Sleep Sickness Congo

Project: Sleeping Sickness Surveillance in Congo

In March 2013, we partnered with Comm-Co to develop a solution for a critical project in Congo. The goal was to use ruggedized PDAs for data collection in remote regions of Congo to monitor sleeping sickness. The field workers travel door-to-door, registering residents and conducting screening tests. If a test is positive, a blood sample is collected on barcoded filter paper. Every two weeks, the field workers return to the district capital to hand over the filter paper samples for lab analysis.

We needed a reliable device that could record data on all screened individuals and their locations. The device had to support GPS functionality, even in areas without mobile network coverage, and include a barcode scanner. Furthermore, the solution had to be powered in areas lacking electricity. The devices also needed to be durable and resistant to dust, moisture, and rough handling. A ruggedized tablet with Windows compatibility was the ideal choice for our project.

Initially, we tested the AGX TPC10 tablet in combination with a 2300 mA solar charger. Comm-Co developed an MS Access app for data entry that also recorded geographic coordinates and scanned barcodes. While this setup worked well, we encountered challenges with keeping the tablet charged, as the solar charger was insufficient. As a result, we switched to the Ruggear RG970 smartphone, an Android device, which required a new app developed by Comm-Co. The RG970 performed excellently, with its long battery life and quick recovery from sleep mode, reducing the need for daily charging.

For charging, we explored multiple options. The devices could be charged using a 12-volt battery, and since the field workers travel on motorcycles, our first thought was to use motorcycle batteries. However, most motorcycles in Congo use 6-volt batteries, which was incompatible with our 12-volt needs. After testing several approaches, we opted for a foldable 40-watt solar panel with a 7Ah maintenance-free battery, which worked perfectly and was portable enough to be carried on the motorcycle. The battery provided enough charge for the PDA, powered a 12-volt centrifuge, and even allowed us to use a 7-watt LED light in the evenings.

Eventually, we identified a motorcycle locally available with a 12-volt battery. This became our backup charging solution for emergency situations.

Project: Sleeping Sickness Surveillance in Congo

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