The Council for Scientific Industrial Research of the Institute for Scientific and Technological Information (CSIR-INSTI) has announced plans to leverage on the opportunities in the technology sector to ensure efficient and effective scientific research.
As part of the transformational agenda, the institute has reiterated its commitment towards forming partnerships with like-minded organizations to achieve its technological advancement goal.
Speaking in an interview ahead of the institution’s exhibition, Dr Paul Danquah, Head of the Communications Division at CSIR-INSTI, noted that CSIR-INSTI would shift from its traditional printing and publishing to digitisation.
"Over the years our operations have provided scientific and technological information through printing and publishing of research work for scientists, policy and decision makers and industrialists.
“Now we want to move from the heavy printing and translate research papers and science journals to electronic versions, and possibly commercialise it to our clients,” he said. The technological advance of the institute, he said would include the upgrading of the Tourism and the Kwanso mobile application developed few years ago.
Dr Danquah explained that Kwanso, an Akan word that means on the road, is an app that displays traffic conditions in real time on major roads and highways within Accra.He said the app was an excellent innovation that allows motorists to see live news feeds along with their route and also allow users to explore at street level which was useful for planning journeys, especially in unfamiliar areas.
He hinted that the institute would research and develop electronic tools, equipment and communication systems aimed at solving electronic and communication problems for community development.Dr Danquah mentioned that the Tourism app provided up-to-date information of Ghana like tourism Info, attractions, Map, POI Search, and Translator and World Clock.
He stated that the app had the countries jam-packed with tons of attractions, museums, restaurants, bars, hotels and shopping destinations with traveller ratings, reviews, image galleries, rich travel information, and free daily updates.
Dr Danquah remarked that the Geo-Spatial & Information Science Division of the institute had catalogued and classified over 16 databases and developed atlas tourist maps of Ghana.
The institute had also developed a socio-economic thematic map for Jomoro District, socio-economic, environmental resources and health facilities thematic maps for South Dayi District and various thematic maps for Woeli Publishers.