Cool things invented in SA

lcbxx said:
Do I spot a Zodiac Pacer pool cleaner in the Kreepy Krauly pic...?
Click to expand...

Hahahaha yup you do.

doh!


Interestingly, apparently it's illegal to export pool cleaners from SA. I wonder why?
 
That solar cell thing PISSES me off immensely.

Why didn't the government climb all over this thing? Why is it not available to us?
 
unrealchris said:
Cheaper solar power, I wish!!! It was developed here and then sold to the Germans, too date I've heard nothing about it again, it was suppose to be cheaper, specially in our country! but nothing is being done with it, well it seems! I would exclude this from the article, seeing that nothing is happening about it. And this was about 2 or 3 years ago already?.....
Click to expand...

That's what I dug up!

http://www.researchsa.co.za/news.php?id=1105
http://www.engineeringnews.co.za/ar...perthin-solar-innovation-delayed-2008-08-01-1
http://www.sasec.org.za/presentations/plenary_sessions/PL08_ppt.pdf
 
There is one more to add. Ron Hickman (ex Durban) invented what was to become known as the Black & Decker Workmate. Maybe not so well known in SA, but every pommie workman and DIY dude has one. He made some serious tin from this - maybe not enough to go into space but still. This was included in a book I have somewhere about the top 100 inventions everywhere.

See http://www.independent.co.uk/news/u...decker-workmate-ndash-dies-at-78-2219268.html

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/ron-hickman-ndash-car-designer-and-creator-of-black-amp-decker-workmate-ndash-dies-at-78-2219268.htm
 
Sokum said:
That's what I dug up!

http://www.researchsa.co.za/news.php?id=1105
http://www.engineeringnews.co.za/ar...perthin-solar-innovation-delayed-2008-08-01-1
http://www.sasec.org.za/presentations/plenary_sessions/PL08_ppt.pdf
Click to expand...

Great piece of innovation but I question the article writer's comment that it's cheaper than coal. I think he may have been a bit enthusiastic with his journalistic liberties...

If I recall, Sasol bought a big stake in this thin solar panel company.
 
Borrels said:
Great piece of innovation but I question the article writer's comment that it's cheaper than coal. I think he may have been a bit enthusiastic with his journalistic liberties...

If I recall, Sasol bought a big stake in this thin solar panel company.
Click to expand...

I'm not sure about the Sasol thing but, this company (Adept Internet) located in close proximity to PTIP.
 
rbarryza said:
<snip>
- Sasol were the first to get oil from coal
Click to expand...
While Sasol has the first (and only) commercial coal to liquids (CTL) facility in the world, the Fischer-Tropsch process was invented in Germany and used extensively by them during World War 2.

There are other uses as well, e.g. both Sasol and Shell use the Fischer-Tropsch process in commercial gas to liquids (GTL) plants.

Sasol is by far the biggest producer of CTL and GTL at the moment though (in terms of barrels per day). This will change once Shell's Pearl GTL plant in Qatar starts producing at full capacity.
 
The act of jumping across dolosse with a fishing rod in one hand and a 5kg dagga salmon in the other is called dolly hopping. The shoes used for this activity are called dolly-hoppers. Invented in Durban.
 
Sinbad said:
That solar cell thing PISSES me off immensely.

Why didn't the government climb all over this thing? Why is it not available to us?
Click to expand...

They are available locally. Most solar panels you see in the shops are thin film panels. It's just that the local suppliers are milking us with the prices at the moment.
 
who can forget the Please Call me invention which became an issue between VC and the former employee.
 
we should not forget the Rooivalk helicopter that was made here, with many firsts for a military chopper.
 
jikajoe1 said:
we should not forget the Rooivalk helicopter that was made here, with many firsts for a military chopper.
Click to expand...

If it's a commercial failure, it doesn't really count.
Inventing new stuff no one want's doesn't get you added to good lists
 
CT scan mentioned but also the frog pregnancy test. Paypal was co-founded by a South African. Computicket was the first electronic ticket booking system in the world. South Africa actually punches far above its weight in terms of innovation. It's just that many of them are not that appealing to common folk. The nature of research nowadays is also far more collaborative so inventions are generally contributed to piece-meal by a variety of parties, usually spread across the world.
 
JStrike said:
If it's a commercial failure, it doesn't really count.
Inventing new stuff no one want's doesn't get you added to good lists
Click to expand...

Only reason it was a failure was because of sanctions and the arms embargo... and political pressure from the USA, caused by Boeing lobbying the government HARD in favour of the apache in worldwide deals.
 
Ghost29 said:
CT scan mentioned but also the frog pregnancy test. Paypal was co-founded by a South African. Computicket was the first electronic ticket booking system in the world. South Africa actually punches far above its weight in terms of innovation. It's just that many of them are not that appealing to common folk. The nature of research nowadays is also far more collaborative so inventions are generally contributed to piece-meal by a variety of parties, usually spread across the world.
Click to expand...

Elon Musk ftw ;)
Dragon-X!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top
Sign up to the MyBroadband newsletter
X