Student Engineer October 2008

The Student

Editor in Chief

Obiko Edward

EDITORIAL BOARD Obiko Edward Editor in chief Eyinda Samuel Managing Editor Angela Hiuhu Editorial Team Loise Mbaria Editor Team Ritah Laibuta Nkatha Editorial Team Ochilo David Editorial Team David Nyagah Graphic Designer

ESA EXECUTIVE 2007-2008 CHAIRMAN Obonyo Cedric VICE CHAIRMAN Ismael Bett SECRETARY GENERAL Mbari Muchiri TREASURER Lilian Kamanja PUBLICITY SECRETARY Nyakiongora George ACADEMIC AFFAIRS SEC Njuguna James VICE ACADEMIC AFFAIRS SEC Abira Nancy SOCIAL AFFAIRS SEC Esther Ndeti A journal of the ‘Engineering Students Association’. C/O the Dean, School of Engineering. University of Nairobi P.O Box 30197, Nairobi [email protected] +254724517177

Feedback and correspondence should be addressed to the editorial board. Views expressed in this journal are those of the writers and do not necessarily reflect those of the association. ©copyright: Reproduction of any article in part or in full is strictly prohibited without written permission from the Engineering Students’ Association.

I am indeed honoured to present this bonus issue of The Student Engineer. On behalf of the Engineering Students’ Association, I would like to welcome on board the Engineering fraternity the freshman year of 2008/09 and wish them the pleasant scholarly experience as we have had thus far. In this issue take a look at the Telecommunications industry in Kenya and the morphosis that has and will continue to affect our lives first of all as wananchi and it goes without mention, as Engineers. Development is futile without guaranteeing its sustainability, thus we also focus on Telecom’s with regard to this year’s theme which has been renewable sources of energy. The July-October holiday has been an event filled break with engineering students taking part in numerous events and activities

which have proven too many to document in this issue. Find out what happened at the IEEE Engineering Students’ Exhibition in the ESA News round-up and read about some of the Fourth-term tours on Page 22. Do you live the Buttefly Lifestyle? Find out on page 12. Still on the lifestyle revolutions through the Telecom’s industry you can read on Google Earth’s Power of Place in our GeoSpatial Feature. I would like to extend our gratitude to all who contributed to the realization of this second quarterly issue, first of all to the Engineering Students Association and its Executive. Special thanks to Eng. A. A. McCorkindale and our sponsors for their unwavering support. Finally I would like to congratulate you, the Student Engineer, for your overwhelming support, encouragement and feedback that has brought The Student Engineer to life. As usual we welcome any feedback from our readers so that you can participate in improving this quarterly digest. Have an eventful semester.

In this Issue PROFILE

Interview with Dr. Kai wulff (MD Kenya Data Networks)

4 NEWS

Ericsson Innovation Centre De Uitviders - A project by Hugo Vrijdag

6 ESA News - New ESA Team sworn in

7 FEATURE

Telecommunication in Kenya

9 Butterfly Lifestyle 12 PROJECT REVIEW Select Review of IEEE Exhibition 24

Dr. Kai Uwe Wulff Page 4

EDITORIAL

REGULARS Your Say Engineering Woman Around and About Entertainment Pictorial

3 5 19 20 25

Electrical Civil Mechanical Geospatial Environmental

14 15 16 17 18

Telecommunication Page 9

“All that was once just science fiction from the archives of ‘Star Trek’ to the special effects of ‘The Illusionist’ has come to life through science.” Are we far too deep in the bowels of this beast, that is, third world? page 9. De Uitvenders Page 6

The Student Engineer

1

MESSAGES

FROM THE CHAIRMAN

My tenure in office as head of Engineering Students Associations brought with it a lot of new challenges and hurdles that I will have to steer ESA through in due course. This I am sure will mean having to step on the toes of many and creating friction with a few but all for the greater good. Nonetheless, it is abundantly clear in my head that all actions have consequences-even mine and so every decision I make for ESA will affect the student engineer directly or indirectly one way or another. This in bold translates to me being judged to the last degree upon the end of my tenure in office by the student electorate who put me in office. Engineering is pivotal to any nation and even the mighty economies of the world will agree with this. This means Engineering training in our universities should always be geared with full throttle to producing top notch quality engineer graduates who are capable of oiling the wheels of development more importantly infrastructure of the nation. We have all heard of shoddy Engineering works all over the country with buildings collapsing and roads deteriorating in less than half of their intended lifespan during construction. This is a major problem mostly being experienced by developing nations like Kenya. It will therefore be a major milestone in the Engineering fraternity to smash this kind of attitude and eventually make such kind of ashaming tales unheard of. This can only be achieved through increased efforts in industrial and socio-economic training. Attachments & internships as part of industrial training is most important and socio-economic training to equip the soon to be engineers with a sense of moral responsibility for the society for them not to willingly do substandard works. All the relevant stakeholders should also incorporate student Engineers in virtually all national development visions in all aspects like Energy and Telecommunication. Telecommunication as a utility in Africa is of great importance with all the economic difficulty which most developing nations face. All these nations face quite a substantial amount of economic strains caused by their own development endeavors. New technological advancements in communication are recognized everyday all around the globe and more importantly advancements in telecommunication go a long way in easing the pressure & bringing stability on economies whilst them carrying out their routine duties in service provision and deliveries to their tax payers. While keeping all this in mind it is imperative that we appreciate ESA’s mandate and role in providing a formidable and operational link between the student engineer and the Engineering fraternity. I appreciate immensely the work done by the editorial team in making this quarterly journal a reality. Great appreciation also goes to Eng McCorkindale and Dr. Eng. Prof. Aduol the Principal College of Architecture and Engineering for their invaluable support. Last but definitely not least I’d like to thank the students for giving me an opportunity to serve them. The journey has just begun but nothing to fear as any journey always stars with a single step. God bless ESA 2008/2009.

CedricK.Obonyo

Inbox

WHERE ARE THE ENGINEERING LADIES?

ENGINEERS RESPONSE

I would like to disagree with the writer of ‘Engineer’s challenge’ in the July Issue on various issues. First, it’s true that this country’s development questions largely lie on the innovative capacity of our engineers. It is however misguided to presume that the said capacity is wanting. Both the safaricom M-pesa service and the money maker water pump have been recognized as some of the best innovative ideas the world over. Any attendant of this year’s IEEE engineering students’ exhibition will agree with me that the country is overflowing with innovative ideas. These are the very ideas that will drive this country to being a world class economy. This is very obvious, but the question is do we take notice? We in the engineering fraternity would like to advise the writer and any other like minded person to open their eyes and together we will realize that engineers are just a single department in a collection of many. Maximum output from this crucial department with no replicate from other equally crucial departments is similar to wasted effort.

Eyinda Samuel

A Student Engineer.

2

The Student Engineer

Most of us will ask this question given that the ladies are hardly 15% of the total engineering student’s population. Why is it that most engineering ladies take a back seat in this school? Are we not rightfully here having competed with this same men in O-Level examinations? Why is it that we do not participate in sports, politics and exhibitions? In the sports day the ladies were no where to be found and those who were, were relegated to being the cheer leaders. In the Engineering political front, don’t we have a strong female who can convince everyone (both male and female) that women are better planners, result oriented and that they do not give up. I was also saddened by the fact that no lady from our school took part in the IEEE engineering students’ Exhibition. Let us indulge ourselves in scientific innovation that can be integrated by the corporate world, private sectors and the public at large. The fact that we took up this course that has been over the years a preserve for the men is commendable. But that is not enough; we must work to be felt in this school.

Gladys Kangi

Second year, Civil and Construction Engineering.

Send in your feedback to [email protected]

YOUR SAY

I

ENGINEER AND THE LANGUAGE “BRAIN AND MOUTH FACTOR”

have held my tongue (and pen for that matter) incommunicado for too long but thank goodness the “Student Engineer “ is here to stay. The fact that it has inaugurated a new era in which it garners aspectful ideas and views from the entire student is in itself a resounding come-back. This, therefore, necessitates me, first and foremost, to take off my hat to the editorial team for such a stunning stunt. Keep it up for the job well done and welcome on board! Unfortunately, that is where congratulations end and the worries begin.

I am the staunch believer of the truism that if communicating is wrong , then we can’t be write(sic). Whether the doctor or the engineer is the competent party to do so is certainly open to debate. Perhaps the most worrying is that communication skills is spiralling out of control to its death-bed. But in full view of the grave nature of the matter and for the intimate interest of the leadership for vision 2030, may I be exonorated for submitting that we the budding engineers, are poor in discourse(spoken and written language). I know at this point you must be questioning, what am I talking about but good people that stands out as a fact (not opinion) according to a recent secret research. This mediocrity has been argued for even becoming part of our own wont. Ardous and numeracy, time exacting, and intricate and knotty units undertaken are some of the favourite excuses. Yet for sure this pretty pretexts do not grant engineering students any absolution. Most student enginers like to talk still too few enjoy speaking. Talking is casual, random and unrehearsed, but speaking requires a plan, an organization and practice. Speaking, like writing, is an art of increasing necessity for the successful engineer; an art that he must perfect if he is to succeed in his profession and his society. In any case for any emerging economy in any country depends heavily upon her entreprising engineers with the ability to stiffle intelligent ideas with fearless eloquent elocution. No over-thing, trust you. “If an engineer cannot express his ideas and the results of his endeavour to others, even though he may have the intellect of a genius and the capability of performing the most creative work, the benefits of his intellect and creative abilities will be of little use to others,” so says CEng. Hinds Elliot of Queen’s University Belfast(UK), and we all agree.

dreams than because of their programs and projects. We must, as comrade-in-arms, as a country and as a people, stop pretending that we do not need people of the mould of Titus Naikuni, Mugo Kibati, Prof. Oduol...name them.Remember a big brain and a good mouth are not just tools of eminence; they perform the bigger function of giving an engineer the desired credibility in the eyes of the global community.

