The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) said it would continue to encourage research works in line with its mandate of ensuring excellence in all human endeavours.
Prof. Umar Danbatta, Executive Director of NCC, disclosed this when he received some research projects from Federal University of Technology FUT Minna, on Monday in Abuja.
The projects -Mobile Communication Based Walking Stick and SIMless Data and Voice Connection, using multiple operators enable SIM Card were funded by the NCC.
Danbatta, represented by Mr Ubale Maska, Executive Technical Services of the NCC said the commission was happy with the results shown by the university.
The NCC boss said the commission would encourage the researchers to get investors who would continue to explore the research.
According to him the projects were in line with the mandate of the commission as well as the eight point agenda of the current leadership.
“The project shows that FUT Minna has been able to accomplish every single thing with the grant given by the NCC, and that they were visionary enough to look beyond what we expected them to do.
“You have to consciously choose the SIM you want but the project on super SIM card can automatically select the SIM with the available network based on pre-determined instructions so it is very relevant.
“And the project is in line with the consideration for national roaming that is being promoted now by the commission.
Danbatta said that the project was funded by NCC with about N4 million.
“We had hoped they would do it within a year so that they will get more but it has taken the last three years but we are happy because work like this is usually on-going all times,’’ he said.
Prof. Moses Olutoye, Deputy Director Research, FUT Minna who represented the Vice Chancellor Prof. Abdullahi Bala, said the first project -the walking stick can be used at old age or when you are in danger.
Olutoye said it was designed to look like a walking stick but it is not an ordinary walking stick.
“It is designed to make calls and it has some other device that can detect obstacles in case you are approaching a danger point, it is enabled for the blind and the disabled to avoid obstacles.
Prof. Abiodun Abinu, the Lead Researcher and Head of Department of Mechatronics Engineering, FUT Minna speaking on the second project SIMless Data, said people carry a lot of phones or SIMs as a result of quality of service.
Abinu said using basic engineering and the technology behind mobile phone, the researchers infused in it artificial intelligence system to be able to take intelligent decision.
“With this project, subscribers can enjoy quality of service even without having more than one phone,’’ he said adding that the product will soon hit the market,’’ he said.
