CONTENTS News
WiFi for Matatus pg. 4 Emergency number revived pg. 6 Digital TV Signal pg. 6
Tech.
06.
15.
BRCK pg. 8 Passenger Lift mechanisms pg. 9 "Sharpened Axe" pg. 12 "Mechanical Whale" pg. 13 The Hyperloop project pg. 14 Why your computer is not safe pg. 16
Design
16.
Land Rover Defender pg. 10 First Aid Kit pg. 15
18. 10.
Features
Broadband pg. 18 Electric roads pg. 19 Railway Development pg. 21 UoN Towers pg. 23 Electricity pg. 26 Foreign firms pg. 31 Developing Nairobi County pg. 33
Social Commentary pg. 35 - pg. 47
ESA
Calendar pg. 48 ESA 360 pg. 49 ESA Profiles pg. 50
The Student Engineer
1
CHAIRLADY'S MESSAGE
F
ive months into a new government and
Editor's Note
the energy and general atmosphere in the
I
country is not only full of optimism, but also
great anticipation to see what the next few years will
t is with great pleasure that i welcome you all to the August -September issue of the Student Engineer and thank you
be like.
all for picking up a copy. The Student Engineer magazine
Judging from the recent budget speech, those of us in
has grown a great deal as it continues to provide us with an
the engineering community have lots of reasons to be
opportunity to draw enthusiastic discussions and thought
excited about the current financial year. This is mainly
provoking debates.
because a large chunk of the budgetary allocation
First and foremost I would like to welcome the first years and
went to infrastructure development in almost all
wish you all success in this illustrious field you have chosen.
sectors of the economy. A few years ago , there were hardly any roads to be
I would also like to take this opportunity to congratulate the
proud of, mobile phones were almost exclusively a
students, who participated in a peaceful election as they
preserve of the wealthy , Internet connections in the
embarked on choosing new leaders of the ESA executive
country were at an all time low and the speeds were
committee. I welcome on board the new executive committee
just saddening ; all that changed when the previous
members and the new editorial board and look forward to
government, the private sector and the international
working with you closely. I assure you that the team you voted
community decided to put in some significant
in is a capable and enthusiastic team dedicated to living up to
investments in developing infrastructure on a grand
their promises.
scale,we are now gladly reaping the benefits of that investment.
This year, our core interest is the students and their needs. We endeavor to bring the corporate world closer through planned
When infrastructure development is mentioned, most
events. On our agenda of activities this year, we have planned an
of us automatically assume that we are referring to
Annual General Meeting to start us off as we seek to incorporate
roads and ICT infrastructure which are the most
you all in the plans of the year, garner ideas on the activities you
to students. It is aimed at offering mentorship to academia while
prominent features of development. These form just
would like to see go through and those to be discarded, basically
assisting talent acquisition to keep a talent repository from the best
a small piece of the pie and in the subsequent issues
making ESA more available to the students.
interns for future needs of the company. It is also aimed at giving the
we will dive deeper into the theme of infrastructure
students themselves (especially those in their final year) a chance
development and hopefully expose you to as many
Secondly is the Annual dinner aimed at fostering relationships
to showcase their very own ideas and projects, obtain ideas and
other forms of these developments taking place in
between students as well as captains of industry in a fairly less
creative criticism from professionals and narrow the gap between
the country.
formal setting. It will provide an opportunity to interact and share
university education and the needs of the job market.
From the fields of Education to Transport, Health,
opinions on various successes and challenges of the profession.
Energy and ICT, from Finance and Economics to
It will also give companies the valuable opportunity to interact
This is just but a fraction of the activities we have planned for
Cultural infrastructure ,theres so much more to talk
with a talented pool of potential recruits.
you. We have also provided our proposed year plan calendar with
about and your input will be highly valued.
tentative dates of the events for your viewing. Acknowledging how important our culture is to us, we plan to have a cultural week to remind us about our roots and traditions.
I would also like to take this opportunity to thank our partners and
We intend to invite a speaker to enlighten us on the importance
sponsors for all your support and encouragement. Finally I would
of our heritage and keeping our culture alive. This is a week that
like to thank the university fraternity, the office of the Principal,
will be topped off with a beauty pageant crowning, for the first
College of Architecture and Engineering, office of the Dean, School of
time, our very own MR. & MISS Engineering.
Engineering, Our patron and all who have assisted ESA in becoming what it is today. Without you all our efforts would have been in vain.
It is on that note that we would like to thank all our sponsors, partners, the student body and the executive committee for all the support you have directed our way, your advise,input and contributions have been invaluable and we are looking forward to a great year ahead of us. Enjoy your reading.
For our community Outreach programs this year, we have planned a number of mentorship sessions to various high
We aspire not only to enhance the student growth but also to uphold
schools, allowing us to share and encourage our younger
the university status and goals. God bless you all and have a fruitful
brothers and sisters. We also plan to clean and paint central
2013/2014 academic year.
police in conjunction with BADILIQA. The Career and Innovation week is a promising concept still in its initial stages. It has been planned in order to enable corporations to showcase new ideas and projects that are on the horizon
The Student Engineer
ch i e g O y Na n c
u To n y M
g it a Editor-in-Chief - Tony Mugita Kadiegu Managing Editor - Gabriel Etonga Editors - Nicholas Muchui, Kennedy Kimani, Robert Abuya, Kevin Odongo Design & Layout - Daniel Wakaba Ndung’u Photography - Zafran Manji
The Student Engineer @StudentEng
The Student Engineer P.O Box 30197 - 00100, Nairobi KENYA Tel: +254 721 399 401
Copyright Š Student Engineer 2013 Reproduction of any article in part or full without permission from The Engineering Students Association is strictly prohibited
2
The Student Engineer
The Student Engineer
3
///// NEWS
Wi-Fi for matatus transport , its only a matter of time before taxi operators and tour companies follow suit and adopt this technology. When tourists are on their safaris, they are constantly taking photos and videos on their smart-phones, then they are stuck with all that information during their safaris because they cannot simply upload and share this information with their friends at home while they are onthe-go. The initiative can be a crucial tool for Kenya's tourism sector in getting a competitive marketing advantage over other destinations in the region simply because : our tourists will market Kenya using the content they share on social media and the videos posted on YouTube,
S
afaricom LTD and the Matatu Owners
public transpor t daily and according to
and they will brand ambassadors the entire time
Association recently launched a public
the CCK Safaricom has command of over
they are in the country because we can keep
transport initiative which is a game
72.6% of all mobile data connections among
them connected the whole time.
changer and the first of its kind that offers free
telecommunications companies in the country
wireless internet to commuters. Dubbed Vuma-
and mobile data subscriptions account for 99%
For more information visit:
Online, the company aims to install modems on
of the total internet connections in Kenya as of
www.safaricom.co.ke
over 200 PSV's by September 2013.
December 2012 and this partnership with the PSV sector is a perfect example of products and
The Ksh 7 million initiative aimed at expanding
services adapting to consumers lifestyles.
the company's data footprint in the country, comes as a relief to commuters who spend too
This initiative allows Safaricom to provide other
much time in traffic buildups that they have
services such as how traffic is flowing and a
become accustomed to in the city a little bit
schedule of PSV's and this may potentially lead
more productive.
to an increase in the uptake of smart-phones in the country thus commuters will be purchasing
STATS:
more bundles when their not commuting.
Ksh 6000 - Cost of a router Ksh 2000 - Cost of an Internet bundle
have at no cost after subscribing to the service
The tourism industry should also take a cue
for two months.
from the Vuma-Online initiative because if
Ksh 2.3 M - The number of 3G phones on the Safaricom network
The service is accessible through a Wi-Fi router which PSV's owners can choose to pay for, or
the ordinary citizens can access WI-fi in public Pros and Cons. The ser vice will definitely attract more customers to wi-fi enabled matatus as opposed to ordinary ones making most long commutes less grueling. However, on the flip side the access to wi-fi in public transport might enable individuals with sinister motives such as muggers identify potential targets and either pickpocket them during commutes or trail them upon commuting.
1.2 Million - being smart-phones 72.6% - Percentage of mobile data connections in the country among telecommunication companies Safaricom has command over. 300,000 - number of kenyans using public transport daily. 99% - The total internet connections in the country accounted for by mobile internet subscriptions.
Currently there are 300,000 Kenyans using
4
The Student Engineer
The Student Engineer
5
///// NEWS
999
emergency number revived
MENTORSHIP \\\\\
C
CK, Kenya Telephone Service providers and The National Police Service had recently been given until July 31 2013
to work on reviving the toll-free emergency number 999, this number surprisingly has not been in use for more than 20 years. The issue came up after the high court judge David Majanja gave an order to the CCK, Police, Yu, Safaricom,
by Marian Muthui
M
ost of us believe that the key to
Start a project
may be interested in whether or not it is within
success is just by getting good
As engineering students, our minds are just a
your field.
grades. Well, think again. The key to
hub of amazing ideas. But few of us go through
success after graduation isn't a question of how
with these ideas. I'm sure some of us have been
smart you are but more of how diverse you are.
able to conceive ideas that would be the 'next
Yes, you may be topping the class and
big thing' but instead of seeing them to fruition
and the Communications Commission of Kenya.
you may even receive first- class honors but
we let them dwindle and die. There are many
you may be surprised that in future, your
resources within the University of Nairobi that
The lack of an emergency response line had
boss may be that person we all know who
can assist you with a project that you may want
constantly sat at the back of the class and
to begin, FabLab Nairobi is one of them. We are
never received a 'pass' in his/her five (or more)
future engineers, therefore, innovate, design
the police fight crime in the country in a major way.
years of studying engineering. But why is that?
and fabricate!
22 lines have been allocated in Nairobi for a start, with
grades. But don't get me wrong, if you're able to
Airtel and Orange-Telkom Kenya on the re-introduction of the toll free emergency line; the order was given in a case in which activist Okiyah Omtatah had sued the Attorney General, the Inspector General of Police
significantly undermined the countr y's ability to respond to and handle disasters and is set to help
residents being encouraged to call for help only. Some residents have been calling to ask irrelevant questions like where can they eat or even get a lodging. Residents are encouraged to respect the lines and call when necessary.
Kenya’s Digital Tv Analogue switch-off date set for December 2013
T
What’s your Niche?
he government program has set
The switch-off dates for Mombasa, Malindi, Nyeri,
December 13 as the switch-off date
Meru, Kisumu, Webuye, Kisii, Nakuru and Eldoret
for the Nairobi region while the other parts
are set for March 2014, the remaining parts of
of the country will follow gradually as it
the country have until June 30, 2014 to comply.
seeks to meet the global deadline of 2015. The Consumer Federation of Kenya last
Life in school isn't all about getting good get those A's, then do so! But don't forget about those other aspects that may not only bulk up your CV but also teach you skills that you may never receive in a classroom, for example: •• Presentation skills •• Academic writing and other formal writing •• Team work •• Leadership skills •• Social skills Here are some activities that you may consider if you would want to better yourself:
Apply for a competition or conference
something outside our field. And that is where most of us go wrong. Everything about us is technical. Why not try not something different etc. and graduate school scholarship applications look for. Find your niche and run with it. Now
rewards. Such opportunities can be found
is the best time to be involved with any of
on-line. The application process is quite
the above. All of us will be future engineers
simple especially for conferences and if they
but what makes you stand out from the rest?
require travel, most are all-expense-paid trips. Therefore, don't be afraid to try. I must admit that you will get plenty of no's before you get a single 'yes'. Such is not for the faint at heart. It takes a lot of perseverance but if successful, what you will be able to reap out of it will be priceless in terms of experience. Volunteer free time on our hands. This time could be
Going through the University Handbook that I
spent volunteering somewhere. This doesn't
was given when I joined 1st year, I noticed that
apply only to children's homes but there
the school has at least 150 registered students'
are numerous places which are looking for
associations and clubs. These clubs include
volunteers. Get on-line and begin the search.
challenged the
that only 500,000 households in Nairobi
government's
out of an estimated 1,000,000 owning
intention to switch
televisions sets have acquired the gadgets,
Nairobi
from
what other qualifications
commonly called set top boxes,these gadgets
analogue to digital
do you have? This
convert analogue signals to digital form.
broadcasting
particular option may
b y D e c e m b e r.
not be for everyone. To
Digital tv encourages more local content
However, following
take a particular course
generation, and the switch is expected to
discussions with the
you should have a well
expand opportunities for investors in digital
government, the
defined reason for taking
terrestrial TV, broadcast mobile TV and
lobby group withdrew
it as it should aid in you
commercial wireless broadband services.
the cour t case in
in your future. Courses
exchange for a role
include, computing,
to steer the process.
language, design or any
The Student Engineer
it doesn't mean that we can't be interested in
aimed at students and some even give cash
Secretary Joseph Tiampati recently stated
6
your hobbies? Just because we are engineers,
There are numerous competitions which are
year successfully
b e n e f i t f ro m c l e a re r p i c t u re q u a l i t y.
sports, etc. But how seriously do you take
Such diversity is what most employers
The ICT ministr y through the Principal
Consumers are also expected to
are filled with the same thing: reading, playing
These may either be local or international.
During the weekends, most of us have some
each of them and join maybe one or two.
When it comes to hobbies, most of our CVs
like, photography, blogging, clothes designing,
Join a Club
academic, sports and youth clubs. Go through
Hobbies
H
ow much electricity does the human brain produce?
The human brain requires around 20 Joules per second to operate, this is enough to power a 20 watt light-bulb. The generation of electricity in the brain results from the movement of ions (charged atoms) through the brain.
Take a Course Other than your eventual degree in engineering,
other course that you
The Student Engineer
7
///// TECHNOLOGY
BRCK:
TECHNOLOGY \\\\\
What if the cable snaps?
The Backup Generator for the Internet
“ Demistifying the operation of Lifts ”
by Alex Njira such as Dropbox and it also integrates remote management via a virtual private network.
by Wycliffe Musasio
G
iven an option, no one will ever choose the backbreaking stairway
The BRCK connects to the BRCK Cloud ,which is a website you can access from anywhere to
to the 19th floor of a building. It
will be awkward to seat behind your desk in
check how network connections and electricity
your office on a Monday morning with bits of
are performing on your device.
sweat on your face, tired from having climbed all the way from the ground floor by a winding
The team responsible for this ground breaking
stairway. Unless otherwise, most people
product includes Juliana Rotich, Eric Hersman,
prefer to take the easiest and fastest means,
David Kobia, Reg Orton and Philip Walton;
which in this case is definitely the elevator.
together they have re-designed technology that An elevator is a type of a carriage that can be
their needs in Kenya, and if it can work in Africa
used to move either people or loads between
it can work anywhere in the world.
floors in a building. It is mostly categorized as a vertical transport system. Most of these
T
he Internet is increasingly becoming a few hours in a day without connectivity
can be unbearable and in some cases could significantly affect your productivity, enter
•• Simultaneously supports upto 20 devices. rooms.
One of the easiest and most reliable ways to
•• 8 GPIO's to connect sensors
connect to the Internet anywhere in the world
•• Software allowing apps, remote
even when you do not have electricity.
management and data collection.
Described as a rugged solution to the Internet
BRCK's resilient battery additionally stabilizes
problems in most parts of Africa, BRCK offers a
to protect components from burning whenever
reliable connection even in the remotest parts
electricity surges or goes off.
of Kenya as long as you can access a mobile
The infused software allows it to store data
network signal.
in the cloud with the integration of software
This simple device addresses the need for reliable Internet connections in unpredictable environments and was designed for the changing way we connect to the Internet around the world where we have multiple devices such as smart-phones and tablets and we are always on the move. BRCK works just like a smart-phone when trying to find the best connection , it intelligently switches between an Ethernet connection, WiFi and 3G connections from your Sim-card so as to find the fastest and most stable connection thus providing a failsafe to Internet connectivity in almost any situation.
The Student Engineer
vertical lifts are powered by electric motors
www.brck.com / www.ushahidi.com
that drive traction cables. Other lifts operates on a thread and screw mechanism. The elevator
•• A battery that can last 8 hours
•• Strong Wi-fi that can cover multiple
BRCK.
