Mission
To drive the 4th Industrial Revolution (4IR) in KwaZulu-Natal using a centre approach to systematically address all the 4IR challenges and ensure that vertical and horizontal interaction and integration takes place through the implementation of the skills 4.0, community 4.0, industry 4.0 and entrepreneurship 4.0 programmes.
Vision
To be a centre of excellence that drives the 4IR Big Data development through collaborations with government, academia and industry in KwaZulu-Natal.
The Radio Astronomy Era in South Africa
South Africa is leading the way in a new era of radio astronomy. The SKA, to be located in the Karoo, will be the largest radio telescope in the world. The science behind SKA has already produced several spinoff experiments (MeerKAT, HERA, HIRAX).
These cutting-edge experiments pose significant 4IR big data challenges. For example, the SKA dish array will exceed the global internet traffic by an order of magnitude when it is switched on. It will require an exaflop computer to process the data and will require over a petabyte of storage for the data after it is compressed down from a raw data rate, in excess of an exabyte per day.
Challenges of the SKA Radio Astronomy era:
- Ability to collect and store large data sets
- Algorithms to analyse large data sets
- Local design and manufacturing expertise for highly technical dishes and instrumentation
- Highly-skilled workforce
Confronting the 4IR Big Data challenges
- Upskill workforce and transform workplace
- Stay in tune with latest technology and developments
- Adapting to change and preparing your business for the 4IR: Active business strategy
- Assess risk, confront challenges and embrace opportunities
Focus areas essential for 4IR Big Data
- Big data hardware: Development of CPUs, GPUs and digitisers to deal with the velocity, variety and volume of collection needed for big data
- Big data software: Development of algorithms needed to clean, compress, catalogue, access, and analyse large data volumes and high data rates
- RF engineering and mechanical infrastructure development: Development of local RF instrumentation design and manufacturing capabilities