Informations et ressources scientifiques
sur le développement des zones arides et semi-arides

Titre : Remote Collaboration for Installation of Electricity and Connectivity to Distant African Regions (Oniipa, Namibia)

Etäyhteistyö sähkön ja verkkoyhteyden asentamiseksi Afrikan syrjäseuduille

Auteur : Laurikainen, Roosa

Université de soutenance : Aalto University

Grade : Master’s Programme in Information Networks 2021

Résumé
Installing off-grid solutions such as solar lighting systems and minigrids are seen essential in solving the world’s electricity access deficit, which is increasingly concentrated to Sub-Saharan Africa. Traditionally, installing and maintaining such systems has required experts to travel long distances to the remote regions. However, when the Covid-19 pandemic restricted international travel, the need to collaborate remotely with locals from the developing areas grew tremendously.

The aim of this thesis is to explore how installation activities should be completed in remote collaboration and to define guidelines for the best practices. In addition, this thesis studies the possibilities of utilizing mobile learning for remote collaboration in installation activities. The topic is approached by creating a prototype of mobile installation instructions for a Wi-Fi base station and then testing the instructions in practice remotely collaborating with locals from Oniipa, Namibia. In addition, the data in this study includes another remote collaborative installation, in which an electricity system was updated with new batteries.

The results show that both video calls and instant messaging are functional ways of collaborating remotely during installation activities. The results also indicate that mobile installation instructions are convenient when designed carefully to minimize the cognitive load of the user. Remote collaboration in installation activities also offers opportunities to bring knowledge, training and new jobs to the developing areas

Mots clés : remote collaboration, remote installation, off-grid electricity system, collaborative physical task, mobile learning, Namibia

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