April 16, (THEWILL) – A staff of Aliko Dangote University of Science and Technology (ADUSTECH), Wudil, Dr Mubarak Mahmoud, has invented a modern method of Tree Height Measurement.
The invention uses a photographic method of measurement leveraging Mathematical principles.
The Head of Information and Public Relations Unit of the University, Abdullahi Datti Abdullahi, disclosed this in a statement on Wednesday.
Dr Mahmoud is a product and staff of ADUSTECH and is now a PhD graduate of Université Paris-Saclay, France.
At a reception organised in his honour by the university, Dr Mahmud said he leveraged Mathematical principles, particularly Thales’ theorem, specifically the similarities of triangles.
“We developed a virtual referencing equation that we try to measure height and relationship between instances on photograms and we try to compare with actual tree height. And we are able to achieve a near-perfect correlation of 0.998 out of 1”, he said.
According to him, the new method saves a lot of time when compared to conventional measurement, “because, on average, it takes only 1 minute 30 seconds for measurement using the Mahmoud method instead of 10 minutes using the conventional method.
“The method was started in Wudil and developed in France. It started from here in the classrooms of ADUSTECH and in the open fields and now moved to the world”, the inventor said.
He said the feat is a testament that ADUSTECH Wudil has the potential to achieve everything possible across the world.
He appreciated all those who have contributed to the success of the project, including the university.
“We were well mentored in this University and I don’t have enough words to say thank you to the parents, the mentors and the leadership. This University is my source of inspiration”, Mahmoud said.
The Vice Chancellor of the university, Prof. Musa Tukur Yakasai, described the project as a milestone, adding that the institution is proud of the project that was invented by its staff and former students.
Prof. Yakasai congratulated Dr Mahmoud for the feat and stressed the need for collaboration between the University and Université Paris-Saclay.
In his remarks, Prof. Aminu Umar Fagge, who presented the award, said: “What Mubarak did was a complete improvement of the system to the extent that with a mobile phone one can calculate the height of a tree.”
Fagge, a leading Forestry Scientist from the Department of Forestry and Wildlife ADUSTECH, revealed that the method is the first of its kind worldwide and has been published in the prestigious journal Smart Agricultural Technology and is poised to be incorporated into Forestry Education Curricula at select institutions worldwide.
“This milestone not only highlights Nigeria’s emerging role in forestry technology and artificial intelligence but also reinforces the country’s impact on global scientific advancements.
“Mahmud’s work is expected to transform forestry practices, offering a more efficient and accurate tool for researchers and environmentalists worldwide.
“To further enhance its accessibility and precision, an Android application leveraging artificial intelligence has been developed, making the method more user-friendly and accurate for researchers and forestry professionals as Mahmoud Method”, he added.
Abdullahi Yusuf is a seasoned journalist, communicator and was previously the Deputy Editor-In-Chief and Zonal Manager, News Agency of Nigeria, NAN, Jos, where he retired on December 15, 2021
