The branch has decided to sponsor three R5 000 awards per semester, one each at UKZN, DUT and MUT, with the aim of promoting automation and control engineering by rewarding outstanding work. The first of these was recently awarded to MUT student, Sthokozo Mthembu, in recognition of the fulfilment of requirements for Design Project 3 in his final year before entering industry.
Sthokozo thanked his lecturer and mentor, Professor Ralph Naidoo before giving some background on the project itself. The focus when finalising the detail was to benefit the blind people in the community by helping them to navigate to their desired destination safely and efficiently. The system notifies the person of any danger/obstacles in their path, keeping them safe while facilitating their independent mobility. In the case of an emergency, the user can call a cell number or send their GPS coordinates to a family member or friend by simply pushing a button, to receive immediate assistance.
We wish Sthokozo all the very best with what promises to be an exciting career!
The August technology evening was held on Wednesday 1 August, as usual at the Durban Country Club. Rob Wright, managing director of RJ Connect presented on the pertinent topic of cloud connectivity and helped members understand the requirements and processes involved in connecting IIoT devices to the cloud. At the same time he explored the latest technologies including MQTT and OPC UA interfaces into Microsoft Azure and Amazon AWS. The highlight of the presentation was a live demonstration and some practical examples of exactly how easy it was to connect to the cloud.
The branch thanks RJ Connect for its generous sponsorship of the evening.
Hennie Prinsloo (right) thanks Rob Wright after the presentation.
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South Africa’s automation, control, mechatronics and computer engineering community is changing fast, and the SAIMC is changing with it. I am excited to announce a new national initiative that will reshape how we deliver technical knowledge, strengthen branch identity and bring our community together like never before.
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