Meet KZN’s Innovators

Eloh App is a digital application that allows customers to connect to a professional service provider easily using their handheld device. Customers are able to view, book and request a variety of services which are available on Eloh at their own convenience. The Eloh App saves the customer time because they do not have to search extensively for service providers in their local area. Secondly, customers save time because they don't have to travel to the service provider because the service comes to you. Lastly, Eloh provides greater convenience since the customer can book a time that best suits their schedule. The App currently covers the whole of KZN and will be launching in Johannesburg this year and Cape Town in the first half of next year (2021).

The Sturtium Informatics System allows users to submit short reports and information on water resources, waste, environmental and infrastructure management problems which they encounter in their cities or municipalities. The data from the reports can be used by service providers, public institutions, research groups and non-governmental organisations (NGOs) for problem solving, planning and management as well as being used as a mechanism to hold respective entities accountable for service delivery.

The goal is to ensure safe administration of traditional medicine. The traditional medicine is put in a capsule with proper dosages as proposed by a pharmacist. The benefits of housing the medicine in a capsule includes eliminating the bitter taste that is usually associated with traditional medicines since the capsule only opens up once it has been consumed. Secondly, capsules ensure appropriate dosages because traditional healers generally instruct people to drink half a cup for example, however, cup sizes vary amongst households which increases risk of overdose.

As opposed to focusing on one product/innovation, the core of Ocram O&P is to develop a system and products that could help more than just people struggling with limb loss. The first innovation they developed is providing a 3-D printed prosthetic arm and leg to a 5-month-old patient that was matched to his not amputated limbs. This innovation led to Marco being nominated for JCI South Africa's Ten Outstanding Young Persons Award for 2020. Another innovation was making a 3-D printed prosthetic cover which acts as a protection for the components within as well as an aesthetic finish to match the patient's other limb. Currently, Ocram O&P is working on developing other alternative solutions, as with the advancements of the fourth industrial revolution (4IR) we can use CAD/CAM and industrial 3-D printing to provide better more effective medical devices. The goal is to provide affordable care throughout the African continent using a mobile clinic equipped to see patients and educate practitioners whilst increasing access to their medical devices.

HyDrop is a foot operated tap, which has been designed to save up to 74% of water and optimise hygiene. It works by a person using their foot to press a foot pedal which dispenses water and stops when the foot is removed from the pedal. It is non-electronic and works on simple principles of mechanics.

The innovation extracts methane gas from biomass and converts this energy into electricity. There are two streams of biomass used by the system which includes faecal matter from pit latrines and animals, as well as organic waste such as banana and orange peels.

The innovation is a retractable backpack umbrella that protects an individual from the rain or harmful UV rays. Ultimately, the straps of the backpack will contain a mechanism that will allow you to pull the straps and open the umbrella, adjust its height to the user’s preference and close and retract the umbrella back into the backpack.

Mobi-Air is a hybrid system which uses thermal energy storage as its medium of cooling. Water or a liquid substance is frozen to a set temperature using a refrigeration condensing unit with a single-phase plug (normal domestic power that we use in our households) at night, when electricity is at its cheapest. The energy stored in that liquid substance will be used to cool the tent or marquee during the day for a given number of hours, without any electrical connection. This results in huge energy savings and convenience for the user.

GreenGold Technology developed a farming methodology that is environmentally sustainable based on a closed loop system. In this system, there exists a symbiotic relationship between fish and phytoplankton (a microorganism) where one tank contains fish which produce harmful waste products such as carbon dioxide and ammonia and the other tank contains phytoplankton that convert carbon dioxide to oxygen and convert the ammonia into biomass. The water is now free of harmful waste which makes it suitable for the fish to survive.

Respo is a mobile app solution that uses GPS technology to find the exact location of a patient and also notifies the next of kin when an emergency occurs. This solution is aimed at reducing the time it takes for an ambulance to reach a patient, resulting in more lives saved during medical emergencies.

1) Although oral ARVs are the main treatment for HIV a 40% mortality rate observed in children due to issues related to toxicity and patient adherence. The WHO attributes this to the lag in the development of simplified drugs for children. To solve this issue we are developing an ARV medi-patch with novel nanosized co-crystals for use in HIV infected children. This product reduces toxicity associated with the oral ARV therapy generally used. In addition, the ease of application results in patient adherence subsequently reducing the potential of drug resistance. 2) Plastic and bio-waste pollution are pervasive environmental issues with Africa having limited upcycling capability. As one of the 5 winners in the Scale out for impact (SOFI) programme facilitated by TIA, our company has formed a partnership with UK NGO TechforTrade to establish operations in Durban with the view to provide recycled plastic (rPET) filament to the 3D printing sector. By providing cheaper, robust 3D filament and products from recycled PET and bagasse we can provide socio-economic and environmental benefit to South Africa. 3D printing training opportunities and filament production would mean skills development for South African youth.

The Hydra Power systems aims to help alleviate the symptoms of load shedding and water scarcity, usimg the water lost by buildings to re-use this water and generate electricity.

Get2Natural considers the varying characteristics that define hair; length, curl pattern, density, and porosity (i.e. the measure of how well an individuals hair absorbs moisture). And ass suchr innovation- porosity specific oils. This marked the beginning of Get2Natural Beauty.

Both innovations use waste generated from manufacturing and agriculture to creat a myriad of new products, turning waste into wealth.

The SolaPac system uses an innovative and sustainable approach to provide clean, sustainable, low cost energy, while at the same time filtering water to support areas where these resources are not readily available.