So what should be done? With the help of the hindsight, I am advancing the view that our inquest is timely. by the time the student is a freshman in college, he is expected to have a working vocabulary of several thousand words, to be able to organize ideas into coherent pattern, and present these ideas either orally or in writing. This is the time for the engineering student to learn by trial and error his best ways to communicate. Shun decisive distaste for literature books, participate in group discussions or fellowships for the presentation of concepts and for gaining vocabulary skills, a knowledge of psychology and training in debate are all helpful. A conscious effort while in college to improve one’s ability to communicate verbally will make transition to work as a practising engineer after graduation much easier. Let us relegate this esoteric gobbledegook and “O”factor language into the dustbin of idiocy.See this ”...naenda tao, ni-take breako na luncho then ni-come daro. nitadunga ile shirtoo yangu ya fao so that you can ona it. I’m not pandaing bu...are you shangaa-ing?” I am lost if an engineer communicated like this in a global platform. And I resign.

Magati Mophat Alphonce

3rd yr Environmental Engineering

A big brain and a good mouth are symbiotically indispensable for great achievement. Prominent personalities and other men or women of means attain their stature because of their passionate, eloquent communication of their

The Student Engineer

3

ENGINEER PROFILE

Interview

Dr. Kai Wulff MD Kenya Data Networks

with Edward Obiko e-mails a day) and prepare meetings if any. I try to keep

EO: Please give us a brief background of yourself.

Dr. Wulff: I am German,(chuckles...) that’s why I’m rude... and re-cultivating my German accent. I come from a very small town in South West Germany. I did my A-levels in a Public School in Germany and then went on to join the air-force where I was tasked with strategic planning and was a special forces trainer for a while until my health gave in. I had the opportunity to study a Masters in Economic Science after doing my Bachelor’s in Computer Science. I studied Computer Science because I worked at a computers company when I was fifteen and took it over but later left to join the Military. After Military I went back to my company where we set up Novell Networks. (Dr. Wulff also

my day planned and have time to see what is happening and keep tabs with all staff personally(at least 3-4 times a week). I usually don’t have lunch and try to go to the gym 2-3 times a week.(KDN pays gym membership for all their staff). I leave the office at around 8.30pm then go home and have dinner with my wife and sometimes my son... if he’s awake. I check e-mails once more before going to bed. EO: And how do you spend your time when not working?

has a commercial pilot license)

Dr. Wulff: On weekends normally is when I have more family time and do no appointments. I however do some work from home but call it a day at around 2pm. (He is a confessed work-a-holic.) Once a year I go on holiday to see my mother for about two weeks.

EO: In many forums you would be regarded as one of the ‘New Generation’ CEO’s. How would you describe your leadership style?

EO: KDN has is a young company with a rather short but impressive history. Tell us something about how it all began and how it has got here.

Dr. Wulff: I lead people to the road of self-exploitation. The principle of managing a successful company is to make people happy. I have to make my suppliers happy, I have to make my employees happy, I have to make my customers happy. If you are loyal to your suppliers and involve them in your processes you grow with them. You put your employees where they want to be. My job as an employer is to know my employees potential and challenge them to exploit their potential.

Dr. Wulff: When I came KDN was more or less a wireless provider to allow ISP’s to connect with the end-user on a small scale. So we began by asking where we’d want to end up and what the market requires. This was a real infrastructure rather than doing quick fixes. So we decided on a fibre network across the whole continent with a last mile access for all the users. We found ways to convince the board and came up with the money to start little by little. An important thing is to trust your people. This is how we’ve managed so far.

EO: So what is your day like? Dr. Wulff: On a normal business day I get up at Five. I have breakfast and do a few e-mails and watch some CNN. I leave the house latest at 6.30 and I’m at the office by 6.45. I then check my e-mails (he gets at least 1300 4 The Student Engineer

EO: Just this morning I was glad to see that the laying of Fibre Optic cables at the UoN is back on track. So how soon are we going to realize the benefits of this? Are we also going to benefit from your wireless services?

Dr. Wulff: UoN will get full Butterfly(read Buttefly article on page). We’ve been laying the foundation and communication within the campus will be free thus you can do Voip and share information hopefully across campuses. EO: Are the government and Educational Institutions doing enough to prepare for the arrival of the undersea fibre optic cables? Dr. Wulff: You have to view your end-product. Apparently nobody has thought to do the last mile access. Where are the Engineers who are going to help us make use of it? What is the business case? The problem is nobody creates local content. It drives me crazy that we host our websites abroad. At least we shouldn’t pay to be sold our own content. This is what KDN is encouraging kenyans to do and we are laying the foundation. EO: Kenya Data Networks in collaboration with ICTVillage.com and the Youth Entreprenuership Development Fund are spearheading the Digital Village Constituency Cluster which aims at having a VSAT Base Station in every constituencey. How can we as students and The Youth take part in this. Dr. Wulff: There’s ample opportunity on different levels from franchising down to one laptop. We are trying to spread the ICT culture through small incubators. Everybody should have in walking distance someway to have digitalised content, access to the internet and multiple trading platforms. You can participate at the end of the distribution chain (with peripheries involved eg solar panel powering) or on the other side by generating mass-applications to be used by these villages and the third angle would be to have a moderating role by franchising and running these centres. EO: And lastly, what is your advice to Student Engineers? Dr. Wulff: Do not assume that at graduation you know what you want to do in life. Make maximum use of 70% of your time and use 30% to discover other fields and how you can be of more use to your family, society and yourself.

ENGINEERING

Woman with Angela Hiuhu

W

e cannot forget the various women who did Kenya proud in the Olympics the likes of Jelimo, Lagat, and Ndereba to mention a few. These women toiled and ran endless miles bearing all and sometimes harsh weather conditions. Njoki Ndungu was the first woman to aspire to be a speaker for the Kenya Parliament. True she did not make it but she paved the way for any other woman aspiring to vie for the same position. These women have established their status in the society and they are respected for this. The Engineering woman should not lag behind. We can bear the long hours in libraries and the hard work that comes with the success in this field. Engineering and any other technical courses serve as a platform for both men and women to build a strong foundation for them. Engineering is mostly based on physics that has a mystique of its own that allows us to do something new under the sun. Hence we have the pleasure of seeing our work imprint where other people will actually use it to their benefit. We make a little facet of creation clearer. As we usher in the first years, the women in the respective departments of engineering must step up to the challenge and face the competition with skins of elephants and forever overcome the ambivalence and the diminished self esteem felt amongst those women pursuing any technical based degree. The number of men in the classes should not in any way affect our performances because it has never been a question of brute strength. Of most importance we have to believe in ourselves be assertive and take initiative in our work. We are no longer going to accept to stay in the dark because we cannot change a bulb or be stuck on the road endless hours because we can’t change a tyre. If we do not rise to the occasion and be the best we can be, what then will the future generation hold to? Recently, three bold Maasai men were featured in the news. These men have ventured and are succeeding in the salonists profession something perceived to be a woman stronghold. This leaves the question pending for engineering women. There is some predisposition in the female to be responsive to people, sounds and in total communication while the male have an edge on finer differentiation of the physical world. Luckily enough the females hence have a command of quicker judgment of emotional nuance and further possess easier connection between feeling and their expression in words. Needless to say women engineers place more importance on being able to work with people than the men do. Good food has been argued to be the way to a mans heart. I believe that good communication is the way to enflourish engineering. The road to success is bumpier and has more pot holes than one can relate to. Part of the process is just gritting our teeth when we fail. Ladies, we can shine in engineering one step at a time is all it takes. After all laboratories full of men is such a bore! The Student Engineer

5

NEWS

Ericsson Innovation Center

Ericsson announced it will establish an Innovation Center in sub-Saharan Africa to develop mobile applications that will benefit society as a whole, but with a special focus on meeting the needs of poor and rural populations. The initiative will focus on solutions in health, education, agriculture and small business development, and is another important step in Ericsson’s ongoing commitment to support the achievement of the UN’s Millennium Development Goals. The Ericsson Innovation Center will include three application development hubs, in Nigeria, South Africa and Kenya. The Innovation Center aims to stimulate local entrepreneurship and business development by providing tools for local developer communities in and around the three new hubs to create their own applications. The innovation center should also foster a good environment for the creation of new small businesses throughout Africa. Ericsson is the world’s leading provider of technology and services to telecom operators. The market leader in 2G and 3G mobile technologies, Ericsson supplies communications services and manages networks that serve more than 195 million subscribers. The company’s portfolio comprises mobile and fixed network infrastructure, and broadband and multimedia solutions for operators, enterprises and developers. The Sony Ericsson joint venture provides consumers with feature-rich personal mobile devices.

39th GRADUATION CEREMONY The Universoty of Nairobi held its 39th Graduation ceremony on Friday the 17th of October 2008. The University of Nairobi Chancellor, Dr. Joe Wanjui,confered a Doctor of Laws degree on Kofi Annan, Mwai Kibaki and Raila Odinga Former United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan, on whose presence and patience Kenyans pegged their hopes as the country stepped onto Africa’s well-trodden path of chaos and slide to civil war after the General Election, last year was awarded this accolade with praise and gratitude from the Kenyan people. Among other students graduating were over three hundred students from the school of Engineering.

