GRTech
A first for Africa! Vapor Wake K9 SA to demonstrate cutting edge explosive detection canine technology at Securex South Africa 2019


By: Ikenna Oluka
Vapor Wake K9 SA will be showcasing the Vapor Wake method of training working dogs in the detection of explosives and other illicit substances – the first organisation outside the US to offer this advanced type of canine technology – as the official sponsor of the Vapor Wake K9 SA demo area at the upcoming Securex South Africa 2019 expo.
Securex, which is Africa’s leading security and fire trade exhibition, takes place from 14 to 16 May this year at Gallagher Convention Centre in Midrand, Johannesburg.
Robbie Roberts, operational director of Vapor Wake K9 SA, explains that the Vapor Wake approach is unlike any other canine training available locally. “Traditionally, Explosive Detection Dogs (EDDs) are trained to view static objects or people. With Vapor Wake trained K9s, the major difference is that they are able to detect body-worn explosives on a moving target. This effectively allows them to accurately screen hundreds of people passing through a high flow entry point – such as in an airport or a stadium – in a way that is non-intrusive.”
Patented by Auburn University in Alabama (US) as the only patented technology to detect body-worn explosives in transit, Vapor Wake is the product of many years of research, breeding and testing at the university’s Canine Performance Sciences (CPS) programme, the largest K9 detection research programme in the United States.
According to the VWK9 K9 Training Academy, one of the fastest growing canine companies in the industry today and partner of Auburn University’s Auburn’s CPS programme, “scent particles are carried behind a person in a ‘thermal plume’ produced by the body’s natural heat. A person’s natural thermal plume goes upwards when they are standing still, but as soon as they begin moving, the thermal plume extends behind them, much like the wake behind a boat in the water (thus the name, ‘Vapor Wake’).
“Vapor Wake K9 Detection Teams will work through a crowd by sampling the cross-section of people moving within. As soon as a Vapor Wake dog detects an explosive odour, it will follow the source: a person, a bag left behind, something carried inside and then hidden – a Vapor Wake dog will always follow the threat to its source.”
The Vapor Wake K9 SA mobile explosive detection team works locally with the likes of the Airports Company South Africa (ACSA), in order to provide these specialised K9 security capabilities in areas such as airport terminals and stadiums. In addition, the company provides canine screening of cargo. Cargo Screening K9 Alliance K9s are tested every 12 months in South Africa by Tim Baird (assessor) and Ashley Beard (trainer) from Vapor Wake America.
“Vapor Wake K9 SA will use Securex this year as a platform to communicate our status as the only local company on the African continent, and indeed outside the US, to provide this type of service,” says Roberts. “Our offering shows that Africa is at the forefront of this type of security technology advancement, and we want to show the market exactly what we can do.”


Securex 2019 will be co-located with A-OSH EXPO, Africa’s leading occupational safety and health trade exhibition, as well as – for the very first time – Facilities Management Expo 2019, the show that brings together all aspects of facilities management.
Visitors are able to register for attendance at no cost by visiting www.securex.co.za, gaining access to all three shows, as well as four free-to-attend seminar theatres!
Other highlights of Securex 2019 will include a Cybersecurity Pavilion, sponsored by 4Sight Holdings, Cyberlab seminar theatre, more than 190 security-focused exhibitors showcasing a full range of security-related products and services, as well as a security-focused free-to-attend seminar theatre with more than 20 highly relevant sessions.
GRTech
The Economics of Product Decisions: Applying Behavioural Economics and Game Theory in PM


