South Africa’s Top 20 Innovations to look out for
eCHAJA
The eChaja is a “Business in a Box” a commercial cell phone charger for use in rural African conditions. It is solar powered and charges 6 phones. Fully portable and is a instant income. See www.echaja.com The controls are colour coded for ease of use. Its designed and “Made in South Africa” for African conditions.
Nomanini Business in a box
Nomanini provides a platform to sell prepaid products such as airtime, electricity and insurance electronically.Each device serves as a “mini-business” that empowers individuals in the community to make a living or augment their existing micro-enterprise income.
KLT SCHOOL MOBILE LABORATORY
This mobile laboratory is ideal for both rural and urban schools. It provides learners with practical experiments and enhances their practical application to science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) learning.
More than 85% of schools in SA do not have a science laboratory and it would take forever and billions of Rands if they were to be built. The KLT School Mobile Laboratory is easily accessible, it can move from one classroom to another, it is on castor wheels, it is equipped with the complete set of curricular apparatus and chemicals for practical experiments, safe to use, it is lockable, it is fitted with a water sink, clean water container with a water tape, disposable used water container flowing from the sink, gas tape, fire extinguisher, battery and AC power-points and storage space. The solution to lack of laboratories in schools.
SOLAR FLOWER by Johan Raath
The Solar-flower harnesses the renewable source of solar energy in generating electricity to provide re-charging services for technology devices via their USB ports.The idea originated from noticing the increased usage of technology devices by CUT students for daily use in their studies.These devices need recharging and it was thought that what better way is there to deliver a free re-charging service to our students and in the process introduce them to the use of sustainable energy sources.The next step is to place a multiple of charging stations all over campus to increase visibility and motivate the drive towards a greener future.
AFTA ROBOT
Afta Robot (AR) is a commercial based cloud service platform with mobile access that provides business intelligence and administration through monitoring vehicles and showing routes. It will show taxi drivers, currently through the queue marshal where the commuters are and the commuters where the taxis are to enable them to engage better with the system. USSD: The application integrates with USSD technology (Mobi4D – CSIR) to find the location of taxi stops. USSD is a menu based functionality that is available for use on all GSM mobile phones. Usually referred to as the mobile app for the masses, all mobile phone users can access USSD services. Afta-Robot menus determine the origin and destination of commuters and displays the information to the queue marshal who would then dispatch the vehicle based on the number of requests (sufficient demand). (the current test code is *120*2747*194#)
TRACE IT by Hannes Dippenaar
Trace It, the only Central Information Network in South Africa and Africa, is now launching the first ever centralised service that is accessible TO EVERYBODY in order to combat crime. This initiative is protected by copyright law. You can look up any registered serial number, microdot code, barcode, microchip, engine number, sandblast number, etc. free of charge on the Trace It web and/or on your cell phone.
Trace It, a service that will reduce crime by preventing you from buying stolen items, items under Hire Purchased, rental items or livestock and will also help people find lost items. More importantly it will prevent criminals from selling stolen goods!
EDUCAN
EduCan is an Online Learning Community. Through EduCAN we aim to use the platform to connect learners and tutors, offer a range of free educational resources and instant learner support via online chats, the creation of online education community groupings and forums. EduCAN also aims at exposing learners to fun ways of learning. We believe that education should be fun, interactive and engaging!
VENUS E2000
Venus E2000 is an electricity generator which employs 220 volts, 4 Kilowatts mains supply to power a hydraulic system that drives a 30KVA AC alternator to supply cost effective electricity to South African low income homes and businesses such as people residing in the RDP houses, rural areas, small and medium enterprises.
Moreover, energy is continuously stored in the form of biodegradable hydraulic oil under pressure inside the piston accumulator. The oil is being released via a solenoid operated valve. Once being released, the oil powers a hydraulic motor (model minimum torque range of 200Nm) coupled to a gearbox which transmits mechanical energy that drives the 30 kilowatts AC alternator which generates three phase or single phase electricity.
MEMEZA HOME COMMUNITY ALARM by Thuli Mthethwa
The MeMeZa Home Community Alarm is a simple, accessible, affordable, portable alarm system for low income earners and house-holds using Community and Visibility Policing Support. The MHCA will bridge the gap between the household under attack by criminals/intruders and the Sector Policing by: Alerting the neighbours, street patrollers and Sector Police through sound and cell phone alert messages, and at the same time: Disable and scare away the criminals, on activation MeMeZa produces a piercing distinct siren sound. The sound plays a very important role, to scare and communicate to Neighbourhood. The MeMeZa alarm will work when the people are in the house or away. “By 2030, people living in South Africa should have no fear of crime. Women, children and those who are vulnerable should feel protected.” This is an extract from the National Development Plan, whose values and goals on Safety the MeMeZa concept is built upon.
HERALDSAFE by Andrew Kessler
Safety & Security is important in South Africa and touches every aspect of our lives. When crime or accident strikes it’s too late. Acting quickly when someone goes missing can mean the difference between life and death.Our dream is to make South Africa safer and get help to where it\’s needed faster. Our mobile app is a novel system to give all citizens, regardless of background, peace of mind and keep our country’s wheels turning as smoothly as possible. HeraldSafe activates when the user goes inactive and hasn’t checked. The right people are automatically notified with your last known position, destination, etc.We hope to grow our user base throughout South Africa and promote real and smart safety.
