Durban students win first place in KZN comp for social distancing device
The device features ultrasonic sensors that measure the distance between two people.
THE DUT Ninjas, a group of third-year students from the Durban University of Technology (DUT), designed a wearable device to help curb the spread of Covid-19 in the workplace.
The students won first prize for the design at the KwaZulu-Natal InnovTechExpo 2021 Makerthon competition, which was recently hosted by the Department of Communications and Digital Technologies in collaboration with AlgoAtWork Robotics and National Information and Communications Technology (ICT) Youth Council.
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Their device features ultrasonic sensors that measure the distance between two people. The device beeps when a person is less than one metre away.
In terms of contact tracing, the students said the device would have a unique number, which would be assigned to an employee. Each device would record the other devices it had connected with.
ICT students in the team were: Andile Chonco, Mpendulo Xulu, Nkosinathi Mkhonto, ICT: Advance Diploma student, Mbali Nongalo and DUT Alumnus, Sanele Doyisa. They were all under the helm of mentor, Fanie Ndlovu, an ICT Master’s student.
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“In terms of temperature, DUT Ninjas indicated that the wearable will also be equipped with a pulse sensor and temperature sensor. The sensors enable the device to check heart rate of employees and temperature abnormality in real time. The wearable will be used beyond Covid-19 to monitor other diseases. Also, the reason DUT Ninjas won was for their ability to identify a problem, present it clearly and design enough demo in less than 12 hours to demonstrate the possibility of solving the problems they identified,” said Nldovu.
Prof Sibusiso Moyo, Deputy Vice-Chancellor for Research, Innovation and Engagement at DUT also shared her excitement upon hearing the news of DUT Ninjas winning first prize at the Mackerthon.
“Congratulations to the team, we are so proud of them,” she said.
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