Diamond Auditorium
Partnering for market uptake: A manufacturing case study
Session Chair: Dr Hencharl Strauss, CSIR Photonics Centre Manager
11:50 – 12:20
A novel local laser system development with a commercial partner
Dr Darryl Naidoo, CSIR Principal Researcher and Gordon Taylor, Head of Commercial Technology, De Beers Group Ignite
The CSIR Photonics Centre and De Beers Ignite co-developed a robust new laser system that will be deployed to a diamond-sorting facility at a leading mine in Botswana. The new system is intended to replace previous sorting technologies that became unreliable and compromised not only diamond sorting, but the entire mining process, from blasting to transportation of the raw materials. The total development of the system took just nine months, despite supply chain delays. The system is currently undergoing a six-month testing phase at the mine.
Questions and answers
Manufacturing technologies for commercialisation
12:20 – 12:45
Laser-based engineering services for the repair and maintenance of high-value plant components
Dr Lerato Tshabalala, CSIR Research Group Leader: Laser-enabled Manufacturing
Laser-based engineering is used for the repair and maintenance of high-value plant components, allowing industries in sectors such as power generation, mining and chemical processing to improve the efficiency and reliability of equipment – at a lower, comparative cost. The available technology platforms offer equipment for a diverse range of industrial applications.
The advantages include lower energy consumption than traditional manufacturing procedures and reduced material wastage, which both contribute to a reduced environmental impact. The use of laser-based engineering extends the useful lifespan of production equipment and prevents unnecessary replacement. It also helps avoid losses caused by equipment downtime while new parts are being installed. Because the CSIR systems are mobile, refurbishment can be done at the client’s site, reducing downtime and maintenance cost.
Questions and answers
Ruby Auditorium
Partnering for market uptake: A health case study
Session Chair: Dr Amanda Skepu, CSIR Impact Area Manager Molecular Devices
11:50 – 12:15
An ongoing partnership in microsphere technology: The Resyn Biosciences/CSIR collaboration
Dr Isak Gerber, CSIR Principal Researcher
Following the CSIR invention and patenting of a microsphere technology and six years of research and development, CSIR spin-out company ReSyn Biosciences (Pty) Ltd was founded in 2012, with an exclusive licence to commercialise the technology, which subsequently won a Best New Product Award at the prestigious Society for Laboratory Automation and Screening, in the United States of America in 2015.
The cross-cutting technology is now well established in the international bio-separation and omics areas, with over 200 peer-reviewed publications, validated methods and application notes with highly reputable international academic institutions and companies, and is being integrated into diagnostic and industrial processes. The high-performance, high-capacity magnetic microsphere technology is primarily used in biological research to improve our understanding of the mechanisms behind disease. The team shares challenges, successes and lessons learned.
Health technologies for commercialisation
12:15 – 12:35
Biophotonics research for the development and design of novel healthcare solutions
Dr Patience Mthunzi-Kufa, CSIR Principal Researcher, Biophotonics Principal Investigator and Research Group Leader: Biophotonics
Both communicable and non-communicable diseases remain a challenge in developing countries where access to healthcare facilities is almost impossible in some rural and peri-urban areas. The work presented herein is aimed at reducing the burden of disease on developing countries, where infectious diseases like HIV/TB have been noted as the major cause of mortality. In this talk, a report on the development of a multi-screening, portable device designed through photonics-based technologies for HIV, TB, and Covid-19 – as well as non-communicable diseases – is delivered. The primary objective of this smartphone diagnostic tool is to provide patients in the rural and peri-urban areas, who might not have access to laboratories or healthcare facilities, with non-invasive and cost-effective medical devices, which will allow them to monitor and manage their health in the comfort of their own homes.
12:35 – 13:00
A bilevel positive airway pressure non-invasive ventilator
Peter Bosscha, CSIR Research Group Leader and Peter Brierley, Akacia Medical
The Covid-19 pandemic highlighted the vulnerabilities in South Africa’s healthcare products sector. During the peak of infection in 2020, the CSIR developed a wholly locally produced ventilator system that could be deployed rapidly to assist patients with inhalation. A longer term, strategic view started evolving to establish capability and capacity in the production of medical devices locally to support the national health system, the medical products industry and community healthcare efficiencies.