For more information visit:
Its key features include:
large part of our daily lives and even a
8
has been around for years and made it work for
mechanism dates back to medieval times. The Stats:
first elevator is attributed to Achimedes. The
1078 - Number of people who've backed
jacking mechanism that he employed in his
It is therefore necessary to take extra safety
there is a second layer of protection. Beneath
the project on Kickstarter.
pioneer lift was basically the thread and screw.
measures in ensuring that the cables do not
most lifts, on the bottom most floor, there are
The driving mechanism employed evolved
snap. It is due to this that most cables used are
hydraulic dumpers meant to dump the force on
USD 172,107 - Amount raised on the
with changing times, from steam driven lifts
carefully selected and pretension tests done.
impact experienced during such eventualities.
Kickstarter campaign.
to modern microprocessor controlled lifts. In the design of the lifts these cables are given
Most lifts have an outer door and an inner door.
USD 47,000 - Amount by which they
The earliest lifts were directly controlled by an
a high safety factor. This therefore means that
The inner door is meant to prevent passengers
surpassed their target of USD 125,000
operator. The operator would manually control
even once the buzzer alarm indicates that the
from falling into the shaft of the lift while the
the lift and stop it at the desired floor level.
lift has reached its maximum weight capacity,
outer door prevents would be passengers from
KSH 16,000 - Projected unit cost for a
Just like in any other industry, cost cutting
it is able to take in extra load without the chain
making an attempt to enter the lift when no
single BRCK.
measures provide the impetus for technological
snapping. It is therefore no coincidence that free
carriage car is available. If the outer door is
advancement. To counter the ever increasing
fall accidents are extremely rare.
demands of lift operators, microprocessor
faulty, this may result in serious fatalities. Ever heard
controllers were introduced. Nowadays,
With all that said, it is never good
of someone attempting to
almost all lifts are entirely automated. This
to leave anything to chance.
enter a lift only to find a
represents a significant stride in this industry.
There exists a remote possibility
gaping hole? Such situations
that the chain could snap. What
arise when the outer door
if you are caught in this mishap?
is defective. It is therefore
It is now a convention for every building to be fitted with a lift as a substitute for
important for elevator users
ramps. This ensures that the building is
Lifts have a locking mechanism.
to exercise extra caution when
accessible by physically challenged people.
In case the cable snaps the
boarding elevators. What may
carriage car drops at a lower than
seem to be perfect may not
Contemporary elevators have sophisticated
free-fall speed. This mechanism
be working perfectly after all.
safety mechanisms. A buzzer alarm will ring in
also reduces the speed of the
case of overload. In such a scenario, the carriage
carriage car until it comes to a
will stay put in that very floor until the load is
standstill thus avoiding impact
reduced. However, the traction cables might
upon reaching the ground. Other
snap in such a case. This may be catastrophic.
than the locking mechanism,
The Student Engineer
9
///// DESIGN
DESIGN \\\\\
LAND ROVER DEFENDER by Tony Mugita
“Celebrating an Icon”
“ Adventure: That burning desire to explore the unknown, to venture where no human has gone before, to be the first to reach the peak and to cross continents. ”
I
t is this desire that birthed an icon and
on an idea prompted by a fascination
fuelled the overland expeditions that
with their jeep which proved to be very
made the Land Rover Defender famous
handy in their farm.
all over the world. Maurice Wilkes knew that the Jeep
The Defender has contributed to all our lives
would eventually break down and its
whole new class of automotive
in one way or another, through war and
parts would be close to impossible to
enthusiasts, steadily veering
peacetime; it has helped preserve the rarest
find in England, the prospect of having
away from its farmland and
of animals from extinction, crossed deserts to
to live without his Jeep gave Wilkes an
work horse image, owners began
deliver food to starving populations, explored
Idea, why not build his own.
using the vehicle for exploration
inaccessible territories to help map the world,
and recreational pursuits all over
built telecommunication networks and has
At the time, the war had devastated the
helped bring law and order to some of the most
Rover Car company and raw materials
The Land Rover became a
hostile places in the world.
were being rationed, the Land Rover
passport to adventure for millions
the world.
designers thus had to substitute Steel for
of off road enthusiasts, with its
It has been claimed that the first car seen
the body-work using Aluminum because
menacing air of indestructibility.
by roughly 60% of the developing world's
they were not able to get enough steel. The
It encouraged you to go to places
population is the Land Rover. So it seems that
cars light-green paint was a hand me down
you would never consider under
if the world were to end tomorrow, the only
from the fighter plane builders.
things that would probably survive besides
The original land rover was conceived, designed
Nokia phones and the obvious cockroaches
and built within one year and it was designed to
are still being used in today's Defender.
aspirations or even your level of success. It was
compared to SUV's ,but where there was no
would be Land Rovers.
only be in production for two to three years so
Land Rover then had to convince farmers
said that in a Land Rover you could either work
road, you would not want to drive anything else
as to bring in some cash flow and export orders
that their new vehicle could replace the horse
the land, or you could own the land.
because normal SUV's would not even dare to
Amazingly, after about 5years of production
for the Rover Company so that it could restart
in their farms. The vehicle had an unlimited
and an estimated 1.8 million cars down the line,
its up-market car production.
capacity for hard work and soon enough there
roughly 70 % of all the land rovers ever built are still on the go up-to today.
normal circumstances. On the road, the Defender would be described as rubbish
was more demand for the land rover than they Initial Applications
could fill.
The Series 1 was launched with a permanent
It became the best-friend to quite a lot of
Design History
four wheel drive and with the capacity to work
farmers and was the vehicle of choice for the
In the year 1948, the Land Rover Series 1 began
as a:
military across the world.
its life with a single purpose, to give Britain a
•• Car
vehicle that could compete with an American
•• Tractor
World War 2 Jeep. At the time, the Jeep had
•• Generator
proven itself in World War 2 and a new civilian
•• Welder
based model was in the works, however, across
•• Fire pump
the Atlantic the Wilkes brothers were working
10
The Student Engineer
Its bolt-on body and its separate chassis design
The Land rover was a ground breaker and along the way it spawned the Range Rover and in doing so, it created a whole new class of car, the SUV short for Sport Utility Vehicle. The Land Rover was utterly classless and told the world nothing about your wallet, your
go to half the places the Defender has gone to.
"In a Land Rover you could either work the land or you could own the land."
Being able to venture off the paved highways
The Spirit of Adventure.
Fast forward to the modern day defender...
As the popularity of the Land rover grew,
out in 1948.
Up to today Land Rover still build the defender
another dimension broadened its demand,
For now we can rest assured that based on its
as the icon of the brand despite the minor
the off-road possibilities of four wheel drive.
sound engineering, its rigid construction and
changes to the car's interior, it still has a bit of
The land Rovers capabilities appealed to a
its iconic no frills design, the Defender will
a rustic feel to it. The engine upgrade brings
definitely be around for a long time to come.
and forge your own path through the world can be a very exhilarating experience and many modern SUV's have re-ignited the explorers spirit but very few have the history of the Land Rover Defender.
new levels of refinement and performance to the Defender and the current design is in many ways no different from the Series 1 that came
The Student Engineer
11
///// TECHNOLOGY
TECHNOLOGY \\\\\
“Sharpened Axe” The Trimble X100
T
••
picking the right tools, recruiting the 'perfect' team.What if
••
hey say when given four hours to cut a tree we should spend the first three hours sharpening the
known as 'toes and crests'.
axe. Well, that's a wise thought which basically
In topographic surveying it serves as a perfect total station,GNSS receiver or scanner where its used to
tells us to plan wisely before doing something which entails you don't have to sharpen the axe anymore?
by Raphael Kimani
produce accurate orthophotos of gravel pits. In civil engineering especially in road construction it has been used to come up with digital elevation models with fast calculation of cut and fill volumes.
Introducing the Trimble gatewing x100 which is a realization of a sharpened axe. The gatewing x100 is an unmanned
Technology is advancing and the competition is much more
aircraft system commonly referred to as drones driven by
with new innovations each and everyday. The trimble x100 is
its theme of safety and reduced costs which has found its
a realization of products which are cheaper and safer to work
way in more than 20 applications in the engineering, built
with in the field. Perhaps in Kenya we should focus on using this
and construction environment.
technologies as a way of cutting on the government and private sectors spending on infrastructure.
The x100 is an advanced in geospatial technology mostly used in mapping and provides data for adjusting photo stations, measure photogrammetric points, create 3d clouds, create digital surface models and create digital orthophotographs by the use of Trimbl e business centre photogrammetric module. Well for a world of aerial photography dominated by helicopters and manned aircrafts the gate wing boosts of the following advantages. The x100 is the Leading image acquisition quality and data accuracy due to low flying heights and minimal vibrations of the instrument. Compared to manned aircrafts its an all-terrain and all-weather performance features. It has Reverse thrust for precise landings in confined and remote places. It is a Durable and a reliable solution for intensive use.
“Mechanical Whale”
S
by Caleb Juma
ince time immemorial man has longed to
them their characteristic teardrop shape. On
In addition to the said two systems, a submarine
conquer the skies and fly like the birds.
top of this cigar like hull is a raised tower called
uses SONAR to identify other submarines and
The sight of the eagle gliding among
the sail. It houses the periscope, electronics
water vessels within its vicinity.
the clouds sparked everyone's imagination
and the snorkel masts. Military submarines
Propulsion
and various legends such as Daedulus and his
are covered with sound absorbing anechoic
Initially, submarines used diesel to power
son Icarus were born. The high heavens were
plating to reduce the chances of detection.
their engines. This fuel was used to run the
held in high regard and most religions believed
Navigation
propellers or charge a battery. However, the
(and still do) that they served as the Creators throne. After much study, experiment and hard work, the invasion of this mysterious natural roof began, thanks to Wilbur and Orville Wright. Unknown to many people and often overlooked by historians, man has also always been awed by the silent depths of the oceans. To the marine biologist, the ocean was another unique world filled with interesting flora and fauna while to the writers it provided a great
sub had to resurface when running the diesel
background for literary masterpieces such
engine or charging the battery. This proved to
as the Nautilus. On the other hand, various
be a great disadvantage for military subs. The
world navies saw it as a great camouflage that would often ensure the element of
Due to its low water penetrating capacity,
surprise . Due to all this, numerous attempts
light can not be used to navigate the submarine
were made to explore this dark world with
through the expansive dark ocean. To find their
disastrous results, but finally engineers had
way in the sea, submarines use marine charts
a breakthrough and the submarine was born.
and a wide array of sophisticated tools which
A submarine is a vehicle that can be submerged and navigated under water. It
include: ••
The Global navigation System -When the
is usually built for warfare but there are
submarine is cruising on the surface, it
some that have a variety of peaceful uses,
relies on GPS to pinpoint its location with
including tourism, exploration, oil and gas
staggering levels of accuracy.
platform inspections, and pipeline surveys.
••
The inertial navigation system- when the submarine is underwater, it tends to use
Mode of operation A submarine can be considered to be a special type of ship because it is capable of
the autonomous INS. GPS is not used because water attenuates the signals
incorporation of an air pipe,(snorkel) reduced the time the submarine spent at the surface but was still an Achilles heel for the military sub since it gave away the position of the vessel to the enemy. To counter this, the nuclear reactor was developed. This brought nuclear energy to the arena and immensely revolutionized submarine propulsion. In fact a nuclear powered sub is considered as the only true submersible vehicle in some quarters because it can remain submerged for a long period of time (read years) with the only limit being the amount of food and supplies on-board and the crew"s condition.
considerably or reflects most of it.
operating on and below the surface of the Applications: ••
sea. For it to float it must weigh less than the
Quarry and open mine site surveying where its
volume of water it displaces and the converse
used to take accurate volume measurements
is true if it is to submerge. To achieve this feat, a submarine uses its ballast tanks. These tanks are filled with air when the submarine is on the surface and when it wants to dive, water is made to flood the tanks, squeezing air out and ultimately increasing the density of the vessel relative to the surrounding seawater. Furthermore a pair of short wings on its back (or stern) help in controlling the diving angle. Appearance Most submarines are streamlined to reduce drag and noise. This ends up giving
12
The Student Engineer
The Student Engineer
13
///// TECHNOLOGY
Elon Musk
by Robert Abuya
The Hyperloop Project
A
s we marvel at our latest achievements in transport infrastructure we are reminded of the long way we still
have to go. Indeed even in the more advanced economies, the quest to save that extra hour from a journey is still on. Until we come up with a way to teleport from place to place, there will always be room for improvement in the way we travel. The latest proposal in this quest is the Hyperloop. Elon Musk is famous for making the improbable reality: he brought the electric car to the masses with the Tesla Model S, a convenient way to pay for stuff on the internet with Paypal and even commercial space travel with SpaceX. One would think those would be enough achievements for a 42 year old man, but he clearly wants more. Now he proposes a passenger transport system that moves at over 1100 kph, cutting the journey from San Francisco to Los Angeles from the current two hour flight to just 30 minutes. First proposed in July 2012, Hyperloop has a set of incredible claims. It aims to ferry passengers between the two cities at no fixed schedule, travel at nearly the speed of sound, be virtually accident-free all while running on solar energy and costing a tenth of the cost of a proposed bullet train. Wow! If this were not Mr. Musk, the whole idea would have been laughed
requirements since the slightest prick in such
DESIGN \\\\\ Getting on and off Hyperloop
a tube would cause the most horrific crashes.
While acoustic waves neatly solve the
Mr. Musk has promised that Hyperloop cannot
traveling-at-almost-the-speed-of-sound bit,
crash and can be self-sufficient in energy.
they don't explain how you would embark and
It thus appears we need to look elsewhere.
disembark from the Hyperloop. The best guess
Acoustic levitation What we need is another way of efficiently reducing air resistance. Recently, a research group reported it had levitated arbitrarily shaped objects in acoustic waves. This technique involves an acoustic phenomenon called standing waves; essentially waves that are held in place by interference. If you imbue these waves with enough power (volume) and hit just the right frequency, you can levitate an object. Standing waves, as the name implies, don't move, but Bjorn Smedman and Charles Alexander both theorize, if you pump these waves into a loop (which we assume the Hyperloop is), and change up the acoustic parameters slightly, then it might be possible to carry vehicles on the edge of these waves as they travel around the loop. By riding on the peak of a sound wave, you only really have to deal with drag caused by air density (linear), which is much less than drag caused by air velocity (quadratic). If you pump enough power into the acoustic wave (i.e. increase the amplitude), the air density increases but the relative air velocity drops.In effect, the vehicle in the wave is stationary, in reference to its surroundings. In theory, this process is so efficient that solar panels on top of the loop (a very large surface area) can power the system. The acoustic waves, traveling continuously around the loop, would effectively act as energy storage.
at the moment is that there will be an extra section at each end of the loop for managing acceleration and deceleration. To board the Hyperloop, you will hop into a carriage at the San
First Aid Kit re-imagined
by Tony Mugita
T
his brilliant concept for an at-home first-aid kit by a product design student at the Royal college of Arts
in London is a great improvement from the
Francisco or Los Angeles terminus, and then be
glorified lunch boxes stuffed with medical
accelerated up to speed using a railgun before
equipment that we pass for first aid kits.
entering the main loop. At the other end, you
It comes in a compact design that unfolds to
will be gently decelerated before disembarking.
reveal an entire suit of salvos that not only gives
This neatly ties in with Musk's comments that
you the tools needed to treat cuts , scrapes
the Hyperloop will be a "cross between a
and burns, but also offfers guidance on how
Concorde and a railgun and an air hockey table."
to treat them and the best part about it , the
Finally, we should note that there are other
entire set is designed for use with just one hand.
ways of constructing a Hyperloop. It might turn
Unlatch the clean white box and you
out that Musk was just trying to be coy, and that it
will notice distinct compartments dedicated
will actually be based on some kind of evacuated
to burns, scratches and more serious cuts.
tunnel design. Instead of a vacuum, the tunnel
The simple design takes all the ambiguity
could be flooded with a lighter (less-dense)
out of treatment by organizing the contents by
gas such as helium, which produces less drag.
injury thus you do not need to spend time figuring
Because there's still a pesky force called gravity
out how things work, the kit instructs you.
to overcome on Earth, he would still need a way
Another big improvement is that the
of defeating rolling resistance (friction between
design takes you through a step by step
the vehicle and the edges of the tunnel).
treatment of different types of injuries.
