Engineering

African needs and engineering expertise converge

BELINDA BANTHAM — Wed, 27 Nov 2024 06:21:24 +0000

African needs and engineering expertise converge

BELINDA BANTHAM Wed, 11/27/2024 - 08:21

The Faculty of Engineering at the North-West University (NWU) participated in the World Association of Industrial and Technological Research Organizations (WAITRO) Summit 2024, which took place in Nanjing, China from 13 to 15 November.

The summit’s theme, “From innovation to impact: Strategies for sustainable solutions”, highlighted the importance of connecting innovation with market demands to foster sustainable development.

The summit brought together more than 200 representatives from nearly 40 countries, including the United States, Germany, Denmark, Australia, Turkey, South Africa and Belgium. They exchanged perspectives on industrial and technological innovation, technology transfer, industrial upgrading, green technology and sustainable development.

A central topic of discussion among the experts was the application of China's experience to support the least developed countries.

Sub-Saharan Africa featured prominently through the participation of Prof Raj Siriram, director of business development and stakeholder engagement of the Faculty of Engineering. He leads WAITRO’s Regional Focal Point (RFP) for Sub-Saharan Africa, which has a special interest group called “Technology and innovation: A catalyst for an entrepreneurial environment”.

The primary objective of the Africa Special Interest Group (SIG) is to promote collaboration within the region to enhance the commercialisation of technology, and to lay a strong foundation for innovation-driven entrepreneurship within the region.

Reducing household air pollution

Prof Siriram facilitated a session in which SIG members from Sub-Saharan Africa identified several key priority areas for further development, including low-emission clean cooking stoves, renewable energy solutions and waste management strategies, among other pertinent issues.

The aim of identifying these key priority areas is to enhance the quality of life in low-income communities by reducing household air pollution.

Prof Siriram presented ongoing research at the NWU and facilitated a productive dialogue with participants from Kenya, Uganda and the Philippines. They discussed the efforts being undertaken in various regions to combat household air pollution while identifying opportunities to leverage existing research and expertise to expedite progress.

Furthermore, the dialogue highlighted the significance of regional and international collaboration in fostering innovation and improving the quality of life for residents in low-income communities.

“The NWU actively engaged with fellow WAITRO members during the summit, cultivating meaningful connections that enhance global collaboration and bridge regional and international efforts,” says Prof Siriram.

These interactions have progressed to further discussions with Dr Hamesh Avireddy from the Leitat Technology Centre in Spain; Prof John Allport from the University of Huddersfield in the United Kingdom; and Prof Lloyd Townley from Nanjing Tech University in China.

Summing up the NWU’s contribution to the event, he says: “As representatives of the NWU, we made significant contributions to essential discussions that align with both regional and global priorities.”

WAITRO’s place in the world of innovation

WAITRO is an independent, non-governmental and non-profit association established in 1970 under the auspices of the United Nations. It serves as a global platform that unites stakeholders in science, technology and innovation, including research and technology organisations and universities. It facilitates international collaboration by providing mechanisms for members and partners to connect, form partnerships, exchange knowledge, inspire innovation and amplify their efforts. Through these initiatives, WAITRO contributes to addressing global challenges and advancing the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.

Prof Raj Siriram with WAITRO secretariat Dr Paul Burrows.

From left are Prof Henri Marais (NWU), Dr Hamesh Avireddy (Leitat Technology Centre), Prof Raj Siriram (NWU), and Prof LJ Globler (NWU).

Prof Raj Siriram presents ongoing research at the NWU on improving the quality of life of low-income communities by reducing household air pollution using low emission, semi-continuous coal stoves.

Nadia van Jaarsveldt wins big at international symposium

BELINDA BANTHAM — Tue, 12 Nov 2024 07:44:59 +0000

Nadia van Jaarsveldt wins big at international symposium

by Steve Maphakathe

BELINDA BANTHAM Tue, 11/12/2024 - 09:44

Nadia van Jaarsveldt, an Industrial Engineering student pursuing her master’s degree with a topic in agriculture, was recognised for her outstanding presentation at the South African Institute of Agricultural Engineers (SAIAE) and Pan African Society for Agricultural Engineering (PASAE) International Symposium 2024.

