Category: Science &Technology

{{All you Apple lovers must read out the coming information as many rumors are coming for Apple iwatch. Apple is working on its final launching plans to release its new product Apple iWatch in the span of the coming months .}}

The iWatch will be available to its users with two variants 1.7 inches and 1.3 inchscreen . The smart watch will be available for both the genders ie. forMen and Women .

The iWatch having smaller screen size will be available for women with vibrant colors and combinations.

The wearable Apple iWatch will be launched with a OLED display .
The OLED display, which will have 320 x 320 pixels resolution will provide a great vision to its users .

It is heard from source that iWatch will have a flexible display to compete with its other big brand smart watches like Motorola, Samsung, LG etc.

Samsung the brand in technology is also working on flexible display smart watch and it will also launch in the couple of months.

The Apple iWatch likely to be released at the end of September or in the beginning of the October 2014. In spite of the Apple, In the technology market Samsung Galaxy Gear, Motorola Moto 360, SonySmart Watches will also be seen till the end of this year.

Apple Inc. Hired a Nike Key Designer to include a sporty look at its iWatch . The images for Apple iWatch looks a bit very interesting at the moment on the web portal.

As per the images Apple iWatch seems so elegant and sporty whether it goes on men or if we talk about women.So Apple iWatch will be so impressive and smart in looks.

Users have to wait a bit for the Apple iWatch to be launched in the Indian Markets. Price and other specification are not yet properly disclosed.

{technews}

{{Schneider Electric has launched the standard SMT and extended run SMX Smart UPS models in Africa}}

smart-UPSThe Smart UPS units can handle low, medium and high load levels. (Image source: Schneider Electric)

According to a company statement, the new units can handle low, medium and high load levels, enabling them to protect equipment against power surges, blackouts and spikes.

The UPS units can be used in the telecom sector, banks, retail stores, laboratories, hospitals, clinics and areas with security devices.

Christelle Larkins, distribution account manager of the IT business unit, Schneider Electric South Africa, said, ”The company has sold more than 20mn Smart-UPS units globally.

It is a trusted product to protect critical data and equipment from power problems as the UPS supplies clean and reliable network-grade power.”

The new models are equipped with an LCD user interface, switched outlet groups, a high efficiency ’green’ mode, battery management indicator, an emergency power off option (it shuts down in the event of a fire), flash upgradeable firmware, a three-year warranty on UPS hardware and two-year warranty on the internal battery, stated officials from Schneider Electric.

In particular, the specialised ‘green’ mode in the UPS unit ensures efficiencies greater than 97 per cent, saving utility and cooling costs without compromising performance or reliability.

The built-in energy meter measures energy use and displays the machine’s efficiency in various modes of operation for easy energy tracking.

In addition, the LCD alpha-numeric display offers users an intuitive and easy-to-use interface that provides clear and accurate information in multiple languages.

{Rutayisire Eric, Founder of CHARIS Unmanned Aerial Solutions Company displays his first drone. It can be hired for between Rwf100,000 and Rwf400,000 to shoot a video of 10 minutes. He holds a degree in Electrical Engineering from the University of Minnesota in USA.}

{{Technological advancement could provide solutions to some challenges specific to the Rwandan situation.

A team of young Rwandans have developed a drone which they say can be used for different purposes and applications including; agriculture, energy, mining and media sectors.}}

Rutayisire Eric, Founder of CHARIS Unmanned Aerial Solutions Company registered with the Rwanda development Board says he graduated from the U.S.University of Minnesota as an Electrical Engineer and decided to return to Rwanda where he wants to play a key role in providing solutions to local challenges.

“I have always been fascinated by drones and have since been interested in building my own drones,” Rutayisire says showing his first drone that took him over four months to build.

He adds that this drone is designed to fly at an altitude of 400ft, “We don’t fly this drone above this height,” Rutayisire explains.

{{Inspiration}}

“After my studies in US. I met with my mentor; that influenced me into drone technology.
I like technology stuff because i worked on different projects.

I always had the interest of drones not only designing them but also building them. This is where the inspiration came from.

When I returned to Rwanda, I looked for many applications this drone could be used for. I thought this could help Rwanda develop in many ways.

{{Many African inventors have designed and built Missiles, helicopters, cars and also HIV and cancer drugs but they never go past this stage. How sure are you that this
Drone will go into full production?}}

We are a company with a vision and mission. This differentiates us from other people that are just inventing small stuff that usually don’t get realised.