Magnetic levitation (maglev), which has been
Opening the injury specific compartments
extensively tested in Japan, might soon be ready
presents you with all the necessary tools
for commercial use and is the obvious solution.
needed to address the issue at hand, each
It also isn't clear how any of the above
seperated with its own discrete little tab
approaches "can never crash." In theory, if
with instructions spelled out plain english
you poke a hole in a Hyperloop full of acoustic
with clean color coded pictograms created
waves, the waves will very quickly dissipate and
by graphic designer Nerijus Keblys , offering
the vehicle will come to a standstill. This will
at-a-glance direc tions along the way.
probably happen very quickly, and probably
"Standard first aid kits do not address how
quite painfully for the occupants - especially
they function in real life where they are often
if you're going around a corner at the time.
used by someone who has no medical training",
off as just another case of wishful thinking.
states Gabriele Meldaikyte the designer of the kit.
However, upon closer examination there
She notes the lack of communication,
are some ideas on just how this system could
information and clarity in conventional
work. Some very clever engineers have been
first aid boxes resulting in the lack of a
at work trying to guess what building the
system. Her design brings abit of order to
used with one hand so an injury
mysteriously named Hyperloop could entail. The
the small amount of chaos that ensues after
to the other hand can be treated
first theory put forward was an evacuated tube
an unexpected mishap that results in injury.
effectively, even if the accident
with passenger capsules which would be pushed
"the kit has been designed to be
occurred while you were alone" One handed use:
inside the tube with a blast of pressurized air. The vacuum would reduce the air resistance
Inthe event of a mishap, you
b e s l i ce d s h o r t w i t h a b u i l t i n b l a d e
encountered by the capsule allowing it to reach
become the patient not the doctor thus
instead of having to resor t to scissors.
the required speed. It would however pose
Meldaikyte made sure everything in her
She points out that after an injury you
some technological challenges: accelerating
kit would be operable by just one hand.
become one handed in a much more literal
pressurized air is not particularly energy
This meant designing special
sense thus the kit has been designed to be
efficient, not to mention the friction between the
tools in cer tain cases for example:
used with one hand so an injury to the other
air and the walls of the tube. Also the evacuated
Spooled bandage dispensers that
hand can be treated effectively, even if the
let you wrap in a hurr y and which can
accident occurred while you were alone.
tube would never meet the stringent safety
14
The Student Engineer
ÂŤ Initial sketches of The Hyperloop
The Student Engineer
15
///// TECHNOLOGY
WHY
TECHNOLOGY \\\\\ .In a desperate last attempt, you remove our PC's battery from the base of the laptop and
your Computer isn’t
by Dickens Odhiambo
SAFE
wait for about 5 seconds. Your heart beats up even faster as you connect back your 6 cell battery while pressing hard on the power button. The laptop boots then logs into windows,the curse finally is under your command. Phew. You now feel like Steven Frayner 'Dynamo' after performing a levitation trick. With a sigh,you fall onto your bed on your back. But what you don't know is that... That was a trojan attack, the trojan client in your machine had successfully connected up to the trojan server and the attacher was in control of your PC from his machine. Just for pun,he did turn on your webcam so that he could get a good look at your distressed face. He copied your folders and files to his machine
I
and grabbed your saved passwords . For your t is a Sunday afternoon and there is not
your application. kindly go through the pdf for
information, he had already mapped out your
much to be done but to keep rolling and
details".You get hesitant but excited, your palms
geographical location down to your house then
turning in bed. Theclock ticks 3pm, too bad
get soaky as your heart throttles up. "Which
having nothing much to do he played up a
you've got to get up. Barely awake, you make for
job application?" is the question ringing in your
horror movie for you!
the kitchen for a can of coke then you release
head. Finally you decide to click on the pdf
much is taking place apart from the Sunday
but...
Such attacks will be commonplace as Internet
The file does not open up instead,the cursor
attacker himself! In the world of computer
sunshine being so lovely.
wanders aimlessly about your screen ,you try
freaks, there is a common phrase that goes like
your 'stock' has dried up. Grudgingly,the fridge door is slammed back. Youlurch back to your bedroom, look outside your window; nothing
infrastructure keeps growing. The attacks would take any form and nobody is safe not even the
"there are two types of Internet users:those who You are tempted back into your dove t then
know that their machine has been broken into
you notice your laptop lying hopelessly at
and those that don't." RTFA should be added to
yournightstand.
that saying. Future governments will have their cyber-security kitty rival the budget allocation
The laptop is carried to bed,fired up but you
on education because as computer networks
windows OS takes 30 seconds to log in courtesy
become more complex; more vulnerability
of that BOIS or is it BIOS? You opt to visit drive
spring up, opening up more breadth and depth
D for a movie or a TV series, few seconds of
for exploits.
browsing through, you notice that your library is outdated. Half heartedly,you switch to the
The pioneer Internet developers did not feel
musicfolder, being an avid dance music fan you
that security should be a priority when sharing
play GET LUCK at the background, as you start
any information over a network .All that was
up the firefox browser.
there for them was the need for connectivity to get a better hold of your mouse but all is in
and more connectivity. Whatever the reason
Tomorrow being a Monday; you believe it is
vain! Like a scene from a horror movie, daft
they may try to bring up , we are all stuck in
professional to check up your e-mails. Apart
punk stops playing,then - I know what you
murk. I think the Internet would be a secure
from theassignments and deadlines sent to
did last summer - starts to play up. You get
playground and less of a battlefield, if the whole
you by the manager,there is a mail for you
up from bed then place the computer on you
system would the redesigned from scratch, and
from the one Mr. Peter. You click on it then
study table. Suddenly, the cursor halts,good
security be the core of such a system but who
notice a pdf(Portable Document Format)
heavens, you decide to move it with your touch
is up to the task? Keeping in mind that the
download attached to it. Within the mail, is a
pad but it remains stagnant. Angrily, you decide
greatest weakness of any computer system
text reading "We are grateful that you did send
to reboot your laptop but there is no response
is the human user!
16
The Student Engineer
Infrastructure Development Broadband Roads Railway Electricity UoN Towers
///// FEATURE
FEATURE \\\\\
Broadband: A Game Changer or a necessity? by Gabriel Etonga
H
uman beings have an insatiable
emergence of the optical fiber as a favorable
With erratic internet connectivity in most
need for information and over
transmission technique. In communication, the
parts of the country save for major towns,
the years people have gone out
frequency spectrum that is available for use is
Kenya has still managed to position itself
of their way to come up with new means of
a crucial resource. Simply put, the frequency
as a business process outsourcing hub. This
relaying it. Whereas the information relaying
spectrum is the superhighway over which
has opened new opportunities not only for
techniques continue to grow in complexity
the vehicles (information) are carried. Just as
adventurous job seekers but also for those keen
consumers are mainly interested in obtaining
a wide road can support more vehicles, the
to add an extra penny in their pockets. At the
information in the simplest possible way. In
optical fiber, which has a greater bandwidth
moment Kenya is in the same breath with other
order to achieve simplicity it is necessary to
than other transmission media can be used
trailblazers in the field of business process
take a plunge into the depths of complexity.
to transmit a wider range of information.
outsourcing such as India. It does not take
Kenya is no exception and the government
As a case in point a single optical fiber can
rocket science to figure out the great strides
has a clearly defined broadband policy. This is
support well over 90,000 television channels.
the country would take towards this front if
in cognizance of the fact that most Kenyans do
The internet has come with a number of
internet connectivity is improved countrywide.
not have access to basic internet services. This
opportunities and challenges alike. Whereas
The government's plan seeks to have all
is not as a result of the unwillingness of the
it has offered enormous revenue generating
primary and secondary schools connected to
market to change with the tide but as a result of
opportunities for internet service providers it has
the internet by 2017. Government services such
the underdevelopment of basic communication
also left those without access to such services
as licensing and passport issuance will soon be
infrastructure especially in rural areas. The
way off the pack. That begs the question whether
automated. This would go a long way in sealing
Electric roads by Ken Kimani
S
cience and technology, like all original
Road Powered electrical vehicle may be
When an electric vehicle passes a road segment
creations of the human mind are
defined as a transport capsule whose principal
with a proper encrypted signal, then the road will energize the segments that sense the vehicle.
unpredictable and dynamic. When it
means of locomotion is one or more electric
comes to technology, everything is just almost
motors where the electric motors are powered
market is always willing to adapt to the best
more can be done to ensure that everyone
corruption loopholes while at the same time
technologies and nothing bears this out more
has access to affordable internet services
reducing the time taken in seeking these services.
possible. The transport field in particular has
by an electrical supply provided either from
than the fact that individuals who felt that
even when it does not make business sense.
There is no doubt that there is great
experienced rather remarkable achievements
a battery ,usually on-board, or power source
payphones could suit all their communication
J u s t l i k e e l e c t r i c i t y, b r o a d b a n d
demand for improved internet services in Kenya.
in this regard, from the early animal powered
typically remote, and connected directly via
needs less than a decade ago now feel that the
services are a necessity in our times. In
Kenya with well over 2.4 million tweets in 2011
means to the current automated ones.
conductive cables or magnetic inductive fields
mobile phone in its basic form is inadequate.
the information age knowledge is power.
ranked second only to South Africa in Africa
Broadband simply put refers to a means of
These days the next business opportunity
with slightly over 5 million tweets during the
Conventional transportation technologies
A c c o r d i n g t o Vo l v o , t h e f u t u r e
transmitting information of varied bandwidth
is a click of a button away. Global stories
same year. It is worth noting that Nigeria, the
characteristics simultaneously over the same
reverberate instantly over the World Wide Web.
most populous nation in Africa, did slightly over
transmission media. This provides for the
1.6 million tweets during the
robust transmission of voice and data signals
same year several hundred
simultaneously. Perhaps the most recent, and
thousands shy of the tweets
probably the transmission media that is expected
by Kenyans. These figures go
to shake the Kenyan market, is the optical fiber.
a long way in illustrating the
A few illustrations may explain the
great demand for internet
causing mainstream awareness and interest in alternative transportation technology. Many
o f t ra n s p o r t a t i o n i s n't d e p e n d e nt o n
could be continuously supplied with power without carrying large batteries. Currently, long distances are especially challenging for vehicles operating only on electric power. An electric road could allow even longdistance trucks and buses to operate without
improving this type of electric vehicle
having to stop frequently and recharge.
battery technology, but rather electrifying
The power line will be built in sections
the actual roads we're already driving on.
and one section is only live as the truck
develop more sustainable vehicles in order to
The electric road works by having two
passes. Also, the power lines present some
combat fuel costs and the harmful environmental
power lines built directly into its surface. The
ef fects of petroleum as a fuel source
two power lines run along the road's entire
automobile companies are working hard to
Much has happened in the road transport
To be fully developed,
technology, from electric cars to driverless
the supporting infrastructure
cars. Driverless cars are guided by a system of
envisioned under Kenya's
sensors and cameras and are seen as potentially
national broadband plan is
safer and more efficient than regular vehicles.
250 billion Kenya shillings.
However, there has been an interesting
The government along with
turn of events. Scientists have star ted
internet service providers
concentrating on the road rather than the
is expected to invest in
gadget, which is the car. This has led to
developing the necessary
the development of electric roads. This is a
support infrastructure. Once
relatively new technology spearheaded by a
fully implemented the project
team of scientists from Volvo. This is a shift
continued on pg. 22....
The Student Engineer
vehicle propulsion. Rising fuel prices are
services amongst Kenyans
expected to cost well over
18
usually involve the use of fossil fuels for
With this method, electric vehicles
from the Road Powered electrical vehicle.
safety concerns and would require a vehicle to be traveling at least 37 miles per hour in
length. One is a positive pole, and the other
order to take advantage of the electricity
is used to return the current. The lines are
As much as it is interesting to see a fresh
sectioned so that live current is only delivered to a collector mounted at the rear of, or under, the truck if an appropriate signal is detected .A vehicle driving over it would need a current collector that could pick up the charge from the power lines, fueling the vehicle as it drives. The Swedish-based automaker has developed a method of road-to-vehicle electric power that propels larger vehicles, like semis and buses, through power lines built into the road. The vehicle is equipped with a radio
take on electric mobility., the technology still has a long journey ahead of it and many an year remain before this is on our roads, especially in third world countries. Uncertainties however do exist, such as how the road would perform in extreme weather conditions. All in all, the electric road has the potential to create a sustainable transpor tation system .For this to happen however, we must invest significantly in research NOW.
emitter, which the road segments can sense.
The Student Engineer
19
///// FEATURE
FEATURE \\\\\
The Eastern Africa Interconnector (Ethiopia - Kenya highway)
Railway Development Plans by Gilbert Gitonga
by Ken Kimani
K
complete. The remaining 26 will be completed in two years, according to Deputy President
enya's vision to transform into a
was conceived in 2006 when Ethiopia and Kenya
pioneer the idea of a regional power market and
William Ruto. When completed, residents of
newly industrializing middle income
signed a memorandum of understanding that
enhance the East African Power Pool (EAPP).
Nairobi will save a lot on commuter charges.
country providing a high quality
agreed that a power system interconnection
The proposed transmission line right-of-
This will have an overall effect of lowering the
of life to all its citizens by 2030 seems to be
between the systems of Ethiopia and Kenya
way (RoW) crosses from Ethiopia into Kenya
cost of living for the people and hence reduce
well on course, judging from the recent mega
be established. However, it is not until this
approximately 90 km West of Moyale town and
pressure on the employers to increase salaries.
projects that the government has undertaken.
September that Construction of power lines
traverses Marsabit, Samburu, Isiolo, Laikipia,
The infrastructure sector is in the spotlight
between Ethiopia and Kenya is set to begin.
Nyandarua and Nakuru. From Moyale the
as the government ,companies and consumers
This megaproject set to cost a whopping
transmission line route runs adjacent to the Great
grapple with issues such as availability ,
$1.2-billion (102-billion shilling) and is
North Highway (Marsabit - Moyale) in a southerly
condition, security of supply ,environmental
financed by several agencies, the African
direction avoiding Marsabit National Park. From
impact and most of all, affordability. This sector
Development Bank, the World Bank and the
Marsabit area the route runs southwards at a
is on a journey of major changes and I believe it
French Development Agency. The power line
maximum distance of 500 m parallel to the
holds the key to the country's economic growth
will be 1,068-kilometre long and is expected
main Isiolo - Marsabit Highway to Laisamis.
as articulated in the country's vision 2030.
to be completed in September 2018.It will
At Laisamis Town the proposed RoW runs
Some of the mega projects that the
provide Kenya with cheaper electricity from
close to the road as it enters Losai game
government has undertaken include ,the
Ethiopia's hydro-electricity dams. This is
reserve keeping a range of about 400 m to
NairobiÂŹ-Thika highway which is already complete
because Ethiopia is endowed with a huge
800 m off the road reserve then runs further
and recently commissioned by the president
hydro generation potential which is estimated
on to Merille where it diverts slightly westwards
,the massive Ngong wind power project ,the 280
at approximately 45,000 MW. The Government
running east of Matthews Range, 6 km east of
MW Olkaria power plant set for completion in
of Ethiopia intends to develop these resources
the Lololokwe Mountain peak. It then runs
March next year ,and the Lake Turkana Wind
for domestic consumption and export and this
through a stretch of fairly flat land covered
power project, to mention just but a few.
proposed line is to act as a major highway to
by thorny shrubs and bushes, and then turns
The Ethiopia Kenya Power interconnection
the southern countries such as Tanzania. The
southwards to the Ngoborbit plateaus and
project is a project that will completely change
enormous potential for electricity trade in the
ridges dropping altitude down into Laikipia.
the face of the region's electricity transmission
Eastern Nile countries coupled with its socio-
In Laikipia, the proposed RoW continues
network. This is not a new project since the idea
economic and environmental benefits will
through the extreme western section of Mpala Ranch which is covered by scattered thickets and bushes. Then it crosses Mutara River into Ndaragwa. The line runs on top ridge of Shamata and then sharply drops altitude to the flat plains of Olobolossat, 3.7 kilometres eastwards of Lake Ol Bolossat. It then traverses the Olkalou Settlement Scheme and cuts across Malewa River, climbing a steep hill then drops altitude to the flat land of Marangishu (karati) and on-wards to Kijabe after crossing the Nakuru - Nairobi highways into plains east of Mt. Longonot into the proposed Suswa Substation. When complete, the project will greatly lower the cost of electricity,which is quite high at the moment and also improve Kenyans access to electricity ,which was a low 16% in 2009.