Held at the Houw Hoek Hotel in Grabouw, Western Cape, the symposium served as a landmark event. It ran from Wednesday, 23 October to Friday, 25 October, bringing together brilliant minds in agricultural engineering.

Van Jaarsveldt was filled with emotion as she received the award, stating that she had not anticipated it at all – a moment that will remain in her memory books.

“It was a great feeling and a proud moment to stand before all the attendees as an NWU student. I did not expect it all. I had to sit down before I could process everything,” she says.

The award, she continued, enabled the guests to recognise her name and work and provided her with the confidence to pursue a career as an industrial engineer in agriculture.

“I am hoping that, going forward, networking will be easier for me and that I will be able to find opportunities like project collaborations, working with agricultural engineers and gaining knowledge on how to transform my passion into a career.”

Van Jaarsveldt’s presentation, titled Improving cattle handling facilities: A simulation-based approach to enhance safety and productivity, demonstrated how industrial engineering principles can be applied innovatively in agriculture.

The simulation-based approach allows for the modelling and visualisation of cattle movement within a facility before any changes are made. This predictive capability aids to identify and address problem areas such as points where cattle may balk or become stressed without the risk or cost of trial-and-error adjustments in real facilities.

According to Van Jaarsveldt, the approach provides a clear, visual demonstration of how facility changes will impact operations that can support better decision-making and encourage farmers to adopt facility improvements.

“By accurately simulating cattle behaviour and movement, the model can suggest improvements to facility design that can enhance productivity by streamlining cattle flow,” she concludes.

Nadia van Jaarsveldt posing with her certificate

Best presentation award winner Nadia van Jaarsveldt (left), together with her co-supervisor, Prof Rojanette Coetzee (right), associate professor and manager of the Industrial Engineering Postgraduate Programme, at the SAIAE & PASAE International Symposium 2024.

NWU Eagles Cybathlon team heads for Zürich

BELINDA BANTHAM — Mon, 21 Oct 2024 12:27:38 +0000

NWU Eagles Cybathlon team heads for Zürich

by Willie du Plessis

BELINDA BANTHAM Mon, 10/21/2024 - 14:27

The countdown to this year’s Cybathlon 2024 has begun for local supporters of the NWU Eagles Cybathlon team, who had an enthusiastic send-off on 18 October.

The Cybathlon is a prestigious event organised by the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology and takes place in Kloten, north of Zürich. It is a global platform focusing on innovation and assistive technologies and is an excellent benchmarking opportunity for the NWU to see how its innovations compare internationally.

The nine members of the interdisciplinary NWU Eagles Cybathlon team, who leave for Switzerland on Monday, 21 October, were given a rousing send-off at an event held at the Faculty of Engineering on the Potchefstroom Campus. There to cheer them on were supporters from the faculties of Engineering and of Health Sciences, as well as Marketing and Student Recruitment, among others.

The competition in Zürich is for athletes who use wheelchairs or have prosthetic limbs and takes the form of an obstacle course. The NWU team delighted their well-wishers at the Potchefstroom event by giving a demonstration of what the obstacle course will entail.

Led by researchers Ian Thomson and Prof André Grobler from the Faculty of Engineering and Dr Mark Kramer from the Faculty of Health Sciences, the team will compete in the international competition with a state-of-the-art prosthetic leg and wheelchair.

Ian, who is also the team pilot, thanked everyone who supported them and helped make the dream of participating in the Cybathlon 2024 come true. He said they are grateful for everyone’s contributions.

“There was a massive amount of work going on behind the scenes. Every time you take a small step and achieve something, it snowballs and results in a great outcome. We appreciate all the support we received; it means a lot.”

Well wishes as team takes innovations to the international stage

“You are embarking on a journey of which the Cybathlon is part of. My wish for you is that you will look back as a team and as individuals and realise that these few days of the event are also part of your personal journey,” says Prof Liezl van Dyk, executive dean of the Faculty of Engineering.

Jean Stidworthy, director of Marketing and Recruitment, says events like these provide exposure for the excellent research and innovation that will have an impact not only for the university but also in communities.

