My first blog...dedicating it to me.
IMAGINE wanting to participate in the Cape Argus Cycle Tour but not being able to afford the expenses. Now, thanks to Lucky Mokalusi's innovative virtual-reality training cycle, the world's top cycling routes have never been closer. The 28-year-old from Kagiso, west of Johannesburg, has combined his love for electrical engineering and computer programming to create a prototype that enables cyclists to simulate real-world training routes from the comfort of their homes.
His clever design earned him a worthy mention as last year's winner in the emerging genius category of the Popular Mechanics Inventor of the Year awards.Mokalusi explained his invention: ''It gives you the impression that you are actually cycling outdoors. I have captured entire routes using a camera, GPS [global positioning system], the terrain and a specially designed bicycle with the different altitudes. This I combined to create the journey. The faster you pedal, the faster the video on the monitor moves. "The idea of the virtual-reality training cycle was developed during his stint as a technical assistant at the Vaal University of Technology. He said a professor had proposed a rough idea for the concept, and he decided to make it work. ''You can feel the tension on your legs as you pedal uphill ... it's almost the same feeling," said Mokalusi.
He was also awarded first prize in the national innovation competition in 2007 for the most innovative business plan and project design, and in the same year he scooped a scholarship to complete his master's degree and develop the cycle design. He is hoping to sell his unique design to a company that will put it into production. ''When you're dealing with engineering projects, it's a little difficult to market and sell yourself. The mass production of a device takes a long time, and it's not easy for an individual to go that route.
"But Mokalusi is also a budding entrepreneur. He splits his time between helping young engineering graduates hone their skills and find in-service training, and running a modelling and promotions company.Mokalusi, the "proud" father of a one-month-old baby girl, said a troubled childhood forced him to leave home and move in with his aunt when he was in Grade 8. ''To this day, I'm grateful that I went to stay with my aunt, because without her and my cousin, I wouldn't be where I am today.
"He was inspired by his cousin, Patrick Kamodi, who was studying electrical engineering and went to Germany to complete his in-service training. From there, Mokalusi knew what he wanted to become. ''I decided I would love to go into computer engineering, which is a combination of programming and electronics, but then at university I decided to do electrical engineering, and I fell in love with it." After completing his diploma and bachelor of technology degree, he is now working on his master's degree in electrical engineering and wants to encourage young and innovative South Africans to share their ideas.
''We need to promote competitions that encourage ideas. SEDA [Small Enterprise Development Agency] is running such a competition and has 5000 ideas from the youth of South Africa. "If we can have such a competition every year, we will have brilliant ideas coming from this country, which will boost our economy and push South Africa as one of the best countries in the world."