Hey y’all! Today is the start of my third week at Medevice. My project has been going very well so far. I have done a ton of research into pulse oximeters and the different approaches that have been explored for improving their performance for darker skin tones. To test different approaches to the pulse oximeter design, I will design and simulate the circuits using software first, then create the actual device prototype once I know what materials to buy. I’ve also started researching the different components I will need to buy for prototyping; the goal is to source all of the components locally. I am excited to continue progressing my project!
Outside of work, I have gotten settled in to life in Nairobi and have gotten to see more of the city. Nairobi has lots of malls, and these malls have lots of activities, including movie theaters, bowling alleys, restaurants, and grocery stores. Jasmine and I went to see the new Lilo and Stitch movie at Westgate Mall two weekends ago, and this past weekend, Colin, Jasmine, and I went bowling at Sarit Centre Mall, followed by Japanese food and gelato. Nairobi is a diverse city with a significant international population, reflected by the ability to find any kind of food you could want at the mall food court.
Just like American cities, there is a ton of traffic in Nairobi, especially at the end of the work day. A 1.5 mile uber ride from Medevice back to our apartment after work takes around 30 minutes! Because of the traffic and the beautiful weather (highs in the 70s, lows in the 50s), we have done a lot of walking so far, such as to get groceries or to go to the gym. However, for a country where there are always lots of people walking to get to their destinations, the pedestrian infrastructure is not ideal. Many streets don’t have sidewalks, there are few pedestrian bridges available to cross busy highways, and traffic lights are often just suggestions. Looking both ways before you cross the street is essential. Even with these obstacles, I have enjoyed walking around the city as much as possible.
In addition to the beautiful weather, Kenya has a beautiful landscape to enjoy. We have visited two national parks so far: Nairobi National Park and Hell’s Gate National Park. Nairobi National Park is the closest safari park to the city, located near the airport. We enjoyed 5 hours of driving across the park to look for animals, and we were lucky enough to see lions, zebras, giraffes, antelopes, gazelles, baboons, crocodiles, rhinos, hippos, and various birds. It’s especially cool to see these animals in the wild while still being able to see the Nairobi skyline in the background.
We also went to Hell’s Gate National Park, which was about a 2 hour drive from our apartment. Hell’s Gate is located in the East African Rift Valley near Mount Longonot, a dormant volcano. The scenery here was beautiful, and we got to see zebras, monkeys, giraffes, gazelles, and warthogs. I love outdoor activities, so it was great to be able to experience the park by biking and walking rather than by car. We also got to enjoy Kenyan food for lunch afterwards – I had lamb stew, greens, and ugali, which is a thick porridge made from water and maize (corn meal). I look forward to continuing to explore Kenya!