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Photo of Hector Peterson being carried |
When high-school students in Soweto started protesting for a better education on 16 June 1976, police responded with tear gas and live bullets. "The first shots were fired before children started throwing stones. Then absolute chaos broke out," journalist Samuel Nzima describes what he saw. Other policemen also started shooting. Probably the most famous photograph of the uprising is the photo by Samuel Nzima in which the the body of 13-year-old Hector Petersen, who had been shot, is being carried. A post-mortem revealed that Hector had been killed by a shot fired directly into him.
A new generation had made their voice of opposition to apartheid heard, and were determined to be listened to. June the 16th would never be forgotten. It is commemorated today by a South African national holiday, Youth Day, which honours all the young people who lost their lives in the struggle against apartheid and bantu education.
While recalling these events evokes sadness; Youth day is now commemorated in a democratic South Africa. Today we have a Constitution, containing a Bill of Rights, which protects the very rights those brave students fought for on 16 June 1976.
Willie Brink working with a colleague |
The youth are indeed now making their mark on society; a shining example of which is Dr Willie Brink, a newly-appointed researcher at the CSIR's mobile intelligent autonomous systems research area. Brink, at just 26, has a PhD in computer science, which he received from the prestigious Sheffield University in the UK. His thesis titled '3D face scanning and alignment for biometric systems' dealt with capturing and processing the three-dimensional surface shape of a human face, and exploring its usefulness in a recognition system. This research area of CSIR Modelling and Digital Sciences, is focused on research in technology domains related to intelligent field robotics. Field robots are intelligent machines that perform their missions in unstructured environments.
Brink explains, "Classic methods of automatic face recognition attempt to match digital photos of people's faces in, for example, a security system. A major problem with these methods is that unforeseeable changes in e.g. illumination sources or a head pose can cause two images of the same person to appear (to the computer) to be significantly different. Recently, attention has shifted towards 3D face recognition where the actual three-dimensional shape of a face is considered. Unlike a picture, a 3D model can be rotated freely and effortlessly and should not change due to varying lighting conditions. Even more complex problems, such as severe deformations caused by expression changes or ageing, can become easier to model and deal with. But, unlike image-based methods that require only a standard digital camera for input, 3D systems require special devices for capturing shape information. There is a current need within the face recognition research community for such devices - particularly ones that are quick, reliable and inexpensive."
Brink has developed new methods for capturing 3D face models through the well-known technique of structured light scanning. A dense pattern of narrow uniform stripes is projected onto a face, and a camera records the reflection. The recorded pattern deformation is extracted, decoded and combined with the spatial relationship between the camera and projector to infer the 3D shape. The system can be designed such that the full face is covered in a single projection and can therefore acquire all the data necessary for complete 3D reconstruction within the time base of one video frame (typically about 0,03 seconds). He says, "This is vitally important for the accurate scanning of faces, or any other objects, which can move or change shape rapidly. It also allows for high-resolution 3D animations of a person speaking to be captured in real-time."
Image showing computer-generated results |
Brink has also worked on developing a complete 3D face recognition system. "I investigated new ways of aligning arbitrarily posed (rotated) face models to a fixed and familiar frame of reference by detecting a number of features such as a bilateral plane of approximate symmetry, the nose and the eyes. The aligned model can then be measured and compared to a database to establish or verify the person's identity. For testing, I collected 500 face models from students and staff members in an uncontrolled environment, in various poses and expressions. The system was able to achieve a 93% success rate in identifying those models," the maths boffin says.
The young man is a member of British MENSA, the only qualification for membership of which is having an IQ in the top 2% of the population! The society, founded in England in 1946 by a barrister and a scientist/lawyer was formed to create a non-political society free from all racial or religious distinctions for 'bright people'. Brink is certainly a worthy member.
Willie's colleague's working on the rover |
Brink is excited about the work that he will be doing at the CSIR. He says, "I am working on the CSIR Autonomous Rover (CAR) project. Our aim is to develop a vehicle, equipped with cameras and other sensors, which can drive independently without human guidance. The research holds potential benefits for unmanned exploration, driver assistance systems and, perhaps ultimately, driverless cars". The project involves research and modifications to a robotic platform, which recently arrived from the US. It is also able to wander randomly; simulate behaviours offline; and map warehouses, workshops and other environments.
Brink explains, "I'm currently involved with the development of the rover's object recognition software. The rover has to be able to sense, for example through its cameras, and recognise various objects in its environment including obstacles, road markings and information signs, pedestrians and other vehicles. It is important that this process be performed in real-time so that the rover can decide on and take an appropriate action (reduce speed, stop, change direction, etc.) immediately."
Brink is originally from the Western Cape and completed his master's in applied maths at Stellenbosch University. He left South Africa in August 2005 to complete his PhD at Sheffield University. Whilst his studies were rewarding, Brink missed South Africa, the lovely weather and "friendly people". He says, " I was contacted by the CSIR and offered employment. This was a sign that I needed to return."
"The work that I am doing at the CSIR is very marketable. The organisation provides a good platform to combine academia and industry, which is great."
CSIR youth event |
So far this year, CSIR staff have participated in a number of programmes and events aimed at reaching out to the youth of South Africa to foster an interest in and love for science and technology.
This is indicative of the CSIR's slogan: Our future through science. Via exposure to specialised organisations such as the CSIR, it is hoped that learners will consider careers in science, engineering and technology and hopefully follow in Brink's footsteps.
CSIR Communication:
Chiara Lincoln, email: Clincoln@csir.co.za
Technical enquiries:
Willie Brink, email: Wbrink@csir.co.za
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