M. Tech. Electrical Engineering. / This dissertation presents vision-based systems for monitoring model breakwater armour structures. These model breakwater armour structures are subjected to wave simulations in model halls. The goal of this research was to produce a system that is able to detect changes in the model breakwater armour structure. These changes are detected autonomously or semi-autonomously depending on the method being used. The proposed systems are intended to replace the current flicker technique method, which is subject to human error. This dissertation reviews common image processing methods for monitoring changes in three dimensions. This review refines the search to two techniques, namely the stereopsis and fiducial methods. Each method approaches the problem differently. The stereo method treats the entire structure as a holistic 2.5D volume and shows changes in this volume. In the fiducial method special fiducial targets are attached to key areas on the breakwater armour units. The targets are tracked to compute displacement vectors.

M. Tech. Electrical Engineering. / Wheeled Mobile Platforms have considerable acceptance and dominance in the field of transportation. While most of these platforms have been designed for able users, very few special designs are available for the physically disabled persons. With increasing numbers of disabled peoples around the world, accommodative and safer displacement means are called for. A normal wheelchair platform with two front castor wheel and two independently driven rear wheels is therefore considered in this study for modelling and control. Based on the nature of persons using wheelchairs, better and much easy to control wheelchair platforms are necessitated. To achieve such objective, this research is focused on two main threads: dynamic modelling and control. In modelling, the aim is to present a dynamic model of wheelchair platform that takes into account slipping parameters and frictional/traction forces experienced on motion. It also intends to account for the effects of gravitational forces that would be experienced by the wheelchair and its effect on the platforms during uphill and downhill movements. Lagrange formalism is utilised in the design of this dynamic model. In control, the objective is to ensure that the platform tracks the reference linear velocity and the reference angular orientation as desired. With such control commands, a simple access device may be employed to ensure that people with severe disability also have a chance of controlling the wheelchair. Since no zero dynamics arise with linear velocity and angular orientation as the platforms outputs, standard input-output feedback linearisation is considered and applied in the linearisation of the model and in the development of the control law. Successfully simulated results demonstrating the performance of the proposed dynamic model and control law are presented for verification. The entire dynamic model and the controller are simulated in a software tool MATLAB and SIMULINK.

M. Tech. Electronic Engineering. / The Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) in South Africa has developed a portable Multi-Spectral Imaging Camera (MultiCam) capable of capturing images in the Visual (VI), Infra Red (IR) and Ultra Violet (UV) bands. The images obtained from the MultiCam are used to perform diagnostics on high voltage transmission networks. To provide the user with a better understanding of the scene it is necessary to fuse the images. Due to the physical placement of the detectors and the separate zoom-control of each optical channel, a spatial misalignment or geometric distortion is introduced to the images. The images must be optimally aligned and registered before any fusion can be applied. The aim of this work is to investigate methods for the automatic registration and fusion of IR and VI images acquired by the MultiCam and to develop a set of algorithms for implementation on an embedded platform that could integrate with the existing MultiCam

Thesis (MTech. degree in Tourism And Hospitality Management)--Tshwane University of Technology, 2011. / Responsible tourism was adopted as a management strategy for the tourism industry (the hotel sector included) with a view to address the social, economic and environmental impacts of this industry. Responsible tourism guidelines were formulated by the South African government through the Department of Environmental Affairs and Tourism (DEAT) with a view to ensure adherence to the concept of responsible tourism by the sector. The study confirmed that hotels were indeed knowledgeable regarding responsible tourism; were implementing most of the guidelines that were formulated by DEAT; and found these guidelines useful and effective in their operations.

M. Tech. Chemical Engineering. / Aims of this study is to determine the relationship between the temperature of the coal coke (and other mixtures) and the measured microwave impedance in the waveguide feeding the applicator.

