The European Patent Office (EPO) on 4th July 2023 announced that Maasai inventor, Richard Turere, won first place in the Young Inventor Prize at the European Inventor Award 2023.
Turere invented the Lion Lights system at age 11. As a young Maasai boy, Turere was entrusted with the vital responsibility of protecting his family's cattle from predators(捕食者). He recognised the need for a solution to prevent lions and other predators from attacking livestock(牲畜), which led him to develop the innovative light system that has since gained global recognition.
Lion population in Africa is estimated to have declined by 43% in the past 20 years. Many lions are killed to stop them from eating precious livestock, significantly impacting the lion population, the area's biodiversity and tourism. Known as Lion Lights, Turere's invention is based on a simple concept: visually reproducing the human presence that keeps lions away. With changing sequences(序列) of flashing lights which are fixed on fences, the lions cannot become comfortable with the patterns and are discouraged from hunting livestock.
As word of Turere's technology and its success spread, other community members began requesting the system for their properties, and now over 2,000 homes in Kenya use Lion Lights. The system typically runs on solar energy but can also be coupled with wind power when the weather is cloudy or there is little sun.
In 2013, Turere founded the Lion Lights organization, which now cooperates with more than50 young people in his native village. Turere's commitment and resourcefulness have attracted international attention. His invention has been adopted in several other countries. "I want this story to inspire the young kids so that they too can do something.