20
The Student Engineer
In developed countries, over 80% of the cargo is transported via railway. In addition, the railway commuter systems in those countries are well developed, completely eradicating the small public transport vehicles from major town centers. In Kenya, less that 20% of the inland cargo is transported via railway. Last year, rift valley railways transported 900,000 metric tons of cargo a drop from 1.2 million in the previous year. This represents only
E
a fraction of the total cargo transported in conomic and social prosperity of any
year, Kenya imported Sh1.374 trillion worth
Kenya. Cabinet secretary for transport and
country depends greatly on the ease
of goods from various parts of the world.
infrastructure Eng. Michael Kamau recently
of mobility of its major factors of
With a general average re-export level of 10
expressed dissatisfaction with the way rift
production. The ease the movement should be in
per cent, the levy could have fetched Sh18.6
valley railways was handling its operations,
such a manner that the cost is not compromised.
billion if the government applied it last year.
as the data shows decline in operations.
The railway line, which is to be built
Development of a standard gauge railway
and hence inflow of direct foreign investment.
according to Chinese railway design standards,
line will save the economy billions annually in
will carry freight trains at speeds of up to 80
road maintenance. Every year, the government
The cost of doing business in Kenya has
kilometers per hour, and passenger trains at
spends a substantial amount in maintaining
not been attractive at all to investors in the
up to 120 kilometers per hour. This will greatly
major highways that have been destroyed by
past 20 years. Statistics show that Kenya
ease movement for people and cargo from the
heavy trucks. A high speed and efficient railway
is the most costly place to set up business,
port of Mombasa. The railway line will built
transport will reduce the number of trucks by
yet the returns may not be as high. This has
from Mombasa to Malaba in Kenya, to Kampala
at least 60% once completed. This will mean
led to massive capital flight and skipping
and end in Kigali Rwanda. This is aimed at
longer life to the major transport corridors.
of Kenya as an investment destination of
lowering the cost of transporting goods from
The savings from this will go a long way in
choice in Africa. The government has for
the coastal port to Kampala from a massive
developing other smaller roads in agricultural
many years believed that it can overshadow
KSh 140,000 per container to KSh 30,000.
areas so as to ease transport in those areas.
this by offering lucrative tax incentives.
What's more, since it will be run by a company
However, a report by the World Bank shows
that the Kenyan government has control in,
that investors are more concerned with basic
the government will be in a better position to
infrastructure and security, than the traditional
control inflation through regulation of charges.
These are the costs that indicate the overall appropriateness of a country in doing business
tax holidays, which deny the government in
All these capital investment projects do not require foreign partners in terms of funding for them to be implemented. In an interview, Eng. Michael Kamau said that what is required was
Also in the government plan under the
funding from commercial banks as the systems
railway development is the Nairobi railway
put in place to raise these funds are short and
The government plan to impose 1.5% tax
commuter system. Under this plan, the
medium term. These are excellent plans that will
on all imports as the railway development
government plans to construct 28 new railway
put Kenya ahead in business competitiveness.
levy is an absolutely necessary pain. In this
stations in Nairobi and its environs. It will include
plan, the government intends to raise over
new railway lines to replace the depilated ones,
20 billion to supplement the 22 billion already
new coaches and world-class ticketing system.
set aside in the current year budget. Last
Syokimau and makadara stations are already
the excess of KSh 100 billion in tax revenue.
The Student Engineer
21
///// FEATURE
FEATURE \\\\\
Second runway project underway at JKIA
by Konji Davis
J
UON Towers
million at current prices, and completion, once ground is finally broken and will take at least 3 ½ years. The new facilities will
The Chandaria University of Nairobi Towers
no doubt unleash the full potential of traffic growth, which by 2020 will see three times as many passengers compared to this year.
by Bonaventure Kabiru
T
omo Kenyatta International Airport,
due to theatrics and gimmicks by former
he University of Nairobi is currently
Most impor tant for Kenya's aviation
is Kenya's largest aviation facility, and
transport minister, who kept meddling with
industry is the expected effect of the airport
the busiest airport in East and Central
the board of the Kenya Airport Authority. The
expansion for national airline Kenya Airways
Africa and it forms the hub of air transport
former minister got unduly involved in many
which is looking at tripling their fleet by 2021.
within the region. It is the sixth-busiest
aspects of the procurement and contracts.
Their strategic plan 'Mawingu' talks of 115
activities and administrative services. The
airport in Africa. The airport is the main hub
Due to these delays, Kenya Airways has
destinations by that year, compared to just over
ground breaking ceremony was held at the
of Kenya Airways, JetLink Express and Fly540.
developed a proposal to help build the new
60 now, clearly hinging their own expansion on
construction site at the Main Campus and
Opened in 1978 by Kenya's founding
Terminal 4 unit at JKIA. The construction
the timely completion of the second runway and
presided over by top management led by the
father Jomo Kenyatta, the airport was built
will cost an estimated 10 billion Kenya
new mega terminal, to which Kenya Airways
Chancellor DR. Joseph Wanjui. The building
and partner airlines will move when it is ready.
will have 21 floors with learning facilities to
The new government of President Uhuru
accommodate 3000 students and house the
Kenyatta has earmarked tourism and trade
following facilities: the Vice-Chancellor's Suite,
as key components to achieve a double digit
All the Deputy Vice-Chancellor's Suites, Senate
economic growth and aviation has been
Boardroom, Council Meeting Room, one lecture
recognized as a cornerstone in this equation,
theatres of 500 persons, four lecture theatres
for shipping cargo in and out of Kenya and to
of 300 persons, and several lecture rooms to
receive more and more visitors from abroad to
cater for a minimum of 60 persons, a floor
generate the projected 3 million arrivals by 2015.
for the Graduate School and a floor for the
undertaking a major construction of a 22-storey building at the Main
campus to accommodate increasing academic
Graduate School of Business. It will also have
a helipad. The project will be financed mainly by internally generated funds and donations. Leading businessman and philanthropist Manu Chandaria has pledged KSh 125 million. ....continued from pg. 20
The University aims to develop a visionary state-of-the-art tower block leading the way
is expected to cut internet costs while at the
in ecologically sustainable design in its Main
same time offering reliable internet services.
Campus. It is envisaged that the Tower will not
The big question is whether such an
demonstrate leadership in the development of
projects aimed at easing congestion in the
only provide the much-needed teaching space
investment will have a noticeable impact
a holistic green environment and must attain
learning institutions. Kenyatta University
but also assert and affirm the position of the
the highest green rating standards globally.
has been on the frontline in this, putting up
University of Nairobi as the leader of architectural
The building will also demonstrate a new
state-of-art hostel blocks, lecture rooms,
thought, innovation and champion towards the
approach to workplace design and create a
a world class library and a student Centre
provision of environmentally friendly-solutions.
model for others to learn world-class acoustic
complex that is unrivaled in the region.
The proposed building will be situated in the
treatment.
Currently, the university is seeking an investor
in the lives of Kenyans. Access to fast to accommodate 2 million passengers. Today,
shillings and adjoining the present semi-
nearly 7 million passengers are arriving,
circular terminal building housing units 1,
departing, and transiting in Nairobi, and
2, and 3. The terminal will bring temporary
the capacity constraints have cost Kenya
relief to JKIA until the new Greenfield
dearly as more airlines than ever before
mega terminal opens in a few years' time.
wish to fly to Nairobi but find themselves
The new Cabinet Secretary for
restricted by the lack of suitable slot times,
Infrastructure and Transpor t , Michael
aircraft parking , enough air bridges, lack
Kamau, was swift, however, in clearing the
of office space and overcrowded terminals.
mess left behind by his predecessor and
The airport is served by a single Runway
got the project back on track after sacking
and one terminal building constructed in
the former ministers oversight committee
the 1970s. With the number of passengers
and giving the KAA board and management
increasing yearly, there is a lot of congestion
the green light to proceed with due haste.
thus the government has come up with a
The project is estimated to commence this
project to construct a second runway. The
year to meet the target of the new Greenfield
second runway project has been repeatedly
Terminal coming on line by the financial
delayed under the last government, mainly
year 2016/17. The cost will be over US$650
22
The Student Engineer
and reliable internet services will expose internet user s to more information. If well managed, this information will sow the seeds needed to transform Kenya to a knowledge based economy. Everything must be done to ensure that this plan remains on track. In order to ensure that the end users enjoy affordable broadband services, meaningful partnerships need to be struck between internet service providers. A few years ago the mobile phone epitomized the great bounds that technology could transcend and low speed internet services were acceptable. However, going into the future reliable internet services will not only be a game changer for Kenya but will also be a necessity.
open space between the Gandhi Building and Education Building, just adjacent to the Norfolk Fairmont Hotel and Kenya National Theatre. The University of Nairobi is seeking to construct an ecologically sustainable building to house the top university administrators and several teaching facilities. The building will be world class particularly in its aesthetics and its environmental design considerations. It is expected to meet stringent carbon foot print criteria achieving close to 100%
The building will enhance the quality of outdoor space and the balance between indoor and outdoor Spaces. The University of Nairobi Towers is expected to be an inspiring and attractive showcase of 'green' buildings and once realized, the final facility should attain signature status in all aspects of cutting-edge architecture. The facility will be a place where users shall be proud to undertake world-class scholarly work, receive global leaders, scholars, the private sector, as well as other prominent guests.
carbon neutrality. The new building will
In the recent past, leading public universities
meet the indicated spatial requirements and
have undertaken multi-million infrastructural
in its 1billion hostel plan that was advertised through international tender. The project will be on a build-operate-transfer (BOT) model where the investor will construct the hostel and collect rent for 15 to 20 years before handing the building back to the university. The University of Nairobi towers, whose construction is being undertaken by China Hu Yi, is expected to be the landmark for academic institutions in the region.
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23
///// ADVERTORIAL
Integraph Geospatial World Tour, Kenya
I
ntergraph Geospatial 2013 World Tour, Kenya
charge of the Middle East and Africa (MEA), who
ERDAS APOLLO is a comprehensive data
Oakar Ser vices is Eastern Africa's
gave the keynote address. In his address, he
management, analysis and delivery system
leading Geographic Information System
highlighted the general objectives of the tour
enabling an organization to describe, catalog,
(GIS) & Remote Sensing (RS) consulting firm
including relaying various themes that are part
search, discover, process and securely
helping to deliver spatial technology for high-
of the portfolio such as:
disseminate massive volumes of data.
performing businesses. Working from a central office in Nairobi's Upper Hill, Oakar Services operates in the Eastern Africa region through a business partner network. Oakar Services sustains active engagement with a number of organizations in the wider geospatial technology marketplace including Universities, Professional Associations and the Private Sector.
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Intergraph® was founded in 1969 as M&S
GeoMedia® is an open, extensible geospatial environment for natively accessing, displaying, editing and analyzing data from various sources
Computing, Inc, and set out to solve one of the
The Managing Director of Oakar Services Ltd,
and formats. It is based on industry standards
most difficult problems of the time - how to put a
Mr. Eric Nyadimo, and technical personnel
such as Open Geospatial Consortium (OGC)
man on the Moon. The group assisted NASA and
from his Company, made various presentations
and ISO, and uses de-facto standards such
the US Army in developing systems that would
emphasizing what is new with the Intergraph
as Oracle, Microsoft SQL Server and PostGIS.
apply digital computing to real-time missile
geospatial solutions. The event involved
guidance. Intergraph is now the leading global
an overview of ERDAS Imagine and live
Leica Photogrammetry Suite (LPS) is a powerful
provider of engineering and geospatial software
software demonstrations on the applications
photogrammetry system that delivers full
that enables customers to visualise complex
of the Intergraph® 2013 Geospatial portfolio.
analytical triangulation, the generation of
data. Intergraph is part of Hexagon (Nordic
digital terrain models, orthophoto production,
exchange: HEXA B), a leading global provider
The Intergraph® 2013 Geospatial portfolio
of design, measurement, and visualisation
presents the full coordination of both
technologies that enable customers to design,
ERDAS and Geomedia product families
This technology expo paved way for further
measure and position objects, and process and
within a single product suite. The portfolio,
exploration by Kenyan professionals, researchers
present data. Intergraph's industry-specific
in simple terms, can be said to be tailored
and students alike towards making a real
software helps to organise vast amounts
to maximize efficiency and productivity in
impact on infrastructure planning and resource
of data in a way that makes processes and
geospatial analysis through streamlined
management. The question that remains is
infrastructures better, safer, and smarter.
workflows and expanded functionality while
whether we are ready to be in sync with this
ensuring the simplification and consistency
moment of technological transformation for
Oakar Ser vices Ltd in par tnership with
in product delivery and licensing across
the best results in the geospatial arena. Such
Intergraph held an event dubbed "Intergraph
the portfolio. The components highlighted
readiness of resolve was also reiterated by
Geospatial 2013 World Tour Kenya" at the Sarova
included: ERDAS Imagine, ERDAS Apollo, Leica
the master of ceremony saying, "If taking a
Panafric Hotel on 24th May, 2013. The event
Photogrammetry Suite (LPS) and Geomedia.
man to the moon was a great achievement,
attracted over 80 participants drawn from the
mosaicking, and 3D feature extraction.
then bringing him back to do a better job
geospatial technology marketplace and other
ERDAS Imagine Suite has three product levels:
related fields. Technical as it was, the event
Essentials, Advantage and Professional.
was highly informative in terms of the latest
Essentials allows for low-cost entry level image
developments in GIS, Photogrammetry, Remote
processing, map creation and simple feature
Sensing and Web Applications. The event was
collection tools and different types of geographic
part of the greater plan by Intergraph to visit
data can be combined with imagery and quickly
various parts of the world to showcase the latest
organized for projects. Advantage provides a
advances brought about by the introduction
complete set of tools for mosaicking, surface
of the Intergraph® 2013 Geospatial portfolio.
interpolation, advanced Image interpretation
on Earth is the greatest achievement."
and ortho-rectification. Professional adds on The Chief Guest at the event was Mr. Dean
the capabilities for complex image analysis,
McCormick, Intergraph's Regional Manager in
radar analysis and advanced classification tools.
24
The Student Engineer
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25
///// FEATURE
FEATURE \\\\\
Electricity: Staying on track by Gabriel Etonga Kenya's electricity demands are meant to be met by tapping into new energy sources. Key among this is geothermal power. Towards this front the Kenya Electricity and Generating Company (KENGEN) has laid renewed emphasis on generation of geothermal power. This has asserted Kenya's position as the epitome of geothermal energy generation in Africa. When choosing to generate electricity, a key consideration in selecting a given source of energy is the cost of generating a standard unit of power from the chosen energy source. KENGEN, the largest power producer in the country, has
which makes up for under 1% of KENGEN's
led to massive power rationing bear testimony
from Lake Baringo, Suswa, Naivasha all the
hydro, thermal, geothermal and to a lesser
electricity generation capacity. However,
to this fact. Occasionally, thermal power, which
way to Magadi. Adding these sites to those
extent wind power plants. KENGEN presently
this power plant offers an insight into how
is more expensive, is used to bridge the supply
already up and running under KENGEN as
generates a total of 1237.4 MW of electricity.
green energy can be harnessed in Kenya.
gap that results from erratic weather patterns.
well as their Olkaria III and Olkaria IV projects Kenya is bound to experience new electricity
Independent power producers generate the Out of this, 811.9 MW of the power produced which makes up roughly 65% of their total
remaining power that makes up the total 1500
It is an open secret that the demand for
MW of electricity currently generated in Kenya.
electricity in Kenya by far outstrips supply.
energy production is from hydro power plants.
