The world has changed since the coronavirus pandemic. From medical to technology, music to arts, down to how we live has been altered. While some suffered from the virus, others used it as an opportunity to improve on key sectors of the economy. Sectors such as technology, medical, and agricultural have enjoyed a robust improvement.
In Africa, technological trends and advancements have not waned. We have witnessed Africans create amazing, smart gadgets to help us. The challenges associated with covid-19 have given telehealth, robotics, and digital payment better platforms in our lives.
The pandemic has been combated with technologies that have helped in reducing the spread of the virus. Some of the technologies that have changed our lives during this pandemic include:
Online Shopping and Robot Deliveries
Africans may not have experienced the robotic delivery system, but online shopping has bridged the gap between lockdown and human needs. Covid-19 has changed the African online shopping experience with different measures to make delivery easier.
For countries that make use of robot service, it has helped in delivering goods to people without the fear of contacting the virus.
Digital and Contactless Payments
How have you cashed out money during the pandemic? Many countries opted for digital and contactless payment methods to reduce the spread of the virus. Most Africans ended up using this payment system more than they could have imagined.
The banks didn’t operate fully, thereby, forcing Africans who were reluctant to use the digital payment method to use the system. People made payments more with the contactless or digital payments instead of carrying cash around.
Remote Work
The pandemic has given Africans another reason to work from home. Remote work has finally found its niche in our continent. Many companies have embraced the remote work that is supported by virtual private networks (VPNs), cloud technology, voice over internet protocols (VoIPs), work collaborations, facial recognition tools, and virtual meetings.
Distance Learning
With schools locked down around the world, Africans followed other countries in advancing the distance learning for their pupils and students. Most schools found themselves using different technologies to keep their pupils and students abreast with their academic works.
Distance learning has been supported by augmented reality, artificial intelligence enabled robot tutors, 3D printing, virtual meetings and virtual reality.
More schools have chosen distance learning as their last resort to education. Africans who have never used this technology have embraced it whole-heartedly and asides problems related to connectivity in some parts of the continent, most have enjoyed the experience.
Telehealth
One of the effective ways to reduce the spread of the virus is with telehealth. How does this work? Our health officials make use of wearable Internet of Things (IoT) devices that can monitor vital signs of patients.
While most countries may not have the resources to push telehealth for everyone, they have been able to achieve success with this technology.
The pandemic might have caused terrible things to Africans, especially with their countries’ economies, but these technologies have become a solace to many. We have achieved more with the use of technologies in solving many of our common problems.
We wonder how the continent would look without these new developments. While we await the cure or vaccine for covid-19, more technologies are on their way to help us stay safe, keep us connected and our economies thriving.