The newest product, the CSIR Bilevel Positive Airway Pressure Lung Inspiratory Flow Enabler (B-LIFE), regulates both inspiratory and expiratory pressures to assist with breathing. It was developed by the CSIR after the pandemic, with support from the Development Bank of Southern Africa. It demonstrated the effective impact of sound research and development, the importance of development agencies, the handling of accreditation and compliance standards, and effective production and industrialisation through a well-aligned, commercial partnership.
Amethyst
Partnering for market uptake: A defence and security case study
Session Chair: Innocent Siziba, Senior Commercialisation Manager, CSIR Advanced Production and Security
11:50 – 12:20
Lessons learned on collaborative development and product development in the defence industry: The HENSOLDT-CSIR Quadome radar development
André le Roux, CSIR Radar Business Development Manager and Jaco Botha, HENSOLDT Programme Manager
In March 2021, HENSOLDT South Africa and the CSIR signed co-development and licence agreements for the development of a new generation of tactical 3D surveillance radar to modernise one of HENSOLDT’s key radar product lines and further enhance its extensive radar portfolio. The programme is now halfway through the development and the presentation will share successes, challenges and lessons learned in initiating, establishing and executing such a joint programme.
Defence and security technologies for commercialisation
12:20 – 12:40
A web-based collaboration platform for information management (CMORE)
Erick Dube, CSIR Impact Area Manager: Command, Control and Integrated Systems
The fast-paced, ever-changing world is requiring higher levels of collaboration from individuals and organisations. Organisations are being forced to streamline and only keep core capabilities and are looking to collaboration partners to provide the complementary capabilities that would create a complete solution or offering. This phenomenon has given rise to the growth of collaboration tools and platforms offering various capabilities. The key consideration for such collaboration tools has shifted from that of functionality to security and accessibility. This presentation provides an overview of the key features of the CMORE collaboration platform. In the presentation, we will discuss its history to date, major deployment success stories and its uniqueness.
12:40 – 13:00
Veristic Print: A secure contactless fingerprint identification system
Graham Barbour, CSIR Principal Researcher
VeristicPrint is a family of fingerprint tools. The contactless acquisition tool captures a fingerprint with just a camera, such as a phone camera, without the need for a fingerprint scanner and in a format that can be matched against other fingerprint databases, such as that of the Department of Home Affairs.
The extractor is a home-grown fingerprint minutia extractor. The hasher combines a fingerprint minutia template and a password into a hash, from which neither the template nor password can be recovered, but which can be compared biometrically with other hashes. The hashes match if, and only if, the passwords are the same and the fingerprints are of the same finger.
Crystal/Garnet
Partnering for market uptake: Bio-based innovations
Session Chair: Lara Kotzé-Jacobs, Programme Manager, CSIR Biomanufacturing Industry Development Centre (BIDC)
The Bio-economy Strategy outlines a vision in which South Africa’s bioeconomy is a significant contributor to the country’s socioeconomic development through the creation and growth of new industries. The CSIR believes that small and medium enterprise (SME) development and support are the vehicles for economic growth. Globally, circular economy approaches using bio-based innovations are well accepted; however, key to success is the establishment of a competitive biomanufacturing sector. At the CSIR, several industry-facing centres, such as the BIDC, which uses open innovation models that provide infrastructure and resources to SMEs, were established to enable technology development. This session highlights the capabilities and offerings at the CSIR that have allowed for the successful development of technologies for local uptake and commercialisation.
