Innovations

The North-West University (NWU) has pioneered the novel use of Europium-Tellurium-Oxide (ETO) in the production of clean energy. ETO is a light-chargeable catalyst material that exhibits sustained and enhanced activity after light excitation has ended. Its unique characteristics present an

HIV/AIDS continues to disproportionately impact sub-Saharan Africa, where it remains a leading cause of illness and death among children. Paediatric HIV progresses at an alarming rate, with 20–30% of untreated infants succumbing to the disease within their first year. Without timely intervention

The current patterns of production and consumption of conventional plastics are unsustainable. Conventional plastics are non-biodegradable, leading to visible pollution in soil, marine environments and the air when discarded, landfilled or burnt. Products that are practically non-recyclable, such as

Hydrogen and fuel cell technologies offer zero emissions and are a clean alternative to fossil fuels. HySA Systems, at the University of the Western Cape, have made improvements in the performance, reliability and cost competitiveness of fuel cell components and systems. These have been demonstrated

The invention relates to a membrane technology developed using polymeric material, to recover crude oil found in water due to spillages. Although several techniques have been employed for removing crude oil from bodies of water, these techniques are either focused on dissolving the spilled oil

SThis technology is to recover beer that would have been discarded, it is effective and can easily be incorporated into current brewing technologies as a way of reducing waste and increasing profit. By separating the beer from the spent yeast, and treating it with ultraviolet (instead of heat

Conventional irrigation sprinklers which are fitted with rises pipes above the ground are prone to mechanical damage and disorientation. As a result, the lifespan of the irrigation system is shortened or the potential of irrigation systems to optimally irrigate the required surface areas are

An irrigation sprinkler riser technology which comprises of a flexible tubular body which is installed to join from the lateral water supply pipe to the sprinkler head, allowing adjustable positioning of the sprinkler at various angles or directions by means of an adjustable knob. The body of the

This invention relates to a Femtosecond Laser-based method for the fabrication of micro- and nano-constriction type structures on a YBa2Cu3O7-x Superconducting thin film and to a new superconductor device. According to one aspect of the invention, there is a method of manufacturing micro- and nano

The technology relates to a new generation of telecommunications and data processing technology with improved wavelength sensitivity in the visible and near-infrared wavelengths range rather than microwave communication in 2–4 GHz. The technology provides the realisation of optical sources (LEDs)

A system which harvests thermal energy from various sources such as sunlight, cars, power plants, factories and other industries, and converts it into electricity. The harvested heat energy is stored in a storage tank, with water used as an energy storage medium. This then flows along a gradient to

A low-cost, portable, self-aligning rooftop wind turbine designed to capture moderate velocity wind and generate electricity efficiently for household use. Large-scale wind turbines in South Africa are located far afield, and the energy generated must be transported back to communities via huge