DE UITVINDERS

The Inventers (De Uitvinders) is a project initiated in the Netherlands by Hugo Vridag, an Expressive Artist, Film maker. It is one of the initiatives through which the Technific Foundation is promoting technological thinking among young people. He is in Kenya to pursue the project under the auspices of ‘The Inventors come to Africa’. The project is an inter-institutional linkage of educational institutes, theatrical peformers and the business sector. The aim of the project is to arouse among young people in primary and continuing education courses an interest in working with technique(rather technology from Dutch translation). The children play a leading role in their own adventure film in which the machines and props they participate in creating are literally brought to life. He has been talking to groups of interest like the Sarakasi Trust, The Waza Platform and Centurion Systems to set initial plans for this project. You can have a look at a short clip of the first film made in the Netherlands at www.deuitvinders.com and Dr. Kamau Gachigi (Mechanical Engineering) if you or someone you know would like to take part.

GSMA Launches Renewable Energy Push For Mobile Networks The GSM Association (GSMA) is the global trade group representing more than 750 GSM mobile operators across 218 countries and territories of the world. The GSMA launched the Green Power for Mobile programme with the goal of helping the mobile industry use renewable energy sources, such as solar, wind, or sustainable biofuels, to power 118,000 new and existing off-grid base stations in developing countries by 2012. Achieving that target would save up to 2.5 billion litres of diesel per annum and cut annual carbon emissions by up to 6.3 million tonnes. Up to now, off-grid base stations have primarily been powered by generators running on diesel fuel, which is increasingly expensive, generates carbon dioxide emissions, and can be difficult to transport to remote locations. Safaricom is a leader in the use of renewable energy for networks with 30 base stations powered Safaricom’s Laisamis wind-powered base station by solar and wind energy.

6

The Student Engineer

NEW ESA EXECUTIVE TAKES OATH OF OFFICE.

by over 200 students was held at the CELT.

T

he newly elected engineering students’ association officials were sworn in at the C.E.L.T. on 25th of July 2008. The event was attended by Engineer McCorkindale the ESA co-patron and Dr Muturi the chairman of the department of mechanical and production engineering. The event was run parallel with the official launch of the first edition (20082009) of the student engineer journal. Also present were the outgoing officials and members of the editorial board. The outgoing chairman Mr. Casper Oluoch congratulated the newly elected officials and advised them to stay alert in their service delivery to the students. He thanked the students for having given him a chance to serve them in the past year saying that even though he was satisfied with his performance, he believes that there is still a lot to be done in making the association a vibrant one. Dr. Muturi said there was need for students to take charge of their own future and be responsible of their actions. He declared his readiness to work with the student fraternity. He acknowledged the crucial role played by the association in creating a functional link between the students and the corperate world and said the university administration was ready to offer support to the association. Eng. McCorkindale on his part congratulated the new officials upon their election and said it was now time to prove their worth. He advised on the need to amend the ESA constitution to allow for some continuity in the association. The current organization he said meant that every new team started from scratch neglecting any projects initiated by the outgoing team. He made a special recognition of the editorial board for the wonderful job they had done on the July - September issue of the student engineer journal. In his inaugural speech, the new chairman Cedric Obonyo pledged to work tirelessly in fulfilling the promises he had made to the students. He emphasized on the need for team work and promised to be a ‘good leader’ of a ‘very strong and dedicated team’.

ERICSSON CAREER TALK The ICT and Internet club on Wednesday 30th July 2008 organized a career talk by the Ericsson group for the students taking electrical & information engineering. The talk attended

The Ericsson team was made up of top management officers including the regional manager of the sub-Saharan Africa and the group human resources manager. Also with them was the technical team. Students were educated on the company’s core values and informed of its plans for the country. One of the plans was a provision of internship programs for continuing students. The human resource manager Nadia Cooper informed students that what her company looks out in a potential employee is the desire to learn new ideas, tricks and trends. This she said was because Kenyan graduates are short of the industry requirements. The company pledged to recruit 15 students from the graduating class of 2008. A number of students were awarded Ericsson goodies, including T-shirts and capes, for correctly answering questions posed by the day’s presenters. Josiah Habwe a fifth year student gave a vote of thanks on behalf of the students reiterating the need for maintaining a connection between the students and the industry.

THE STUDENT ENGINEER OPENS UP ITS BOUNDARIES. The Student engineer editorial board has finally opened its boundaries to all students in East Africa. The board has been considering this for some time and the decision was reached upon after overwhelming response was received from all corners of the region. The board undertook an intensive distribution exercise of the July – September issue. This included dropping copies libraries of Kenya’s universities and colleges, sending student copies to both Makarere and Dar es Salaam University and supplying complimentary copies to 23 engineering /technological firms in Kenya. The board aims at making the student engineer the prime student journal of the region. Following this, the editorial board would like to call for articles and feedback from its readers all over east Africa.

ESA TO SUPPORT AND WORK WITH THE IEEE KENYA STUDENT CHAPTER Engineering Students’ Association ESA will support in all ways possible and work with the IEEE Kenya Student chapter. ESA chairman Mr. Cedric Obonyo pledged this during the IEEE engineering students’ exhibition held at the sarit expo on September 12th and 13th. He also promised that the student engineer, starting from the October edition would preview some of the best projects exhibited at the event. Following his pledge, a number of ESA members have already picked up positions in various functional units of the student chapter. The IEEE Kenya student chapter is currently composed of the committee members who in conjunction with the Centurion Systems successfully organized this years IEEE engineering students exhibition.

The Student Engineer

7

ENGINEERING STUDENTS’ EXHIBITION. Abdelkareem Abdelrahman was given a nod by both judges and the public as having exhibited the best project in the electronics category in this years IEEE engineering students’ exhibition held at the sarit centre expo. The young lad from Sudan was also named the best male engineer by way of public voting at the two day event. Abdelkareem presented an electronics project that used a micro controller based system to translate deaf sign language into voice. Dorothy Wanjohi of Mombasa polytechnic university was named the best female engineer. This year’s event which was the largest since the first one eleven years ago brought together students and lecturers from east African colleges, leaders and engineers from various companies in the region and government representatives from the Kenyan government. Among those who addressed the students at the event was Engineer F W Ngokonyo the chairman of the institution of engineers of Kenya. The government was represented by three Permanent Secretaries from the Ministries of Youth Affairs, Industrialization, and Information and Communication. Speakers at the event emphasized on the need to embrace innovation in order to achieve the millennium development goals and the vision 2030. This years theme was ICT and Alternative energy for Rural development. Speaking at a dinner hosted by Mr. Steve smith at the Jacaranda hotel leaders of various student associations from participating institutions made a passionate plea to the co-operate world to aide in commercialization of the students’ innovations. The student leaders also thanked the events’ sponsors and pleaded for further support from all other possible quarters. In one accord the leaders formed a student chapter of IEEE Kenya. The group under the leadership of Kevin Kiplagat is expected to carry out a spirited campaign for innovation in universities and colleges through out the country. It is also set to establish a trust fund under the hospice of innovator support fund to among other activities aide in commercialization of exhibited projects, publish the exhibition journal and secure internships for participating and engineering students at large. The PS for information and communication Dr. Bitange Ndemo addressing the scholars at the event pledged his support in setting up the trust fund. At the closing ceremony, Dr. kevit Desai whose centurion system was the chief organizer of the event expressed his passion for innovation and encouraged the students to keep doing it till they got it right. He said his commitment to the exhibition was driven by the fact that big breakthroughs are developed from innovative ideas. He promised an even larger event in 2009 mentioning the possibility of the exhibition running concurrent with Africon 2009. The chief guest Mr. Paul kukubo, the chairman of the Kenya ICT board, recalled that before taking up his current job his passion was ict and electronics. He expressed his wish that present presentation would not be the end of all the nice ideas he had seen. Other winners included

8

The Student Engineer

From left: Edwin Keverenge, Abdulkareem Abdelrahman and John Ruddy Munda after receiving their prizes

Irene Berochan of Makarere University In the ICT category, Steve Mutungi in Mobile Applications category And Dorothy Wanjohi of Mombasa Polytechnic as the best female engineer. The ceremony was closed after winners were awarded presents from different sponsoring co-operates.

by

Eyinda Samuel

FEATURE

The changing face of

TELECOMMUNICATION

H

aving just had a chance to watch what is set to be next great milestone in Telecommunications Engineering and to say the least, I am dumbfounded! All that was once just science fiction from the archives of ‘Star Trek’ to the special effects of ‘The Illusionist’ has come to life through science. Cisco Systems International has showcased their intellectual might in a brilliant exposition of their ’Cisco Telepresence’ magic. This is a technology that takes video conferencing up one level where however someone is able to appear to take part in a meeting in full 3D. You can catch the flick on YouTube, that is, if you are lucky enough to afford the bandwidth!

S

o let’s get back to Earth, ...ahem I mean, Kenya. Are we far too deep in the bowels of this beast, that is, third world? In my opinion, the recent series of events that are beginning to shape the future of this country, as a Technological hub for the region and indeed the Continent, may just spell hope for Kenya. This feature samples a few of these advances in brief. Kenyans are eagerly waiting for the arrival of the undersea fibre optic cables next year, which promise to cut bandwidth costs greatly. There are four major cables to watch out for.