Prof Alida Herbst on behalf of the Faculty of Health Sciences extended best wishes to the team whose dedication and innovation have already made the NWU proud.

“The competition is not about winning, but about showcasing the remarkable synergy between human resilience and technological advancement,” she said. “It is testament to how interdisciplinary collaboration can lead to groundbreaking innovation that can advance quality of life. We are confident that you will represent the NWU with honour and distinction.” For more information, visit: https://engineering.nwu.ac.za/engineering/nwu-eagles-cybathlon-team or https://news.nwu.ac.za/engineers-track-take-local-innovations-cybathlon-switzerland

Eagi looks on as Ian Thomson demonstrates what part of the obstacle course will entail.

The NWU Eagles Cybathlon team is off to an enthusiastic start. From left are Ian Thomson, JP van Deventer, Jan-Hendrick Kruger, Bianca Thomson, Eagi, Kelebogile Oompie, Prof André Grobler, Henry van Niekerk, Dr Mark Kramer and Kangwa Nkonde. Mientjie Botha could not attend the event.

In lean times, more food can be produced with fewer resources

MARELIZE SANTANA — Wed, 09 Oct 2024 06:14:28 +0000

In lean times, more food can be produced with fewer resources

by Angeline Marokoane

MARELIZE SANTANA Wed, 10/09/2024 - 08:14

Agriculture is at the forefront of ensuring food security and researchers at the North-West University (NWU) are constantly looking for innovative and more effective ways to enhance this crucial sector.

Associate professor Rojanette Coetzee from the School of Industrial Engineering is focusing on “lean agriculture” to reduce waste and improve the efficiency of agri-systems.

“The lean agriculture approach is adapted from the manufacturing industry, where it is used to reduce waste, improve efficiency and do more with less,” says Prof Coetzee.

She says this strategy has become particularly important in the agricultural sector, where natural resources such as water and soil are limited, and it is crucial to maximise yield while minimising cost.

Working with living organisms, not production lines

Applying lean concepts to agriculture presents unique challenges, as the process involves living organisms – plants and animals – rather than production lines of work-in-progress products.

Factors like weather conditions, animal health and soil variability are dynamic and must be considered when identifying waste and inefficiencies.

Reducing waste for optimal efficiency

“Lean manufacturing has proven to be effective in eliminating waste and improving workflow in industries such as manufacturing, healthcare and the service sector. However, its application in agriculture is still emerging, and in agriculture, lean is used to analyse and reduce waste across various operations, from farms to supply chains and processing facilities,” says Prof Coetzee.

She explains: “Researchers typically start by analysing existing processes to identify areas of inefficiency. This involves data collection, process mapping and root-cause analysis to uncover bottlenecks in the system.”

After identifying wasteful activities, researchers propose solutions to streamline the process.

“The goal is not to improve the steps that are already working well, but to eliminate inefficiencies that slow down the system. One example of this is in the grain handling industry.”

Grain silos play an important role in the agricultural sector as they store grain in bulk and act as nodes for the grain supply chain. However, during peak seasons, the grain-receiving process faces several challenges due to limitations in the existing infrastructure and the methods used.

Relieving congestion and inefficiencies

The queues of trucks that form outside the silo yard cause congestion, worsening the inefficiencies already in the system. These recurring bottlenecks at the silo facility affect the efficiency and speed of operations. The slow pace of operations results in longer waiting times for producers and contractors in the queues, who want to offload their grain quickly and return to other harvesting activities.

Increased productivity a winning formula for food production

A group of students enrolled for master’s degrees in industrial engineering at the NWU are investigating how the eight forms of lean waste can be identified and contextualised for grain handling in silo operations.

These eight areas are overproduction, waiting times (for parts, instructions, materials, or trucks outside the silo yard waiting to be serviced), transportation, overprocessing, excess inventory, movement, defects and underutilisation of employee creativity.

The research team is conducting a root-cause analysis of the reasons for the slow pace of operations in the silo facilities of a case study organisation. Once found, the root causes will then be categorised across the eight forms of lean waste and contextualised into lean-agri wastes.

“By reducing waste and streamlining processes, producers and agribusinesses can produce more food with fewer resources, aligning with the global need for sustainable farming practices,” explains Prof Coetzee.

