Recently, via contact with RS Components' Wesley Hood and Wojtek Sanetra, the AEDG managed to secure interest and support from RS Components for the ongoing Touch Hand Project 6.0 which is being conducted in collaboration with UKZN's Stopforth Robotics & Research Laboratory as an ongoing project.
The Touch Hand project is one that is aimed at the international Cybathlon event planned for 2024 in tandem with the 2024 Paris Olympic Games, but, more importantly, is aimed at producing a cost-effective modular prosthetic for local deployment, as standard prosthetics are notoriously expensive.
RS Components have initiated an exciting Grass Roots Education programme to empower the next generation of engineers, innovators and technologists with the aim of developing vital skills, experience and inspiration to change our world.
This vision allies directly with the work undertaken by the AEDG through its students, so it is a huge pleasure to be in partnership and collaboration with RS Components' exciting vision.
Already, this has bourne fruit with the supply of much-needed electronic equipment to the AEDG student projects for which we are hugely appreciative, and have already been incorporated successfully into current projects in development.
We are hoping that this initiative will continue long-term and that many exciting creative ideas from our students are seen through to completion and implementation directly as a result of this important collaborative partnership.
(from left) AEDG's Jode Fourie, Nicole Gray are seen with RS Components' Wojtek Sanetra, and AEDG's Wian van Aswegen in a recent visit to the AEDG Lab