EASSY

EASSy (the Eastern African Submarine System) is the most widely known cable project in Africa. Conceived in 2003, EASSy is the largest of Africa’s undersea

in Kenya

cable projects and will connect eight countries from Sudan to South Africa, through Djibouti, Somalia, Kenya, Tanzania, Madagascar and Mozambique. EASSy is a private sector-led project of African operators and international carriers supported by several development banks. The twenty-five private telecom companies that are part of the EASSy consortium are expected to provide the rest of the financing. In March 2007, Alcatel-Lucent secured a contract for the construction of EASSy. The commencement of the construction of EASSy was scheduled for December 2007 and the cable should be ready for commissioning in June of 2009. EASSy’s delay has primarily been caused by the disputes between project participants over the ownership of the cable. It was this controversy and uncertain future of EASSy that led to the emergence of other submarine cable projects including TEAMS, SEACOM and most recently UHURUNET.

TEAMS

TEAMS (East Africa Marine System) is a joint project between the Kenyan government and the UAE’s Etisalat which will link Kenya with the UAE. The intention is for the Kenyan government and Etisalat to hold a 20% and 15% share in the cable respectively. Kenya’s government invited neighbouring states and private investors to invest in the remaining 65%. However, if they fail to take up an offer to buy a stake in the initiative, the Kenyan government is ready to fully fund the project. The construction of the project was also awarded to Alcatel-Lucent and its completion is scheduled for the second quarter of 2009.

SEACOM

SEACOM is a Mauritius-based initiative led by the Sithe Global Power development company, which itself is based in the U.S. The submarine cable network will link East Africa, South Africa, Europe and Asia.

The Student Engineer

9

FEATURE SEACOM will follow the same route as the East African Submarine Cable System (EASSY) down the eastern African seaboard, but it will connect directly into Italy or India via VNSL. On capacity, Seacom is planning much higher capacity compared to EASSy. While EASSy will initially be equipped with a capacity of 20Gbits per second and an ultimate capacity of 320 Gbits per second, Seacom will provide 1280 Gbits per second -- four times faster than EASSy. It is due for completion in march 2009.

UHURUNET

Nepad’s (New Partnership for Africa’s Development) UHURUNET is the most recent addition to Africa’s family of submarine cable projects and emerged after Nepad split from EASSy. UHURUNET is an undersea segment of Nepad’s e-Africa Commission ICT Broadband Infrastructure Network. It is intended to encircle the entire continent of Africa and connect it with the rest of the world including Europe, Brazil, India and the Middle East. Nepad will own 30% (the single largest investor in the company), African investors and telecoms companies 45%, and other investors 25%. As in the case of the above projects, UHURUNET should be available to provide communications for the 2010 Soccer World Cup.

TELECOMMUNICATION COMPANIES GEARING UP

KENYA DATA NETWORKS: TERMINATION POINT

Kenya Data Networks has once again led the way in preparation for the udersea fibre cables due on the Kenyan Coast mid next year. It has begun construction of a termination point in Mombasa. The company, which has heavily invested in TEAMs (The East African Marine System) submarine cable, is living up to its promise of being the telecommunications solutions provider of choice through the provision of low cost bandwidth. With the infrastructure in place, KDN hopes cheap broadband will improve education and health care through telecommunication technologies. Af-

ter completion of the termination

point, KDN hopes to carry traffic for TEAMs, EASSy (Eastern Africa Submarine Cable System) and SEACOM once

10

The Student Engineer

they land in Mombasa.

ACCESS KENYA: WIMAX

Access Kenya, a VoIP and broadband provider for corporate, SOHO and highend residential customers in Kenya and East Africa, is investing USD3.5 million to build out a WiMAX network in Kenya with Alvarion. With an initial deployment of 35 base stations, the network is being utilised for the operator’s Access@Home guaranteed high speed broadband residential service in Nairobi and Mombasa. Currently the customers are eligible for a special offer of completely free equipment and a 20% discount on the price of the service, a rate of KES6,000 a month.

WANANCHI GROUP: THE BIG DISH

Wananchi group commissioned a mega satellite dish at the upper hill area next to there offices at the KenyaRE towers. The group is also poised to become Africa’s first provider of triple play services. The communications dish is a 9 meter IS-601 and will enable Wananchi group greatly increase the capacity to provide services to the market. It allows the group to land the largest amount of international bandwidth at one point in Kenya – 155 Mbps. The company is excited about the potential of the dish, with Mr. Euan Fannell, the wananchi group CEO, and Suhayl Esmailjee the chief operating Officer, emphasizing how revolutionary the dish makes the group’s offerings. Wananchi Group, formerly Wananchi Online, becomes the second ISP after AccessKenya to gamble with consolidation through silent acquisitions. The group is now a combination of at least five ICT companies – Wananchi Online, Mitsumi Net, SimbaNet (both in Kenya and Tanzania) and Trunking Systems. The fifth was Lion Cable Television Network Ltd. Wananchi has also been busy developing new products and there has been a major relaunch of the internet connectivity products, aimed both at the home and for the corporate market. The new consumer triple play brand is called Zuku. The company is also setting up WiMax base stations in Nairobi and Mombasa, and plans to have rolled out at least 100 base stations by November 2008. Through Zuku TV, the group is targeting 300,000 homes in Nairobi and 100,000 in Mombasa. Mr.

Engineers installing The Big Dish

Fannell has welcomed the new unified licensing structure adopted by CCK recently and says his group is one of the first to take advantage of the friendlier regulatory environment obtained in Kenya.

SAFARICOM: ONECOM

You wouldn’t afford to talk about Kenya’s Telecommunications Industry wothout mention of Safaricom, who have recently acquired One Communication Limited. One Com, incorporated in 2006, offers Safaricom the technology and platform to deliver broader services including WiMAX access which enables internet based video, voice and data transmission. It also provides an interface for managed services such as data security, disaster recovery and business continuity, a segment whose need was painfully brought home by the loss of enterprise resources during the post election violence at the beginning of the year. One Communication provides various data communication services including Wimax services— a fixed broadband wireless internet service. The acquisition came barely a week after the regulator Communication Commission of Kenya CCK issued new guidelines on a unified Licence Framework. With the new licence, the operators will have the ability to offer more services than they current offer without having to pay extra licensing fee.

One Communication has installed five WiMAX base stations but expects to expand to other parts of the country. The company is offering some limited Internet Protocol services including Internet Access and Private Internet Protocol.

According to the agreement, the value is estimated at Kshs 8.9bn ($148 million) and covers equipment as well as supplies under the Build Operate Transfer (BOT) arrangement. Under the BOT element of the agreement, Ericsson will not only deploy the network but will train Telkom Kenya staff and after 18 months enZAIN: sure a progressive handing over of NETWORK UPGRADE Mobile phone network operator, Zain key network management functions Kenya, said it was launching a US$ 45 to Telkom Kenya in order to facilitate million network upgrade, mainly tar- skills transfer. geting improvements in the rural areas and places where it has a high concen- In addition to the cheapest on-net rates of Ksh.1 per minute, Telkom tration of subscribers. Zain Kenya’s Managing Director Rene Kenya has launched brand new low Meza said the mobile phone firm cost handsets with special features in was looking at improving its national the market retailing at Ksh. 1,499. This presence in Kenya, which is currently offer is a gesture of ‘togetherness available to about 85% of the national with Kenyans’ during this time when energy bills and inflation figures have population. At least a third of the population has sky-rocketed to unprecedented levaccess to mobile phones. He said the els. mobile phone company was also looking at ways of increasing its internet ECONET WIRELESS: communication system. LAUNCH Zain, formerly Celtel, operates in 14 Kenya’s third mobile phone operaother African countries. In Kenya, Zain tor, Econet Wireless Kenya has signed has stepped up its marketing ac- continued partnership agreement

with Ericsson, which will see the company make its “first call” later in October. The network rollout deal sealed between Ericsson and the leading local networks solutions provider sets the stage for the launch of the most advanced GSM mobile networks in Kenya. The firm’s CEO Michael Foley told a media briefing in Nairobi that the allround strategic partnership between the two companies is scheduled to have Econet launch its commercial services in November once infrastructure sharing between Econet and its rivals -- Zain Kenya and Safaricom -- is finalized. Econet is sparing no effort or resource to ensure the rollout of one of the most technically advanced GSM networks in this part of the world and the agreement with Ericsson is the clearest sign yet that Kenya will definitely be welcoming them before Christmas. By retaining Ericsson for the network’s roll out function, Econet will be joining a long list of more than 195 leading network operators running on Ericsson systems in the world.

tivities following its re-launch and name-change. The competition in Kenya’s radically While we’ve seen all sorts of blazing feats over fiber here lately, it’s not often

FUTURE TELECOMMUNICATION

changing telecommunication industry is slow ly shifting from the battle over new subscribers for voice only to a tough industry turf war, fought on the platform of who has the potential to operate a wider data network. Zain is however yet to challenge Safaricom on the 3G platform. Although Safaricom has an upper hand by introducing this to Nairobi and Mombasa, Zain should be in pole position to take over when they upgrade their existent infrastructure

TELKOM ORANGE: ROLL OUT

The stage is set for stiff competition in the mobile telephony sector as Telkom-Orange, the former sole fixed line operator, rolls out its Global System for Mobile communications (GSM) country wide network, which is currently available in Nairobi and Mombasa. As part of the preparations for the roll-out, Telkom Kenya signed an agreement with Ericsson, the Swedish telecommunications giant as the sole equipment supplier for its ambitious network.

that such wide open bandwidth gets piped directly to a home, but a 75-year old Swede recently changed all that when she had a 40Gbps connection installed in her domicile. ‘Course, this fine dame is the mum of Swedish internet legend Peter Löthberg, and she’s hoping to somehow “persuade internet operators to invest in faster connections.” The trick behind the setup is a “new modulation technique which allows data to be transferred directly between two routers up to 2,000-kilometers apart with no intermediary transponders,” and just in case you’re wondering, she can download a full high-definition DVD in a painstaking two seconds.