She describes that in the case of grain silos, the improving of truck turnover times not only benefits the company concerned but also allows producers to utilise their vehicles more effectively, improving the entire supply chain.

“As lean methods continue to evolve within agriculture, they offer promising solutions to the growing challenges of resource scarcity and food security. Through ongoing research and practical applications, lean principles are helping to transform agriculture into a more productive and sustainable industry.”

Prof Rojanette Coetzee from the School of Industrial Engineering at the Faculty of Engineering.

Stacey Lea, Melissa Roux and Leonize Meiring are three enthusiastic master’s degree students who are focusing their research on lean agriculture.

Empowering the next generation of STEM leaders in South Africa

BELINDA BANTHAM — Tue, 08 Oct 2024 13:42:07 +0000

Empowering the next generation of STEM leaders in South Africa

by Angeline Marokoane

BELINDA BANTHAM Tue, 10/08/2024 - 15:42

Founded in 2004, Engenius Kids is a student-run programme at the North-West University (NWU), dedicated to inspiring Grade 9 learners, especially those from underprivileged backgrounds in townships, to pursue their education in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM).

“Our mission is to cultivate future innovators and leaders in South Africa by providing exposure, education and encouragement in STEM fields,” says Nadin Talip, programme manager for Marketing and Media at Engenius Kids.

Engenius Kids provides a range of activities designed to make STEM subjects accessible and engaging for young learners. The programme includes interactive workshops with sessions to demonstrate the real-world applications of mathematics and science, making these subjects more relatable and exciting for learners. Industry tours to various STEM-related industries are arranged to give them first-hand exposure to potential careers in engineering and technology and to educational resources for learners in grades 10 to 12. Tutoring services in mathematics and science are also offered to help the learners excel in their studies and prepare for future careers in STEM.

The programme is driven by a passionate team of 72 volunteers, including faculty members, engineering students, and Mr Hannes du Toit, a lecturer in the Faculty of Engineering and the founding father and senior project director of Engenius Kids.

The initiative started as a Saturday school, where children paid for tutoring and received exposure to engineering concepts. However, in 2020, in response to a noticeable decline in STEM professionals in South Africa, they shifted their focus to raising awareness about STEM education among disadvantaged communities.

Through engaging and informative showcases, Engenius Kids introduces learners to various engineering disciplines, including industrial, chemical, mechanical, electrical and computer engineering. By demystifying the STEM fields, Engenius Kids aims to show learners that these subjects are not intimidating, but instead offer numerous opportunities for growth and success. Once learners choose to continue with mathematics and science, they support them further by organising industry tours to engineering companies in Potchefstroom, giving them a deeper insight into the world of engineering.

The primary community for Engenius Kids is Ikageng Extension 7 in Potchefstroom, with BA Seobi Secondary School as the main beneficiary. The project has also been extended to schools in the Vanderbijlpark and Mahikeng regions.

“Currently, Engenius Kids is solely funded by the NWU’s Faculty of Engineering. As we look to the future, we hope to expand our reach to more communities and continue providing invaluable support to aspiring young engineers. Our vision is to ensure a brighter future for STEM in South Africa by nurturing a new generation of skilled professionals,” says Nadin.

“The most rewarding aspect of this project is hearing from those who are now in universities, sharing how Engenius Kids helped shape their career choices,” she adds.

The success of the Engenius Kids programme is evident, with many recipients expressing their gratitude for the exposure and guidance they received, underscoring the lasting impact of the programme on their lives.

Join and support the Engenius Kids programme in empowering the next generation of engineers and innovators and help us continue making a difference in the lives of South Africa's youth through STEM education. Contact them via their Instagram page, @engenius_kids, for more information.

Mr. Hannes du Toit, a lecturer in the Faculty of Engineering and the founding father and senior project director of Engenius Kids.

The Engenius Kids executives are engineering students who volunteer at the programme.

The Engenius Kids club team.

Learners are exposed to chemical engineering.

Learners attend a class lesson.

Attending an interactive engineering workshop.

During a workshop at the Dr Oliphant Molefe High School in the Vanderbijlpark region.

