Information and communications

Focus on high performance computing This edition covers recent events and developments at the Centre for High Performance Computing. These include the establishment of the ACELab, the MoA signed between CHPC and its Taiwanese counterpart, the National Center for High Performance, and news about the use of high performance computing for space weather research.

Current computing 'byte-ing' the dust; ACELab to the rescue Computing has come at a crossroad where technology is running out of speed. This according to Mike Inggs, a professor in electrical engineering at the University of Cape Town (UCT), seconded to the Centre for High Performance Computing (CHPC).

CHPC signs MoA with counterpart in Taiwan Taiwanese and South African high performance computing counterparts recently agreed to share expertise. The CHPC of the Department of Science and Technology and the National Center for High Performance Computing in Taiwan, signed a memorandum of agreement in February 2008 in Taipei.

High performance computing supports space weather studies High performance computing will be a key tool in research on understanding the influence of space weather on our technological systems. Dr Daniel Moeketsi of the CHPC completed his PhD in physics on the topic of solar cycle effects on ionospheric total electron content observed over southern Africa.

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Enabling digital inclusion for schools through Ulwazi Outreach to schools in Mpumalanga has been boosted through wireless connectivity. Through its association with the Meraka Institute of the CSIR, the innovative Ulwazi project has been extended to included 10 Dinaledi schools in Bronkhorstspruit, Witbank and the Middelburg area, forming a radio corridor over a distance of 100 km.

Finding ways to connect South Africans with disabilities Talking about particular information needs in the health domain and ways in which technology can address these was the topic of the first Lwazi workshop held in Pietermaritzburg by researchers from the Meraka Institute of the CSIR, KwaZulu-Natal recently.

National research cyberinfrastructure goes live in Gauteng The South African National Research Network (SANReN) reached a significant milestone when the first four research infrastructure sites went live in Johannesburg on Monday 31 March 2008. This is a major step forward in the creation of an information and communications technology (ICT) platform for South African research.

Exploring social aspects of technology Finding out what happens in a social environment when technology is introduced, was one of the aims of a recent week-long workshop at the Meraka Institute of the CSIR. Led by Australian academic, Dr Larry Stillman of Monash University's Centre for Community Networking Research, researchers from the Digital Doorway project put their heads together to explore this challenging topic.