Product managers often need to make a clear-cut decision: what should we build next? But the decisions which hold real importance go beyond adding features.
It’s about getting what makes people tick.
It goes way beyond what you would expect, getting into how people behave and using game theory.
These areas give insight into how users decide and how a product’s design can improve growth and keep people interested.
This is what Amarachi Nnochiri excels at. She is a senior product manager that knows how to use economics and psychology in her job.
She goes beyond simply managing product tasks; she develops whole product systems based on how users think, feel, and use a service. Her background shows how understanding human psychology and behaviour can give you a significant advantage in the competition.
One idea Amarachi uses is “loss aversion.” In this scenario, people feel worse about losing something than they feel good about gaining something of equal value.
She uses this when designing her products, mostly when it comes to pricing and getting people to try new strategies. For example, instead of giving a free trial, she might use a freemium setup where users get some stuff for free but could lose it if they don’t buy an upgrade. This pushes them to pay.
She might also use progress bars or streak counters, since losing progress gets people to keep using the product.
Amarachi also uses ideas from “game theory” to get how users act and change their behavior. She realizes that users are doing more than operating a product, but are playing a game with other users or with the product itself. She designs things that use ideas like “Nash equilibrium,” where nobody can do better by changing what they’re doing. For a social product, this could mean creating a system where doing something good for yourself (like inviting friends) also helps everyone else. This makes the whole thing stable and positive.
Her know-how in game theory also applies to making strong “network effects.” This means making stuff that gets better as more people use it.
A good example is a social network where each new user makes the product more helpful for everyone else. Amarachi endeavours to make things go viral on purpose, not just by luck.
She might use “commitment devices,” which are things that make a user stick with a behaviour by making them depend on it socially or functionally. For example, inviting team members to a tool makes the user stick with the platform and makes the product’s network stronger.
This way of thinking is better than just following the usual steps. By using these economic and psychological tricks, Amarachi develops competitive advantages which are difficult to replicate.
She knows that a company’s best thing is not just a simple interface, but a product that’s designed to sync with how people behave.
Her product choices aren’t just about the needs of users, but equally focus on motivating them to like the product, use it, and stick with it.
In her work, choosing a subscription price isn’t just a business thing; it’s about behaviour. Designing a social feed isn’t just about the content; it’s about balancing what people want and watching how they interact. Amarachi knows extensively about the economics of product decisions. This makes her products innovative and appealing to human behaviour, which leads to more use, keeps people around, and helps the product grow. She’s a leader in product management, where identifying customer desires is backed by understanding human motivation.


Technology Company, Globacom, has announced significant reductions in its International Direct Dialing (IDD) rates, making international calls more affordable for its existing and new customers across Nigeria.
Effective August 10, the new rates began applying to over 15 popular international destinations, including United States which will has moved to ₦30 per minute, down from ₦35, United Kingdom is now N350 from ₦400, while India also moved down to ₦40 from N45.
The rates for China, Saudi Arabia and Cameroon however recorded major reduction moving to N75, N300 and ₦700 respectively.
The reduction was also extended to African countries including Benin Republic which goes for ₦650 per minute, Niger Republic ₦750, Ghana ₦500, and Togo ₦650. United Arab Emirates also moved from ₦450 to ₦325, Germany to ₦550, Côte d’Ivoire ₦700, Libya ₦700, while calls to Malawi is now N1,100 from ₦1,200.
Glo aims to provide more value for its customers through these revised rates, encouraging them to make Glo their preferred network for international calls. New IDD bundles will also be introduced, offering frequent international callers even more attractive deals.
Globacom, which remained optimistic that frequent international callers will benefit immensely from the reductions in IDD bundles, enjoined customers to take advantage of the new rates to stay connected with friends and business associates across the globe.
GRTech
Oil subsidy removal freed up resources for infrastructure – Enugu Governor
By Orji Israel, South East Correspondent


The Executive Governor of Enugu State, Peter Mbah, has attributed the financing of numerous infrastructure projects embarked by the state government to the oil subsidy removal policy of the President Bola Ahmed Tinubu administration.
He made this declaration at the Govermment House, Enugu, during a courtesy visit by a delegation of federal government led by Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, as part of activities lined up for the 2-day Citizens’ Engagement Series in the South East geo-political zone.
“For us in Enugu, we are able to accomplish all we promised our people during the campaign, thanks to the bold decision taken by President Bola Tinubu, which has freed up resources needed to execute humongous capital projects,” said Governor, while listing ongoing projects in the state, which include the construction of 7,000 classrooms, 3,300 hospital beds and 2,000-hectare of 260 farm estates across the 260 wards of the state.
Governor Mbah also pledged more support for the policies of the federal government, saying they are in the best interest of the people of the state.
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