 Natural interfaces are coming, so get your datacentres ready! by Frederico Baumhardt, Microsoft South Africa
Our industry is in the biggest change in its history since we started doing work on silicon chips. This change is critical, not only in its implications for the end user, but also in the architecture of delivering the services we are trusted with in IT, and how we think about data centres... ( more)
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 In conversation with Deon Liebenberg, Samsung Electronics by Hans van de Groenendaal, EngineerIT
Smart phones are fast dominating the mobile market in South Africa and that is no surprise, as we have a youth-centric population growing up with SMS, the social networks and internet. So by default they will drive the adoption of smartphones... ( more) |
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Government to review ICT policy
The Minister of Communication, Dina Pule, announced an ICT policy review panel at the African ICT Indaba in Cape Town, 4 -7 June 2012. The event was hosted by the Department of Communications and the ITU with the objective to formulate a continental agenda and approach to expanding the growth of the ICT sector... (more)
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| Public and private sector moves to protect the SA electronics manufacturing industry
by Chris Yelland, EE Publishers
Significant new initiatives are under way by the DTI and the electronic industry in SA to make this sector more globally competitive. There are strong electronics manufacturing niches in SA, such as prepayment meters, TV sets, DSTV decoders, set-top boxes, vehicle tracking and security systems, and contract manufacturing... ( more)
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LEDs - the untapped technology?
by Hans van de Groenendaal, EngineerITThe LED has a long history but was slow to develop beyond the replacement of panel and indicator lights. It was only when the cost of energy became an issue that major developments took place in a very short space of time. Reading today's technical literature, the potential of LED technology is relatively untapped... ( more)
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EngineerIT Inbox
See readers' responses to the panel discussion "Robotics in industry - an exploration" in the May 2012 EngineerIT and the ee-Newsletter "SA get lion's share of the SKA, but what's the future of fracking in the Karoo?" - also published in this issue (June 2012 EngineerIT).... (more)
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SA gets lion's share of the SKA, but what's the future of fracking in the Karoo?
by Hans van de Groenendaal, EngineerIT
After 9 years of sweat and tears by the SA and Australian SKA site bid teams, the SKA Site Advisory Committee carried out an objective technical and scientific assessment of the sites in SA and Australia, and identified Africa as the preferred site. But their recommendation was overturned fter complaints by the Australians... (more)
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What engineers need to know about copyright
by Dina Biagio, Spoor & Fisher
Copyright is not just for artists. While it can apply to products of craftsmanship or the performing arts, it can also apply to works created in an engineering context, like computer programs and engineering drawings. Generally, copyright subsists in tangible things that are the product of someone's skill or labour... (more)
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Better data improves profits in mining and manufacturing sectors
by Gary Allemann, Master Data Management The mining and manufacturing sectors face a unique challenge when it comes to maintaining and improving profitability in difficult economic times. Unlike in other industries, it is not possible to simply raise prices, since these are often fixed or must fall within certain parameters... ( more)
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Control and communication in mining applications
by Hans van de Groenendaal, EngineerIT
Safety is the number one priority in mining operations. When an accident happens underground the chances are that many miners will lose their lives. South Africa has had its share of terrible accidents of which the Coalbrook disaster was one of the worst in our mining history... (more)
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WACS unleashes high capacity broadband
by Hans van de Groenendaal, EngineerIT The West Africa Africa Cable System (WACS) consortium has inaugurated the highest capacity submarine cable system ever to land in sub-Saharan Africa. The 17 200 km cable has unleashed a new wave of broadband capacity on the African continent, linking 14 countries... ( more) |
| Integrated security systems reduce costs and increase efficiency
by Hans van de Groenendaal, EngineerIT
Many organisations have a number of security systems in place to protect their investments, but the problem is that these systems usually operate independently. The obvious answer is the integration of the various individual systems to create one converged system which will reduce costs and be more effective than several individual systems... (more) |
Is there a future for Tetra?
by Hans van de Groenendaal, EngineerIT Today's world is about broadband, convergence and collaboration. When terrestrial trunked radio (Tetra) was developed as a secure mobile audio communication system aimed at the public safety market, there was no talk about broadband or sharing images and video. Over the past few years that has all changed... ( more) |
Unpacking network audits
by Doron Kowensky, H3i SquaredEthernet networks in today's world have become more complex with the introduction of many new features and functions that have evolved over the years. Due to the introduction of many of these new standards, it can prove to be more challenging to troubleshoot a network, as there are many more aspects to go through as part of the troubleshooting process... ( more)
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| Remote monitoring of critical plant assets
by Terry Cousins and Luis Valentim, TLC Engineering Solutions
Plant automation systems provide for continuous or near-continuous operation of machines with minimal manpower. As interruption in plant operation can result in significant financial loss, it is critical to monitor the health of essential equipment on a continuous basis and to be able to detect conditions that may lead to equipment failure in the future... ( more) |
| Industrial wireless networks gain acceptance in plant floors
by Soroush Amidi and Alex Chernoguzov, Honeywell, USA
In recent years, Ethernet has become the network technology of choice on the plant floor as manufacturers strive for more efficient and cost-effective ways to operate their plant. The technology enables manufacturers to unite their company's administrative, control-level and device-level network into a single system, enabling real-time information flow throughout the company... ( more) |
| Fundamentals of a mixed domain oscilloscope
Information from Tektronix
Mixed domain oscilloscopes (MDOs) are the first instruments designed specifically to make time-correlated measurements between digital, analogue, and RF signals simultaneously in both the time and frequency domain. In recent years there has been an explosion in the use of wireless technology for data transfer. In almost every industry wireless links are replacing or extending traditional wired communications... ( more) |
| Testing and sorting solar cells in record time
Information from Klare Technologies
Testing 3600 solar cells per hour and sorting with a 99,7% yield of good products and machine availability of over 95% - made possible by a cell testing and sorting machine from Schiller Automation. The TS3600 testing machine's internal values are also worthy of note - it uses a motion control solution based on B&R technology... ( more) |
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Microcontrollers for the drive train in hybrid and electric vehicles
by Gerhard Wenderlein, Texas Instruments, USA
The electric drive train is superior in many respects to the conventional drive train with combustion engines. The electric motor has higher efficiency, as well as better torque and performance. An electric drive train provides a much simpler mechanical design while eliminating undesirable noise and pollution emissions... (more) |
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Reconfigurable I/O architecture for control and monitoring
by Jamie Smith, National Instruments
Embedded designers have used field programmable gate arrays (FPGAs) alongside both microprocessors (MPUs) and microcontrollers (MCUs) for years. As the capabilities of FPGAs have increased they have been used in concert with both MCU and MPU to improve the overall flexibility and performance of embedded systems beyond what can be achieved with a MCU or MPU alone... (more)
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Amateur radio - not just a hobby
by Hans van de Groenendaal, EngineerIT "Amateur radio is the most exciting of all technological hobbies" - this is the slogan of the International Amateur Radio Union, and they have a valid point. For some it may just be a way of talking to other people, be it across town or across the world. For older radio amateurs it may be a way of keeping contact with the outside world... (more)
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Telecoms Developments in Africa
Compiled by Matthew White, Iona Press Services
- West Africa seeks to bridge digital divide through broadband
- MTN raises US$200-million to improve Ghana network
- Egyptian engineer's antenna wins African Innovation Prize
- 4G improves internet speed in Namibia
- Uganda's MPs want cable sub-contractors named and shamed
- Rwandan schools to get e-libraries
- Fines prompt GSM firms to invest in network upgrades
- Cellphone subscribers benefit from tariff cuts
- Kenya gets second World Bank loan for ICT projects... (more)
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