Malz Automotive Centre

03/07/2026

03/07/2026

A Canadian engineer has developed an autonomous flying umbrella that can hover overhead and follow its user without being held.

The prototype was built by John Tse, a creator and engineer behind the I Build Stuff channel.

The system combines a custom-built drone platform, a time-of-flight depth camera, onboard computing, and autonomous flight software.

In demonstration videos, the umbrella tracks a person's movement and adjusts its position to remain overhead while walking.

The project went through multiple prototypes and revisions before reaching its current form.

It is not a commercial product, and Tse has acknowledged limitations involving battery life, wind resistance, and safety.

Even so, turning an ordinary umbrella into a self-flying machine appears to be the reason the project attracted so much attention online.

03/07/2026

Young innovators from unexpected places continue reshaping what technology can do for human safety.

A 16-year-old South African student creates an earpiece that snaps attacker photos and sends live alerts. 📱🚨

A young student from South Africa is gaining attention after creating an earpiece designed to improve personal safety. The device can capture photos and send alerts during dangerous situations.

Supporters say innovations like this show how technology can empower individuals, especially in areas where safety is a concern. It highlights the creativity and problem-solving skills of young minds.

Stories like this inspire others to think differently about everyday challenges. It also shows how simple ideas can evolve into tools that may help protect lives.

References:
BBC News: Young Innovators Develop Safety Focused Technologies
Reuters: Student Inventions Address Real World Problems
CNN: Technology Advances In Personal Security Devices
Fox News: Innovation Stories From Young Creators

30/04/2026

In 2009, a South African IT company named Winston 1 took "web surfing" to a literal and feathered extreme to highlight the country's dismal internet speeds. Frustrated by agonizingly slow upload times, they pitted an 11-month-old carrier pigeon named Winston against the nation's leading ISP, Telkom. While the bird carried a 4GB data stick 50 miles from Howick to Durban, the same data was sent over the ADSL line. By the time Winston arrived and the data was uploaded—a total of two hours and six minutes—the internet transfer was only 4% complete, proving that in a race against modern infrastructure, nature still had the upper hand.

​This quirky experiment became a global sensation, serving as a stinging critique of the digital divide and the high costs of telecommunications in the region. While it seemed like a lighthearted stunt, it underscored a serious economic reality: slow connectivity was a massive bottleneck for local businesses. Today, though fiber optics and high-speed mobile networks have largely grounded Winston, the story remains a legendary reminder of a time when the "Information Superhighway" in South Africa was effectively outpaced by a bird with a backpack.

30/11/2024