When Sam Kodo tinkers around in his modest workshop in Lomé, things happen.
He uses recycled materials to create robots that feed livestock, build basic computers that run on solar power, and automation systems that unobtrusively spray organic pesticides across large tracts of farmland.
For this self-taught Togolese inventor and tech entrepreneur in his thirties, each creation is a reminder of the infinite potential of his ingenuity.
Sam is the founder of INFINITE LOOP, a robotics company he started almost 10 years ago in Togo's capital city with a vision to develop the first farming robots in Africa.
From agricultural robots to smart school bags, his flashes of genius are now illuminating lives in his community. With each new invention, Sam reinforces his growing reputation in the world of tech as among the best of his generation.
"Among my many inventions, the one I personally find most satisfying is the design of the very first solar-powered computer made in Togo, called SmartBag. This innovation has won us countless national and international awards for its impact on education in Africa," Sam tells TRT Afrika.
"I also designed the very first educational robot, called VT-BOT. It won us an award in Morocco, and also in Paris during the Scientific Week for Young Talents of Francophone Africa in 2018."
Designing solutions
As someone who started off as an inquisitive kid trying to take his toys apart just to see their internal mechanisms, Sam's inventions – most of which are still prototypes – reveal an inherent desire to solve everyday problems with automation.
The use cases range from robots that can be deployed for mundane tasks like feeding domestic animals to those capable of artistic pursuits such as drawing and sketching.
One of Sam's latest designs is the FarmBot, Africa's first ever agricultural robot.
The machine, assembled with recycled materials, incorporates artificial intelligence and aims to enable farmers to increase their yields and general productivity.
In the fields, the robot monitors and collects technical data, besides spraying pesticides on crops without significant human interference.
Sam's reputation as an outlier transcends what he can achieve with minimal resources. He doesn't feel the need to compete with his peers in Africa or elsewhere.
"I no longer ask myself whether I will be the first or not, I just go for it," he explains. "At the end of the day, no one really invents anything on Earth; nature and the universe are the source of all innovative ideas and possibilities. All of us draw inspiration from and adapt to our realities."
Curiosity as catalyst
Sam, who has a degree in sociology, believes no specific academic or technical background is necessary to become an inventor. For him, the catalyst is insatiable curiosity.
"A true inventor will never ask 'Why?'. Instead, the person will always ask 'How?' in the quest for knowledge or truth," says Sam. "To me, being an inventor means providing solutions to problems, particularly in Africa, and having a positive impact on the continent."
Although his educational background suggests a career in robotics wasn't something Sam had planned, he was never far from science, more so with a physics teacher as his father.
INFINITE LOOP reflects Sam's philosophy of purpose over profit. It is a company that strives to revolutionise education and agriculture in Togo and the rest of Africa through robotics and AI.
The company's strategy is to develop partnerships with key players in these two sectors and associated fields across the continent.