A submarine communications cable is a cable laid beneath the sea to carry telecommunications between countries. A cross-section of a submarine communications cable. 1. Polyethylene. 2. “Mylar” tape. 3. Stranded steel wires. 4. Aluminum water barrier. 5. Polycarbonate. 6. Copper or aluminum tube. 7. Petroleum jelly. 8. Optical fibers.

The optic fiber used in undersea cables is chosen for its exceptional clarity, permitting runs of more than 100 kilometers between repeaters to minimize the number of amplifiers and the distortion they cause.

The Student Engineer

11

EDITORIAL

BUTTERFLY

Butterfly is a lifestyle developed by Kenya Data Networks to provide an online Culture that will provide users with the day-to-day tools to work and play using high speed wireless and fixed line connectivity both to the internet and a local portal from Nairobi, Mombasa, Kisumu, Meru, Nakuru and seamlessly throughout Kenya. Butterfly offers triple play service (Data, Voice & Video) making it a convenient one stop communication solution for individuals and organizations alike. KDN is currently building its Butterfly network to cover Business, residential and recreational areas in order to provide seamless connectivity to individuals whenever and wherever they are.

Butterfly using the wireless network

Butterfly enables palmtop, Personal Digital Assistants-PDA’s, notebook, laptop and stand alone desktop computers with Wi-Fi capability to remotely connect to the network from anywhere anytime providing users with total freedom to make any place their personal cyber-office. Butterfly’s simplicity takes out all the hassles and complexities related to setting up a fixed network and in its place offers a very flexible lifestyle where connectivity to the networks is as easy as ‘one click away’ from your independent computer. This service will be provided through the WiMAX network when the mobile WiMAX is launched. Wi-Fi (or Wireless Fidelity) was intended to be used for wireless devices and LANs (Local Area Network) like in offices or homes, but is now often used for Internet access. It enables a person with a wireless-enabled computer or personal digital assistant (PDA) to connect to the Internet when in proximity of an access point called a hotspot. KDN is now setting up mobile internet/networking products that end users with Wi-Fi enabled computers and PDAs to link to ISPs and other service providers or to their offices in a more or less transparent way to take advantage of the systems. KDN will market this under the Brand name Butterfly Freedom. The main advantages of Wi-Fi are; • Uses an unlicensed bit of the broadcast spectrum, this means less regulatory controls. • Many Notebook computers come with inbuilt Wi-Fi devices. 90% of Laptops produced after 2006. •They are many reliable and inexpensive Wi-Fi products in the market. While connected on a Wi-Fi network, it is possible to move about without breaking the network connection. WiMAX is a wire-

less Metropolitan Area Networks technology that provides a wireless extension to cable or last mile (last km) broadband access. WiMAX provides up to 50 km (31 miles) of linear service area range and allows users connectivity without a direct line of sight to a base station. The technology also provides shared data rates up to 70 Mbps (which is over 1250 times faster than your best dial-up link), according to WiMAX proponents, is enough bandwidth to simultaneously support more than 60 businesses with connectivity and hundreds of homes. WiMAX is referred to as “Wi-Fi on steroids”. It has the potential to enable even more millions to access the internet wirelessly, cheaply and easily. The WiMAX wireless coverage is in square km (miles) while that of Wi-Fi is in the medium range. A WiMAX base station would beam high-speed Internet connections to homes and businesses in a radius of up 50 km (30 miles); these base stations will eventually beam to an entire metropolitan area, making that area into a WMAN (Wireless Metropolitan Area Network) and allowing true wireless mobility within it, as opposed to hot-spot hopping required by Wi-Fi. The proponents are hoping that the technology will eventually be used in notebook computers and PDAs. KDN has over 120 WiMAX base stations in the country and is helping in the development of the mobility component.

Butterfly VoIP - IzzyTalk VoIP services convert voice into a digital signal that travels over the butterfly Wi-Fi or fixed line network. When calling a regular phone number, the signal is converted to a regular telephone signal before it reaches the destination. VoIP can allow you to make a call directly from a computer, a special VoIP phone, or a traditional phone connected to a special adapter. In addition, wireless “hot spots” in locations such as airports, parks, and cafes allow you to connect to the Internet and may enable you to use VoIP service wirelessly.

www.butterfly.co.ke

To use this service, register your Softphone on your PDA or Laptop with the KDN 5 Million numbers (020 5 xxx xxx) provider and TALK within the butterfly network begins…. Calls within the Butterfly network will be done for free. You can now use the Butterfly phone from morning till evening at a monthly flat fee of Kshs 500.

Butterfly fixed line KDN is embarking on an exciting venture to offer services to the homes. This will be done through a digital subscriber line (DSL) connection. DSL is a very high-speed connection that uses the same wires as a regular telephone line. The convergence of data, voice and video services (Triple-Play) from the same line is now a reality in Kenya. Some advantages of KDN ADSL are; • You can leave your Internet connection open and still use the phone line for voice calls. • The speed is much higher than a regular modem • KDN will provide the modem as part of the installation.

Home Office The home office solution is an extension of the services we provide to our corporate clients. We provide clients with a link from their homes to the office so that they are able to access the Internet and the LAN at the comfort of their homes. • We use either wireless or the fixed line technology i.e Butterfly. in areas where we do have the coverage we will even consider installing a WiMAX radio to extend the coverage • The service is on an unlimited access basis and therefore no limit on the usage time. KDN’s business concept to provide connectivity at any place and time in the country will be realized through these projects which are underway for the year 2008 through the adaptation of new market trends, technology and service trends.

BUTTERFLY PORTAL Kenya has very low internet penetration due to lack of infrastructure and local content. Due to the lack of local content, the users of the Internet have always had to buy international capacity through satellite to communicate. A good example is the mail being sent by one individual to another where both are using Yahoo or Hotmail accounts. These Kenyans will both buy international capacity to communicate with each other.

This is like the absurd man who talks to his wife in the same house through a cell phone. The Butterfly portal by Kenya Data Networks will provide a platform that will provide Kenyans with an avenue to exchange information store it and develop the local internet market. All clients connected to the KDN network across the country will have access to local content at no cost whatsoever. However, KDN doesn’t want to become a content provider; rather, the company is seeking to enter into partnership with content providers interested in expanding their distribution channels. The Portal will be available to everyone using the Butterfly and the Digital Villages across the country.

BUTTERFLY merchandise KDN invites Kenyans to experience the butterfly experience. The experience goes beyond data, voice and video communication. Available on the market is a butterfly clothing line and other items that are trendy and used in day-to-day lives. This items are of high quality but affordable and are meant not only to make Kenyans experience but also to own the butterfly freedom.

THE BUTTERFLY PHILOSOPHY BUTTERFLY is a lifestyle, it symbolizes the freedom to chose, the freedom to live life in a fashionable way without restrictions of where, when, what and HOW MUCH. It is a high-class brand for the sophisticated person who does not have to be rich to enjoy BUTTERFLY. In short, it symbolizes not all you need but ALL YOU WANT and makes it affordable!

ELECTRICAL

ALTERNATIVE ENERGY SOLUTION Over relying on fuel energy has left the world in a seri-

tentivity of these battery chemistries must be high enough to increase the power-on life of the battery. There are four primary chemistries available in the market currently for these mobile gadgets, viz: ous energy crisis. This is despite the fact that burning • Lead acid fuel is unfriendly to the environment. Kenya is among • Nickel Cadmium the developing countries that have been hit by the • Nickel Metal Hydride (NMH) energy crisis. Kenya Association of Manufacturers • Lithium ion KAM estimates that nearly 80,000 Kenyans risk loosing You must have observed that most chargers for these their jobs due to the energy battery chemistries are crisis facing the country. designed to take in AC KAM chairman Vimal Shah power as the input. A in an address to the media fundamental presumpsaid industries in the country tion is made that every face closure as power costs consumer of these moescalate and that high-enbile devices has electricergy costs in the country ity supply. Arguably, this have made Kenya very unis not always the case. competitive in both local What about our rural and international markets. guy? In a village where Electricity rates have gone electricity remains a ruup 600 percent in the past mor? Statistics show that one year. Due to this, Kendespite the in availability ya risks not only loosing out of electricity in such rural on new investments but will areas, the use of mobile also have current industries phones is widespread relocating to neighboring and thus there is a direct countries with lower energy problem of charging costs. Edwin Kivirenge demonstrates his solution to Michael Joseph, Safari- them. It is with this probThe undoing is however com CEO(left) and Kinuthia Murugu, PS Youth Affairs Ministry lem in mind and with the the reluctance in exploration of Green energy. With help of insight that I developed an integrated batall the known advantages of this type of energy be- tery charging system that not only addresses the high ing not only cheap but environmentally friendly, not reliability and power quality but also the rural massenough efforts have been put in place to harness market appeal for user friendliness. It should not be natural energy. Industry organization GSM Association lost that despite the fact that conventional chargers has launched the Green Power for Mobile program, take in a whopping 240volts at 50Hz, a phone battery which will help operators that want to use renewable only needs a maximum of 5 volts DC to charge. Most power sources, including solar, wind or sustainable bi- of the power input to such chargers is wasted being ofuels, to power base stations. The list of supporters in- stepped down to a low voltage. But on the positive cludes Bharti, Mobinil, Orange, Orascom, Safaricom, side, 5 volts DC can easily be harvested from the kiTelefónica, Vodafone and Zain. The goal is to power netic energy of humans in motion. 118,000 new and existing off-grid base stations in de- The main challenge was to design and produce a veloping countries by 2012, saving up to 2.5 billion lit- battery charger that incorporates mobility and also ers of diesel per year and cutting carbon emissions concepts of energy harvesting. The final design conby up to 6.3 million tons. Currently only 1,500 base sta- sisted of a hand cranked generator that charges a tions worldwide are powered by at least one form of cell phone-a compact and portable charger that renewable energy. produces virtually unlimited free and clean energy Renewable energy solutions for mobile electronic de- that is reusable at the same time. The voltage given vices out by the generator has to be regulated to be stable at a safe level suitable for charging the respective Technology change is driving the electronic industry battery chemistry and also limiting the current going to an increasingly portable system. The importance to the phone battery in order to charge without causof these portable electronic systems cannot be over- ing undue damage to the phone and it’s circuitry. emphasized here. They play a very vital role in com- The benefits of such a system include: munication, entertainment and even performing • Usage of regenerative energy instead of non-re transactions like banking or money transfer. In fact an generative energy average technologically savvy youth (an engineer- • Charge while on the move ing student for instance) ,will have, on average ,at • Environmentally friendly least three electronic gadgets on him/her to lead a • Simple portable design “normal” life. The design should be most suitable for rural applicaThis is just to mention but a few. As a direct conse- tion, however with small modifications, it can prove quence, these portable systems require a reliable important in military applications among others. power supply of a high quality. This has prompted the emergence of divergent battery chemistries used to The writer, Edwin Keverenge is a Fifth year student store the power needed by these portable systems. Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering. However it must be emphasized that the charge re-

