The Talent Clinic in Kampala is making use of a cutting-edge technology called the Human Anthropo Bio-metric Kit to predict the future capabilities of young children as they grow.
This technology employs advanced three-dimensional optical technology and includes a specialized camera that captures not just images, but also traces signals within the human body. The captured images are color-coded, with green denoting areas of strong signals, yellow for relatively weaker signals, and red indicating potential signal obstructions.
This technology is particularly significant because it focuses on the critical period of a child’s cognitive development around the age of four. During this phase, communication pathways between the brain and other body parts become highly efficient.
Professor Humphrey Oborah, the Secretary General of the World Talent Organization, explains the importance of this phase in a child’s development.
However, there is a concern about the lack of experts in Uganda who can interpret the complex data collected by the technology. Professor Oborah emphasizes the need to license qualified individuals to interpret the data and create comprehensive reports. Currently, the data is sent to an international database where licensed experts offer insights in their respective fields.
While Ugandans are proficient in operating the machines and sending data, there’s a plan to encourage physiologists to undergo training in this field. Licensing will be required even after this training to maintain a high standard of expertise.
Kenya is noted as the only East African country with licensed experts capable of interpreting the data from this technology. The transformative potential of this technology is highlighted by Godfrey Kabbyanga, the State Minister for ICT and National Guidance.
He suggests that implementing this technology for every newborn could enable strategic planning based on projected talents and proficiencies. This, in turn, might lead to a revision of the education curriculum to focus more on nurturing talents alongside academics.
Hajj Abas Samali, a director of the Talent Clinic, provides insights into the financial aspect, mentioning that the technology costs around one billion Shillings and parents are required to pay approximately US$200 (equivalent to around Shillings 700,000) for the service.
This technology isn’t limited to children; adults can also use it to discover latent talents that could complement their existing vocations. Hajj Samali also emphasizes the importance of adhering to the Data Protection and Privacy Act of Uganda to safeguard the collected individual data.