Category Archives: Opinion

How could our calendar be better?

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We have a very set calendar. The whole world works on it. There’s not much we can do about this now, but what if we wanted to, what if we wanted to structure it better? I got into a conversation recently, and I noted how convenient it was discussing dates in March, while in February, ’cause February is a beautiful 28 days long this year, 28 days = 4 weeks, which means that if the 11th of February is a Tuesday, the 11th of March will be one too, this can be convenient. The conversation progressed and a new calendar was born.

Our current Gregorian calendar has pretty much been in place since the 1500s,  based on the rotation of the Earth around the sun and some historical factors. The Gregorian calendar had but a few minor alterations on the Julian calendar which had been in force since BC times. I would never suggest changing too much, start small, but don’t try break everything at once.

A year is 365 days long 3/4 times, roughly. We keep the leap system, it’s a great approximation, doesn’t need any messing with and the year numbering system won’t be of any concern for us for a very long time. Months however, that’s where things start getting annoying. They’re all different lengths. But why. Some people give offhand comments to the Lunar cycles, I don’t really care.

365 is an awkward number, however, take a day off and you get 364. Know what 364 factors into nicely? 7. That’s right. How convenient is that. So my proposition is  52 weeks of 7 days with an extra day. That’s not really at all different to how we currently function though. My first goal is to take that extra day, and instead of designating it Monday or Tuesday, it will be called New Years Day. Some people will recognise it as a holiday, others not, either way, it won’t be a day in the week, it will just be a day. That way you can have the start of each year starting on the same day. 31 December is a Sunday, then we have new years day, then we have 1 January which is a Monday.

But this doesn’t help that much; now we have 52 weeks. Know what 52 divides into nicely? That’s right, 4. Exactly 4 weeks per month. I propose 13 months of 4 weeks each. This means that every month, if the 1st is a Monday, the 1st of the next month will be one too. How cool is that. No more hassles about figuring out what the date of the weekend in May is, it’s the same date as the one in April. So this is easy enough, all you need is to think up the name of our new 13th month and chuck it in somewhere.

One thing I’ve neglected is our balancing leap years. To solve this problem without stuffing up our calendars, I propose a 2nd New Year’s day. It can either be placed directly after our current New Year’s day, or we can place it at an arbitrary point in the year, where ever we want.

Now as great as my idea is, it does have some downfalls/drawbacks. The biggest of which is the honouring of birthdays or other significant dates. But this isn’t too much of an issue. For most events, it’s the date itself that is important, not where it falls in the year. various countries days’ of independence, the 27th of April is the date that is important, not that it falls 117 days into the year. Events where the time of year is important, such as Easter, are anyway calculated anew each year.

The only major impact comes in the form of dates which will no longer exist. The 29th of April for example. There best way to handle this in my opinion is to move all of these dates to the new month, as it will be bare and boring. So anything (this includes birthdays (may affect ID numbers)) occurring on 29-31 Jan will now occur on 1-3 <insert awesome new month name here>, 29-31 March will become 4-6 of the same month. Easy, besides some historically important dates, but if we have a look at the following xkcd, we can see that in general earlier dates are more interesting:

http://xkcd.com/1140/

http://xkcd.com/1140/

So to summarise.

  • Year begins on New Year’s Day, which is not part of the week.
  • After New Year’s Day is the 1st of January
  • The year is made up of 13 months of 28 days each.
  • During Leap years an additional ‘New Year’s Day’ is added to the calendar

I propose that we start this new calendar at the beginning of 2018. This will be a Monday, and although it’s the second day of the year, will follow on from Sunday 31 Dec 2017. This gives us plenty of time to sort out all the niggles, print the new calendars and start teaching our children the better way. It will make our lives easier I’m sure :)

Once we get this right maybe we can get a start on decimalising time.

EDIT: Apparently I’m not the first to consider this. Roman Mars of 99% Invisible did a podcast about the calendar recently discussing some of the early proposers of such a calender. Give it a listen here.

Mechatronics (in South Africa)

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or Mechatronic Engineering, humourously (but incorrectly) referred to as Megatronics at times. In Afrikaans Megatronika or Megatroniese Ingenieurswese. What is it? What can you do with it? When I started studying I didn’t know, after 5 years I think I have a vague idea. So below I’m going to post what I know.

In it’s simplest form it’s a combination of Mechanical and Electronic Engineering. If I really don’t feel like explaining, I simplify it to robotics. This is certainly a large portion of Mechatronics, but by no means a limiting factor.

