Installing Ruby’s hardware: from one mother to countless others

To save lives, humanitarian aid must be in the right place at the right time. Understanding where nutrition supplements, vaccines and medicines are located and used is vital to meeting emergency needs.

In hard to reach conflict zones, areas without electric and internet connectivity and where staff are overstretched, reliable real time data does not exist. This results in stock running out, medicines expiring and inefficiencies in delivery. Ultimately this puts the lives of the most vulnerable on the line.

This pilot will utilise Internet of Things technology in smart geo-seals to seal boxes of humanitarian goods. These seals will be automatically detected at registered clinics and transmit a signal when the seal is broken. The signal would contain a geo-reference and would be sent to a central database for people to cross reference with intended locations.

This will allow for the automated monitoring of stock levels at clinics and a clear understanding of where and when goods are used. This data can be used by aid agencies and the government to ensure that clinics are stocked and gain an understanding of need in different locations.  

In this episode hear from design engineer Ruby Hill about the unexpected challenges faced when installing the technology in Ethiopia.

If you’d like to dig in further…

🎬 Watch the team installing the hubs in Harar

📚 Read Alasdairs blog about the scoping trip in Ethiopia

🚀 Explore this pilot’s profile page

📸 Check out Greg McKinney’s brilliant photography work