excellence.
He added that Valour’s success at the Bell’s Hackathon demonstrates Caleb University’s commitment to blending technology with real-world applications.
The team’s project also complements Caleb University’s focus on interdisciplinary collaboration and hands-on learning.
According to Adeniyi Akanni, head of the Computer Science Department, the app merges technology and agriculture, providing a solution that benefits both the farming community and consumers.
The app is available as a web and mobile application and is poised to revolutionise how mangoes are handled from farm to market.
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