Alumnus honoured with top industrial engineering award for his work in agriculture

BELINDA BANTHAM — Thu, 12 Sep 2024 16:25:58 +0000

Alumnus honoured with top industrial engineering award for his work in agriculture

by Phenyo Mokgothu

BELINDA BANTHAM Thu, 09/12/2024 - 18:25

North-West University (NWU) alumnus Chris van Dyk recently received the Southern African Institute for Industrial Engineering’s (SAIIE’s) Best Industrial Engineering Practitioner - Employer's Choice Award.

This award highlights his contributions to the field of agriculture and the respect he has earned from peers and employers as business analyst at Taaibosch Piggery.

Reflecting on his career path, Chris shares, "In my third year at the NWU, I started thinking about which industry I wanted to enter as an industrial engineer. I found that agriculture, with its increasing reliance on technology and data management, was intriguing. Interestingly, industrial engineering is still a relatively new field within the agricultural industry."

After graduating with a degree in industrial engineering in 2021, he opportunity for him to enter this sector came through a job opening shared by the School of Industrial Engineering. Chris applied for the position at Taaibosch, and the rest is history. “This marked the beginning of my career in agriculture as an industrial engineer," he says.

His work at Taaibosch presented him with unique challenges. "Working as an engineer at a piggery I had to take the initiative. To succeed, I realised that I needed to prioritise the success of others, which led to opportunities and successful projects."

Chris says receiving the SAIIE award made him reflect on the impact of his work. "This recognition made me understand the significance and relevance of my contributions. It also reinforced the importance of collaboration, to advance people, farms and the industry."

Chris is now focused on a long-term project to introduce a learning enterprise structure, inspired by the Toyota Way, to farming. The Toyota Way is a set of principles defining the organisational culture of Toyota. "A learning enterprise with a core philosophy of scientific thinking could benefit farms as businesses and improve the lives of those involved," he adds.

Chris is currently pursuing a master’s degree, and his research focuses on the relationship between farm administration and quality management. He continues to work as a business analyst for Taaibosch Piggery.

NWU alumnus Chris van Dyk receives the Best Industrial Engineering Practitioner - Employer's Choice Award from Mulatedzi Freddy Tshikala, a Council member of the SAIIE.

Engineering Postgraduate Open Day opens minds to endless possibilities

BELINDA BANTHAM — Thu, 01 Aug 2024 12:56:26 +0000

Engineering Postgraduate Open Day opens minds to endless possibilities

by Steve Maphakathe

BELINDA BANTHAM Thu, 08/01/2024 - 14:56

The Faculty of Engineering at the North-West University (NWU) held its Postgraduate Open Day on 25 July, granting prospective students the opportunity to engage with the faculty and peers.

The Open Day served as a platform for students to explore Engineering PhD programmes, the diverse research fields and advanced facilities of the NWU. Attendees also discovered more about interdisciplinary possibilities, application procedures and funding opportunities through presentations by leading experts in the faculty.

Executive dean Prof Liezl van Dyk welcomed everyone and presented an overview on sustainable mining. Prof Rojanette Coetzee, manager of the industrial engineering postgraduate programme and director for energy and technology, then discussed the Engineering Agri Systems research group.

This group is an entity within the Faculty of Engineering and aims to use proven research engineering techniques and applied research to improve agricultural processes. Prof Coetzee highlighted the research focuses - lean agriculture, food production systems and animal production systems - and expanded on previously completed and current projects.

Ian Thomson, lecturer at the School of Electrical, Electronic and Computer Engineering, spoke about the NWU Cybathlon team and how the group brings together people with physical disabilities to compete in obstacle races. Ian is a member of this multidisciplinary team that comprises passionate engineering professors, senior students and industry professionals. Together they are developing a state-of-the-art wheelchair and prosthetic leg to participate in on the October 2024 Cybathlon in Zurich, Switzerland.

Additional educational lectures were held throughout the Open Day, providing attendees with an in-depth understanding about particular curriculum content areas covered across the engineering schools. Among the topics discussed were operations research/machine learning in health care, solar cookers with thermal energy storage, nuclear energy, water care innovations and minerals processing and refining.

