Author
Jeremy Tang
Seasoned entrepreneur and the CEO of Area Ten
Jeremy Tang is a seasoned entrepreneur and the CEO of Area Ten. With over 2 decades of experience in business consulting and digital marketing, he has successfully driven seven startup businesses, six of which achieved $1 million in revenue from zero in less than 16 months, 5 of which grew to multi-million dollar a year ventures without any external funding. Jeremy's expertise lies in streamlining business processes through technology and leveraging digital (in particular SEO) for business growth. He resides in Australia, travels extensively, and draws inspiration from his global experiences. For more information click here.
1300 471 730
Over USD$7,000. Why? Because that’s the price to train African giant pouched rats in Tanzania, deployed by APOPO to detect landmines across the world.
Founded by Bart Weetjens, APOPO in a non-government organisation that collaborates with Sokoine University of Agriculture to develop these rats for landmine detection. I visited their office in Cambodia, one of the worst-affected countries by unexploded landmines, with an estimated 4-6 million mines still present, especially in the north which is why they’re located in Siem Reap.
What’s remarkable about these rats is their vastly superior mine detection capabilities compared to conventional metal detectors. Here’s why:
Speed: Rats can search approximately 200 square meters in just 20 minutes, whereas a deminer with a metal detector would need about 25 operational hours for the same area.
Detection: They can detect both metal and plastic-cased landmines, unlike metal detectors which struggle with plastic mines.
Accuracy: Rats ignore scrap metal and detect only the scent of explosives, reducing false positives and speeding up the clearance process.
Safety: Rats are too light to trigger landmines, making them safer in minefields.
I love this innovative approach. Too often, we equate technology with computers and software, but true innovation by definition is “the application of scientific knowledge for practical purposes.” It’s not just about software or AI; it’s about achieving the desired outcome by solving the right problem.
Bart Weetjens and APOPO didn’t just create a better metal detector; they revolutionized mine detection. Their focus on the end goal led to a transformative solution that’s 75 times faster than conventional approaches. They’ve even trained rats for tuberculosis detection.
This principle is the key to how we identify top-tier software engineers. Our case study method challenges engineers with unique problems. The best engineers never lose sight of the end goal and create the most effective approach that blend code-based with non-technical components, while average engineers often fall into expertise bias and the trap of focusing solely on code.
Innovation is about looking beyond the obvious and staying focused on the problem you’re solving. Whether it’s landmines or software engineering, the right approach can make all the difference.
How might your expertise act as a hindrance, and conversely, how can a lack of expertise become a competitive advantage?