Mechatronics as a named profession is fairly new, but the idea has always been there. In the South African context, UCT have had an accredited BSc (Eng) Mechatronics course since 1997 (although how long it has actually been running is uncertain), NMMU a BEng since 2007 (first graduates) and Stellenbosch since 2005 [1]. Potchefstroom University (NWU) are apparently aiming to start a course in the next few years [2]. Although not offered in the BEng format, UKZN do offer Masters through their Mechatronics and Robotic Research Group [3]. [EDIT: added list of BTech degrees and Diplomas offered at the bottom of the post]

Mechatronics at Stellenbosch [2]

I completed my BEng Mechatronics at Stellenbosch University in 2011. The Mechatronics course was presented by the Department of Mechanical and Mechatronic Engineering in a four year course. The first two years were identical to that of those studying towards a BEng Mechanical. The first year course is identical for all engineering students. In the third and fourth years, the two courses still followed similar routes, with the Mechatronics course replacing several Mechanical courses with some courses presented by the Department of Electronic and Electrical Engineering. In third year these included Electronics and Computer System’s courses and fourth year Electronics and Electronic Design Courses. Losing out on some Strength of Materials and Thermo-Fluid Mechanics.

The department put it this way [6]

The most important difference between the mechanical engineering programme and the mechatronic programme is that mechanical engineers are equipped to develop mechatronic systems with existing controllers (computers, PLC’s, etc.), while mechatronic engineers are also equipped to develop specialised controllers (e.g. for embedded controllers) and the relevant electronics themselves.

At the time, the Head of Department felt that Mechatronics as an entity was still too new. Employers weren’t advertising for Mechatronic Engineers, and didn’t really know what to do with them when they did get them. This resulted in the close ties between the Mechanical and Mechatronic courses. I was often unhappy about this, having would of preferred more focus on the Electronics, but in the end it worked out. And the HoD’s opinions were/are valid.

When I chose Mechatronics, I didn’t know where I was going to work, I chose the course because it sounded interesting. It wasn’t until my final year that I found a direction to work towards. Course setups at different universities are going to be different, and will put emphasis on different subjects, that doesn’t necessarily make one better than the other. Either way you’re going to come out of it with a degree and a fair amount of knowledge. Most importantly though (and this is true for any engineering degree) is you’ll know how to learn.

I’m quite confident that specific things that I learn in my first year of work will be of more value to my career than a specific subject at varsity, but having struggled through several subjects, I know I can figure out most things that come my way. I know where to look and how to go about solving problems.

In my final year we were a class of 85 Mechanical/Mechatronic students, of which I’d say about 30-35 received their BEng Mechatronics in 2011.

Mechatronics at NMMU [2]

NMMU have a slightly different setup. Mechatronics is presented by the Mechatronics school of the Department of Engineering, the Built Environment and IT. Mechatronics is the only Engineering degree they offer. As such, first year physics and maths are taken alongside BSc students and after the first year, courses taken are aimed only at Mechatronics students. The format of the course is still identical to that of when it started giving a good balance of subjects. The University also offers an array of BTech degrees in other Engineering fields.

I’m currently pursuing my master’s degree at NMMU. Their 4th year BEng Mechatronics class has roughly 25 students in it and the 3rd year class about 30. First year applications are limited to 60, with the most recent 1st year class starting with 50 students. The Mechatronics department is currently sponsored by General Motors South Africa (who have a plant in PE) and also have close ties to the Volkswagen plant in Uitenhage.

Mechatronics in General

Mechatronics as a career is still finding its feet. Meaning many consider it a jack of all trades, master of none type of situation, and although the course may feel that way, it’s certainly not the end of the story.

Mechatronics isn’t a new field, it’s just finally been given a name. When you tell people you’re a Mechatronic Engineer they don’t know what that is. I had a month stint at a large production facility as part of vacation training and I was asked to choose between focusing on their Mechanical or Electrical divisions, eventually settling for a bit of time at each. But that’s how businesses in SA are structured. This will change.

Several Mechatronic Engineers that I know have taken up Automation maintenance posts. Nothing wrong with this, personally it’s not where I want to be. Contrary to this though, my first job next year will be in automation maintenance. I however plan to use this as a stepping stone into a design career.

Automation is fun, and whereas I am going into automation in a production sense, automation also relates to smaller and/or more technical situations. The recent landing of the Curiosity rover on Mars is a perfect example of Mechatronic systems. There are several elements here, from the automated landing system to the remote control of the device.

In the motor industry, systems such as traction control, ABS and ESP are all examples of Mechatronic systems. Heavily complicated systems that rely on the processing of data from sensors to enable control of actuators. As such a Mechatronic Engineer can make him/herself home in  many different industries. These include the Automotive, Aerospace, Manufacturing, Medical and Communications Industries.

