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Cape Town - Two South Africans have been shortlisted for an international technology prize that seeks to reward inventions that improve the quality of life in Africa.
South African Ernst Pretorius who developed a sensor which detects tampering on fences, was shortlisted for the Africa Prize for Engineering Innovation organised by the UK's Royal Academy of Engineering (RAEng).
Another South African, Dr Reinhardt Kotzé of the Cape Peninsula University of Technology (CPUT) developed a real-time quality control for fluids manufacturing.
The industrial system is expected to make the production of fluids more efficient than systems that rely on laboratory tests to determine the composition of fluid chemistry.
"Deciding on the shortlist was extremely difficult as the standard was high, and the entrepreneurial talent was clear to see," said Malcolm Brinded CBE, chair of the judging panel and a Fellow of the RAEng.
Training
The 12 short-listed candidates will undergo a gruelling process where their projects will be evaluated but they will also receive training and mentorship.
"The training will be focused on proving, scaling up and commercialising their engineering innovations," said Brinded.
Candidates for the prize are competing to take home winnings of £25 000 (about R457 000 at the current exchange rate), with two runners-up to be awarded £10 000 each.
Here is the list of entries and their country of origin:
- A fence tampering warning system for farmers (South Africa)
- An industrial process and quality control system for the fluids manufacturing industry (South Africa).
- Enabling inter-operability between different mobile networks in a multi-SIM environment (Kenya).
- A removable burglar-bar system for emergency exits from buildings (Nigeria)
- A mobile device application that teaches children how to read Shona (Zimbabwe).
- An affordable multi-purpose degreaser/cleaner (Nigeria).
- A precise and regulated fertiliser applicator for small-scale farmers (Zambia).
- A full-cycle sanitation service to reduce pollution to the environment and prevent diarrheal disease (Uganda).
- Portable crushing machines for small and medium size mining operations (Zimbabwe).
- A mobile application for merchants and customers to make and receive card payments through their phones and tablets (Nigeria).
- The integration of nanotechnology and sand-based water filtration for safe drinking water (Tanzania).
- The mechanical pressing of bananas to produce enzyme-free clear banana juice (Tanzania).
Once this round of the prize concludes, Brinded said that entries for the 2015 version would open.
"We are looking forward to the next phase, and the next round of applications in April 2015. I hope all ambitious African engineering entrepreneurs will start planning for that opportunity."
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