11:50 – 11:55
The role of the BIDC in supporting bio-entrepreneurs
Lara Kotzé-Jacobs, BIDC Programme Manager
11:55 – 12:05
Technology development and localisation of bio-based products for agricultural and preventative health
Dr Santosh Ramchuran, CSIR Principal Researcher
12:05 – 12:20
Panel discussion
Panellists:
Lara Kotzé-Jacobs, Programme Manager, BIDC; Rachelle Botha, iCAT Business Unit Manager; Dr Chomba Chuma, Managing Director, Velobiotics; Dr Santosh Ramchuran, CSIR Principal Researcher
Food, beverages and fruit packaging technologies for commercialisation
12:20 – 12:40
The use of bio-based coatings for post-harvest pathogen control and prolonged shelf life
Dr Veshara Ramdas, CSIR Senior Researcher
South Africa needs to diversify and expand its fruit export market. In the recent past, due to the Covid-19 pandemic, citrus fruit, which includes clementines, mandarins, lemons and limes, was in high demand globally. Traditionally, edible food coatings contain either synthetic or chemical-based waxes and fungicides, which have been proven to confer several side effects on human, animal and plant health. In conjunction with the recent rise in demand for organic products, and export legislation, some locally produced fruits are being supplied without any protective coating. This research focused on the development of a bio-based product, namely an edible biopolymer film that is produced by microbial-derived exopolysaccharides. The initial study demonstrated the use of this biopolymer as a safe and edible chemical replacement for the agricultural industry. More importantly, the study has demonstrated improvements in the shelf life of citrus fruit, which will assist farmers to export their fruit – with a direct impact on the country’s economy.
12:40 – 13:00
Keeping oxygen out and freshness in: Bag-in-box films
Dr Jayita Bandyopadhyay, CSIR Senior Researcher
Freshness of beverages and the associated longer shelf life are highly desired for producers and consumers. Wines are usually packed in glass bottles, which are heavy, and glass is fragile. Bag-in-box (BiB), a trendy packaging solution, is made of a plastic bag that contains wine and is protected inside a cardboard box. BiB is much lighter than glass bottles and, hence, more efficient to distribute and is, therefore, a cost-effective packaging solution. Depending on the size of the BiB, the shelf life before opening can vary between three and nine months. Over a prolonged period, oxygen ingress, combined with that already dissolved in the wine while filling, results in wine oxidation in the BiB.To prevent the wine oxidation and with the aim of keeping wine fresh over an extended period, an active packaging solution was developed, and a patent has been published (United States of America). Results obtained so far indicate that this technology can prevent the flat taste that develops over time and compensates for the loss of sulphur dioxide over time. Moreover, it does not affect the pH of wine and retains the wine color over the test period. The new BiB film can be used in all current applications and configurations (laminated or loose bags). A BiB prototype has been developed and is currently being subjected to user testing to ascertain its acceptance.
Onyx
Mining technologies for commercialisation
Session Chair: Hartmut Brodner, CSIR Mining Business Development Manager
12:20 – 12:40
Early warning device for goafs – underground roof collapses – in coal mines
John Isaac, CSIR Research Group Leader for Advanced Internet of Things
A high-level description of an innovative device, called GoafWarn, for providing early warning of goafs in underground coal mining operations.
GoafWarn can be used to enhance mine safety by providing an estimated 1 to 12-min warning before the collapse occurs. It can provide additional economic benefit in coal mining operations when used for safe coal pillar extraction. It has no competitors for the utility it provides. The need, approach and benefits of the technology will be described and the commercialisation approach and the type of licensing partnership that the CSIR is seeking, will be outlined. The talk should be of interest to potential licensees, technology service providers to mines, coal mine operators and mine safety regulators.
12:40 – 13:00
A customised trackless mobile machinery collision prevention system digital twin
Fleckson Magweregwede, CSIR Senior Mining Engineer and Safiya Turundu, CSIR software developer
Transportation systems-related accidents – including those resulting from trackless mobile machinery (TMM) – have been among the top three causes of fatalities and injuries in the South African mining industry over the past decade. To this end, the CSIR team, in collaboration with mining industry stakeholders, embarked on a mission to explore the potential application of digital twinning technology as a tool for predicting the safety performance of traffic management systems. A CSIR team with expertise in areas such as mining engineering, mine safety management, systems engineering, machine learning and data analytics, demonstrated that the TMM collision prevention system digital twin could be utilised as a tool to conduct close to real-time risk assessment and predict the likely occurrence of TMM accidents. This will allow for timeous formulation and implementation of customised mitigation measures to prevent TMM accidents.
The Talk Shop – Exhibition hall
Demonstration of CSIR-developed biometrics technologies