Plans to import 400 MW from Ethiopia upon
Geothermal energy has less carbon
Some of their key hydro power plants are Gitaru
Several factors have informed the ways in
completion of their Grand Renaissance Dam
emissions as compared to energy from thermal
Hydro Power Plant, Kamburu Hydro Power
which electricity is generated in Kenya. Hydro
project that is expected to generate electricity in
sources. It is also cheaper than thermal energy
Plant, Kiambere Hydro Power Plant and Turkwell
power plants were initially developed because of
the region of 6,000 MW are complete. The Kenya
and more reliable than hydroelectric power.
Hydro Power Plant just to name a few. KENGEN
the existence of rivers across which dams could
Electricity Transmission Company (KETRACO)
However, in order for it to be fully harnessed the
be easily constructed. However, erratic rainfall
is already undertaking works that will lead to
country needs to produce qualified engineers
patterns made hydroelectric power generation
the establishment of a 400 KV high voltage
and technicians at a rate that is in tandem with
unreliable. The droughts of the year 2000 that
transmission line that will run from Ethiopia
the exploitation of energy from this source.
has a total of 14 hydroelectric power plants. Geothermal power accounts for about 157 MW which adds up to about 13% of KENGEN's
through Moyale to feed Kenya's national grid. Although the projects that are currently
current total electricity generation capacity.
D
injection from geothermal energy sources.
Focus must not be lost on other ongoing
ongoing in the power generation sector in Kenya
riving into Nairobi at night
manufacturers produce goods that are exported
Olkaria I and Olkaria II Geothermal Power
one gets dazzled by the night
to Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi, Southern Sudan,
Plants are fully operational. Olkaria III and
projects. Beneath our crust across the Rift
are a move in the right direction, steps need to
lights that bring the city to
Tanzania and Ethiopia. However, since the cost
Olkaria IV Power Plants are currently under
Valley is an abundant supply of energy
be taken to address the high cost of electricity
life. This is one of the benefits
of electricity is one of the major production costs
construction and once complete are expected
trapped beneath the ear th's crust. This
in Kenya. It is also important to make more
of improvements in energy generation,
and Kenyan manufacturers as well as electricity
to push the amount of geothermal energy
informs the vigor with which projects aimed
people, especially those in rural and informal
distribution and transmission in Kenya yet
consumers bear the brunt of exceptionally
harnessed by KENGEN to about 280 MW.
at harnessing geothermal power are going
settlements, enjoy the luxury of walking into
on like never before around the country.
homes that are lit by electricity. Initiatives
behind these magnificent lights one may
high electricity costs, electricity cost reduction
get obscured from the grim reality that
must be a major priority of the government.
taken by the Rural Electrification Authority
Thermal power is power that is generated from fossil fuels. At current operational
Other than KENGEN, the Geothermal
(REA) in electrifying rural areas represent a
A number of government funded as
levels, KENGEN, which has a gas and diesel
Development Corporation (GDC), a state
significant stride. However, we should always
reminder of the long way Kenya has to go as
well as private investor funded energy
plant in Kipevu as well as a gas turbine in
corporation mandated to exploit geothermal
remain alive to the reality that the amount
far as electricity provision is concerned. On
generation projects are underway. This is
Nairobi's South C generates 193.5 MW of
energy resources for the production of electricity
of electricity generated sets the upper limit
the other hand, it manifests the opportunities
unarguably one of the benefits of liberalizing
thermal power. This makes up for close
is setting up plants across the Rift Valley.
on the amount that can be distributed.
that may be tapped into to bridge the demand
the energy production sector in Kenya.
to 16% of its total energ y production.
gap in the Kenyan electricity industr y.
However, Kenya does not generate sufficient
well over 50% of Kenyans have no access to electricity. On the one hand, this is a stark
GDC has identified 17 viable sites for
electricity to meet her energy demand.
The Ngong Wind Power Plant, the only
the generation of geothermal power. One
It is no overstatement that Kenya is a
By 2030, Kenya will need well over 15,000
one of its kind in the country and also owned
of their plants in Menengai has approached
regional economic power house. Kenyan
MW of power. Under Kenya Vision 2030,
by KENGEN generates 5.45 MW of electricity
completion. The other plants are spread out
26
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27
Faculties, Schools, Institutes and Centres. UNIVERSITY OF NAIROBI
UNIVERSITY OF NAIROBI 00 Centre for Biotechnology & Bioinformatics
00 School of Biological Sciences
00 O p e n a n d D i s t a n c e e-Learning Centre
00 School of Physical Sciences
00 Faculty of Arts
00 School of the Arts and Design
00 Faculty of Agriculture
00 S c h o o l o f t h e B u i l t Environment
00 Fa c u l t y o f Veter i n a ry Medicine
00 School of Engineering
00 Institute of Anthropology, African and Gender Studies
00 School of Business
00 Institute for Development Studies
00 School of Economics
00 Institute of Diplomacy and International Studies
00 School of Journalism and Mass Communication
00 Institute of Nuclear Science
00 School of Law
00 Institute for Climate Change and Adaptation
00 School of Continuing & Distance Education
00 Institute for Tropical and Infectious Diseases
00 School of Education
00 Population Studies Research Institute
00 School of Dental Sciences
00 Wangari Maathai Institute for Peace and Environmental Studies
00 School of Medicine
00 School of Mathematics
00 School of Nursing Sciences
00 School of Computing and Informatics
00 School of Pharmacy 00 School of Public Health
Vision A world class university committed to scholarly excellence Mission To provide quality university education and training and to embody the aspirations of the Kenyan people and the global community through creation, preservation, integration, transmission, and utilization of knowledge.
FACT FILE Student Population Staff Research fund Alumni Courses International links
• • • • • •
62,000 5500 Kshs 3 B 146,000 517 Over 400
Contact: P.O Box 30197,00100 - Nairobi | Tel: +254-020-318262 Ext: 263 | Fax; +254-020-245566 email: pr@uonbi.ac.ke www.uonbi.ac.ke
///// FEATURE
FEATURE \\\\\
The New Kisumu
I
Foreign firms:
by Chris Okello
A lesson for Kenyan contractors
S
ince the start of Thika superhighway
nfrastructure as best understood refers
While devolution has placed the immediate
can only further serve to show how far the city
to the basic systems and general services
gains from the development plans of any given
has come. Gone are the days that the lake had
that are necessary for a country or a given
region in the hands of the county government,
to bear the burden of serving as the communal
organizations for usage and consumption.
the benefits that the whole country's stands to
bathing trough, instead today L. Victoria sits
enjoy from the same cannot be ignored. The
as great scenery save the hyacinth menace.
sector. Foreign firms have won multi-billion sector. Other than the commonly known Thika
Infrastructure therefore form the backbone
Nairobi - Kisumu highway for example provides a
of any given system or organization that is
faster and an alternative way to the neighboring
Known for its highly charged political
looking far beyond the usual success. While
Museveni land. This means increased trade and
temperatures, the city enjoys a fairly good
infrastructure can be discussed in a broader
improved ease of flow of goods and utilities
security set up that most part of the country is
depth, it goes without saying that transport and
between the two states. This would improve
deprived. This, a motivation for investors only
mobile telephony remain the must harvested
the ties between the two states even as Kenya
works to better the city's market. As a result,
in order to realize the services accrued from
seeks to reap more from the duties charged
there has been emergence and erection of
other sectors in the whole infrastructural set
on the goods being delivered to Uganda.
industries as witnessed by the establishment
up. It is on this basis that Kisumu seeks to rise on its feet after a long period of dormancy.
of mattress manufacturing company around The completion of the international airport
provision of auxiliary services in engineering
Chinese counterpar ts. Some argue that
Whereas there are adequate personnel
projects. to deal with this problems, the
policies are needed to protect domestic
in the construction industry, some areas lack
established firms should consider diversifying
firms from competition, while other s
adequate local expertise to undertake some
their financing options, especially, the long term
argue that the forces of free market
projects, notably the energy sector. The Kenyan
sources of financing. Listing on the stock market
should be left to decide who wins a tender.
energy demand has been soaring exponentially,
will give them enough capital for investment.
The truth of the matter is that local
and government has responded by investing
The advantage in this option is that it does not
firms should be more competitive, not by
heavily on geothermal, wind, solar and thermal.
require immediate repayment as in the case of
being protected by the government but by
In addition, the government in the process of
loans and debentures. The shareholders become
restructuring their operations and how they
developing nuclear energy and its expected to
part of the owners of the company, and can be
deliver their services. Free market rules demand
start producing power from the same by 2022. All
called upon to inject more cash in periods of
that the best in price and other provisions
these are areas that very few, if any, local firms
financial turbulence. This will give our local firms
should carry the day. Also, competition is the
can undertake. Local firms, the government
adequate financial muscles that will enable
only justification for progression. Therefore,
and the academic institutions should embark
them compete both locally and internationally.
local firms should reconsider on how they
on serious capacity building in these critical and
Once local firms have attained
approach their tendering process and review
lucrative areas. In addition, local firms should be
unquestionable degree of quality in service
their profit margins that keep them competitive.
well equipped with technology and machinery
delivery and timely completion of major
The quality of constructions from local
to undertake such projects. This is one critical
projects, the government should have a clear
firms was highly questionable in the recent
requirement that no firm can win a tender
policy on how it awards tenders that have
past. Collapse of buildings under construction
without it. In foreign countries, especially in
been bid by both local and international firms.
has greatly eroded faith people had on the local
china, japan and Europe, engineering firm
The government should consider not tying up
contractors. If the companies have to redeem
invest heavily on technology and capacity
projects to the country that funded the project.
themselves and remain top of the game,
building. This keeps the ahead of the pack,
The government has been awarding Chinese
quality of work should never be compromised.
and in any case, they are in a better position
firms heavy contracts primarily because their
They should apply highest standards of
to provide better services and at a lower price.
parent government and banks offer loans to
professionalism when undertaking projects
It is interesting that very few engineering
fund those projects. in future, when the local
and adhere to standards. In fact, a building
companies are listed in the stock exchange.
firms have fully enhanced their capacity, the
that has been well designed and proper
Cash flow problems have grounded many
government should make sure that the tendering
materials selected cannot come down, unless
firms and very little finances are allocated
process is free from such preferential treatment,
under an act of God. This has been made
to research, capacity building and upgrading
and make playing ground level for everyone.
and forms a major outlet to Kenya's immediate
is known the Kogony' residence has opened
improve that will make this city a must land-
trade partners in the trading block - Uganda
the city to the outside world. Far from creating
in choice in time to come . A city formerly
and Tanzania. Steadily bathing its sides in the
employment to the immediate residence, it
known due to her inhabitants, Kisumu city
great waters of L. Victoria, the city opens a
enables the small scale sunflower farmers
can proclaim the city in the name due to
wider market for the products of its habitats
around the region to easily ship their produce;
the great strides that it has made. The black
to the East Africa community. The continued
additionally, the constant mammoth of heads
gold in the basket has found a face thanks
growth and development of this used to
using the city's outlet has widened the market.
to improved and developing infrastructure.
produce from its surrounding. The road upon its completion will therefore aid farmers and business men alike in delivering there produce to the factories and to the market in at the right time. Sugarcane farmers occupying the vast Kano plains including Awasi, Ahero, MUhoroni, and chemelil region can now afford a smile due the construction of proper feeder roads that would help reduce wastage as a result of tracks failing to collect their canes due to poor roads.
wind power project in northern Kenya as well
relegating Kenyan firms to sub-contracting and
also to other major cities , it is the desire to
province, the city acts as a ready market for the
firms and one local firm, the LAPSET project,
to such individuals and their employers.
of belonging. The Airport or pau ndege as it
administrative headquarter of the then Nyanza
crater that will be undertaken by fifteen foreign
2011 are very clear and spell heavy penalties
is located in the western part of the country
density in the western block added to being the
geothermal development in the Menengai
unable to compete for tenders with their
remain a challenge not only to Kisumu but
to fruition. Boasting the highest population
by foreign firms include the 82.5 billion
of equipment. This has the overall effect of
the city's residence a reason to claim a sense
government five years ago is at long last coming
foreign, other notable project being undertaken
industry. The provisions of the Engineers Act of
the capital Nairobi, lying along the equator
highway commissioned by the coalition
highway that was done by three firms, all
by the local firms. Local firms have been
While provision of quality services still
The construction of the Nairobi - Kisumu
tenders both from the government and private
industry in particular is of great concern
Kisumu city a new face but it has also given
of infrastructural development in the city.
witnessed a high influx of foreign firms
in the building, construction and in energy
as UoN towers and Hazina Towers by NSSF.
Kisumu city, the second largest city after
The development and growth of hotel industry
construction in 2008, Kenya has
Buoye and Kibos sugar factory in Mamboleo.
in this capital equally, has not only given
be town lies squarely on the current level
by Nicholas Muchui
The city in Kisumu can dream again.
The invasion of the Kenyan construction
worse by the infiltration of quarks into the
30
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31
///// FEATURE
IEK \\\\\
Upstream oil and gas forum by Anthony Mate
O
il and gas has finally become a
multinational players. It was however noted that
reality in Kenya. Since Tullow Oil
they can shield off the competition by getting
announce discovery of substantial
into partnerships with the global leaders.
oil deposits in Kenya, the country has turned
owned by investors that we are interested in.
Developing Nairobi County:
K
“Road Infrastructure�
enya Urban Roads Authority (Kura) the authority charged with
PSAs provide for the national oil company to participate in what they call "carried interest"
managing urban roads is seeking Sh10 billion for construction and
into a beehive of activity in exploration for
Joe Watson Gakuo Chief Executive Officer,
(currently up to 10 per cent) in equity when
the commodity. There are clear and positive
Upstream Oil & Gas Group who was the main
oil and gas companies start production. The
Nairobi. It costs about Sh50 million to construct
indications that the country could soon join the
sponsor of the forum noted that the industry
minister for Energy some time back hinted
one kilometer of a standard road.
league of oil producing countries in the world
is very capital intensive and millions of dollars
to this figure going up to 25 per cent. This
in less than a decade. In line to these interests,
have been pumped into the various projects
carried interest will require to be funded
Besides the effort to maintain the networks that
Upstream Oil &Gas Ltd, a leading consulting
across the country. Therefore, the industry
when production starts, and this is how
exist, the government is currently undertaking
firm in the upstream activities in the oil and
requires highest levels of professionalism
private investors can enter the oil and gas
the development of Nairobi Bypass Projects
gas sector hosted business leaders in the oil
and competence from all players including
arena through the National Oil Company by
meant to decongest the city and boost trade.
and gas sector for a consultative forum at
the ICT sector. He noted that Kenyans are an
way of equity participation through an IPO.
There are also missing link roads around the
the Norfolk Hotel in Nairobi on 31st July 2013.
entrepreneurial lot and will throw in cash where
It would be no different from how Kenyans
city, which are under construction.
they think they can get back a good return within
participated in funding power generation and
reasonable time, and thus the need to think of
distribution through KenGen and Kenya Power.
The aim of this forum was to introduce ICT players into the oil sector and expose them to various opportunities that exist in oil and gas industry. Upstream activities are data intensive, including exploration and actual exploitation. This calls for a need to incorporate ICT in the upstream activities.
repair of damaged roads in estates around
Missing links A study by Kura and Japan investment
how we can participate in this productive sector. The National Oil Company has its own
cooperation Agency {JICA} between 2004 and
Kenyans are an entrepreneurial lot and will
allocation of blocks awaiting exploration
2006 discovered 16 missing link roads, four
throw in cash where they think they can
and, hopefully, eventual development should
of which are complete, 10 under construction
get back a good return within reasonable
they discover commercial hydrocarbons.
currently and 2 not yet started.
Apart from equity participation through the
The missing links include the roads from
time, and thus we need to think of how we can participate in this productive sector.
