The South African Agricultural Research Council (ARC) and Institute for Geodesy and Cartography (IGIK) in Poland recently signed a collaborative research agreement investigating the use of Sentinel-1 radar imagery for soil moisture management on farms as well as monitoring crop development and yield prediction. The development of an affordable new system to locate hidden soil […]
Optimising the fuel/air mix in internal combustion engines is key to maximising power and efficiency whilst reducing harmful nitrogen oxides and particulate matter emissions. When it comes to the testing and development of the latest generation of petrol and diesel engine technology, there is one device that is used by almost every major manufacturer to […]
The current crisis of sewage pollution and lack of maintenance of water and sanitation systems in the Vaal River has highlighted the need for intelligent, pre-emptive systems and measures to protect South Africa’s precious water and other natural resources. The Internet of Things (IoT) could be the answer. Forward-thinking industries like mines, agriculture and local […]
I recently had a conversation with Dr Wynand Louw, president of the International Committee for Weights and Measures (CIPM) and director for research and international liaison at the National Metrology Institute of South Africa (NMISA), with the aim of creating a better understanding of the metrology and its importance. Metrology comes from the Greek words […]
Today in Pretoria, the South African Bureau of Standards (SABS) advised customers that testing conditions have been disrupted as a result of cable theft in the Pretoria area. The unforeseen disruption will cause delays in testing and the issuing of customer test certificates. Electricity cables were stolen during May 2019 and on 19 May 2019 […]
At manufacturing sites, unforeseen facility stoppages are a major management issue, directly linked to lost production opportunities. To minimise downtime, manufacturers must procure on-site maintenance personnel to address unforeseen failures. Manufacturers are looking for ways to utilise smart devices and IoT to maintain and improve facility operation rates without relying on human experience or skills. […]
Ronin’s ART Inventory Management System caters to the needs of every inventory manager through functionality, visibility, continuity and accountability. The system automatically sorts, logs, reports and displays on a dashboard all stock, based upon either internal or external irregular survey data or data regularly derived from an automated installed scanning system. Irrespective of whether the […]
Taking measurements of the height of the sea surface is essential to monitoring sea level rise – and the Copernicus Sentinel-6 mission is on the way to do just this. The mission will be a constellation of two identical satellites that are launched sequentially. Over the next decade, the Copernicus Sentinel-6A and then Sentinel-6B satellites […]
Metrology is the science of measurement and the technology behind the quality assurance processes in manufacturing that ensure a car runs the way it should, the computer’s processor works properly, aircraft stay in the air and more aspects of daily life that we take for granted – until something goes wrong. In manufacturing, hundreds or […]
Since radar was developed and deployed during the Second World War, its use has expanded enormously. As technology advances, these uses are also advancing. When it comes to level measurement, radar offers accuracy and efficiency, which is essential for safety, stock inventory and processing. Radar is exceptionally robust and can be used in any circumstance, […]