14

The Student Engineer

[email protected]

CIVIL

They collapse, why? Wait until it happens and you can count how many belong to this profession. They are conclusive. They will prosecute and judge. They will tell you it is this and that. But by crossing Harry Thuku Road we have learned something in life. It is difficult to answer correct questions correctly but at least we try to get right things right. When buildings collapse, first lives are lost and huge sums of money will be lost. It is a catastrophe. Nobody would like to see this happen. Historically people have been building and several structures have collapsed including famous bridges in the world. In the ancient past it was a matter of life and death for the engineer who undertakes a building project. If it was a bridge one was to be tied under the bridge before it is used just in case it collapses he/she should be the first victim. However those were barbaric measures which were passed with time.

are put into consideration. Different loading conditions anticipated should be factored into the final design. Matters get worse when any drawing can be approved as a structural drawing. This jeopardizes the efforts of the learned society of engineers.

Material quality

As it is known a structure is constructed from materials. The final strength of the structure depends on the quality of materials. Concrete as one of the materials is so complex in quality assurance than what one can see being mixed. Good mix can only be achieved by following a mix design produced by an engineer. Another characteristic of concrete is how it gains its strength. Concrete sets after a certain period of time. Conventionally 14-28 days characteristic cube strength is used

But why should a building collapse? Geotechnical problem

This is the sunken truth. Few understand it as many cannot see it and even if they can see they won’t understand what really goes on. What goes up always comes from the ground. The substructure determines to a greater extent the strength of the building supported. Building foundation is erected from a hard rock or soil. Soil is neither wholly elastic nor plastic. It has unique characteristics which presents a big challenge in determination of its structural capabilities. It poses great challenges right from analysis to design and construction. It calls for genuine experience and comprehensive training in matters geotechnical. Guesswork and shortcuts which characterize our construction industry puts us in a sorry state in matters of structural integrity.

Structural problem

Before a building is constructed, structural drawings should be approved by the relevant authorities. These are not drawings that any Jack or Jane can reproduce using AutoCAD. It goes beyond origin of thought and structural soundness for an engineer to design a building. All factors beyond the layman’s knowledge

Forces of nature

This is a category that includes forces due to earth tremors, waves and tides, floods and other forces. This is a category which few have knowledge about and they could easily be neglected. In times of such catastrophes lots of property is lost. In Kenya most structures do not have a safety factor to cater for these. Minor tremors as experienced in the past can cause a lot of destruction due to this design negligence More has to be done other than press conferences and purchase of ambulances. Strict regulations have to be followed in the construction industry. Only professionally qualified engineers should be allowed to design. Masika Hamisi Gabriel Final Year student Department of Civil and Construction Engineering

The Student Engineer

15

MECHANICAL

THE HYBRID E

very aspect of engineering and consequently our life has to come to terms with the realization that how we spend the next fifty years of life on earth will determine its continuity or God-forbid demise. Thus technologies are being phased in-sync with ‘green’ policies drafted chief among them the Kyoto Protocol to curb human green house gas emmisions. GM has launched hybrid versions of its full-size GMC Yukon (pictured) and Chevrolet Tahoe SUVs’ for 2008

In motoring, Asia, Europe and the USA have began adopting such policies and hybrid vehicles are one way of achieving these. A hybrid vehicle is a vehicle that uses two or more distinct power sources to propel the vehicle. Power sources include:

- On-board or out-board rechargeable energy storage system (RESS) - Gasoline - Hydrogen - Compressed Air - Human powered e.g. pedalling or rowing - Wind - Compressed or Liquid Natural Gas - Solar - Coal, wood or other combustibles The term most commonly refers to Hybrid-electric vehicle (HEV) which includes internal combustion engines and electric motors. ENGINE TYPE Hybrid electric-petroleum vehicles When the term hybrid vehicle is used, it most often refers to a Hybrid electric vehicle. These encompass such vehicles as the AHS2 (Chevrolet Tahoe, GMC Yukon, Chevrolet Silverado, Cadillac Escalade, and the Saturn Vue), Toyota Prius, Toyota Camry Hybrid, Ford Escape Hybrid, Toyota Highlander Hybrid, Honda Insight, Honda Civic Hybrid and others. A petroleum-electric hybrid most commonly uses internal combustion engines (generally gasoline or Diesel engines, powered by a variety of fuels) and electric batteries to power electric motors. There are many types of petroleum-electric hybrid drivetrains, from Full hybrid to Mild hybrid, which offer varying advantages and disadvantages

16

The Student Engineer

Continuously outboard recharged battery electric vehicle (CORBEV) Given suitable infrastructure, permissions and vehicles, BEVs can be recharged while the user drives. The BEV establishes contact with an electrified rail, plate or overhead wires on the highway via an attached conducting wheel or other similar mechanism (see Conduit current collection). The BEV’s batteries are recharged by this process—on the highway—and can then be used normally on other roads until the battery is discharged. This provides the advantage, in principle, of virtually unrestricted highway range as long as you stay where you have BEV infrastructure access. Since many destinations are within 100 km of a major highway, this may reduce the need for expensive battery systems. Unfortunately private use of the existing electrical system is nearly universally prohibited. Hybrid fuel (dual mode) In addition to vehicles that use two or more different devices for propulsion, some also consider vehicles that use distinct energy sources or input types (“fuels”) using the same engine to be hybrids, although to avoid confusion with hybrids as described above and to use correctly the terms, these are perhaps more correctly described as dual mode vehicles: Plug-in Hybrid Electrical Vehicles (PHEV) The latest hybrid technology is the Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicle (PHEV). The PHEV consists of a gasolineelectric hybrid whose battery pack (usually Li-ion) is upgraded to a larger capacity, which can be recharged by either a battery charger hooked into the electrical grid or the gasoline engine (only if required). The car runs on battery power for the first 10 to 60 miles (16–100 km), with the gasoline engine available for faster acceleration, etc. After the battery is nearly discharged, the car reverts to the gasoline engine to recharge the battery and/or return the car to the charging station. This may get around the fundamental obstacle of battery range that has made nearly all pure electric cars impractical.

HYBRID VEHICLE EMISSIONS Hybrid Vehicle emissions today are getting close to or even lower than the recommended level set by the EPA (Environmental Protection Agency). The recommended levels they suggest for a typical passenger vehicle should be equated to 5.5 metric tons of carbon dioxide. The three most popular hybrid vehicles, Honda Civic, Honda Insight and Toyota Prius, set the standards even higher by producing 4.1, 3.5, and 3.5 tons showing a major improvement in carbon monoxide emissions. ALTERNATIVE GREEN VEHICLES Other types of green vehicles include other vehicles that go fully or partly on alternative energy sources than fossil fuel. Another option is to use alternative fuel composition (i.e. biofuels) in conventional fossil fuel-based vehicles, making them go partly on renewable energy sources. Other approaches include personal rapid transit, a public transportation concept that offers automated on-demand non-stop transportation, on a network of specially-built guideways. Plug-In Hybrid Model

GEOSPATIAL

I

n every area of civil and environmental engineering, automation tools and techniques are being utilized in new and exciting ways. Geospatial data collection, processing, management, retrieval, communication, analysis, and visualization are becoming increasingly more important as today’s engineering tools. New technologies like wireless sensor networks, geodatabases, and distributed operating, and geoweb service are substantially contributing to the development in geospatial engineering.

