Local AI hub brings solution to sourcing water
TUT and UJ post graduates aim to solve South Africa's water crisis using advanced technology.
Tshwane University of Technology (TUT) and University of Johannesburg (UJ) launched the artificial intelligence (AI) hub in Pretoria on Friday.
At the launch, a water testing drone was unveiled and innovator Michael Mommsen said it would solve water sourcing issues.
Mommsen said the project is in collaboration with DE robotic, UJ, and Stellenbosch for the Water Research Commission.
He said the aim is to produce a water measurement system capable of sampling water in remote locations in real-time with real-time results to identify potable water sources.
“It will have a direct influence on how we test the water, the speed at which we can test the water and the accessibility of the water we can test,” Mommsen said.
The drone is effective because it can give data back quickly without anyone putting his or her life at risk.
Mommsen said the drone removes the need to put a worker’s life in danger such as drowning and does not require the testing company to rent a boat to carry scientists to the location.
“Using a drone is cheaper. We can have people wait on a safe location where the drone will fly out to drop its measurements apparatus into the water to take samples and we can see the data coming in,” Mommsen said.
The project is still developing.
Department of Science and Innovation national research foundation representative Prof Khumbulani Mpofu said the foundation has recognised that AI is a reality that South Africans cannot run away from.
“We need to have solutions that are homegrown, there are a lot of solutions that we are getting from around the world but sometimes do not speak to our context so we need to contextualise the AI so that it fits our context,” he added.
The hub is set to provide solutions in the social and economic sectors using technology.
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