News


Empowering the next generation of engineers

September 2024 News

RS South Africa is excited to announce the winners of the inaugural Student Project Fund, an initiative aimed at empowering the next generation of engineers by supporting hands-on prototyping and experimentation. “The Student Project Fund is a product donation programme that supports students who want to advance their projects from just a concept to something physical, and to have the experience of building and testing their innovation,” explains education and social impact specialist, Wesley Hood.

The six selected winners will each receive R10 000 worth of RS products to assist in bringing their ambitious projects to life. These projects span a diverse range of fields, from environmental conservation to advanced healthcare solutions. “We are excited to help these young people advance their projects, as they bring new ideas that will help solve problems in various industries, regardless of how small or big the positive change might look,” says Hood.

Dylan Opperman, from Nelson Mandela University is developing an autonomous solar panel cleaning robot. This project addresses the critical issue of dust accumulation on solar panels, which can significantly impact their efficiency and performance.

Mishay Naidoo and team (Stephanie Paine, Ryan Jones and Tristyn Ferreiro), from the University of Cape Town are working on a project to enhance conservation efforts for the Southern Yellow-billed Hornbill, a species currently facing endangerment in the Kalahari.

Michael Awe, also from the University of Cape Town, aims to revolutionise preventive healthcare through early disease detection. His project involves developing a low-cost, high-accuracy sensor array to identify disease-specific VOC profiles, enabling early diagnosis of conditions like Parkinsons.

Annabelle Bester and Team TuksBaja, from the University of Pretoria are designing and building a small, single-seater offroad vehicle. Their project adheres to the rules set by the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE), and demonstrates their commitment to automotive engineering.

Shamira Pillay, from the University of Witwatersrand is fabricating and optimising anaerobic biobatteries using banana waste. This research aims to achieve optimal power density, longevity, stability, thermal resistance, and biodegradability for industrial energy storage applications.

Lebogang Moloto from the University of Johannesburg is developing a real-time sensor-based monitoring system to detect and remediate heavy metal contamination in water, addressing a critical environmental and public health issue.

With the Student Project Fund, RS South Africa demonstrates its commitment to supporting students in engineering and technology-related courses. By providing essential resources for prototyping and experimentation, the company aims to equip students with the skills necessary for their future careers. “We strongly believe these innovations could transform our world for a better future,” concludes Hood.


Credit(s)



Share this article:
Share via emailShare via LinkedInPrint this page

Further reading:

Reinstatement opportunity for ECSA registration
News
In 2023 the Engineering Council of South Africa (ECSA) announced a special opportunity for engineers in South Africa to reinstate their registration status if it had been cancelled. This exclusive offer is available until the end of August 2024.

Read more...
Fuel your competitive edge with tech that transforms
News
The KwaZulu-Natal Industrial Technology Exhibition 2025, taking place from 22 to 24 July at the Durban Exhibition Centre, offers a vibrant, solution-focused platform tailored to the unique needs of KwaZulu-Natal’s industrial, manufacturing, engineering, maritime, agricultural and mining sectors.

Read more...
Helm wins for AI and automation at Business Excellence Awards
News
Helm, the South African leader in AI-powered customer experience solutions, has been recognised at the Business Excellence Awards 2025, receiving two prestigious awards.

Read more...
Schneider Electric launches first registered Innovation Hub in Africa
Schneider Electric South Africa News
Schneider Electric has officially launched its first registered Innovation Hub in Africa. This provides an interactive environment where visitors can explore the company’s integrated solutions across key segments and businesses such as energy, buildings, data centres, industrial, and power and grid.

Read more...
4Sight OT Automation receives Schneider Sustainability Impact Award
Schneider Electric South Africa News
4Sight OT Automation is a winner of the Schneider Electric Sustainability Impact Award in South Africa.

Read more...
A strategic milestone for Conical Technologies
Conical Technologies News
Conical Technologies has been appointed as the sole distributor in southern Africa for Mibbo, manufacturers of a vast array of products for the automation industry.

Read more...
Robotics TechTalk at UKZN
News
The Scientific Multidisciplinary Advanced Research Technology Lab at the University of KwaZulu-Natal recently held an exciting TechTalk. It was an opportunity to introduce students to the IEEE Robotics and Automation chapter, SAIMC, and the Robotics Association of South Africa.

Read more...
Top laboratory industry trends in the spotlight at analytica Lab Africa 2025
News
The future of laboratories and transformative diagnostic technologies will come under the spotlight in July at analytica Lab Africa, South Africa’s only trade fair for laboratory technology, analysis, biotechnology and diagnostics.

Read more...
Schneider Electric honoured with Gender Leader Award
Schneider Electric South Africa News
Schneider Electric has been awarded the Gender Leader Award at this year’s Africa CEO Forum. This award acknowledges those organisations operating in Africa that have shown a significant and continuous commitment to gender diversity and inclusion.

Read more...
Africa Automation Technology Fair 2025 closes on a high note
News
The Africa Automation Technology Fair 2025 officially wrapped up after three dynamic days at Gallagher Convention Centre, cementing its status as Africa’s leading platform for industrial automation, AI and IoT.

Read more...