| Named after | Xhosa word meaning "be careful" |
|---|---|
| Formation | 2014; 11 years ago (2014) |
| Founder | Francois Petousis |
| Founded at | University of Cape Town, South Africa |
| Products | Heat detectors/fire prevention |
| Website | lumkani |
Lumkani is a social enterprise launched by South African Students to deliver a networked heat detector device to decrease risks of fire in rural and urban informal settlements.
Foundation
Background
Lumkani was initially a university project created by Francois Petousis, an electrical engineering student in the University of Cape Town. Petousis designed a smoke detector. The current Lumkani system utilizes rate of temperature change, the original temperature detection system being designed by Samuel Ginsberg.
In 2014, Petousis and his team created the Lumkani startup along with his supervisor Samuel Ginsberg, to sell the heat detector device. The name of the startup and the device has its origins in the local Xhosa language, Lumkani means “Be careful”.
The device
The device is a small blue box that measure the rate of temperature rise rather than detecting smoke which helps in reducing false alarms. The network of Lumkani devices in a specific slum uses radio frequency to send text messages and notify people in cases of emergencies. An alarm will be activated in all houses within a 60 metres (200 ft) radius if the initial alarm is not disarmed within 30 seconds.
The central device of the network locates the GPS coordinates of the blaze, to coordinate with the fire department for immediate intervention.
Installation
As of November 2014, Lumkani distributed 7,000 devices in South African slums. In 2015, more detectors were installed in 5000 households in South Africa's highest fire risk community in Cape Town, South Africa. The start-up is planning to implement a social impact bond with several local governments to provide the device to numerous households in informal settlements for a small fee or for free.
Recognition & funding
In 2014, the startup received funding from South Africa’s Technology Innovation Agency (TIA).
In the same year, the startup won Global Innovation through Science and Technology competition’s Best Start-up award.
In 2015, the startup’s device was a finalist in the Katherine M. Swanson Young Innovator Award. On the same year, Lumkani won the People’s Choice Award at Global Social Venture Competition.
In 2020, Lumkani won the EIC Horizon Prize for Affordable High-Tech on Humanitarian Aid, at EU Research&Innovation Days.
Expansion
The startup is expanding its activities to other African countries and India.
References
- "The innovative project chosen as a finalist in Google's Impact Challenge | World Vision Australia". www.worldvision.com.au. Retrieved 2017-07-31.
- "A little blue box that might help save thousands of homes in South Africa". Public Radio International. Retrieved 2017-07-31.
- Nofemele, Lumk A (2017-02-01). "The little blue box that's saving homes and saving lives". Popular Mechanics. Retrieved 2017-07-31 – via PressReader.
- ^ Eastaugh, Sophie (23 August 2016). "The little blue box that can save lives". CNN. Retrieved 2017-07-31.
- "A Smart Heat Detector Reduces The Threat Of Cooking Fires Burning Down Shanty Towns". Fast Company. 2014-09-11. Retrieved 2017-07-31.
- "Lumkani - low cost fire detection system" (PDF). www.rci.uct.ac.za.
- "AIF announces the 10 nominees for its annual Innovation Prize for Africa Awards". Retrieved 2017-07-31.
- "Where there's smoke, there might not be fire, so this device detects heat instead". Digital Trends. 2015-08-04. Retrieved 2017-07-31.
- "10 African 'tech for good' startups to watch in 2017 - Ventures Africa". Ventures Africa. 2017-04-10. Retrieved 2017-07-31.
- ^ "Lumkani Fire Detection". www.globalinnovationexchange.org. Archived from the original on July 31, 2017. Retrieved 2017-07-31.
- "Fire detection startup Lumkani set to launch across South Africa". Disrupt Africa. 2015-04-22. Retrieved 2017-07-31.
- ^ "2015 Finalists". The Tech. 2015-09-01. Retrieved 2017-07-31.
- "Lumkani — Social Tech Guide". Social Tech Guide. Retrieved 2017-07-31.
- "Lumkani". Chivas (in Spanish). Retrieved 2017-07-31.