Mechatronic Engineers can register with ECSA to become Professional Engineers [4]. The industry is governed by the South African Institute for Mechanical Engineers. I don’t see Mechatronics separating from this tree any time soon. The degree, being accredited by ECSA also means that the degree will be recognised internationally in many countries thanks to the Washington, Sydney and Dublin Accords [5]

So what do you do when you have your degree? You do whatever you want. You’ll find something. I’m not aware of any of my colleagues who are currently not pursuing a post-graduate degree or are employed. Not all of them are in Mechatronic specific posts. Some have opted for more mechanical orientated jobs, while others have gone entirely into areas such as electronic design or programming. And that’s one thing, a degree in Mechatronic Engineering in no way limits you. Very few engineering degrees will actually.

After re-reading what I’ve written, I think I’ve put forward some information relating to Mechatronic Engineering, but it’s still left fairly vague, maybe it’s just because none of us know what we’re really doing :)

"This is silly, of course. The enemy will be born in the Network"

From xkcd.com

 

A National Diploma in Mechatronics (for registration as a Professional Engineering Technician) can also be had from the following institutions [7]:

  • Tshwane University of Technology
  • UNISA
  • Cape Peninsula University of Technology

A BTech in Mechatronics (for registration as a Professional Engineering Technologist) from [8]:

  • Tshwane University of Technology
  • UNISA
  • Cape Peninsula University of Technology

and to reiterate, a BEng, or BScEng (for registration as a Professional Engineer) [1]:

  • Stellenbosch University
  • University of Cape Town
  • Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University

Note: Although other institutions may offer courses in Mechatronics, or Mechanical Engineering with a focus on Mechatronic elements, the ones listed above are the only ones recognised by ECSA for registration as a mechatronic professional. Information was correct at time of posting, but may have changed since.

There are also several Universities of Technology and FET Colleges which offer courses in Mechatronics. CPUT is one of these institutions. Another training institution is Umbilo Training Specialists in Durban. They are running a free training course, once a month where anyone can come to learn more and expand their knowledge. Checkout their page for details.

For some more reading and a very complimentary view with some poignant remarks have a read here.

As part of my degree at Stellenbosch University I completed a project which can be seen here.

As part of my master’s degree at NMMU I completed a project which can be seen here and here.

If you’re looking for bursaries, try this website.

If you have any questions, feel free to ask in the comments section.

Life Update

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In an attempt to put off working for another year, I managed to wangle myself a master’s project for 2012. That’s not quite true. Masters is something I’ve wanted to do for quite a while. I understand why the university and my degree is structured like it is, but I didn’t enjoy the whole journey. My fourth year was definitely the best year, for many reasons, but from a course perspective specifically. It seemed they’d finally decided we’d learnt enough to have some fun.

My final year project (skripsie) was something that I put more time into than any previous venture. But that is its nature. And I loved it. An opportunity to work on a project by oneself. To be (virtually) wholly responsible. And to be able to choose what you wanted to spend the year working on. And at the end of that year, the obvious choice to get more of that feeling was to work towards my master’s degree.

There were a couple hiccups along the way. Firstly I had bursary obligations to Mercedes-Benz in East London. This is something I’m still looking forward to, but at the time felt that once I’d started working, a master’s would be a long way off. In consultation with them I managed to get a year postponement on my contract. With this in mind I set about looking for a project. My plan was to work full-time in 2012, and finish off part-time while working in EL in 2013.

My first stop was with a lecturer at Stellenbosch’s Mechatronics faculty. The projects were there, and the interest was there, but the lecturer felt that there was no way I’d finish my project. Stellenbosch University’s Masters in Mechanical or Mechatronic Engineering begins with a semester of full-time classes, meaning that there’s no time to work on one’s project. I wasn’t too concerned as I wasn’t that keen for any more coursework, and I still had the E&E department to go to.

I applied for a position with the MIH Media Lab and went for an interview there. Although the interview went well, they had concerns over my obligations to Mercedes and my 1 year window. Later I had interesting opportunities from the ESL lab, and although they were willing to have me for the year, the research areas weren’t quite in the direction I wanted.

And so it was December. I had accommodation planned in Stellenbosch, with every intention of returning in 2012, but this was not to be. Still very keen to do my masters I looked around at other universities. After a little contact with a lecturer at NMMU I decided that I might be moving to PE for the year. I applied late December, but it took a while for my application process to get through. End of January I still wasn’t sure what was happening, I hadn’t had the opportunity to properly discuss projects with anyone, so at the beginning of February I flew up for two days to look around the university, chat with a lecturer and possibly find accommodation.

One week later and I was moved into a garden flat in Walmer, with a project all lined up. It was, and still is, a bit weird to be so far from home. Not only family but friends too, especially seeing as I had still intended to be in Stellenbosch that year. But I’m slowly getting settled in. I had the opportunity to go home last weekend to ride the Argus Cycle Tour and managed to complete my 10th Argus in 3hr38min cycle with my Dad, my best time so far. I’ve joined a local squash club and intend to play the winter men’s league.

