Mechanical Engineering student Simon Longela plans to restore lost hope to Africa’s amputees, with the development of a high-tech artificial hand.

The artificial hand, unlike conventional prosthetic limbs, will share a number of properties of a human hand.

The exploration into artificial limbs is the focus of the Congolese’s Mtech study and is close to his heart.

“From where I come from, there are a lot of people who lost limbs during the civil war. They either lost hand or legs. When coming up with an idea for my study, I thought of how I could solve problems back home” said Simon.

Working under the guidance of Prof Oscar Philander, head of the Adaptronic Advanced Manufacturing Technology Laboratory (AMTL), the first phase of the project is nearing completion.

“The first step of the project is to show that it is possible to recreate an artificial human hand. Using adaptronic technology, I reached the point to where the hand has motions similar to that of a human hand,” he said.

The hand currently has the ability to grasp and the fingers have a range of motions.

Simon explained that the next stage of development will focus on converting human heat into power, which will allow the hand to function without gears or motors.

Prof Philander said the project is progressing well and is positive that on completion it will benefit the lives of amputees.

Simon plans to enrol for his doctorate at CPUT and will continue to focus on the development of the high-tech hand.

By Candes Keating

Written by CPUT News
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The Adaptronics Advanced Manufacturing Technology Laboratory (AMTL) is a leading research unit at CPUT and their innovative activities have now paid-off.

The institution has recently been given the go-ahead by the Technology Innovation Agency to convert the research unit into a fully operational technology station.

GO GETTERS: Staff and students at the Adaptronics Advanced Manufacturing Technology Laboratory were responsible for developing CPUT’s first Formula One student race car.

This is a huge feat for the institution which already houses the Agrifood Technology Station and the Technology Station in Clothing and Textiles.

An initiative of the Department of Science and Technology, these facilities are mandated to assist small and medium enterprises to become more competitive through technology and skill transfer projects.

The new technology station will provide support for the engineering sector and will focus on five key areas - adaptronics research and development, unmanned platforms, ocean engineering, automotive technologies and universal design.

Prof Oscar Philander, who will head up the new facility along with the support of Operations Manager, Eugene Erfort and Technical Manager Mornay Riddles, says their services will include engineering consulting, training programmes and technical support.

“We will also place a strong emphasis on research and technology work and on providing internship opportunities to students,” he says.

Deputy Vice-Chancellor: Research, Technology Innovation and Partnerships, Dr Chris Nhlapo says they are excited about the addition of a third technology station, which will play a key role in developing the skills base needed to grow the engineering sector.

Written by Candes Keating
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Provides coverage for the Engineering and Applied Sciences Faculties; the Bellville and Wellington Campuses, and research and innovation news.

This July, a group of BTech and MTech Mechanical Engineering students will compete in the Student Formula event at Silverstone in the UK.

The event is one of the world’s premier inter-university challenges and annually attracts thousands of students from across the globe.

Students from various disciplines are charged with designing and building a formula racing car from scratch and at Silverstone their design skills and technical know-how is put to the test as they battle it out for first place.

In 2012 our students participated in the Formula Student for the first time and went on to be the first African team to complete all race stages. The team was ranked 65th out of 132 overall and came 27th out of 132 for the endurance stage of the event.

This year’s team is made up of Mechanical postgraduate students who are already hard at work on the formula racing car.

Work began last year when students conceptualised their design using state-of-the-art 3D-design programmes at the university’s Product Lifecycle Management Competency Centre.

With the designed passed by lecturers at the TIA Adaptronics Advanced Manufacturing Technology Laboratory (AMTL), students started work on the car and already have completed the outer shell and are working on other elements, including the engine.

*This is a recognised World Design Capital 2014 project. For more information about CPUT's efforts for WDC2014 visit the imaginethat* website.

Written by Candes Keating
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Provides coverage for the Engineering and Applied Sciences Faculties; the Bellville and Wellington Campuses, and research and innovation news.

Four simple elements - cables, screws, thermoplastic and a 3D printer is set to change the lives of many people living without hands or fingers.

Robohand is a Johannesburg-based organisation that creates 3D-printed prosthetic hands at a fraction of the cost of standard prosthesis and local teacher Ian Pells, together with CPUT’s Adaptronics Advanced Manufacturing Technology Laboratory (AMTL), hopes to grow the project in the Western Cape.

Robohand was invented by Richard van As after he lost four fingers in an accident in May 2011. Realising the cost of traditional prosthetics, van As together with American Designer Ivan Owen, developed the devices.

ROBOHAND: A 3D-printed prosthetic hand

Van As says a glove-like covering is fitted in thermoplastic, and then fingers are created on the 3D printer by melting and stacking plastic to make Lego-like digits that are then connected to the glove with cables and screws.

