Kenyan whizz-kid invents smart meters for loading power tokens

A Kenyan whizz-kid has invented a smart power meter that is set to revolutionise how consumers buy and load tokens.

Mr Morris Mbetsa, the chief executive of Numeral IOT, has created a meter that does not need manual input of tokens from Kenya Power, which many find laborious. It will automatically load them and deliver a confirmation message to the user. 

The meter can monitor power consumption, meaning a user can set daily or monthly energy targets. It also allows one to transfer tokens to their cellphones when they are relocating, a feature that has been missing. It’s common to “surrender” tokens when one is moving houses.

By dialling a short code, the user can turn on and off their meter, top up, check the balance in real-time and document reports. 

The power firm can dictate the intervals at which power usage information can be recorded online. Mr Mbetsa hopes utility companies will have less spacing for accurate data reading and interpretation. 

With the comfort of managing your electricity needs through your phone, Mr Mbetsa says one can check the balance or monitor appliances that are consuming a lot of power from any location. One can also turn on and off devices plugged in power remotely and share tokens with another user. 

Biggest challenge

“The smart meter seeks to help power companies to know the voltage in every phase they cover in real-time. This is also practical in case of a power surge, blackout and frequency fluctuations in an area,” he offers.

About four years ago, Mr Mbetsa, 30, was on a trip when tokens ran out at home, plunging his compound into darkness. He bought tokens, but they could not be manually loaded because he had locked his house. 

“It hit me. Why couldn’t I just buy the tokens and have them loaded without physically accessing the meter?” he posed.

His biggest challenge was ensuring the meter conforms to all the set international standards. 

“The goal of all innovations is to help people acquire smart devices at an affordable price,” he offers. A senior official at Kenya Power described the smart meter as a game-changer. 

“This will transform the way in which consumers manage their power. It will help many control their consumption,” he said.

Employment opportunities

Born in Mariakani, Mombasa, Mr Mbetsa moved to Nairobi after high school. Within a few weeks of his stay, his host was carjacked. Pained by the ordeal, Mr Mbetsa invented an SMS-based anti-theft vehicle security system called ‘Block and Track’. 

“One could turn the vehicle on and off from their mobile phone,” he said. The system used a combination of voice, dual-tone multi-frequency and SMSs to carry codes and messages that controlled the vehicle’s electrical systems, including the ignition. However, this innovation did not give him the funding he had envisaged to start a company. 

“I learnt that building a prototype and actually manufacturing the product are two different things. Sadly, I was not able to produce the anti-theft car device,” he offers. Mr Mbetsa developed his passion for technology at a young age. 

“Life was not easy when I was growing up, so I used to keep myself busy,” he says. In high school, his favourite subjects were mathematics, physics and chemistry as he felt they were compatible with his goals. After school, he joined Kenya Polytechnic but was only in class for three months before he dropped out.

Having created employment opportunities for many women and youths, Mr Mbetsa believes that passion overpowers academic papers. 

“Even without the academic qualifications, my team is competent enough to build prototypes and manufacture smart device products,” he said.