Google Earth Google Earth is a virtual globe program that was

the public caused a more than tenfold increase in media coverage on virtual globes between 2006 and 2007, driving public interest in geospatial technologies and applications. Google Earth displays satellite images of varying resolution of the Earth’s surface, allowing users to visually see things like houses and cars from a bird’s eye view. The degree of resolution available is based somewhat on the points of interest, but most land (except for some islands) is covered in at least 15 meters of resolution. Melbourne, Australia, Las Vegas, Nevada and Cambridge, Massachusetts include examples of the highest resolution, at 15 cm (6 inches). Google Earth allows users to search for addresses for some countries, enter coordinates, or simply use the mouse to browse to a location. Google Earth also uses digital elevation model (DEM) data collected by NASA’s Shuttle Radar Topography Mission (SRTM). This means one can view the Grand Canyon or Mount Everest in three dimensions, instead of 2D like other map programs/sites. Since November 2006, the 3D views of many mountains, including Mount Everest, have been improved by the use of supplementary DEM data to fill the gaps in SRTM coverage. Recently, Google added a feature that allow users to monitor traffic speeds at loops located every 200 yards in real-time. In version 4.3 released on April 15, 2008, Google Street View was fully integrated into the program allowing the program to provide an on the street level view in many locations.

originally called Earth Viewer, and was created by Keyhole, Inc, a company acquired by Google in 2004. It maps the earth by the superimposition of images obtained from satellite imagery, aerial photography and GIS 3D globe. It is available under three different licenses: Google Earth, a free version with limited functionality; Google Earth Plus ($20 per year), which includes additional features; and Google Earth Pro ($400 per year), which is intended for commercial use. The product, renamed Google Earth in 2006, is currently available for use on personal computers running Microsoft Windows 2000, XP, or Vista, Mac OS X 10.3.9 and above, Linux (released on June 12, 2006), and FreeBSD. Google Earth is also available as a browser plugin (released on June 2, 2008) for Firefox, IE6, or IE7. In addition to releasing an updated Key- Google Earth’s Power of Place hole based client, Google also added the imagery How has Google Earth managed to achieve what from the Earth database to their web based mapping few online imagery providers have — bringing spasoftware. The release of Google Earth in mid 2006 to tial data to the masses — and in Norfork

Engineering Block

UON Main Campus Moi Ave. Primary

Safari Club Hotel

University of Nairobi viewed from Google Earth

record time? Few can dispute that Google Earth has validated the power of place for millions of people across the globe and made them true believers in digital mapping. To be fair however, such geoportals as eMapSite and GlobeXplorer have been quietly and successfully building online businesses for more than six years. And the “wow” factor of Google Earth’s flyovers and streaming capabilities have been available for access for more than five years, through such services as TerraFly from Florida International University and Digital Earth from Skyline Solutions. Obiko Edward The Student Engineer 17

ENVIRONMENTAL

MAU FOREST THE HEART OF THE COUNTRY K

enya stands to lose a nature-based economic asset if the forest of the Mau Complex continues to be degraded and destroyed, this is according to UN Environment Programme. The Mau Complex is not only an asset of national importance that supports key economic sectors in Rift Valley and western Kenya, including energy, tourism, agriculture and water supply, but it is also the single most important water catchment in the Rift Valley and western Kenya. For the past few years UNEP has been documenting for the Kenyan Government and the people of Kenya the continued destruction and erosion of this vital ecosystem. It has reached a point where if no measures are taken, Kenya will lose one of its fundamental assets. Excisions and the widespread encroachments have led to the destruction of nearly a quarter the Mau Complex area over the last 15 years. MAU FOREST COMPLEX

Mau Forest Complex is an ecosystem providing homeland to many communities and a wide range of biodiversity. This forest complex covers a substantial area of the south-western highlands of Kenya, and probably represents the largest remaining near-continuous block of montane indigenous forest in East Africa. The forests cloak the western slopes, and part of the crest, of the Mau Escarpment, a block of raised land that forms the western wall of the Gregory Rift Valley, rising steeply from the floor and sloping away more gradually to the west. There are five main Forest Reserves: Eastern, Western and South-western Mau (c.66,000, 22,700 and 84,000

18

The Student Engineer

ha respectively), Trans-Mara (34,400 ha) and Ol Pusimoru (17,200 ha). A sixth large block, the Maasai Mau (c.46,000 ha) is as yet ungazetted. Over the last decade, the highland forests of the Mau Complex have been heavily impacted by new settlements, tree cutting and forest excisions. Mau Forest Complex is referred to as one of the five major water towers of Kenya. It forms the upper catchment of Kenya’s main rivers west of the Rift Valley. These rivers include the river Njoro and Makalia which drain into Lake Nakaru; Sondu, Yala, Nzoia and Nyando rivers, all flowing into Lake Victoria, as well as the Ewaso Ngiro, Kerio and Mara rivers. In addition it supplies water to many of the lakes of the Rift Valley, from Lake Turkana bordering Ethiopia to Lake Natron in Tanzania, which is the only regular breeding site for the more than two million flamingos found on the Rift Valley lakes of Eastern Africa.

HOME FOR BIRDS The Mau generally has a rich highland bird community, characteristic of the Central Kenya highlands but with some western affinities. A number of regional endemics occur such as Tauraco hartlaubi and the restricted-range Cisticola hunteri and Francolinus jacksoni. Regionally threatened species include Hieraaetus ayresii (scarce and local); Stephanoaetus coronatus (resident in small numbers); Tyto capensis (no recent records); Bubo capensis; Glaucidium tephronotum (fairly common); Indicator exilis; Sheppardia polioptera (uncommon and local); and Campephaga quiscalina (uncommon resident). This forest holds one of the richest examples of a central East African montane avifauna, and its size means that populations of most species are likely to be viable.

MASSIVE DESTRUCTION Since the early 1990s, clear-felling and burning inside the gazetted forests to make room for cultivation has had a disastrous effect on forest cover. To date, the clearing of forest continues unabated. Clearing natural forests for agriculture and charcoal burning, to meet the needs for firewood in towns and cities like Nakuru, are the main causes of forest destruction. Cases have also been sited of tree harvesting by paper manufacturing firms without replanting. Various communities have also settled on gazetted forest land.

EFFECTS OF DESTRUCTION Even as different stake holders debate and argue on the best way forward, the effects of deforestation are real and already being felt. It is a major contributor to the global worming. This brings with it harsh climatic conditions. Among the biggest losers are the farmers. The average harvest of tea farmers in the Mau escarpment has been dropping due to the detolorating state of the forest. Destruction of these forests also means

destroying the country’s largest water catchment area. This has a direct effect on the livelihood of millions of Kenyans who depend on water from rivers and streams flowing from this complex. The tourism sector will also be badly hit by destruction of this forest. The forest is a home to a number of indigenous bird species and destroying it means destroying the natural habitat for these birds.

EFFORTS TO CUB DESTRUCTION After a span of ignorance and neglect, various stakeholders have realized the need to restore and conserve the forest. In august the government convened a multi-stakeholder forum to collect information to determine a way forward for protection of the Mau Complex. The forum highlighted the need to restore the forest of the Mau Complex. Based on the forum discussions, a high-level task force was established to address encroachments into the forests. A new enforcement structure will also be setup to tackle rampant illegal logging and

AROUND AND ABOUT

charcoal making in the Mau Complex. It is hoped that political hurdles will not falter the government efforts. The world youth parliament plans to carry out an annual reforestation exercise in collaboration with the United Nation Development Programme. Various non governmental organizations are also carrying out independent measures to cub the destruction. There is an urgent need to halt the destruction and protect the catchment forests. Deforested and degraded areas must be urgently restored. Protecting and restoring the highland forests of say for example in Eastern Mau will not only save the biodiversity of these unique mountains, it will also protect and promote water supplies for the surrounding lowland areas, including Nakuru and Masai Mara. This is a matter of life and death. The more we continue to alter with the ecosystem, the more it retaliates. We need to realize that protection of our natural ecosystems all narrows down to individual effort.

Eyinda Samuel

by Angela Hiuhu

ENVIRONMENTAL AND BIOSYSTEMS ENGINEERING (EBE) DEPARTMENT On July 25th 2008 EBE department held a small beautiful dinner whose agenda was to bid farewell to the graduating 5th years of EBE department. The long awaited graduation ceremony was held on the 17th of October at the graduation square of Nairobi University. The dinner is intended to be made an annual affair. During the school break, 2nd and 3rd years were located in Upper Kabete for an eight week fourth term while the 4th years were out trying to get the feel of working in the various industrial attachments. The cry of the students of EBE department is now quietened and the bitterness held for ages is now eluding us. Reason being that the department is expected to get twenty new branded CPUs. Ten of these CPUs are being contributed by Jamii Bora Trust and the rest by Craft Silicon. Of most importance EBE department under the University of Nairobi recently came up with a memorandum of understanding between the department and World Vision Kenya. We pull our hats off to Professor Biamah as this is his project. The Memorandum of Understanding mostly entails renewable sources of energy something of vital essence to all people considering the sky rocketing prices of fuel. At the previous International Show held at the Nairobi Show Grounds, the department scooped an award for the best project .Training on EIA took place from 11th to 22th of August the training benefited the department as a whole. The department owes a lot of thanks to the ever vibrant Professor Biamah for his tireless efforts aimed at making the department more student friendly. Worth mentioning, Environmental and Biosystems Student Association is releasing its first newsletter soon. It aims at explaining what EBE as a course entails and what is expected of the continuing and new students of this department.

