Africa
Ibrahim Mbaya: What to Know About the 25-Year-Old Model Whose Death Has Sparked Outrage
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VIDEO: 8 Children Among 30 Killed in Kaduna Community Attack
VIDEO: 8 Children Among 30 Killed in Kaduna Community Attack At least 30 people, including eight children, have been killed after armed attackers...
BBNaija Season 11: Meet the Housemates Battling for ₦160m Grand Prize
BBNaija Season 11: Meet the Housemates Battling for ₦160m Grand Prize The 11th season of Big Brother Naija has officially kicked off with...
Africa’s Talking Drum: Mama Nkem Left Before Her Daughter Was Ready
By: Chioma Madonna Ndukwu Africa’s Talking Drum: Mama Nkem Left Before Her Daughter Was Ready In Umuoma Village, people said that a mother’s...
Harvard-Trained Nigerian-American Engineer Raises $7m for Robot Designed to Assist Hair Braiders A Nigerian-American engineer and Harvard graduate, Yinka Ogunbiyi, has secured $7 million in seed funding to develop a robotic device designed to make hair braiding faster and less physically demanding for professional stylists. Ogunbiyi’s company, HaloBraid, is developing what it describes as the world’s first patented braid-assist robot. The device is designed to work with hairstylists by handling some of the repetitive movements involved in knotless braiding. The funding round was led by Seven Seven Six, a venture capital firm founded by Reddit co-founder Alexis Ohanian. AlleyCorp and Bling Capital were also among the investors. The technology has already attracted significant interest, with more than 7,000 salons reportedly waiting to use the system. HaloBraid is designed as a collaborative robot, meaning it works alongside a human stylist instead of attempting to replace one. The hairstylist remains responsible for sectioning the hair, creating the initial knot and completing the final styling. The robot then assists with the repetitive weaving process down the length of the braid before the stylist returns to finish and shape the ends. According to the company, the technology could cut the time spent on some knotless braid appointments by roughly half, allowing salons to serve more clients while reducing the physical pressure on stylists. For Ogunbiyi, the idea was born from personal experience. During the COVID-19 pandemic, she spent four days installing knotless braids on herself, an experience that made her consider how technology could assist with the most repetitive aspects of the process. She subsequently teamed up with co-founder David Afolabi to develop HaloBraid. The company’s technology is also aimed at addressing the physical demands of professional braiding. Stylists who spend years performing repetitive movements can experience problems affecting their wrists, hands, shoulders, back and joints. By assisting with the most repetitive stage of braiding, HaloBraid hopes to reduce the strain on beauty professionals and help them work more efficiently. Ogunbiyi said the technology would not take away from the personal experience of visiting a salon. Rather, she believes it can allow stylists to spend less time on repetitive movements while continuing to handle the creative and personal aspects of hairstyling. Before launching HaloBraid, Ogunbiyi worked on smart kitchen appliances and Internet of Things products. She holds a joint master’s degree in engineering and business administration from Harvard University. With a $7 million investment and thousands of salons already expressing interest, HaloBraid is seeking to introduce robotics into one of the world’s largest and most labour-intensive beauty markets.
Harvard-Trained Nigerian-American Engineer Raises $7m for Robot Designed to Assist Hair Braiders A Nigerian-American engineer and Harvard graduate, Yinka Ogunbiyi, has secured $7...
5 Members of Same Family Found Dead Inside Abia Residence
5 Members of Same Family Found Dead Inside Abia Residence A family of five has been found dead inside their residence in Umuimo...
US Weighs Military Action in Mali as Jihadist Threat Spreads Across the Sahel
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African Talking Drum: Tortoise Lost More Than His Name
By: Chioma Madonna Ndukwu African Talking Drum: Tortoise Lost More Than His Name In the old days, before the animals began keeping count...
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Zambia President Wins Second Term, Promises Millions of Jobs
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