The event fulfils the faculty’s long-standing commitment of educating and developing exceptional engineers through cutting-edge and applied research.

Prof Liezl van Dyk addresses attendees of the Postgraduate Open Day.

Prof Rojanette Coetzee’s educational presentation captivated all.

Ian Thomson and his team will be competing in the Cybathlon competition in Switzerland, showcasing the great minds at the NWU.

Maria van Zyl, lecturer at the school of Industrial Engineering, discusses operations research and machine learning in health care.

Self-driving cars, super-fast communication and smart cities need advanced wireless networks to run

MARELIZE SANTANA — Wed, 31 Jul 2024 10:20:47 +0000

Self-driving cars, super-fast communication and smart cities need advanced wireless networks to run

by Steve Maphakathe

MARELIZE SANTANA Wed, 07/31/2024 - 12:20

Artificial intelligence (AI) has significantly transformed communication systems in today’s modern world. The integration of AI into various communication systems will likely lead to more advanced capabilities and the invention of new applications. Autonomous vehicles, exceptionally fast communications speeds and smart cities come to mind.

Aldrin Ngorima, a PhD student at the School of Computer and Electronic Engineering, is part of the Must Deep Learning and Telenet research groups within the Faculty of Engineering at the North-West University (NWU). His research focuses on applying AI to the telecommunications field, focusing on data transmission methods and using deep learning for future networks.

Deep learning involves extracting high-level features from data, using machine learning based on artificial neural networks.

This could help resolve the limitations of current methods. Some classical algorithms used in telecommunications are unusable in certain conditions, calling for more precise programming and coding applications for communication systems.

An example is the next generation of high-speed telecommunications, 6G networks, which on paper is super-fast. “To experience that speed, we need wireless communication systems that will meet the standard of that speed,” Aldrin says.

The telecommunications field is benefitting from advanced deep learning models that are more accurate and that perform better. “This is significant for many telecommunications applications, such as autonomous driving, mobile communications and smart cities, where strong and reliable wireless networks are essential.”

Deep learning, large datasets

He explains that in the deep learning domain, success often depends on the availability of large datasets. “By simulating complex environments, I am able to apply AI and experiment with different deep-learning models, optimising them to achieve the best adjustment between performance and computation.”

While most of his research concentrates on simulating existing and realistic communication channels, Aldrin’s ambition is to develop advanced wireless communication systems suited to many applications.

“My main goal is to develop reliable communication systems that will promote invention in the infrastructure sector,” he says.

As part of his PhD, Aldrin simulated a vehicular communication channel that consists of vehicles moving in different directions at more than 200 km per hour. He followed the specifications of researcher Guillermo Acosta-Marum and his team from the Georgia Institute of Technology in the United States.

Aldrin’s conclusion from his own research is that advanced Wi-Fi standards should be developed to meet the requirements of vehicular communication systems and keep up with the rapidly evolving digital landscape.

About the researcher

Aldrin Ngorima is a future deep learning specialist with a master’s degree in computer and electronic engineering at the NWU. His master’s dissertation centered around the development of a machine learning plant growth estimator for hydroponics.

He is also a co-author of chapter in a book titled Artificial Intelligence Research. The chapter that Aldrin co-authored is "Sequence Based Deep Neural Networks for channel estimation in vehicular communication systems".

Aldrin Ngorima

News24 selects NWU innovator as a Young Mandela

BELINDA BANTHAM — Mon, 29 Jul 2024 10:55:41 +0000

News24 selects NWU innovator as a Young Mandela

by Willie du Plessis

BELINDA BANTHAM Mon, 07/29/2024 - 12:55

The legacy and impact of former President Nelson Mandela in changing people’s lives for the better remain a milestone to aspire to.

News24 recently selected their Young Mandelas for 2024 ─ celebrating a new generation of young champions who are committed to building the South Africa of Madiba’s dreams.

Ian Thomson, a PhD student and lecturer in the Faculty of Engineering of the North-West University (NWU), is one of these 30 exceptional young people chosen for their remarkable achievements. He was named winner in the innovation category.