National Oil Company, Kenyan entrepreneurs
Kileleshwa Police Station to Westlands
Kenya companies stands to benefit greatly
Kenyan citizens will benefit from oil and gas
can go straight into the real business and form
Roundabout designated as Missing Link 3 and
from the petroleum industry if they align
wealth through production-sharing formula
companies that can float shares. In Tanzania,
measuring about 1.7km, from Oloitoktok road to
themselves adequately with the industry.
already enshrined in oil and gas production-
Swala Oil and Gas (Tanzania) Limited was
Kileleshwa police station designated as Missing
Issues of capacity building emerged as the
sharing agreements (PSAs), which give the
floated on Dar Stock Exchange in February
Link 6 and 2.85km in length and Missing Link
main challenges during the meeting as well
exchequer as much as 50 per cent of oil and
2013 with a 35 per cent local shareholding
7 which is between James Gichuru Road and
as stiff competition from the established
gas production. But it is the other fraction
and 65 per cent ownership by the Swala
Ngong Road with a distance of 3.75km. These
Energy Limited of Australia. The Tanzanian
missing links are complete.
company is currently selling shares not only to Tanzanians but also to outsiders. The company
The missing link roads, identified and prioritized
has already been allocated two exploration
through Nairobi Urban Transport Master Plan
blocks in the Pangani and Kilosa basins.
connect Waiyaki Way at Westlands roundabout, Lantana Road and Riverside drive to Ngong
Upstream oil and gas business is all about
Road through Mandera Road.
sharing and spreading risks and partnerships are the norm. This is the reason why as soon as the
Missing link 7 joins Gitanga Road at Valley
smaller independent explorers discover oil, they
Arcade and James Gichuru Road, Yaya Centre
seek to partner with larger oil companies who
and Ngong Road. Part of it includes a 2.85km
are well capitalized and with wider technology
stretch connecting Mandera Road to Ole Odume
to enter the next stage of oil and gas production
Road at Mazeras Junction.
development. Therefore, at this particular point
32
The Student Engineer
by Kenya Engineer Magazine
in time when Kenya and Uganda are preparing
These constructions are being implemented
to get into the next step of development, it is
through the flagship project under the Enablers
crucial for Kenya firms to seek partnership with
and Macro Sector of the Kenya Vision 2030 and
the foreign firms so as to get a share of the cake.
will be completed on August 15 2013.
The scope of the project is to construct two
be completed in July 2015, and will ease traffic
way two lane roads, set segregated cycle
congestion in Nairobi Central Business District
tracks, construct pedestrian walkways, install
by up to 40%.
street lighting and traffic signals, landscape and plant trees, fix Portal culverts and storm water
Upgrading of Upper Hill Roads Phase 1
drainage facilities.
The Constructions of Upper Hill Roads is currently in progress and it is expected to
A report by KURA indicates that the contractor,
be completed by 22nd May, 2014. The roads
Nippo Corporation of Japan, has undertaken
measuring 5.4km include; Hospital Road, Elgon
most of the works on these projects.
Road, Kilimanjaro Road, Bunyala Road, Mara Road and Upper Hill Roads and a section of
Bypasses
Ole Sangale. This will be the Phase one of the
The bypass projects are under Kenya National
expected overhaul of roads infrastructure in the
Highway Authority and will comprise northern
Upper Hill area.
bypass to link Limuru road to Thika Road, eastern bypass to link Mombasa road to Ruiru in Kiambu and southern bypass to run from Kikuyu to Mombasa road via Ngong road & Langata The 70km-Northern and Eastern bypasses are almost complete {Eastern 39 and Northern 31}, with construction of the biggest interchange in the country at the City Cabanas flyover section having resumed.
T h e co nt ra c t awa rd e d t o m /s M a tt a n Contractors Ltd started in 23rd May, 2012 at the Cost of Kshs.2Billion. The Government under Development Fund will fund the project. The Contractor has excavated top soils, filled several layers of the base and has started preparing for tarmacking in sections like in Elgon Road. The scopes of the works include the construction
The construction of the 17.2 billion shillings
of 2 way 2 lane (7 meters each) road with a
southern bypass is in progress and the work
median separator, setting cycle tracks and
currently stands above 23 percent. The bypass
footpaths, making drainage structures and
covering 28.6 kilometers dual carriageway, is to
installing street lighting
The Student Engineer
33
///// IEK
Upper Hill has experienced unprecedented construction of high-rise buildings with banks and other Institutions relocating their Headquarters there. These efforts to improve the infrastructure will go immensely improve the accessibility to this area. The second phase This will include the re-construction and upgrading of Chyulu, Menengai, Mawenzi, Masaba, Kiambere, section of Ole Sangale, Karuri Gakure, Missing Links 1,2 and 3, parts of Hospital, Mara, Upper Hill and Lower Hill Roads measuring approximately 13km.
is also facing a major problem of garbage
Rehabilitation of Rose Avenue, Kilimani
disposal.
Nairobi
Relocation of services, heavy traffic and
Rehabilitation of Rose Avenue Road was awarded
unfavorable weather conditions have been a
Under Vision 2030, the Government has
to triple K & I Construction Company Limited at
challenge in the works around upper hill this far.
identified Eastleigh as a future Business and
the cost of Kshs.44.5 million and commenced
Commercial hub while Upper Hill as the financial
in December 2012. They are to be complete by
1st Phase or roads construction in Eastleigh
hub of the East African Region. It is intended
end of June, 2013. The 0.7-kilometer road starts
The company, Northern Construction at the sum
that these upgrades of the Roads will spur
at Denis Pritt Road and ends in Jabavu Road.
of Kshs. 173million undertakes Eastleigh 2nd
economic activity and decongest the Nairobi
Avenue road construction. The works started
Central Business District (NCBD) while attracting
In as much as works is in progress, the
in 28 October 2011.
investment.
adverse rainy conditions experienced between
Other roads under construction in this area
December and April, traffic flow, water and
The scope of the works is strengthening of the
include General Waruinge and Ist Eastleigh
sewerage leakages, encroachments on the road
existing bituminous lanes with asphalt concrete
Avenue. These link this part of the city to Juja
corridors and delay in relocation of electricity
overlay or Cabro blocks on carriageway,
Road and Outer Ring Roads as well as City
poles has been a great challenge to the project.
construction of footpaths on either side of the
Centre. They are currently under construction
So far, road base, culvert and drainage works
road, setting up street lighting and storm water
by H. Young & Company Ltd at a cost of
are still pending, with these constituting a large
drainage
KShs.252Million and expected to be completed
percentage of the project.
in August this year. Cabro blocks are placed in par ts of the
The city residents and visitors are assured of
carriageway susceptible to sewer spillage
Under Vision 2030, the Government has
better existence once these road infrastructure
during the rainy season to avoid damage that
identified Eastleigh as a future Business and
works are completed. What good riddance to
sewer water cause to the roads. It is notable
Commercial hub and Upper Hill as the Financial
the notorious traffic jams and a way to reduce
that Eastleigh is experiencing acute stress in
Hub of the East African Region. It is intended
accidents along the busy roads! It could also be
services due to increased Development that is
that these upgrades will spur economic activity
a way to change the driving culture to a walking
not commensurate to the facilities like sewer
and decongest the Nairobi Central Business
one with good walking and cycling lanes.
line leading to overflow at slight downpour.
District (NCBD) while attracting investment.
Apart from narrow sewage system, Eastleigh
34
The Student Engineer
///// INFORGRAPH
Social Commentary Drug Abuse
Local and Continental Fiber Optic Cable network
36
The Student Engineer
Contemporary Engineer Mentorship “The Asian Tigers” Style Watch ESA
///// MENTORSHIP
MENTORSHIP \\\\\
DrugAbuse
The Contemporary Engineer
by Paul Mbijiwe
by Wycliffe Musasio
rogress has been characterized by
P
The worrying trends in the population
hurricanes and global warming are the key
significant changes to the ways in
poses great hurdles to engineers. As it stands,
issues posing challenges to today's engineer.
which mundane tasks are carried out.
china, India and Indonesia are some of the
These put the engineers in the workshops
From the days of Ivan Pavlov to Albert Einstein,
most populous countries in the world with
inventing new structures that can withstand
represents mankind's overwhelming
from social-cultural to science, nothing has
respective populations of 1158.2, 873 and 190
the forces of nature. Constant tests are done
medicinal use of Marijuana has been dated to
desire to enhance the potency of the
been left to chance. Everyone wants to stay
million people, with most of the population
on the materials before being deployed to the
2737 B.C. in China. As early as 2737 B.C., the
preparation to be used or abused.
relevant in their field of specialization hence
residing in urban centers. This calls for
field as safe and certified for construction.
mystical Emperor Shen Neng of China was
The problem of drug abuse is
seizing any opportunity that crops up from left,
multifaceted and ingenious but light structures
so real especially in institutions of
Faster means of transport have to be
prescribing marijuana tea for the treatment of
higher learning and I feel there is a
right or center. The ongoing transformation has
to accommodate the entire population. The
found to make the world a global village. Major
gout, rheumatism, malaria and, oddly enough,
little available space has to be put into good
poor memory. The drug's popularity as a
great need to highlight the effects of
left engineers in the limbo, thus the need to
steps have to be made in the travel industry.
medicine spread throughout Asia, the Middle
some of most commonly abused drugs
evolve and remain relevant to current times.
and productive use. With the limited space,
Faster means of transport, supersonic air
East and down the eastern coast of Africa, and
especially among engineering students.
certain Hindu sects used marijuana for religious
Marijuana is one of the most famous
purposes and stress relief. Ancient physicians
drugs in the streets. It goes my many
prescribed marijuana for everything from
names. It is usually made into a hand-
pain relief to earache to childbirth. Doctors
rolled cigarette and then smoked. There
also warned against overuse of marijuana,
have been newer ways of consuming
believing that too much consumption caused
it as it is baked into dough to make
impotence, blindness and "seeing devils."
cookies as well as cakes. For people
But not until the 19th century A.D. was the
smoking it, the physical sell off of their
active substances in the drugs extracted. There
use may include red eyes, dry mouth and
followed a time when some of these newly
throat, and they may have an increased
discovered substances-morphine, laudanum,
appetite, par ticularly for snacks.
cocaine were completely unregulated and
Mentally, they are likely to appear
prescribed freely by physicians for a wide
relaxed and euphoric and their time and
variety of ailments. With alcohol, it is likely the
space perceptions may be inaccurate.
first drug to have its potency increased through
They may seem sedated and drowsy.
the discovery of distillation. The strongest
They may have trouble learning and
naturally occurring alcohol preparation was
remembering things and be unable
homemade wine, in which the alcohol level
to concentrate. Sights, sounds and
could reach a high of about 14-16 % by volume.
tastes may seem more vivid to them.
Distillation of the alcohol into spirits such as
Traces of marijuana stay in the body
rum, rye, scotch, gin or vodka, can double
for several days after use. If a person
its potency. The distillation process later was
has been using marijuana heavily, it
engineers have resorted to maximize on space,
transport have to be made, talk of reinventing
improved, allowing for over-proof spirits
sometimes takes weeks for the traces
by building structures upward. The Taipei 101
the concord version of the plane. Indeed the
and absolute alcohol (100% by volume). By
to be eliminated from the body. No
is a good example. Oceans and seas have also
concord technology, with its swiftness, has
been reclaimed. The Dutch engineers did their
to be employed in the latest kings of the air
best by reclaiming Holland. The baj al Arab, the
such as airbus and the kinds of Boeing 787.
iconic airport in Japan and the palm island are
Tramway and TGV have so far been made to
among the complex structures that have been
aid in transportation and mobility. This has
constructed on man-made islands. The engineer
made the contemporary engineer to endure
is currently and constantly looking for space
straining kinematics and dynamics of the
to build so as to avert the population growth
modern generation. Other urbane means
In actual sense, the contemporary engineer
of transport have to be invented. Supercars
is under constant pressure and need to compete
and high-speed intercity high-ways with a
with Mother Nature, and in most cases, to
higher factor of safety have been constructed.
overcome the impending tragedies posed by the
The autobahn in Germany is one of the
furious Mother Nature. Tsunamis, earthquakes,
engineering marvels in the transport sector.
D
rug use and abuse is as old as
inference, in the more potent product,
mankind itself. Wine was used at
less alcohol volume was required to
least from the time of the early
generate the desirable effect. Alcohol
Egyptians; narcotics from 4000 B.C.; and
one has ever been known to die of marijuana overdose. However there are serious effects of overdose of THC. THC (delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol) is the chemical present in cannabis that is responsible for addiction. High doses of THC have been shown to result in mental confusion, panic attacks and hallucination. For students, Marijuana use affects their ability to pay attention and remember what one has learned. In particular, what is damaged is the ability to do complex tasks that require that
38
The Student Engineer
Contemporary engineers have made a wide leap in the e ngine e ring industr y. They have manufactured superior materials with advanced qualities to help meet the ever changing societal needs. Many materials with high strength to weight ratio have been mass-produced. Talk of the polymer reinforced composites, carbon reinforced composites and other titanium-based materials. Steel has been replaced by Kevlar where necessary thus making things tougher and lighter. Microchips have been developed, energy has been obtained at molecular and atomic level and many other fascinating engineering scenarios have been one focus and concentrate while handling a lot of
accomplished. Sophisticated mechanisms
information. Difficulty thinking and problem-solving
are employed to surmount the rising huddles.
have also been noted. The National Household Survey
T h e c o n t e m p o ra r y e ng i n e e r h a s
on Drug Abuse in America noted that students with
to juggle amongst culture, society, the
lower grades were far more likely to use marijuana
material needs and the safet y of his
that students with good grades but is it not clear if
customers in order to remain relevant in
marijuana was involved in causing those lower grades.
the given society. They have to constantly
According to the 2011 World Drug Report, cannabis
evolve and repackage themselves to suit the
products can produce temporary symptoms of
dynamic needs of the growing population.
psychosis, loss of ability to learn or remember recent
Sophisticated communication tools
events, reduced ability to carry out certain mental
and information equipment have been
tasks, make certain decisions and pay attention.
developed. Telecommunication has evolved
There is a growing body of evidence that suggests
from the 20th century to the 21st century.
that a person who starts using cannabis early and
Mobile phones have been developed. Even
uses is heavily could run an increased risk of psychotic
before wired communication could be
disorders. Yes one can go mad. Physically, marijuana smokers have risks similar to those of smokers: bronchitis, emphysema, asthma. Extensive use can cause suppression of the immune system and can increase the risk of cancer to the head, neck and lungs.
fully understood wireless communication technologies were developed. Progress is the norm in this field and moving forward, more ground breaking data transmission technologies will continue to be developed.
The Student Engineer
39
///// MENTORSHIP
COMMENTARY \\\\\ are awarded the master of science in
Being an by Kevin Odongo
I
lectrical ngineer
electrical and electronic engineering.
The Corner-stone that built a Tiger
Engineering:
At the end of the undergraduate studies, one is awarded the Bachelor of Science degree in Electrical and electronic engineering. A fresh graduate needs to be registered by
t so happens that, every year, students
Closer home, we marvel at the growth
the engineers' board of Kenya (E.B.K) before
are picked by the joint admissions
from a diesel generator acquired by the sultan
they can go into practice. Practising electrical
board to study different courses in
of Zanzibar in 1875 to light his palace and
engineers are involved in a wide range of
public universities. It also happens that in
neighbouring streets, through the creation of
fields: design and maintenance of electrical
most cases these students have little or no
the Kenya Power and Lighting Company, to
supply systems of the country which include
information on what these fields entail or the
the now wide field of electrical and electronic
the design of the national grid, many advances
opportunities that come with studying them.
engineering. Graduates in the field either
in biomedicine were pioneered by electrical
This happens because in most high schools
end up working in heavy current fields that
engineers and they still play a big role in the
in Kenya, more emphasis is made on passing
involve production, distribution, storage or
maintenance and improvement of the imaging
KCSE, the university entry test and not on
use of electricity or work in the light current
and control systems in the medicine industry.
nurturing proactive minds into choosing
field that involve specifically storage and use
Major software companies like Microsoft employ
career paths that they are well conversant
of electric power. The heavy current field
electrical engineers, airplane manufacturers
invested heavily in production of world
with, and where they are more likely to perform.
include generation of electricity companies
such as Boeing and air bus also employ electrical
class engineers for that single purpose.
This unfortunate state of affairs can be
such as Kenya power generating company
engineers to build electrical and computer
blamed for the poor performance in the
(kengen) and the distribution companies such
systems in the aeroplanes that will be failure
One in four South Korean undergraduate
different fields. The students have been reduced
as Kenya Power. The light current industries
free and backup systems in case of failure.
students is an engineering major. This is by no
to think that passing of exams is the only way
include the telecommunication industry, mass
Most astronomical observers also employ
coincidence. The South Korean school system
to climb the ladder of success. This has seen
communication industry, information technology
electrical engineers to design their telescopes
is designed around the country's economic
the students develop desperate traits that they
and other electronics based industries.
and other optical instruments and also to do
needs. South Korea was in need of a rebirth
believe would assist them pass the crucial exams.