NEW BEGINNINGS: One of the first parts made that will be fitted to the 3D-printed prosthetic hand

Earlier this month van As met with Pells and CPUT staff to demonstrate the making of these devices, which saw one of Pells’ learners receive a robohand.

SAVIOUR: Ian Pells takes a closer look at one of the robohands constructed by Richard van As

The meeting comes just months after Pells, a teacher at the Frank Joubert Art Centre in Newlands, came across the concept and realized it could benefit some of his students that were living with disabilities

“Our vision is to set up a 3D printing facility in Cape Town to make Robohand available,” he says.

AMTL’s Gerhard Coetzee says they are currently exploring how they can take the project further.

For more information on the project see http://www.designchanginglives.com/

Written by Candes Keating
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Provides coverage for the Engineering and Applied Sciences Faculties; the Bellville and Wellington Campuses, and research and innovation news.

More South Africans living with disabilities could soon be taking to the road in their customised adapted vehicles.

The TIA Adaptronics Advanced Manufacturing Technology Laboratory (AMTL) has designed and built Africa’s first vehicle simulator that will open a world of affordable driving opportunities for disabled persons.

The simulator will facilitate the design of an adapted vehicle, by simulating the driving environment of people with disabilities and allow engineers to test the vehicle in a controlled environment.

PIONEERS: Innovators Gerhard Coetzee and Cyprian Onochie who worked on the project with Nicky Abdinor

Last month Nicky Abdinor, who runs Nicky’s Drive, an organisation which raises funds for vehicle adaptations in South Africa and who inspired the project had the opportunity to test the simulator at CPUT.

Born without arms and with shortened legs, Nicky currently drives a specially adapted vehicle that was developed in the UK, but high cost of conversions has prevented access to adapted vehicles in South Africa.

Nicky says she is excited about the possibilities the simulator holds.

“The ability to drive a modified vehicle not only provides the freedom that we so often take for granted, but it also enables people with disabilities to develop their self-confidence and contribute to society through their work and family life,” says Abdinor.

Innovators Gerhard Coetzee and Cyprian Onochie who worked on the project, which was initiated by Professors Mugendi M’Rithaa and Oscar Philander, say the finished product surpasses their expectations.

“We ended up developing a set of new technologies within a space of two years. For us, this is a real accomplishment,” says Onochie.

Coetzee says the simulator features an electric joystick steering system, a touch screen, foot controller, electric switching for gears and breaks as well as electronic pedals for acceleration and braking.

The project has also been selected as part of the World Design Capital 2014 programme.

Written by Candes Keating
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Provides coverage for the Engineering and Applied Sciences Faculties; the Bellville and Wellington Campuses, and research and innovation news.

CPUT is further entrenching its position of being a ‘globally excellent, locally relevant’ university by supporting robotic initiatives and strengthening science, technology and innovation in South Africa.

The university’s Adaptronics Advanced Manufacturing Technology Laboratory (AMTL) established a robotics programme towards the end of 2018, and since then CPUT students have placed in the top three of the Advanced Robotics Championship, held both regionally and nationally.

This month, the Service-Learning and Civic Engagement Units held a robotics stakeholder engagement workshop which included the Vice-Chancellor Prof Chris Nhlapo, DVC Research, Technology and Innovation Prof David Phaho, Calvin Maseko, CPUT Alumnus Tshitso Mosolodi from Snake Nation, along with CPUT students and lecturers.

Prof Nhlapo told the gathering that technology-centeredness is in the DNA of CPUT.
“We need to let the technology be the vehicle to improve our efficiencies and that is why my office is supporting this project. Smart teaching at CPUT needs to be unique to us,” he says.

The development of robotics at CPUT is already supported in a multi-disciplinary way at CPUT through a number of community engagement projects which aim to strengthen science and technology throughput from schools to university and ultimately in the world of work.

Manager in CPUT’s Centre for Community Engagement and Work Integrated Learning Jacqui Scheepers says that although the traditional home of robotics is in Engineering, it can permeate across all disciplines through community engagement, which her units are driving.

“STEM is the language of the future and we must move with the requirements of industry and society. It is our responsibility as a higher education institution to make sure that no one is left behind,” she says.

“STEM students have an advantage to access more dynamic professions and more diverse career opportunities.”

The workshop ended with a brainstorming session led by Dr Faiq Waghid where stakeholders discussed ways of strengthening the Robotics Community Engagement Committee at CPUT and inculcating robotics across the university.

Written by Lauren Kansley

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Liaises with the media and writes press releases about interesting developments at CPUT.