CSIR-wide News

	CSIR laser technologist makes SA 2012 London Olympics team as archery coach Today, ordinary people can directly benefit from innovative technologies as soon as they are invented. One such case is that of Karen Hultzer, who is benefiting from the use of laser technology to further improve her archery techniques.
	Nanomedicine’s potential for Africa highlighted at DST budget vote dinner When CSIR nanomedicine specialist Dr Hulda Swai was invited by Minister Naledi Pandor to speak to dinner guests during the Department of Science and Technology’s budget vote tabling at parliament, she was the second representative from the CSIR to do so in as many years. Last year, Dr Suprakas Sinha-Ray, the only scientist in Africa who made the list of the top 50 chemists in the world, was given the opportunity.
	Technology localisation to boost competitiveness of South African companies The recently established Technology Localisation Implementation Unit – hosted by the CSIR on behalf of the Department of Science and Technology – has set itself ambitious goals. Some 75 companies stand to benefit through its interventions on localisation over the next three years.
	South Africa proud host of the first Africa Round of Manfred Lachs Space Law Moot Court Competition The First African Round of the Manfred Lachs Space Law Moot Court Competition was successfully hosted by the University of Pretoria’s Institute for International and Comparative Law in Africa in May 2012, with four participating universities from South Africa, Nigeria and Kenya.
	NEOSS rallies Earth observations community for SA-GEO workshop The national body put in place by the Department of Science and Technology to coordinate and expand activities related to Earth observations and space matters is planning a series of workshops to engage with communities of practices in these domains.

Built environment

Green building design to be boosted by unique new CSIR climate map Contributing to the design of buildings that are responsive to the specific characteristics of the climate in which they are placed, the CSIR has created a new Köppen-Geiger map to quantify the climatic conditions in South Africa with unique accuracy.

South African logistics must gear up for change to become global partner Amidst change and uncertainty in global economies, a shift is seen worldwide towards emerging markets that have been more resilient to the economic downturn than their counterparts in developed countries. South Africa is currently well positioned to shine as a global business partner, with the performance of its logistics sector being a key determinant.

Defence and security

	CSIR technology to support anti-piracy operations The CSIR developed a novel hosting system that allows for the loading of more – and different types of – boats onto ships, giving the South African Navy an effective and rapidly deployable tool against acts of piracy.
	CSIR radar expertise in support of the MeerKAT Radar experts from the CSIR assisted engineers from the Square Kilometre Array project with the characterisation of a wideband analogue-to-digital converter for integration into the Karoo Array Telescope (or ‘MeerKAT’) antennae, as a component of the L-band frequency (0.9 - 1.67GHz) upgrade currently underway.
	Staying safe in cyberspace: CSIR develops training package for novice users The CSIR has created a training package to raise awareness about cyber security among novice technology users. The package covers four main streams of cyber security-related topics – physical security, malware and malware countermeasures, safe surfing, and the social aspects of cyber security.

Health

CSIR hosts biotechnology and biosafety regulators and journalists The CSIR, in collaboration with AfricaBio and the NEPAD-led African Biosafety Network of Expertise recently hosted a group of regulators and journalists from 11 African countries.

Industry

CSIR to pilot a titanium metal production process The CSIR has developed a process to produce titanium powder directly in a continuous manner on a commercial scale from titanium tetrachloride (the usual precursor used for titanium production). To date, no organisation in the world has been able to do this.

	Electronic sounding device commercialised A device invented by the CSIR used in the detection of loose overhead rock in underground mines has been commercialised. An electronic sounding device is a sensor that mimics the performance of an experienced miner in determining whether loose rocks are present in the roof of the excavation during the entry inspection.
	NCPC-SA director heads up international body Director of South Africa’s National Cleaner Production Centre, Ndivhuho Raphulu, was elected president of the African Roundtable for Sustainable Consumption and Production at a meeting in Accra, Ghana.
	Soshanguve Fablab hosts fashion show The Soshanguve FabLab, which has a fashion design component to it, recently hosted a fashion show featuring designs from young designers who are using the FabLab. The FabLab is a number of ‘fabrication laboratories’ that enable invention by providing individuals with access to tools for digital fabrication.

Natural environment

	Researchers one step closer to providing a country-wide nitrogen map for southern Africa Remote sensing specialists are standing by to capitalise on the launch of the European Space Agency’s (ESA) Sentinel-2 Earth observation satellite in 2013, as that will, for the first time, enable them to develop a nitrogen map for southern Africa.
	Detection of large-scale landscape changes in and around the Kruger National Park The Carnegie Airborne Observatory – an integrated airborne hyperspectral and light detection and ranging (LiDAR) system based at Stanford University in the United States – recently completed a third mission to the Kruger National Park (KNP) in South Africa.
	Launch of research programme into adverse health impacts of too much sun Research into the effects of solar ultraviolet radiation on the health of the South African population has received new impetus and focus, starting with an audit of existing science and research skills in this field.

Service delivery

Safe drinking water now reality for Eastern Cape communities Households in the Mbelu, Cwebe and Ntilini villages in the rural Eastern Cape now have access to safe, reliable drinking water. Some 9 000 people from these villages in the Amathole District Municipality previously relied on untreated water from springs, rivers or dams and often shared their water resources with domestic animals.

Enabling technologies

	The effects of laser flashing at aircraft: An opinion piece The South African aviation industry has reported a sharp spike in incidences of laser-flashing at aircrafts in the country’s airspace. Laser is an acronym for Light Amplification by the Stimulated Emission of Radiation.
	CSIR acquires high-end motion-capture system for mobile robots For a robot to interact with its environment, it first needs to know where it is. In robotics research, this problem is known as localisation and the ability to localise is a key enabler for autonomous behaviour.