EngineerIT e-News, Issue 136, Sept 2019:

Electronics, measurement, instrumentation, automation, control and ICT

Issue 136, September 2019

Editor's note: Write to me and WIN!

I have had the privilege of running EngineerIT for almost two years now. While I don't always consider myself a journalist (I prefer "content fairy"), I don't think I have done a terrible job at covering some controversial topics. Since taking the wheel, I have embraced issues such as diversity in the workplace, labour issues stemming from 4IR, skills development, policy changes, and government departments' rolling name changes (Can anyone tell me off the top of their heads what Stella Ndabeni-Abrahams is the minister of now?).

I know you, dear readers, are interested and have your own opinions to share regarding these and many other topics. The conversations I had at the recent ICT Infrastructure 2019 Conference and Exhibition proved this, but please PUT YOUR THOUGHTS IN WRITING! I want to hear from you.

Write to me at aimee.clarke@ee.co.za and stand to win a Canon IXUS 180 valued at R1500. The best letter wins, so give me something juicy. Have a look at our articles in this issue (below, ranging from opinion pieces to technical pieces). Tell me what you think, and you could get a visit from yours truly, gift in hand.

Aimee

Editor: EngineerIT

Win a Canon IXUS 180

Small and stylish enough to take everywhere, this versatile 20 Megapixel IXUS with WiFi, 10x optical zoom and Intelligent image stabiliser lets you simply point and shoot for brilliant results every time.

Views and opinion

Lead editorial: ICT investment crucial for economic development

by Vino Govender, Dark Fibre Africa

There can be no real discussion about the Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR) without a discussion about the infrastructure that makes it possible. From densified fibre networks to transmission towers and data centres, the various parts of the telecommunications ecosystem are all enablers...( read more)

ICT Infrastructure 2019: Here's what you missed!

by Aimée Clarke, EE Publishers

It is with happy hindsight that we can confidently say the first ICT Infrastructure Conference and Exhibition was a success! The event saw professionals gathering from across the IT and electrical engineering professions. Quality over quantity was what we aimed for and our keynote speakers, presenters, exhibitors and delegates certainly delivered...( read more)

In conversation with... A quantum researcher

by Hans van de Groenendaal, EE Publishers

Much has been written recently about quantum computing, but let me summarise: it will not replace computing as we know it today, nor will it short-circuit the expansion of high-performance computing. However, it will take us to new heights. In South Africa, it is all happening at the Tshimologong Precinct...( read more)

For manufacturers, the best approach to AI is a holistic one

by Mohamed Cassoojee, IFS South Africa

South Africa’s manufacturing sector is under enormous pressure, contracting by 8,8% quarter-on-quarter in the first quarter of 2019, according to StatsSA. This poor performance from the manufacturing sector was one of the main contributors towards the country’s GDP...( read more)

Technical articles

Q& A: Radar sensor FAQs

with Brandon Topham, Turck Banner

Radar sensors are commonly used for a wide variety of vehicle detection and collision avoidance applications, and they are a particularly excellent choice for outdoor deployments. Turck Banner has offered some key answers to the questions they get asked most often...( read more)

The Fourth Industrial Revolution risks leaving women behind

by Rachel Adams, Human Sciences Research Council

The Fourth Industrial Revolution is, ostensibly, upon us. The term was coined in 2016 by Klaus Schwab, the founder and executive chairman of the World Economic Form. Broadly, it refers to the collapsing of boundaries between the physical, digital and biological spheres. More specifically, it’s about the digitalisation of all kinds of systems and processes...( read more)

What happens when Telkom switches off ADSL?

by Dr Dawie de Wet, Q-Kon

In May 2019, Telkom CEO Sipho Maseko was quoted as saying that Telkom recently developed a roadmap concerning the proactive migration of customers to newer infrastructure. “We are hoping that in the next five years we would have exited copper entirely,” Maseko said...( read more)

RF noise is killing communication

by Hans van de Groenendaal, EE Publishers

What climate change is doing to cause erratic and unforeseen weather, so is uncontrolled increases in radio frequency (RF) noise...( read more)

Interoperability: A factor of success

by Florian Essler, EtherCAT Technology Group

Interoperability, by design, allows separate systems to interact seamlessly. This lends itself to the core idea of Ethernet: following the plug-and-play principle, devices made by different manufacturers should work together in a problem-free manner.

As one of the factors leading to the success of the technology, interoperability is extremely important for the...( read more)

Research initiative aims to boost SA mining

by Hans van de Groenendaal, EE Publishers

Mining is an important economic driver of South Africa’s economy, yet political instability on how the sector should move forward has slowed down the development and implementation of new technology and has affected the revitalisation of the industry. With the creation of the Nelson Mandala Mining Precinct at the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research...( read more)

Basic oscilloscope fundamentals

Information from Keysight Technologies

Electronic technology permeates our lives and as electronic technology has advanced, the speeds at which these devices operate have accelerated. Today, most devices use high-speed digital technologies. Engineers need the ability to accurately design and test...( read more)

Electronics: Recognising Industry 4.0’s potential

Information from Essentra Components

Electronics is a sector that is eagerly embracing Industry 4.0 because it can see where the benefits clearly lie. Manufacturers around the globe are genuinely excited about its transformative power. KPMG in its 2017 Rethink Manufacturing report revealed that 56% ...( read more )

How to use imaging colorimeters to improve OLED display quality

Information from Radiant Vision Systems

Organic light emitting diode (OLED) technology is promising for flat-panel displays, but image quality issues must be resolved for it to be commercially viable. Organic light emitting diodes are emerging as the next wave of technology in the flat-panel display market. This is exciting because...( read more)

The millimetre bands are useless! Are they?

by Hans van de Groenendaal, EE Publishers

From the dawn of radio by Marconi and others, some segments of the radio spectrum were declared of no real value. The high frequency (HF) bands (shortwave) first earned this “useless position” because long and medium waves were considered the only frequencies of value. Then, radio amateurs pioneered international communications on shortwave ...( read more )

Futuristic ICT needs futuristic skills

by Moira de Roche, IITPSA

In his book “Future Shock” (first published in 1970), Alvin Toffler said this about Learning “The illiterate of the 21 ^stcentury will not be those who cannot read and write, but those who cannot learn, unlearn, and relearn”. This was an important concept back then, but it is vital in the Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR).

Education must be focused on creative endeavours...( read more)

5G and rural connectivity

by Tim Genders, WAPA

5G is a highly charged subject. It is even causing chaos between American and Chinese trade relations. The accusations made of spying and backdoors are a cause for concern. A back door could, at one command, close down the key networks of a country. So what is 5G? It is simply faster 4G – offering higher bandwidth for more devices at lower latency...( read more)

Get a library of EE Publishers’ magazines in your pocket!

EE Publishers has just launched a comprehensive, free, new, mobile app for Android and Apple smart phones and tablets.

The new, single, mobile app seamlessly maintains a complete library of current and back issues of all four of EE Publishers’ magazines in your pocket or briefcase, for reading on-line or off-line.

Once the EE Publishers mobile app is downloaded and installed, the latest issues of EngineerIT, Energize, Vector and PositionIT magazines are automatically pushed to your mobile device every month free-of-charge.

The mobile app comes pre-loaded with the current issue and back issues for the last twelve months, for all four magazines from EE Publishers .

Zooming and panning of the high-resolution pages within the magazines allows effortless reading of text, tables, figures and graphs.

Try out the new combined mobile app from EE Publishers now!

Search the Apple iStore or Google PlayStore for

“ EE Publishers ”,

Touch or click the relevant image below .