Innovations

Connecting Communities Zenzeleni is a solar-powered, community-owned Wifi telecommunications network solution providing affordable communications to remote rural areas. Through the use of wireless mesh networking, users are able to make free internal voice-over IP calls, while the cost of breakout

Baobab LIMS is an African-led innovation that was developed as part of the B3Africa consortium. It is an affordable sample and laboratory management tool for biobanking that has been implemented in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), which previously (due in part to financial constraints)

South Africa harbours the highest number of rape incidents in the world, and sexual assault and rape cases in the entire SADC region are estimated at a minimum of 55 000 cases per year. Crime scene investigations utilise DNA technology on a regular basis. In cases of rape or sexual abuse, male

The risk of occupational exposure to aerosolised bio-contaminants (potentially pathogenic viruses, bacteria and yeasts) in dentistry and the dental office environment has been highlighted in the literature for many years. Removal of these aerosols would decrease oral healthcare workers' risk of

The collection and preservation of biological material for further DNA and RNA analysis are critical to many biomedical fields, from medical diagnostics to forensics and biodiversity conservation. The Forensic DNA lab at the University of the Western Cape has developed a novel, proprietary DNA

Surfactants are amphipathic molecules with both hydrophilic and hydrophobic moieties that partition preferentially at the interface between fluid phases, such as oil/water or air/water interfaces. Such characteristics confer excellent detergency, emulsifying, foaming, and dispersing traits, which

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

This technology involves a method for generating hydrogen in an electrolysis cell. A proton exchange membrane (PEM) is used to separate anode and cathode chambers of the cell. The space between the anode and the PEM is filled with aqueous sulfuric acid. In use, gaseous sulphur dioxide is fed to the

The recombinant LSDV-BCoV vaccine is an innovative dual vaccine designed to provide simultaneous protection against Lumpy Skin Disease Virus (LSDV) and Bovine Coronavirus (BCoV). It utilises a recombinant LSDV vector to express key BCoV antigens, including the spike (S1 and S2 subunits) and

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