STAR OF AFRICA by Peter Merrington
Rugged portable or stationary domestic solar power kit for rural or small scale urban use, two to three LED lights, USB outlet for charging cell phones, web sling for use on foot. Fully repairable by user, all parts accessible, interchangeable. Ideal for studying at night (homework, adult education projects) – no naked flame. Or use with shoulder strap as strong outdoor torch (rain cap provided). Instructions, spare parts available. Assembled in SA with low-tech skills and tools. Our vision is to set up small Iwezi Star of Africa manufactories in communities, providing jobs, skills, community engagement, for young people, our Iwezi Stars. Ikwezi Star of Africa, safe cost-free lightining for your path!
SMUUCH CONNECT by Thebe Phele
This is a mobile internet kiosk designed to bridge the digital divide in townships. We use cloud technology to authenticate airtime that will be used by communities, making it easy for government and private sector to participate in the project. Using central system that will be hosted at Teraco data center in Isando, a user will be able to buy and use airtime voucher in Soweto Township and still be able use the remaining airtime in Sharpeville Township. The name of the competition inspired me to enter this competition because this project was born in my garage indeed.
FOSSIL FUEL FREE GENERATOR by Yusuf Mallie
Electric fossil fuel free generator, This is a 12v battery start with 12v/ 220v inverter with a Single phase to three phase VFD controller. Powering a 0.750 kw 3 phase 220v/380v 2 pole motor. Coupled to EMAP (my invention) into Single phase 3600 rpm 6.5kva generator. Creating 5.5 Kw of immediate power on demand This generator will enable single phase power on short burst perfect for mobile businesses, farms and off the grid power. Using stored energy creating its own energy, switching over to its own energy making it sustainable and efficient.
COSEV by Tshepo Thlaku
Service delivery protests are a reality cause by facts and perceptions that government is failing to deliver. Scholars, commentators, activist and government itself agree that there is an urgent need to address the communication breakdown between local government in particular and citizens. The solution is CoSev, a mobile platform that connects local government and its citizens enabling them to co-create improved delivery of essential services. By picking up a mobile phone a citizen will report any issue, rate service points, participate in surveys, report crime, and see progress of issues in their area. Municipal officials will instantly pick-up the issues and respond, track field work as issues are addressed, send citizens service notifications, and generate statistical reports for decision making. CoSev is a smart technology that will enrich the service experience of citizens and enable municipalities to be pro-active. It will increase transparency and create active citizenship.
SoCan Beam by Mandla Nkosi
In certain events you find that a house has burned down because of a candle that might have fallen accidental or an entire block of shacks have been destroyed n their Identity Documents destroyed.
The design is called a SoCan Bean, which is a candle and solar light container, safe to use even when it has fallen or if a person has forget to put it off.
BillSource Bill Manager by Marius van der Leek
Individuals lack the tools to help manage debt, especially to keep track of bills that are delivered via e-mail and other vault solutions. BillSource bill manager is a simple and secure mobile friendly user interface offers a consolidated view of all bills and the means to track and settle before penalties from Debt Collectors are incurred, or black listing by the Credit Bureaus. It is also useful to check for Identity Theft and to calculate simple debt ratios to monitor and manage personal debt.
STATIONS & STOPS by Justin Coetzee
Leave your car at home and rediscover your city by bus or train!! Stations & Stops is a \”tourism by transit\” app on iOS, Android and Blackberry that encourages users to find out what interesting Stops are within walking distance of Transit Stations. Our app leverages the GoMetro Times API and Foursquare POI API to produce curated results aimed at encouraging South Africans to explore their cities using Transit. You can search per Stop category to find out what coffee-shops or galleries are in your City – and the app will help you find your way there by transit. Or you can hop a train and see what Stops are clustered around the next Station. The Launch edition of the app will have routes for the Gautrain in Gauteng, the Southern Line in Cape Town and the PeopleMover in eThekwini.
LITTLE GREEN MONSTER BIOGAS DIGESTER by Wally Webster
The Biogas digester is a domestic retrofit innovation that is installed in your current effluent line and generates methane Gas from your organic waste. It reduces the load on the municipal sewerage processing by doing an interim breakdown of the sewerage. It lowers electricity consumption during the peak periods by generating up to 3 hours of cooking gas every day. It\’s hygienic, clean, easy to operate and delivers clean renewable energy. Daily it can process up to 20 kg of organic waste and could significantly reduce the load on the land-fill sites as well.
www.pioneerplasticsenergy.co.za/
3D Driving School by Vuyo Yokwe
In 3D driving School, the learner driver gets an experience of driving a virtual car that simulates the real car in a virtual road with oncoming traffics, road signs and forces exertable to a real car. The car is real with no windscreens or windows but instead 3D screens. REAL LIFE DRIVING EXPERIENCE is projected on the 3Dscreens, front, sides and at the back. Imagine it as a 3DVideo game. DIFFERENCE?-the learner is INSIDE THE GAME MATRIX and the control panels are the real steering wheel, foot pedals and the gear.
Acceleration and breaking forces will give real INERTIA. Contact impacts on the car as it drives will be a real force upon the car and inside occupants.The advantage is cutting of costs and fatalities related with car accidents, deaths and insurance risks associated with first time learner drivers.
CommunityLED by Steve Banhegyi
CommunityLED.co.za is an empowerment initiative devoted to poverty alleviation, climate change, improved quality of life and developing people to run their own entrepreneurial businesses based on sustainable alternative energy technologies. CommunityLED.co.za provides a short training course which provides everything needed to assess, install and maintain low voltage solar LED lighting and charging systems. Aggregating the impact of numbers of solarpreneurs can translate to SECs (Sustainable Energy Certificates) and measurable offset of CO2, PM10, Hg, SOx and Nox.
http://www.communityled.co.za/