M. Tech. Electrical Engineering. / A virtual Mobile Voice over IP (MVoIP) service can be implemented by a Mobile VoIP Operator (MVoIPO) in conjunction with a Mobile Network Operator (MNO). MVoIPOs do not operate their own mobile network infrastructure. Instead, they use the MNO's packet-based cellular network. However, the coexistence between the MVoIPO and the MNO raises two related problems: first, how to handle interconnection settlements, and second, how to (inter)connect the two operators to make such settlements. This dissertation uses a game-theoretic modelling approach to show that it is mutually beneficial economically if the MNO allows the MVoIPO to operate on its network. Further, a Service Level Agreement (SLA)-based Transparent Settlement Agreement (TSA) model is proposed to solve the first problem. The TSA model algorithm calculates the MVoIPO's throughput distribution at the edge of a UMTS Core Network (CN). This facilitates the determination of levels of conformance to the pre-set throughput thresholds and, subsequently, the issuing of compensation to the MVoIPO by the MNO after generating an economically acceptable volume of traffic. Further, possible network architecture to solve the second problem is suggested, by combining the TSA model algorithm, the UMTS CN, the IP Multimedia Subsystem (IMS), and the Online Charging System (OCS)

Thesis (MTech. degree in Mechanical Engineering)--Tshwane University of Technology, 2010. / This research aimed to develop a Reconfigurable Parallel Kinematic Machine Tool (RPKMT) to be utilized in the maintenance and reconditioning of moulds and dies. The dissertation presents three conceptual designs of a mechanical manipulator, based on specifications required for refurbishing of moulds and dies. Kinematics and mechanical requirements were derived from manufacturing processes and the recommended repair solutions (i.e. steps/operations) required for the specific defect. These requirements resulted in translating customer requirements into engineering/technical characteristics using Quality Function Deployment (QFD) techniques, specifically House of Quality (HoQ). This was followed by the concept design phase, which consisted of the use of the following techniques: Product Function Decomposition and the Morphological Matrix. A comparison study was performed on the conceptual designs, employing kinematic analysis and workspace analysis. The Pugh's Method was used as the concept-selection techniques to aid in selecting the most suitable RPKMT concept. It was for this concept that a model of the design was developed. This phase included selection of the materials for the links, bearing mounts, the base plate and the statics analysis. This was followed by the selection of the link actuators, the spindle drive and the presentation the assembled drawing of the design concept. Finally, a discussion of how the repair process of typical mould/die would be carried out on the RPKMT is presented.

M. Tech. Electrical Engineering. / The objective of this research is to model and simulate a high capacity and secure wireless communication protocol for personal area network. The high capacity of the system is achieved using Multiple Input Multiple Output (MIMO) technology while the security is ensured by using near field magnetic induction. The application targeted by this research confine to the military domain, where the confidentiality of the data exchanged is of prime importance. Computer simulations of MIMO application in near field magnetic induction communication were done and used to analyse the channel capacity Improvement. The outcome of the research contributes to the existing research in the near field magnetic induction communication by introducing a high capacity channel in near field magnetic induction communications.

M. Tech. Electrical Engineering. / The demand for mobile telecommunication services has led to the rapid evolution, development and deployment of various technologies into the market. Communities and business customers demands for data, voice, video distribution, gaming and video conferencing are on the increase and peer-to-peer networks can play a major role in the sharing of content. An influx of various handheld devices such as smartphones and personal digital assistants (PDAs) into the market, augmented by the already available communication devices such as laptops and personal computers, has created a huge network of distributed devices. In this research, a community based mobile file-sharing system that can be used by groups of common interests such as tourists, farmers or students in a mobile peer-to-peer environment, is studied, designed and implemented.

M. Tech. Electrical Engineering. / Voltage control is an essential part of the electricity transmission and distribution network system for maintaining voltage within statutory limits at the substation bus and at the consumer's point of supply. The most popular voltage control method on the transmission and distribution network system uses the on-load tap changer (OLTC) transformer. This study proposes the use of Fuzzy Logic Control (FLC) systems on the on-load tap changers when two or more mismatched transformers are connected in parallel in order to control the voltage supply to local customers. The actual voltage recordings and on-load tap change operations for each of the paralleled transformers have been analyzed and modelled on MATLAB/Simulink in order to develop an improved control algorithm using Fuzzy Logic Control. With the two-input, one-output FLC system with seven linguistic values giving 49 control rules, the number of tap change operations are minimized and the bus voltage is maintained within the statutory limits.