I’ve also found myself with a lot more time on hand. While still making friends and having my girlfriend several hundred miles away :/ it has given me a bit more time, even if I don’t always spend it as constructively as I could. I’m reading more, and although I tried to join follow a Udacity course on Artificial Intelligence, I’ve found that after a day in front of the computer researching and typing, I’m not all that pumped up to do too much hard thinking in the evenings. Although I do feel it’s an amazing idea, and look forward to see where it goes in the future.

I managed to do a bit of writing before I started at the university here, managing to win myself an Ipad 2 in the NSTF-BHP Billiton Science Writing Competition. The topic of the essay was to encourage high school learners to take up engineering after school. If you’re interested you can read the article here. And thus I have my first Apple product forced upon me. I’ve only had the device a few days but I’m getting to like it. I’ve always had a thing against Apple products and the way they force certain things on you. The syncing requirement has always particularly bugged me, but we’ll see how I get on. Bought myself a horribly expensive stylus today and have a cover on order. I’m still slightly shy about using it, but I’m sure I’ll get used to that.

So that’s me. In Port Elizabeth for a year. My project at NMMU is to design a cost-effective Autonomous Guided Cart for a local automobile manufacturer. I think it will be a fun project, and I’ve spent the last month solidly researching it. Handed in a draft proposal yesterday which my supervisor appeared to approve of. It is something very different coming to a new university as a masters student. At Stellenbosch I’d had more than a degree, I’d had four years to learn how to get things done and where. I knew how the university worked and how to sort out admin. Here at NMMU everything is different and the separate campuses just aid in the confusion. They also don’t seem to be used to doing too much by e-mail, which frustrates me, because I feel that pretty much anything should be able to be accomplished by a web-interface or a well worded e-mail to the right people. But I can’t even find an email address for the IT department.

That said, I’m not going to complain about the uncapped internet. My supervisor reckons I can have my project finished by the end of the year, so that’s what I’ve scheduled for. It should be possible if I work hard. I’ve got a holiday scheduled for a week at the end of April which I’m looking forward to, but until then it’s time to get some design work done.

This post has ended up considerably longer than expected, and thoroughly devoid of suitable pictures, so here’s a picture of a doggy.

Also, kudos to BBC for airing the latest Top Gear locally less than two weeks after it aired in the UK. It’s been a fairly solid season, unfortunately no epic episode, but enjoyed it none the less. Similar kudos to Mnet for airing the upcoming Game of Thrones season 2, two weeks after airing in the States. Having finished reading the fifth book in the series, I’m really looking forward to it.

Kalahari MarketPlace

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I love the idea of Kalahari Marketplace. Even the way it’s integrated and run is great. The main problem I’ve found is a lack of people buying. Kalahari have been punting their Marketplace for quite a while, but it wasn’t till a few months ago, when I sat with a shelf full of textbooks I didn’t think I was going to use, and no easy way to sell them, that I decided to give it a go.

The system is fairly straightforward. You signup for R5, then you look through the stuff you want to sell and match it up to products on Kalahari.com(formerly net)’s website. You click a button saying you have one to sell, list the price you want to sell it for and how you’re willing to send it. Then it gets listed on the Kalahari’s website. No other costs, unless you make a sale, where 6% of the product’s sale value is charged. It is then up to you to go and post the product.6% is small enough that people are willing to let it slide, although it is a fairly large amount. And for Kalahari, it’s 6% on every sale, for doing pretty much nothing. In return you’re put in a fairly risk free position. Kalahari take the money straight from the seller, and you get it a while later. This is one issue, as you can wait two to three weeks after you ship the package before you get disbursed, but if you’re not in a hurry for the money it’s ok.

Kalahari appear to also be marketing this service to commercial companies, as there’s a mass upload tool available, and I have seen certain items listed with company names that one can buy from as opposed to private sales.

I’ve read several articles that claim Kalahari are making a good amount of money from the service, with large volumes of products being listed, and matched by good sales. Personally I’ve had a list of 12 text books up for the last 2 months, and I just made my first sale. A friend of mine has had products up for over 8 months, including DVDs and Text Books, and hasn’t made one sale, so it’s difficult to know.

I made sure that with each of my products I put up, there was a noticeable difference in price between my product and the new product, making sure that the profit still made it viable for me. So the lack of sales shouldn’t be price related, but more desirability of the products I’m selling, and more that people either don’t notice the products for sale, or for some reason feel it’s not a safe choice. Hopefully after my first sale now, I’ll have a rating to match the products.

Either way it looks like Kalahari is here to stay, and if you’re not in a hurry to sell seems like a safer method to sell certain products than a service like Gumtree.