South Africa
Hub: University of Witwatersrand, South Africa
Title: AI-powered early detection system for communicable respiratory diseases based on integrated data sets
Team Members
Bruce Mellado
Principal Investigator
Iqra Atif
Team Member
A. Barry
Team Member
Pallab Basu
Team Member
Shamayeta Bhattacharya
Team MemberA. Cervello
Team Member
Vongani Chabalala
Team Member
Ling Cheng
Team MemberT. Mathaha
Team Member
Ryan McKenzie
Team MemberM. Mahboob
Team Member
Chuene Mosomane
Team Member
Hannah Goldblatt
Team MemberM. Gololo
Team Member
Mary Kawonga
Team Member
Benjamin Lieberman
Team Member
Iverson Mpano
Team Member
Nkosiphendule Njara
Team Member
Edward Nkadimeng
Team Member
Busisiwe Nklala-Dlamini
Team Member
Zahra Movahedinia
Team Member
Tsholofelo Nyeleti
Team Member
Nicholas Perikli
Team Member
Craig Rudolph
Team Member
Carey Solans
Team MemberF. Stevenson
Team MemberGeneral Objectives
1. Development of a cost-effective AI-powered IoT system for air-pollutants.
2. Integration data from air pollutants, epidemiology, clinical, atmospheric and satellite data for the development of AI-powered early detection algorithms for pandemic preparedness and mitigation of infectious diseases.
Specific Objectives
1. Development of a cost-effective prototype of an IoT device that can be powered with a solar cell, make measurements and transmit data according to the standards of the World Health Organisation.
2. Development of the AI models to analyse and make predictions and early detection of pollution and epidemiological outcomes.
3. Integrate and verify the functionality of the specifications of the system at the test bed in Soweto, Johannesburg.
4. Integrate the in-situ measurement of air pollutants with epidemiological, clinical, atmospheric, metereological and satellite data.
5. Development of an app prototype to alert the population about hot spots in concentrations of pollutants harmful to people’s health, such as but not limited to PM2.5, especially in vulnerable communities.