Electrical engineering deals with
advanced signal processing. Electrical engineers
half a century ago where most of it's population
On 20th May, 2013, the University of
generation, storage and use of electrical
can also help design devices to aid those with
was made of uneducated farmers. A little
Nairobi admitted freshmen to the different
power, analysis of existing systems, designing
impaired hearing, sight or other impairments.
colleges and that make up the institution.
and creating new systems and products. Telecommunication
A good number were admitted to study
In the undergraduate study of electrical
electrical engineering; yet a paltry number
engineering, one is expected to study units
Electrical engineers strive to keep everyday
that cover various subjects that include:
people and emergency services connected
really know what they are really studying or
by Kennedy Kituyi
U
over sixty years later South Korea is a fully
nder the very real threat of nuclear
sort. Japan has the iconic Sony brand (this was
industrialized nation producing everything
annihilation and having already
the Apple of the 80s and 90s) and Nippon
from semiconductor products to oil tankers.
experienced two atomic bombs,
Steel. Taiwan has HTC and Acer. South Korea
Singapore with no natural resources apart from
Japan surrendered to the United States. This
has Samsung, Hyundai and LG to mention just a
its people is one of the most developed nations in
few. It is no coincidence all the companies that
the world along with having the most advanced
••
engineering maths
with higher data rates and reliability using
was 1945 and Japan was on its knees. 1965
Firstly, we need to understand what
••
computer science
the internet, radios, cell phones, satellites
and Singapore was facing unemployment, a
define these countries have their foundations
technological capabilities in Southeast Asia. A
engineering is. Engineering is the application
••
physics
and other devices including development of
housing crisis, low levels of education and
in engineering. These countries realized that to
fourth of all undergraduate degrees in Taiwan
of scientific, economic, social and/ or
••
project management
cognitive radio systems to allow emergency
lack of natural resources. In 1965 Singapore
rise from the ashes of the 20th century they
are engineering degrees. Engineering became
practical knowledge in order to design, build
The undergraduate studies take a period
services to communicate with each other, quick
to note was just as "poor" as Kenya and if the
had to invest in a policy of industrialization.
a highly revered profession and coupled with
and maintain structures, machines, devices,
of 5 years in Kenyan universities. Physics and
deployment ad-hoc communication networks
growth of the two economies ran parallel,
systems, materials and/ or processes.
mathematics form the basic foundations of
for special security units, embedding emergency
Kenya would have been a first world country
With the exception of Japan these were new
saw these countries rise from mere assembly
Electricity remains one of the most useful
the course. Computer science is necessary
communication systems in large buildings,
by now. By 1953 South Korea was reeling from
budding economies dubbed the tigers, emerging
factories for western companies in the 1960s
inventions of man. From the simple experiments
as engineers use computers in designing the
setting up of private networks/communication
the effects of decades of brutal colonization
from a tumultuous mid twentieth century in the
to producing their own products and competing
of Thomas Edison, that helped design and
systems and devices and in maintenance of such
for security personnel/ special functions
and the equally brutal Korean War. In short
south of Asia. The then recently independent
with much more established western companies.
create the first electrical transmission and
systems. Project management is important as
such as the virtual private network set up by
there was very little optimism going round in
Kenya seemed set for a similar path.
Suddenly for the likes of General Electric, Ford
lighting systems of the world in 1882, lighting
most engineers will find themselves managing
Safaricom for IEBC during the last elections.
the east at the time. This included Malaysia
up the pearl street, Manhattan, new York
a team of technicians or other engineers in
through a DC electrical supply of 110 V, to the
execution of a project. Graduates can then
new sophisticated electrical and electronic
choose to major in any of the sub disciplines
systems of the world, the field has seen a big growth and creation of new career paths. The
where they'll end up at the end of their study.
the heavy investment in engineering education
and Intel, the customer became a competitor.
and Taiwan. So what changed because reading
Expectations were high as Southeast
this you are well aware that the economy of
Asia was settling down in the 1950s.Malaysia,
Having engineers with sound technical
Electrical engineers are involved in
Japan is the third largest in the world. Singapore
Hong Kong, Singapore, Taiwan and South
knowledge and skill in one's country is an
of electrical engineering such as power
research and developing future nano-
has one of the highest GDP in the world as of
Korea went ahead and surpassed these
invaluable asset as it proved for Germany,
engineering, control engineering, signal
devices and materials for electronics,
now. Mention South Korea or Taiwan and an all
expectations. Kenya did not. The stories
France, Italy, Russia, the United States and
electronics field has become very dynamic
processing, telecommunication engineering,
medical applications and renewable energy.
conquering electronics industry comes to mind.
of Taiwan, Japan, Singapore, Malaysia and
Britain . With a second wave of countries
from the invention of simple discrete electronic
computer engineering for their postgraduate
South Korea are not so different. The tigers
some of whom are Brazil, India and South
Nanotechnology
Industrialization is the gold standard for
set industrialization as the vehicle that would
Africa looking to emulate the Asian tigers I
take them to a whole new economic status.
hope Kenya does not miss this train again.
components such as diodes, through the
studies depending on their interest. At the
So as you decide to study electrical
integration of millions of such components onto
University of Nairobi,a masters degree
engineering know that you are entering
how far an economy has developed. Mention
a single silicon chip to the microprocessors of
programme is offered taking a period of 2
a w i d e p ro fe s s i o n a l f i e l d t h a t o f fe r s
any of the above countries and you will associate
Good engineering is the backbone of
today; the field has seen unbelievable growth.
years and those who successfully complete
you lots and lots of oppor tunities.
a global brand that acts as a flag bearer of some
i n d u s t r i a l i z a t i o n a n d t h e s e co u nt r i e s
40
The Student Engineer
The Student Engineer
41
///// MENTORSHIP
STYLE \\\\\
Amar Bose: Better living through curiosity
by Robert Abuya
second-generation Bose 901 speakers, followed by the 301 speakers and the Wave Radio. In
Style Watch: by Tony Mugita
1978, on a flight from Zurich, Bose hit on the
Karl Heinz Design
idea for noise-canceling headphones' and managed to work out the essential equations by the time he landed. And in 1982, drawn by the possibilities for high-quality audio in cars, he teamed up with ACDelco to develop customconfigured sound systems for particular models. As he was working on his doctorate, Bose was drafted to teach MIT's introductory network-theory class. He reluctantly agreed to try it for two years. Taking a non-conventional approach of inviting other professors to lead sessions where students would be invited to think aloud rather than learn formulae, Bose's class developed a cult following. He would go on to inspire many engineering students
O
on to greatness over the next 45 years. He
B
orn in Cameroon Karl Heinz is currently pursuing a degree in Mechanical Engineering at the University of
n 2nd November, 1929 , Noni and
himself to two hours a week listening to his
Charlotte Bose welcomed to their
beloved classical music. Nine years later, Bose
lives a squalling baby boy who they
finished his doctoral research and decided to
named Amar. Eighty-three years later Amar
reward himself with a first-class stereo system.
would die having made Bose a household
He approached the task, he says, like a typical
name and taught many great engineers, not to
engineer. He studied the literature and bought
mention made himself a billionaire. However, he
the best system based on the specifications.
had a humble beginning to life. Amar's father
But when he took it home and plugged it in,
was a political dissident who had been active
it sounded terrible. He was disappointed and
in the Indian independence movement until
confused. His ears told him the exact opposite
he immigrated to the U.S. in 1920, married,
of what he had been taught should sound good.
and moved to a suburb in Philadelphia.
Bose suddenly grew weary of writing his
During World War II, the elder Bose's
doctoral thesis on complex variable theory.
business- importing coconut-fiber doormats
His thoughts had turned to acoustics and
from India-became impossible when nonmilitary
psychoacoustics, which he pursued for the next
Driven by the delight in making the most unique
shipping was suspended. The teenage Amar
12 years. He would eventually debunk most of
collection of pieces made to the highest exacting
suggested that his father post signs at the
the prevailing wisdom on high-fidelity sound
standards , his collection offers a sizzling mix of
hardware stores where he once sold his mats,
reproduction. Today we can enjoy the fruits of
offering radio-repair services. With his father
that work with the amazing Bose headphones -
disregarding hardware assumptions and
gathering the radios and young Amar fixing
a must have for any self-respecting audiophile.
limitations and focusing first on figuring out
them in the basement after school, the business
In 1966, encouraged by his years of late-
what kind of performance was theoretically
helped support the family through the war
night acoustics research suggesting that the
possible. The research program began with
years. In 1947 his father borrowed $10,000
role of reflected sound had been overlooked,
five years of mathematical analysis, which
so that Bose could attend the Massachusetts
Bose introduced a speaker that used multiple
revealed a tremendous performance gap; one
Institute of Technology, to which he says
small loudspeakers to take advantage of the fact
that could not be closed by making adjustments
he was admitted "by the skin of my teeth."
that 80 to 90 percent of sound from a speaker
to existing shock-absorber hardware.
Although Bose had tremendous practical
radiates backward. The system did away with
A shock absorber can only absorb energy
experience in electronics, he came to MIT lacking
woofers and tweeters and incorporated an
and the inherent inertia of fluids makes any
a background in calculus. Realizing that he was
active equalizer. To work correctly, the speakers
pneumatic or hydraulic system incapable
"outclassed," he applied himself to his studies
had to be placed in the corners of the room.
of reacting fast enough to give the desired
with a tenacity he had lacked in high school.
The first speakers were a flop. But Bose's
performance. In 1985 the team began focusing
Among other austerity measures, he limited
reputation grew with the introduction of the
42
The Student Engineer
would later donate most of his fortune to MIT so that more great research could be done. Amar Bose always loved fast cars. This passion and his insatiable curiosity led him to question if there was a way to get sports cars around corners faster while retaining comfort. In 1980 he decided to find out. Automakers had spent half a century optimizing fluidbased suspension hardware, but Bose came at it from a completely different direction,
Nairobi ; everything he does is a striking reflection of of his sense of style, spirituality and joy in learning and embracing different cultures thus reinforcing his sharp attention to detail , proportion, color and most of all cut. The contemporary man who appreciates traditional practicality coupled with modern age designs is his muse. His signature design ethos involves taking the best cloth in the market, the best possible artisans and the most fitting trims to simply make the best suits your money can buy.
of custom clothing and ready to wear garments. The clothing line is a fitting representation of a most sophisticated gentleman with exceptional taste. Each bespoke suit involves a time-honored process tailored to the individual, leading to the creation of a style unique only to the wearer and consists of hand made clothing that brings out the character and expresses the man within. For more information: karlheinztondo@gmail.com www.wordpress.karlheinzdesign.com
continued on pg. 52....
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///// ADVERTORIAL
ADVERTORIAL \\\\\ management that covers topics such as
“Youth Enterprise Development Fund” by Ken Kimani
T
housing, brooding, feeding, vaccination,
he Youth Enterprise Development Fund
To enhance their success rate, the Fund has
but also individuals, especially those who
(YEDF) was conceived by the Kenyan
partnered with experienced players in such
are already in poultry farming or keen on
government in June 2006 as one of the
fields who provide the needed continuous
venturing into the business." He therefore
strategies of addressing youth unemployment.
technical support to the youth. Some of the
urged young people whether in groups or as
It was gazetted on 8th December 2006 and
identified sectors include green house farming
individuals to embrace the product in order to
officially launched by the former immediate
and poultry business.
harness its potential for social and economic
President Mwai Kibaki on 1st February 2007.The
sustainability. "Comprehensive training The
Fund is one of the flagship projects of Vision
Youth groups receive egg hatching
groups also underwent comprehensive training
2030, under the social pillar. Vision 2030, the
incubators
on how to use the incubators as well as poultry
country's economic blueprint aims to attain
Five youth groups from Central Kenya received
management. Key topics discussed during the
a middle income economy for the next 17
the first batch of egg hatching incubators
training included housing, bio security, feeding,
years. In particular, it sees YEDF as a strategy
from the YEDF. The groups from the then
vaccination, disease prevention and treatment
of gainfully engaging the youth in social and
Mathira, Olkalou, Mwea, Kandara and Nyeri
among others.
economic development, majority of whom are
town constituencies received their incubators
unemployed. This will be achieved through
at a ceremony held on 22nd May 2013 at the
provision of credit facilities and equipping the
Fund's central region office in Nyeri town. The
•• So far, YEDF has provided the incubators
youth with appropriate skills and capacities
youth are among hundreds of others who have
to successful young applicants in Central
to creatively engage in economically viable
successful applied for the new incubator loan
and lower Eastern Region. It is also in
activities.
product recently launched by the Youth Fund.
the process of providing to those in
The loan product targets young farmers who
Nairobi Region, that includes Kiambu
are engaged in poultry farming and are looking
and Kajiado Counties
In particular, the Fund has a mandate to: •• Provide loans for on-lending to youth enterprises.
•• The successful borrowers were taken
for commercial purposes. The credit facility
through a half day training on poultry
•• Attract and facilitate investment in
egg hatching incubators which guarantees
micro, small and medium enterprises
high quality and increased quantity of eggs
oriented commercial infrastructure that
hatched. The computerized and automatic egg
will be beneficial to youth enterprises.
hatching incubator has a capacity to hatch 528
•• Support youth oriented micro, small
eggs, with 95 per cent success rate. In addition,
and medium enterprises to develop
the incubator comes with a 3 years warranty
linkages with large enterprises.
for its spare parts and 2 years for labour
•• Facilitate marketing of products and
extension services. The loan for the incubator
services of youth enterprises both in
is Kshs 208,530 and attracts no interest. While
the domestic and the international
presenting the incubators to the youth groups,
markets.
the regional
•• Provide business development services to youth enterprises. •• Facilitate employment of youth in the international labour market.
Coordinator for Central Kenya, Mr. Samuel Njue congratulated the young farmers for embracing modern methods of farming. He said that this was a positive step towards
In an effort to meet the diverse needs of young
enhancing food security in their community as
people, the Fund has introduced loans for youth
well as the country at large. Mr. Njue stresssed
keen on doing business in specific sectors of
that the demand for poultry products is high
the economy. In this kind of financing, the Fund
in the region and that the ball is now on their
provides credit to youth interested in doing
court to bridge the gap. He added: "The loan
business in specific sectors of the economy.
product does not only target youth groups
46
The Student Engineer
Project summary
for modern techniques to increase their yields allows them to access the state of the art
disease prevention and treatment, and
Empowering the youth through innovative agribusiness credit facilities
marketing among others. The trainers provided reference contacts in case of urgent technical assistance and other extension services Easy and affordable access to green house farming Young and budding small scale farmers undertaking agribusiness across the country have now easy and affordable access to modern farming inputs, thanks to the partnership between Youth Enterprise Fund and Amiran Kenya Limited. The partnership aims to enable young farmers to increase their agricultural productivity by acquiring farm inputs and
since it was launched in 2012. At least 54 youth
agricultural training that would see them shift
groups have benefited from the initiative to the
from traditional to modern farming methods.
tune of about KES 19.6 million. Groups from
In this partnership, the Youth Enterprise
Central and Nairobi region have recorded the
Development Fund provides financial support
highest uptake while those from coast and
in form of the "Agri vijana loan" of up to KES
North Eastern regions have recorded the lowest.