We are already working with some people in the movie industry, understanding their needs and delivering the highest quality service in the movie industry.

For the movie industry we are providing exclusive aerial views that are very expensive to achieve with a helicopter.

The drone can be navigated through and to complex destinations to provide exclusive aerial views yet at affordable prices.

{{How much did this drone cost you?}}

In building this specific drone, we have invested more than U$3,000. Am not willing to just let all this money go.

I want to make sure that this drone is put to work. It will have to become productive. We want to build more drones and ensure that our company grows while making profits.

{{Is this a complete drone? It looks naked with all wires exposed.}}

This is the first drone. We built it to test the reaction of the market. However its functionalities are complete and we have so far conducted several operations at events including shooting concerts and movies in Kigali and other aerial photography services.

Our business model is not to sell it but to rent it. Some people have seen it on internet and say it’s a toy, they must be careful because they require specialised skills to navigate. We have a trained technician to navigate our drone.

If government wants to use it for specific applications we can provide it and trained their operator but our model is to rent it not selling it.

{{Isn’t this duplication of technology? How authentic is your innovation?}}

There are many things that we are working on that will be hard to find on other markets. We already know the Rwandan market and there are things we are making that make us unique in design.

{{UN says massive surveillance is a major problem. And people associate drones with spying on general public without their consent. How trustable are your drones?}}

Before flying this drone, we seek permission from National Police especially when we are shooting a movie.

This is in essence to avoid any commotion that might result from people seeing strange airborne objects.

The regulation here is that we don’t fly above 400ft so that we don’t interfere with air traffic and we aren’t allowed to fly near airports.

{{Do you think its necessary to seek permission from Police to fly just a drone?}}

If you are going to fly in an area where there are many people, this could create a buzz and bring traffic to a halt because people are gazing and this could cause accidents.
Objectives

In this company we specialise in designing and building and customising the drone for specific application.

Our vision is being able to help the agric, mining, energy, journalism and to develop these sectors to a higher level. We are specialist in this domain.

In agriculture where you might need to scout crops on large plantations, the Drone does a very accurate assessment because it can fly over the plantation and detect diseases and other insect attacks on crops.

Hiring this drone would cost clients between Rwf100,000 to Rwf400,000 .

{{What assurances should the government have in entrusting a young man like you with this kind of technology which could in other instances be a threat to national security?}}

We want to work as a technology company and in regards to drones there are various types. Ours is purely a commercial drone and we don’t have capacity to develop a military drone.

{{But negative elements could hire your drone to fly over highly populated neighbourhoods and gather video information that could be used for negative purposes.

This means that whether commercial, your drone could pose a security threat. Thus how will you convince the national security that your project is purely peaceful?}}

We are trying to be a private company and the data obtained through using our drones by our clients is up to them.

For example IGIHE could hire this drone in their news reporting while National Police could use it to collect their data depending on what they want to use it for.

Our intention is to help different sectors in the country to develop higher in data gathering to the benefit of their objectives.

{{Are you getting any sponsorship from govt?}}

No. But we are requesting government to help us put in place regulatory framework for such technology and make it easy for our team to work.

We need government support by helping us raise awareness and how our technology can be adopted by various institutions.

{{Are you having a private sponsor?}}
Yes. But i would rather not mention.

Segore Terry the CHARIS Technical Director and also a graduate from Kigali Institute of Science and Technology (KIST) is in charge of technical support especially in maintenance of the drone.

“Our challenges would include bad weather especially heavy winds and this could affect its proper navigation,” he says adding that though we import most of the parts, we wouldn’t see ourselves as an assembly company.

Most of the design work is done by us and there are several calculations involved and most of this is done here in Rwanda.

{{Is your drone certified by Rwanda bureau of standards?}}

We are working with a university in the United States and are already taking courses that will require our international certification and recognition.

Rwanda Development Board (RDB) already knows about our project and we have a locally registered company.

Kamali Paul the Marketing Director CHARIS Company says “Our product is the first of its kind in Rwanda and we have been in service for the past one month. We already have clients that have ordered for the drone customised for their applications”.

{{After ten years of research and development, the S2 aircraft concept is almost ready to take to the skies}}

{{Helicopters and aeroplanes}}

Helicopters and aeroplanes both have their own set of advantages: planes can fly faster and higher, while helicopters have the flexibility of being able to take off and land in tight spots.