“I truly believe that this accolade should have gone not only to me, but to the whole NWU assistive devices research team who are working tirelessly to ensure that our innovations are groundbreaking and reliable. I am so proud of what we have achieved so far and am extremely excited about what we are currently busy with as we prepare to showcase our devices and prosthetics on the international stage.”

African devices for African conditions

A life-changing motorcycle accident in high school resulted in the loss of Ian’s lower right leg. He did not allow this tragedy to stop him from pursuing his dreams and turned it into a mission to better others’ lives. Ian has dedicated his research to developing affordable, accessible and advanced prosthetics for amputees.

“Some of the devices currently available on the market are not only extremely expensive ─ it can cost up to a million rand for some ─ but are also not specifically tailored for Africa and our unique needs. There is also not a lot of maintenance support in most areas in Africa for these overseas designs once people start using them.”

Ian and his colleagues travelled throughout South Africa, visiting prosthetists to find out what the specific needs are. “We used this information to develop our designs. The next phase will be to venture further into Africa and develop prostheses and assistive devices for the rest of the continent.”

News24 says Ian is not just an engineer. The media group describes him as a visionary dedicated to improving life in Africa, one innovation at a time.

“His journey reflects a deep commitment to service and an unyielding spirit of perseverance, making him a true embodiment of the values Mandela represented.”

En route to the 2024 Cybathlon

Ian’s innovations will soon be showcased at the 2024 Cybathlon Challenge in Switzerland, where he will serve as the "pilot" for the NWU Eagles team.

“It is very exciting. We are focusing now on ensuring that everything is ready for this event,” says Ian.

The Cybathlon is an international event that showcases how advanced engineering can be used to create assistive devices for everyday use.

For more information about Ian’s and the NWU’s journey towards the Cybathlon, visit: https://news.nwu.ac.za/engineers-track-take-local-innovations-cybathlon….

Ian and the team aim to ensure that their groundbreaking innovations shine at this year’s Cybathlon.

Ian Thomson, a 29-year-old PhD student in Engineering at the NWU, is a beacon of innovation and resilience. Photo: Picture Café.

Celebrating the first graduates of pioneering mechatronics degree

BELINDA BANTHAM — Fri, 26 Jul 2024 08:34:49 +0000

Celebrating the first graduates of pioneering mechatronics degree

by Belinda Bantham

BELINDA BANTHAM Fri, 07/26/2024 - 10:34

The North-West University (NWU) is proud to announce the graduation of the first cohort from its innovative mechatronics degree programme, recently introduced by the Faculty of Engineering. This momentous occasion marks a significant milestone for the university.

Prof Kenny Uren from the School of Electrical, Electronic and Computer Engineering, highlights the unique nature of this programme.

"The NWU is the only institution offering a mechatronics programme in the northern part of our country. This programme was largely requested by the public because mechatronics has taken the engineering industry by storm," he explains.

Prof Uren says he is very proud of the achievements of the inaugural batch of graduates and says the faculty has ambitious plans for the programme's future.

"We have a lot of plans in the pipeline – so watch this space! We are also grateful to all the automation partners and training centres we work with, whose support have been invaluable."

The success of the mechatronics programme underscores the NWU's dedication to addressing the evolving needs of the engineering industry and its commitment to fostering innovation and excellence in education.

As the university continues to expand its offerings and partnerships, it remains at the forefront of engineering education in the region, preparing graduates to meet the challenges of tomorrow.

More about the NWU’s mechatronics degree

The introduction of the mechatronics degree at the NWU has garnered substantial interest, with a growing demand for a master’s programme in mechatronics engineering.

Mechatronic engineers play a crucial role in developing and supporting the advanced industrial automation systems of the future, which leverage the Internet of Things. By combining expertise in electronics, measurement and actuation, embedded systems, and control theory, these engineers design and control mechanical structures and mechanisms. Their proficiency in computer programming and data analytics enables them to develop intelligent and effective mechatronic systems.

The NWU's commitment to providing hands-on practical experience is evident through its state-of-the-art on-campus laboratories for electronics and industrial automation.

Graduates of this programme are well-equipped for employment in various sectors, including process controls, automotive, manufacturing, medical device development, and agricultural processing.

The first group of Mechatronics graduates with Prof Liezl Van Dyk and Prof Kenny Uren