358,334 to young farmers, who are in groups
The qualified youth groups and individuals are
as well as individuals, to purchase farmers
expected to raise at least 10 per cent of the cost
kits from Amiran Kenya. The loan attracts no
and have access to a minimum of a quarter acre
interest but includes 8 per cent management
of land, as well as access to water. They have a
fee.
grace period of up to four months before they start repaying the loan which can be adjusted
The initiative has recorded overwhelming
according to the maturity time of the crop.
success across the country for the short period
The loan repayment is structured according to yielding seasons of the crop where repayments are higher during the high yielding season and lower during the
enterprises through provision of credit and other business development services. It is also in line with the Fund's focus on providing sector specific loan products to young people to enable them take advantage of their talents and resources in their vicinity and do business. "Early last year, the fund set aside Kshs. 150 million to help purchase a total of 420 greenhouses targeting young farmers engaged in agribusiness across the country" said Ms. Namuye. The Kenya Economic Survey 2013 indicates that majority of the youths are unemployed. Many of them shun embracing entrepreneurship and other informal employment opportunities in preference for white collar jobs. While this is the case, the "Agri vijana loan" initiative resolved to introduce a paradigm shift. In particular, the product is meant to attract many young
low yielding season.
people into agribusiness as a viable trade
Amiran Farmers Kit
and attain financial independence. "We expect
The Amiran farmer s kit is designed to meet their specific needs and include two greenhouse tunnels, a drip irrigation system, collapse water tank, "gold" medal seeds, nursery set, h i g h q u a l i t y fe r t i l i ze r s , agrochemicals, health and s a f e t y p r o t e c t i v e g e a r, training, agrosupport, and i n s u ra n ce fo r t h e c ro p. Ac c o r d i ng t o C a t h e r i n e Namuye, acting CEO, Youth
option to help them create self employment that thousands of youth will be attracted to this 'cool' farming concept and therefore be gainfully engaged," she said. Namuye said that the loan product enables young people to not only access self employment but also improve on food security in the country. "Despite the strides made towards industrialization in the country, the reason for giving this sector specific loan is because, for a long while, our economy will still remain agriculture-based. Therefore, farming is the most viable option to create employment and enhance food security," she ends.
Enterprise DevelopmentFund, the initiative is part of the YEDF's mandate of promoting
The Student Engineer
47
///// ESA CALENDAR WEEK
MEETINGS
EVENTS
OTHER
Sun 5th May - Sat 11th May Sun 12th May- Sat 18th May
16th May
Sun 19th May- Sat 25th May
22nd May
Orientation 23rd May
Sun 9th June- Sat 15th June
12th June
Outreach, Pumwani Boys High School, 15th June
Sun 16th June- Sat 22nd June
General Electric, Awards ceremony, 21st June
Sun 23rd June- Sat 29th June
General Electric, Awards ceremony,
JKUAT Career Fair
21st June Sun 23rd June- Sat 29th June
First year football games
Sun 30th June- Sat 6th July
2nd July
Sun 14th July- Sat 20th July
16th July
Sun 21st July- Sat 27th July
23rd July
Sun 28th July- Sat 3rd Aug
30th July
Sun 4th Aug- Sat 10th Aug
6th Aug
Sun 11th Aug- Sat 17th Aug
13th Aug
Sun 18th Aug- Sat 24th Aug
20th Aug
Sun 25th Aug- Sat 31st Aug
27th Aug
Sun 1st Sep- Sat 7th Sep
3rd Sep
WEEK Sun 8th Sep- Sat 14th Sep
Sun 29th Sep- Sat 5th Oct Sun 6th Oct- Sat 12th Oct
Registration
MAY - SEP (2013) WEEK AGM, 18th Sep
TALK/TRIP
MAGAZINE/OTHER
AGM, 18th Sep
Badiliqa, 21st Sep Acknowledging Kenya's Technological Renaissance and the university's role in it
Talk Dinner, 5th Oct
Community Service
Sun 13th Oct- Sat 19th Oct Sun 20th Oct- Sat 26th Oct
Magazine 7th Aug
THEME
Sun 15th Sep- Sat 21st Sep Sun 22nd Sep- Sat 28th Sep
First year football games
Magazine 30th Sep Talk
Community Outreach Public Image/Cultural Week
Sun 27th Oct- Sat 2nd Nov
Public Image Miss ESA, 1st Nov
Sun 3rd Nov- Sat 9th Nov
Consultant Talk
JKUAT Expo 31st Oct
Talk
Sun 10th Nov- Sat 16th Nov Sun 17th Nov- Sat 23rd Nov
Talk
Sun 24th Nov- Sat 30th Nov Sun 8th Dec- Sat 14th Dec Sun 15th Dec- Sat 21st Dec Sun 22nd Dec- Sat 28th Dec Sun 29th Dec- Sat 4th Jan
EXAMINATIONS 2013 CHRISTMAS BREAK
SEP 2013 - JAN 2014
Sun 5th Jan- Sat 11th Jan
- First year orientation - Recreational trip (3 days)
Sun 12th Jan- Sat 18th Jan
Networking in Kits
Sun 19th Jan- Sat 25th Jan
Magazine, 13th Jan Sports Day, 24th Jan
Sun 26th Jan- Sat 1st Feb
Human Resource/
Sun 2nd Feb- Sat 8th Feb
Communication Skills
Sun 9th Feb- Sat 15th Feb
Building Leaders of
Sun 16th Feb- Sat 22nd Feb
tommorrow today
Sun 23rd Feb- Sat 1st Mar
Mentorship
Sun 2nd Mar- Sat 8th Mar
HR Talk Career Fair & Innovation Week Talk by UON Alumni Community Outreach
Sun 9th Mar- Sat 15th Mar
Magazine 7th March Talk
Sun 16th Mar- Sat 22nd Mar Sun 23rd Mar- Sat 29th Mar Sun 30th Mar- Sat 5th Apr Sun 6th Apr- Sat 12th Apr Sun 13th Apr- Sat 19th Apr Sun 20th Apr - Sat 26th Apr
New Leaders
Elections, 28th March
NEW OFFICIALS EXAMINATIONS 2014
JAN - APRIL (2014)
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///// ESA
INFORGRAPHIC \\\\\
ESA Profiles Nancy Waweru
Joy Nancy Ogechi
Gichia H. Nyagaki
Chairperson
Financial Secretary
Academic Affairs Secretary
A student of Electrical and Information
An Electrical Engineering Student with a
A student of Civil and Construction Engineering
Engineering. Prior to being Chairperson
background in accounting . She hopes to
and a holder of Advanced Diploma in
of ESA, Nancy was the Academic Affairs
advance her career towards automation and
Business Management from ABE UK.
Secretary where she was involved in seeing to
robotics. She is heavily involved in outreach
She has previously worked at: Kenya Urban
the academic pursuits of the students through
projects involving women and children and
Roads Authority, Jofrim E.A (Ltd), Kenya Institute
planning career and mentorship talks. She is
her wish is to help empower women living
of Management, Independent Electoral and
a student member of Architectural Association
in marginalized areas through the use of
Boundaries Commission and Weco Engineering
of Kenya, Institute of Electrical and Electronic
technology to make them more self- sufficient.
Consultant. She is an Associate member of
Engineers and STEMAfrica. She intends to
the Association of Business Executives (UK),
use her year in office to make a positive
Association of Civil Engineering Students-
impact on others around her by providing
UoN where she is the chairperson. She is an
resources and opportunities for members,
Atanasio Mugambi Mutiria
enthusiastic young engineer and an ardent
so they have a memorable experience.
Social Affairs Secretary
team-player with good leadership skills.
THE INTERNET IN 60 SECONDS
An Electrical Engineering Student who believes in team building as a chief ingredient for any Norbert Maosa Ombese Vice Chairperson An Electrical Engineering student who has a passion for machines and technical devices.
organization that expects maximum output from
Cynthia Mukabana Osundwa
its available human resource. He also believes
Vice Academica Affairs Secretary
that setting personal goals and standards
Cynthia is a Civil Engineering student at the
creates an intrinsic motivation to achieve them.
University of Nairobi. She enjoys spending her free time away from the tech world camping,
He believes he is a current affairs guru and a
baking and listening to music. She loves
soccer and rugby fanatic. He is out going, easy
the young in everything! Watching anything
to get along with and God fearing. He plans to
grow from tenderness to mighty is of great
bring as many corporates as possible on board
motivation to her and keeps her going.
in order to make it easier for engineering students to get internships. He aspires to create an ESA club similar to TOAST Model where the UoN geeks can meet weekly to share ideas.
Onyango Dickens Odhiambo Secretary General A student of Electrical and Information Engineering, who is also a certified ethical hacker. He has worked as a marketing
Fredrick W. Nyongesa
manager for Kenya Aspirants, ambassador to
Environmental and Biosystem Engineering
TechnoBrain and an intern at Kenya National Bureau of Statistics and Ministry of Pubic Works
Richard Omune
Representative
.He is a member of the IEK, IEEE, I-hub, SADASA,
Mechanical Eng. Representative
Fredrick is a student of Environmental and
FabLab,United Nation Student Association
A Mechanical Engineering student.
Biosystems Engineering. He serves as the
Reagan Magangi Kyaka
He is a business analyst at Deloitte's
Chairperson of Environmental and Biosystems
Public Secretary
R i s k Ad v i s o r y d e p a r t m e n t . H e i s a l s o
Engineering Students' Association. He believes
Reagan is a determined and dependable
the founder of Trisquared Associates,
that with the diverse, unique and substantial goals
person. He has an interest in photography,
Richard is a member of ICPAK and holds a
that the committee shares, they are determined
art and design and he enjoys swimming.
Diploma in Business and Information Technology
to put engineering students in the lead and
and a CPA both from Strathmore University.
provide solutions to their day to day challenges.
and Global Ethical Hacker Association. He is also a member of the South Africa Rally Association and Rift-valley Car and Sport Club.
50
The Student Engineer
Standing: Nancy Waweru, Reagan, Cynthia, Nyagaki, Fredrick, Richard Seated: Ombese, Nancy Ogechi, Dickens
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51
///// COMMENTARY
COMMENTARY \\\\\ creating a smooth glass surface that cannot
....continued from pg. 42
Maximizing Energy Efficiency: Self-Cleaning solar panels
hold water. As water is repelled by the surface it will also pick up and carry away the dust and dirt, thereby cleaning the panel naturally.
Is a Flame a Solid, Liquid or Gas?
The materials were been tested at the FOCAS Institute in the Dublin Institute for
None of these. A hot enough flame with ionised
Technology in Ireland, and the preliminary
parts can be considered a plasma. A flame is
results have shown that the coating repels
the part of a fire that we see and feel. Neither
high-efficiency, high-power linear motors
both fresh and saltwater, indicating it should
of these is a material but what produces them
and amplifiers. It would require extremely
be effective in marine climates as well.
is , and therefore is in a particular state of
complex control algorithms to stabilize
The product, named the "Self-Cleaning
matter while the flame exists. For a fire to
the motors and fast microcomputers to
Hydrophobic Coatings (SCHN107) Layer, when
be produced we need heat, oxygen and fuel.
run the system. None of these existed.
commercialized will improve the efficiency
When these three things are combined, a
Having identified the huge divide
and reduce the maintenance needed for
chemical reaction takes place, which produces
between what was available and what
any photovoltaic system. The proprietary
new compunds. In the case of wood we get
was theoretically possible, Bose's
coating will also allow deployment of solar
charcoal and gas made of carbon, hydrogen
suspension team took on the challenge
panels in harsh (dust, salt) environments
and oxygen. As this gas is heated it breaks
of designing high-speed linear motors,
with minimum performance degradation.
down and forms new substances in the form
control algorithms and high-efficiency
Because it works so well on a variety
of water, carbon dioxide, and other products.
a m p l i f i e r s . T h ey h o p e d t h a t t h e
of dif ferent sur faces, SCNH107 has a
The flame produced by these gases releases
computer industry would make sufficient
number of potential applications in aviation,
energy in the form of light and heat, hence a
strides on their fourth essential item,
aerospace, medical devices, advanced
flame. To prove these substances are a gas,
high-speed processing. They began
manufacturing, natural sciences, renewable
scientists analyse the light from the flame
testing designs and software, and by
e n e r g y, a n d a r c h i t e c t u r e , b o t h a s a
using spectroscopy, which will show what
1989, they had developed a prototype
hydrophobic layer and an anti-corrosive.
elements are present.
on an electromagnetic solution. Such an approach would be possible only with
that was ready to be road-tested. At its heart are linear electromagnetic motors installed at each wheel in place of traditional shock absorbers. Power amplifiers based on technologies Bose pioneered at MIT deliver electricity to the motors in response to signals from the control algorithms. The motors move so quickly and forcefully that they can
by Matthew Oyaya
S
olar panel conversion efficiency is e n e r g y e f f i c i e n c y, b u t t h i s i s
The principle behind a hydrophobic
reduced by dust, grime, pollen, and other
coating is that the layer forms a barrier so
particulates that accumulate on the solar
that water accumulates on the surface in an
panel. This dirt reduces the solar panel's
almost spherical shape, but is blocked from
capabilities by up to 30% implying that the
adhering to the surface by the barrier. This
panel's efficiency is significantly reduced.
means that when a treated surface is tilted
extend downward to roll the tire through
In order to achieve maximum efficiency,
a deep rut and then retract fast enough
the solar panels have to be cleaned, cleaning
that the car's occupants perceive nothing
dirty panels with commercial detergents
more than a mild stirring. On the far
can be time-consuming, costly, hazardous to
side of the pothole, the motor operates
the environment, or even corrode the solar
as a generator, so the suspension
panel frame. Ideally solar panels should
requires less than a third of the power
be cleaned every few weeks to maintain
of a typical car air-conditioning system.
peak efficiency, which is especially hard to
Such achievements have only been
do for large solar-panel arrays. The cost of
possible because of Bose's overarching
cleaning averages at Ksh. 500 per panel but
philosophy: Better living through curiosity.
that might not sound like a lot of money, but
Bose follows the objects of his curiosity
if you have 10,000 panels it adds up quickly.
until the matter is solved, no matter how long it takes or how much it costs.
To solve this problem, a group of nanophysicists developed a self-cleaning nano-
Amar Bose passed away on
hydrophobic material that coats the solar
12th July, 2013, having lived
panel to maintain peak efficiency over longer
a life that is an inspiration to
periods of time. The coating itself is very
all of us as engineers.
robust. An actual covalent linkage holds it to the surface of the panel, creating a strong chemical bond. This is a big advantage over
52
The Student Engineer
spray-on coatings, which gradually degrade."
an imperative aspect in achieving
at an angle, the water rolls off the surface like "a sphere rolling down a slide." What is unique in this case is that the nano-coating is so thin (8 nanometers) compared to normal hydrophobic coatings that can be microns thick. The nano-hydrophobic coating can be applied to a variety of surface materials, including glass, aluminum, cloth fibers, wood, textiles, and plastic. The layer is so thin that it does not scatter light, and therefore, does not interfere with the solar panel's performance. Water is one of the main reasons solar panels get dirty. Rain and condensation settle in the micro-depressions present in the glass surface, where they attract particulate matter. The water quickly evaporates, leaving a dirty residue behind that is difficult to remove. However, an application of the nanohydrophobic layer fills in the micro-depressions,
UoN Google Student Ambassador (GSA) Program
S
by Geoffrey Mosongo
uccess in education requires a mix of
everyday lives. This is in line with the Google
year, holding workshops, training and events
passion, hard work and support from
mission: to organize the world'sinformation
with their campus community around Google's
relevant communities. The tech world
and make it universally accessible and useful.
core products, programs and initiatives.
is changing so rapidly and initiatives that link
The Google Student Ambassador Program
How many Google Student Ambassadors
students to the industry are becoming more
is an opportunity for students to act as liaisons
(GSAs) are there in the University of Nairobi?
and more important. Google facilitates one such
between Google and their universities. Google
Only three, two from the School of Engineering -
initiative through its Google Student Ambassador
Student Ambassadors are given a unique
Michelle Ngure and Geoffrey Mosongo (both from
(GSA) program - where they partner with
opportunity to serve as liaisons between Google
the Department of Electrical and Information
academia to promote the use of technology in
and university for the duration of one academic
Engineering) and one from Law School. As it is always the case, charity begins at home and the two GSAs from the School of Engineering plan to host a series of events with students and staff members to bring them up to speed with the latest Google products. A typical event may involve trainings and hands on experience complete with demos on Google Apps for Education. The University of Nairobi went Google a long time ago and Google Apps for Education are ubiquitous within campus, the common one being the students email @students.uonbi. ac.ke. Others include Google calendar, Google Sites and Google Drive. Another example of an event can be a map up/edit event of some Campuses within the University. Bottom line, Google events are always fun-filled.
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