For many years, engineers have grappled with the problem of combining the power of a plane with the versatility of a chopper, but only one design — the Boeing V-22 Osprey currently deployed by the US military — has ever become a reality.

Now there’s a new tiltrotor aircraft in town, and unlike the V-22 it’s aimed at the civilian and commercial markets.

The Elytron 2S has a striking box wing design and is intended to finally bring together both high-powered performance and vertical take-off and landing capabilities — it’s been ten years in the making, but it might just be the aeroplane/helicopter hybrid that the world has been waiting for.

From emergency rescues to air taxis

Elytron’s solution provides greater safety, speed, and simplicity of operation over any existing class of vertical take-off aircraft which makes it suitable for emergency medical services, search and rescue teams, air taxi operations and oil exploration projects, among other uses.

According to Elytron, based in Mountain View, California, the rather unconventional design gives the S2 the ability to switch between horizontal and vertical flight very effectively.

The Elytron company has been formed specifically to produce the S2, which is the cumulation of 10 years of work and research.

Quarter-scale models, extended flight simulations and a series of prototypes have been used to get to this stage and bring the Elytron 2S close to becoming a reality.

Earlier versions of the design involved ducted fans places inside the wings rather than the box wing approach that has now been adopted.

{{Three sets of wings}}

There are three sets of wings that make up the design of the Elytron 2S. The first are the rotary wings, called proprotors, which look like smaller versions of conventional airplane wings and which can tilt to provide horizontal or vertical propulsion.

The second and third set of wings — one to the front and one to the rear — are joined together to create the box effect. This unique design avoids any interference with the proprotors and gives the S2 both the stability and flexibility that it needs.

All of this clever engineering work means that the Elytron 2S offers superior glide ratios, low stall speeds, enhanced performance when in aeroplane mode and better fuel efficiency over longer distances.

While the 2S has some of the same manoeuvrability as a helicopter, it uses fewer parts and a simplified rotor system that again helps to cut down on costs and makes mechanical maintenance more straightforward.

Elytron has also worked in a number of safety features into the 2S design.

{{Greater safety and speed}}

The company hopes to bring to market both a two-pilot and larger seven-seater model of the Elytron 2S. “The Elytron family of aircraft is designed to provide the vertical take-off and landing capability of helicopters combined with the speed and efficiency advantages of fixed wing aircraft,” says the firm.

“Elytron’s solution provides greater safety, speed, and simplicity of operation over any existing class of vertical take-off aircraft which makes it ideally suited for various uses.”

“The new and optimised wing configuration addresses all of the earlier design shortcomings,” continues the promotional blurb written by the designers of the S2.

“Because the proprotors are tilted forward during normal flight, the Elytron design does not suffer the performance penalty that helicopters do with the retreating blade. Therefore, Elytron aircraft will be capable of achieving airspeeds two to three times those of equivalently powered helicopters.”

{{The Rwandan government is set to commission the first utility-scale solar photovoltaic (PV) plant at eastern Rwanda’s Rwamagana district in August 2014.}}

The project, with a production capacity of 8.5MW, has commenced testing, stated local reports.

Dutch company Gigawatt Global is the developer of the project, while Norwegian firm Scatec Solar has agreed to operate and maintain the plant.

Scatec Solar signed a deal worth US$23.7mn to finance the solar project. The Norwegian company will handle the engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) of the project, and Remote Partners would manage and support the initiative locally.

The project has been funded by Norfund (Norwegian Investment Fund for Developing Countries) and KLP.

Once completed, the plant would increase Rwanda’s power production capacity by nearly eight per cent. Currently, less than one in five homes in the country have access to power.

Silas Lwakabamba, minister of infrastructure of Rwanda, said, ”Generation and provision of electricity to all Rwandans is a priority for the government.

This initiative to produce 8.5MW of clean energy is an important addition towards closing Rwanda’s current energy gap.”

Rwanda hopes that nearly 50 per cent of its population can access power by 2017.

This means, it would have to increase its capacity to 560MW from the present 110MW.

Government officials added that they are encouraging private sector involvement and private-public partnerships (PPP) as part of their development policy.

Solar energy is an important part of Rwanda’s plan to boost power production.

{africanreview}