African engineers are leveraging artificial intelligence, 3D avatars, and smart devices to address disability challenges, creating tools that enhance communication, mobility, and employment opportunities. In Kenya, engineer Elly Savatia has developed Terp360, an app that translates speech into sign language using AI and 3D avatars, earning him the 2025 Africa Prize for Engineering Innovation. The technology, initially limited to the sign language alphabet, evolved through user feedback to include over 2,300 signs, including common phrases and dialects, reducing translation time from 6.9 to 3.5 seconds. Savatia’s team also released the largest open African sign-language motion dataset, containing 12,000 Kenyan Sign Language sequences and nine million motion frames, alongside benchmark models.
Savatia’s innovation has drawn international attention, with plans to expand into the UK for British Sign Language (BSL) and partnerships in the US and South Africa. The Signvrse team collaborates with telecommunications, banking, and government sectors to scale the technology. Meanwhile, Kenyan innovator Brian Mwiti Mwenda created The Sixth Sense, a handheld device using ultrasonic sensors to detect obstacles for blind and partially sighted users. The device, which vibrates to signal proximity, includes an emergency location-sharing feature. It is now operational in the UK and being tested in Austria by 10,000 members of Access Austria, following 15,000 engineering hours and 5,000 product testing hours across four continents.
In Tanzania, Dr. Atish Shah of Roverlabs Tanzania is tackling prosthetic affordability through AI-enabled 3D printing. The company uses smartphones as 3D scanners to create custom prosthetics in three days, reducing travel costs for rural patients. Roverlabs has supported over 2,000 individuals and integrated home-based medical imaging, such as X-rays and ultrasounds, to aid people with disabilities and chronic diseases. These innovations highlight the importance of user-centered design, with developers emphasizing affordability, scalability, and continuous refinement through collaboration with end-users.
The Africa Prize for Engineering Innovation, administered by the Royal Academy of Engineering, supports African innovators in transforming ideas into sustainable businesses. Savatia, Mwenda, and Shah, all Africa Prize alumni, participated in the Academy’s Advance programme to expand into the UK. Their work underscores how engineering can empower people with disabilities, fostering independence and inclusion. The 2026 Africa Prize Final, scheduled for October 28 in Johannesburg, will spotlight these advancements, with Savatia expected to showcase his progress since winning in Senegal.
Public-interest implications of these technologies include bridging accessibility gaps in education, healthcare, and employment. By addressing high costs and infrastructure limitations, African engineers are tailoring solutions to local needs, ensuring technologies reflect regional realities. For instance, Terp360’s focus on Kenyan Sign Language dialects and Roverlabs’ rural-centric prosthetics demonstrate context-specific innovation. The Sixth Sense’s global rollout also highlights the potential for cross-border collaboration in disability inclusion.
Despite progress, challenges remain in scaling these solutions. Developers must balance affordability with quality, ensuring technologies are manufacturable and accessible to marginalized communities. Partnerships with governments, NGOs, and private sectors are critical for widespread adoption. The Africa Prize’s mentorship and funding programs play a vital role in sustaining these efforts, enabling innovators to refine their products and navigate regulatory landscapes.
As African engineering continues to drive disability inclusion, the focus remains on empowering users through co-design and iterative improvements. The success of Terp360, The Sixth Sense, and Roverlabs’ prosthetics illustrates the transformative potential of technology when developed in partnership with the communities it serves. These innovations not only enhance individual autonomy but also set a precedent for future engineering solutions across the continent.