administrator

The Undeniable Importance of ICT Amidst COVID-19

Introduction Over the years, Information Communications Technology has completely revolutionised the world we live in. ICT impacts almost every aspect of our daily lives – from how we work and learn to how we communicate and socialise. In fact, ICT has become such an intrinsic part of modern day society that it is easy to overlook the crucial role it plays. Locating Within Today’s Landscape The emergence of the COVID-19 virus has completely shifted this paradigm, bringing ICT’s critical role to the forefront. The pandemic continues to have a devastating effect on all sectors of society (economic, health, education, business, social etc.) and many countries have been forced to enter a state of lockdown to curb the spread. It has become clear that ICT is the only tool capable of sustaining a lockdown of this nature. Consequently, every sector of society is relying on ICT, now more than ever, to remain afloat. Effect on Sectors of Society Digital health solutions have played a fundamental role in the fight against COVID-19, with technology being used to identify, track and test the virus. Without ICT, the COVID-19 virus may not have been identified as early as it was. BlueDot, a Canadian start-up, was one of the first organisations to identify the emergence of the mysterious flu-like virus in Wuhan, China. They used an AI-driven surveillance algorithm to track the virus and give advanced warning to government agencies, health officials, frontline hospitals and airlines, days before the outbreak. AI’s ability to analyse massive amounts of data to predict results on large datasets accurately is also being used in South Africa’s fight against the COVID-19 virus. Contact tracing is being used to track and trace the virus in provinces that have been most affected, and publicly accessible interactive dashboards are being used to track the number of infections, recoveries and fatalities in the country. This has greatly assisted the Government in making well-informed, data-driven decisions. AI is also being used to identify faster and more precise testing methods. Researchers in New York have developed an algorithm that quickly detects COVID-19, using AI in conjunction with imaging technologies. The algorithm looks at CT scans of the patient’s lungs, along with the patient’s symptoms and bloodwork to quickly make a diagnosis. Not only is this method quicker and more accurate than the current viral tests, it also solves other challenges including the shortage of test kits and the possibility of false-negatives. AI is also being used to identify faster and more precise testing methods. Researchers in New York have developed an algorithm that quickly detects COVID-19, using AI in conjunction with imaging technologies. The algorithm looks at CT scans of the patient’s lungs, along with the patient’s symptoms and bloodwork to quickly make a diagnosis. Not only is this method quicker and more accurate than the current viral tests, it also solves other challenges including the shortage of test kits and the possibility of false-negatives. Technology has also assisted with the dissemination of up-to-date and reliable COVID-19 information – another central component in the management and mitigation of the virus. Members of society are only able to make informed decisions when they are kept informed. The South African Government achieved this with the use of WhatsApp. This well known instant messaging platform has allowed the Government to disseminate up-to-date COVID-19 information to millions of South Africans in 5 official languages. ICT has not only played an important role in the direct fight against the COVID-19 virus but also in dealing with its after-effects. Businesses, educational institutions and everyday South Africans have turned to technology platforms to maintain some form of normalcy during the national lockdown.

The Undeniable Importance of ICT Amidst COVID-19 Read More »

Mega Project: Sustainable Living

Mega Project: Sustainable Living Belgium Campus iTversity has embarked on a new virtual international collaboration project with PXL University of Applied Sciences and Arts (Belgium) and Fontys University of Applied Sciences (The Netherlands). The project, titled Mega Project: Sustainable Living, is a semester long collaboration which challenges students from across the globe to engineer solutions around sustainable living. About the Project Participating students will work in groups with international peers from a range of faculties on overarching innovation projects. The projects will address sustainable living challenges in the areas of waste management and smart cities, with a specific focus on the SDGs. By exposing students to multicultural course content and multidisciplinary innovation, the project aims to promote the innovation and leadership skills needed to drive real change in our increasingly complicated world. “There is a need for global competence and job-ready graduates who understand the complex environment they are entering. Although knowledge is important, possessing the skills, attitudes and behaviours needed to thrive in today’s world is even more important. We need to be able to make connections, even in the virtual world, in order to create respect and understanding, and collaboratively create and critically evaluate sustainable and relevant solutions.” – Belgium Campus CEO, Enrico Jacobs. Kick-Off Event and Challenges Earlier this month, a virtual kick-off event was held to mark the official launch of the project. The event gave participating students an opportunity to meet their international peers and provided a platform for the presentation of the sustainable living challenges they will be working together to address. The challenges, which were presented by representatives from each of the participating organisations, include: Waste Management ChallengePresented by Technology Innovations Agency HOD, Senisha Moonsamy and Elula Group South Africa Director, Alvero Mpofu. Students are challenged to ideate, research and prototype a localised, socially inclusive solution that addresses the negative effect increased urbanisation has on waste management. The solution must move away from the unsustainable wase management method of landfill disposal and instead focus on waste prevention, reuse, recycling and recovery. Students are encouraged to adopt a technological approach, using trending technologies like AI and IoT, to develop solutions which are not only feasible but are also leading and distinct. Air Quality ChallengePresented by Boekel Ecovillage Founder, Ad Vlems. Students are tasked with creating an AI application that will help maintain a healthy environment within the eco-homes in this community. To achieve this, the app must be capable of consolidating information from existing air quality sensors within the homes, weather forecasts, health tables and user preferences, in order to suggest actions that will keep air quality at an optimum. Students must also keep security and user privacy in mind during the development process. Energy Transition ChallengePresented by OpenRemote CEO, Pierre Kil. Students must design software tools that will allow for the development of an off-grid energy management system. The tools created must optimise the management of renewable energy by predicting and creating a balance between production and consumption. This can be achieved with the use of a smart energy storage device which participating students are also challenged to design. In addition to the industry partner representatives and students and staff from the participating institutions, the event was also attended by Dr. Ayodele Odusola, the Resident Representative for the United Nations Development Programme in South Africa. Dr. Odusola gave an insightful speech highlighting the importance of the SDGs, and a project such as this, in realising the UNDP’s goal to achieve an inclusive, just and sustainable future for all. “This initiative is shifting the frontier of market-ready graduates by aligning theory with practical skills and labour market context. I strongly believe that the students who benefit from this initiative will be the drivers of future innovations that lead us in the right direction. -Louise Fuller

Mega Project: Sustainable Living Read More »

Translate »