Fin24 reports that a Port Elizabeth teen has developed a system to curb vehicle theft. The teenager, 19-year-old Abongile Ngcosholo, reveals that vehicle theft is rife in his city.
Therefore, he wants to find a way of minimising the occurrence of these robberies. Ngcosholo attends Ndzondelelo High School in the Eastern Cape. He has formulated and planned a circuit board system which will alert vehicle owners when the car door is opened.
According to Ngcosholo, the system is operated with a key which lights up and vibrates when a vehicle car door is opened.
The objective of the system is to develop a signal that will notify a car owner when the car is opened and, subsequently, attempted to be stolen. Once the owner has locked the car door and left, the system would send the owner a signal if a stranger forces the door open.
Ngcosholo’s invention has been recognised by Transet, which offered him financial assistance with his studies in 2016.
File image: IOL
The young inventor and his family are surviving on a government grant. “I wanted people to see immediately when their cars were being stolen," he said enthusiastically.
"I had this idea of people seeing a signal on their keys when someone is stealing their cars, but didn't know how to make the device. I have designed a few prototypes to get my device to work", says Ngcosholo.
The young mastermind has also been awarded a scholarship from his school after its head of department, Ayanda Simayi, noticed Ngcosholo's outstanding talent, despite his trying circumstances.
Ngcosholo's talent was also showcased at the International Eskom Science Expo Competition in 2016, which he won.
The potential of his invention's business model was similarly recognised by a regional Grassroots Innovation Programme representative and innovator, Sandiswa QayiIn, who is now mentoring Ngcosholo.
Qayi created the geyser energy reduction sleeve, recently reported on by Fin24.
“I think that is an excellent invention in a place where crime is at the highest (level). He is an innovator who used technology to addresses social ills,” Qayi told Fin24.
Ngcosholo will plausibly be inducted into the programme - an initiative of the Department of Science and Technology and hosted by the Technology Localisation Implementation Unit of the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research – to mass-produce the technology.
According to Fin24, other innovators incubated by the programme include Nkosana Madi from Springs in Gauteng, who developed a hybrid motorised bicycle, and Phumlani Ntloko from Pretoria, who created a Computer Numeric Machine used to test motherboard prototypes and 3D printing at a fraction of the cost.
The programme has subsequently incubated Ntloko's company to produce more CNC machines.
Similarly, USA Today reports that an 11 year old from Texas, Bishop Curry has also invented a device which would interest several vehicle owners.
Curry's invention, Oasis, could possibly put an end to hot car deaths.
The device is placed on the seat of the vehicle and detects movement - if an infant is left in the car for instance.
It will then blow cool air on the baby and contact emergency respondents.
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