The Student Engineer

19

ENTERTAINMENT HUMOR UNGODLY ENGINEERING

The Misplaced Engineer An engineer dies and reports to the pearly gates. St. Peter checks his dossier and says, “Ah, you’re an engineer - You’re in the wrong place.” Pretty soon, the engineer gets dissatisfied with the level of comfort in hell, and starts designing and building improvements. After a while, they’ve got air conditioning and flush toilets and escalators, and the engineer is a pretty popular guy. One day God calls Satan up on the phone and says with a sneer,”So, how’s it going down there in hell?” Satan replies, “Hey, things are going great. We’ve got air conditioning and flush toilets and escalators, and there’s no telling what this engineer is going to come up with next.” God replies, “What? You’ve got an engineer? That’s a mistake - he should never have gotten down there. Send him back up.” Satan says, “No way. I like having an engineer on the staff, and I’m keeping him.” God says, “Send him back up here or I’ll sue!” Satan laughs uproariously and answers, “Yeah, right. And just where are you going to get a lawyer?” Playing with God

One day a group of engineers got together and decided that man had

Engineers and Lawyers There was once an engineer who found a magic lamp. When he rubbed it, a genie jumped out and said to him, “You have three wishes. But there is a catch - this wish system of mine was designed by a lawyer, so whatever you wish for every lawyer in the world will get double of!” The engineer replied, “That’s no problem, I can live with that.” He then said, “For my first wish, I wish I had a Ferarri.” “OK”, said the genie, and a Ferarri appeared in front of the engineer. “But remember, every lawyer in the world now has 2 Ferarris,” the genie told the engineer. The engineer remained unperturbed and said, “For my second wish, I wish for a million bucks.” So a million bucks appeared in front of the engineer and the genie said, “remember, every lawyer in the world now has 2 million bucks.” The engineer was non-committal and then said, “I always wished I could donate a kidney!”

come a long way and no longer needed God. They picked one engineer to go and tell Him that they were done with Him. The engineer walked up to God and said, “God, we’ve decided that we no longer need you. We’re to the point that we can clone people and do many miraculous things, so why don’t you just go on and get lost.” God listened patiently to the man and after the engineer was done talking, God said, “Very well! How about this? Let’s have a manmaking contest.” The man replied, “Okay, great!” But God added, “Now we’re going to do this just like I did back in the old days with Adam.” The engineers said, “Sure, no problem.” He bent down and grabbed himself a handful of dirt. God just looked at him and said, “No, no, no. Go get your own dirt!

Tech Talk

The long-awaited HTC Dream, the first commercial handset running Google’s Android operating system, launched under T-Mobile as the G1 for $US179(KSh. 14,000) on October 22nd. Featuring a 3-inch touchscreen, internet navigation buttons and a full QWERTY keypad, the smartphone market has finally broken free of Symbian, Windows Mobile and the sweet clutches of fruit companies.

Features: Screen: The G1 sports a 3.17” 65K colour touchscreen that runs in HVGA (480×320) resolution. Battery Life: You can talk for 5 hours, or keep the phone in standby for 130 hours. Camera: 3.1MP, or right around 35mm 4x6 print quality. Frequency Fun: GSM/GPRS/EDGE/Wi-Fi and UMTS/HSDPA 850/900/ 1700/1800/1900/2100Mhz Dimensions: 11.7 x 5.49 x 1.6 cm; Weight: 159 grams. And available in white, black and brown. Storage: 1GB MicroSD card preinstalled. Supports 8GB MicroSD. GPS: Of course, what would Google Maps be without it? Google Maps: As we’ve seen in a recent update, the G1’s Maps application will integrate Street View so you can see where you are going. But in an industry first, a built-in compass orients the map to your position. North is always up! Android Market: Similar to the iPhone’s mobile App Store, the Android Market will allow downloading of various Android apps from the phone, to the phone. Amazon MP3 Store: Amazon’s MP3 store will be preloaded on every G1, allowing the download of 6 million DRM-free tracks with singles starting at 89 cents. Downloading music requires a Wi-Fi connection, previewing can be done over T-Mobile’s network. YouTube: Yup, it’s on there. Other Apps ShopSavvy: designed to help people do comparative shopping Ecorio: developed to help people keep track of their daily travels and view what their carbon footprint looks like BreadCrumbz: enables people to create a step-by-step visual map using photos; customers can create their own routes, share them with friends or with the world

20

The Student Engineer

FILM REVIEW

ENGINEERING AN EMPIRE This 90 minute testament to the oft-repeated maxim “Rome wasn’t built in a day” provides not only an interesting overview of Rome’s engineering prowess, but also a nice generalist history of the major Emperors from Julius Caesar through the fall of Rome several centuries later. Starting, somewhat arbitrarily, with Caesar’s assassination, the documentary then moves backward in time to Caesar’s first engineering triumph, the bridging of the Rhine (in 10 days, no less, as the hapless German tribes watched in awe from the other side). The documentary then follows a chronological format through subsequent Emperors and their various building projects, including baths, aquaducts, the Pantheon, and Hadrian’s Wall. Filled with the History Channel’s usual expert assortment of talking heads (including, improbably, Robocop’s Peter Weller, now a Professor at Syracuse University), and featuring copious location footage, as well as recreations and some good CGI, Rome: Engineering an Empire provides an entertaining assortment of fact and character that should edify most viewers. BOOK REVIEW

DREAMS FROM MY FATHER Do yourself the favor of reading Dreams from My Father: A Story of Race and Inheritance, a memoir by 2008 United States Presidential candidate Barack Obama. It was first published in 1995 after Obama was elected the first African-American president of the Harvard Law Review, but before his political career began. The book was re-released in 2004 following Senator Obama’s keynote address at the 2004 Democratic National Convention (DNC); the 2004 edition includes a new introduction by Senator Obama as well as his DNC keynote address. The autobiographical narrative tells the story of the future Senator’s life up to his entry in Harvard Law School. He was born in Honolulu, Hawaii, to Barack Hussein Obama, Sr. of Kenya, and Ann Dunham of Wichita, Kansas, both students at that time at the East-West Center of the University of Hawaii at Manoa. Obama’s parents separated when he was two years old and divorced when he was four. Obama formed an image of his absent father from stories told by his mother and her parents. Before attending Harvard Law School, Obama decided to visit relatives in Kenya. He uses part of his experience here as the setting for the book’s final, emotional scene. Copies are available at the University bookstore.

NOTICE BOARD ADVERTISEMENTS

To advertise in the student engineer journal please reach to us via the emails below: [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] or give us a call; 0724517177, 0735847011, 0720847011, 0770053910

ARTICLES Send us your articles on the e-mail addresses given on the left. Writers of featured articles will receive awards.

JULY – SEPTEMBER EDITION WINNERS Masika Gabriel Amenda Astone Kiplimo Erick Hiuhu Angela Ongoma Anthony Obonyo Cedric Gitau Patrick Murunga Albert Olwande Eliud

The Student Engineer

21

ACTIVITIES

4TH TERM ACTIVITIES.

Third year Students from the department of civil Engineering were in session for 8 weeks when all the other students had gone for their long break after the end of year exams. The purpose of this short extended commitment was to appreciate the need for practical based learning besides academic training. For this reason they visited a number of Engineering Organizations and Engineering works sites including Industrial plants to acquaint themselves with the applications of all that is learnt in class.

S.S MEHTA ENGINEERS Some of the sites visited included S.S MEHTA ENGINEERS where they witnessed the processing of bitumen and asphalt. At the site were Engineers who also offered expert advice on the different methods of applications of the bitumen to road construction. Some of the other sites visited included Bamburi cement making plant, Pamoja Trust (Kambi ya moto)-Here the major interest was the methods they use to very quickly & cheaply build semi permanent houses that have a good aesthetic value. The materials used are imported but the project is still in its testing phase in the country.

MULTIMILLION SHILLING HOTEL IN RUIRU Another interesting site visited was the multimillion shilling hotel in Ruiru still under construction but in the finishing stages. The hotel boast of more than 10 floors of premium high class business suite rooms with state of the art dual jacuzis,power showers, temperature controlled steam baths, a 500 square foot helipad at its top and a 1000 plus exotic design disco/dance floor at it lower basement. It’s due for completion in 6-8 months pending the civil works going on.

HARLEY TIMBER ENGINEERING SERVICES Harley Timber Engineering services (HTES) was also visited during this time. This plant basically deals with processing of timber from raw material to finished fine products.

big learning experience. The factory which mostly produces clay products like tiles and facing bricks is one of its kinds in East Africa. It stands unrivalled with its 4 massive 700 square foot each kilns which reach a massive 800 degrees Celsius. It produces clay products on order from all over East Africa with a daily turnover of about 100 tonnes of finishes clay products.

APEC CONSULTING ENGINEERS Apec Consulting Engineers is the Engineering firm giving expertise assistance and direction in the 52 km class D road project in Maragua. The road is being surfaced with bitumen to make it an all weather road. This gave the students a chance to see firsthand on the technicalities of road construction a thing they will definitely encounter during practice in a few years.

OLKARIA GEOTHERMAL POWER PLANT, NAIVASHA Olkaria Geothermal Power plant in Naivasha was the last and the culmination of the Industrial visits during that period. This plant (Olkaria IV) is the newest in its kinds in the country and was commissioned not more that a year ago at the time of visit. It uses the energy in the earth which superheats water to steam that is used to turn turbines which produce electricity. After the power plant visit with a lot of time saved the students climbed down hells gate park. A national tourist attraction point in the rift valley.

Obonyo Cedric

NDAKAINI DAM, THIKA Ndakaini dam in Thika-an expansive water source and vital for the city of Nairobi was also visited. The reservoir has a depth of a massive 300 feet & is the most important source of water for Nairobi. It’s an earth reinforced with concrete embankment dam was built by the Germans in the early and mid 90’s.

KENYA CLAY PRODUCTS, KAHAWA Kenya Clay Products at kahawa along Thika road also gave a

22

The Student Engineer

Students tour Olkaria Geothermal Power plant

FYI

CAE - Your College of Choice The College of Architecture and Engineering(CAE) offers the most diverse range of academic programmes in the University and has played a key role in the development of the Nation. The college consists of three schools, one institute and two consultancy units. These include the Institute of Nuclear Science and Technology, School of the Arts and Design, School of Engineering and the School of the Built Environment.

VISION

To be a leading center for the development of knowledge in the disciplines of engineering and those concerned with the built environment and to inspire through activities and relationships, quality designed solutions to the built environment in order to raise the standards of life of the people of Kenya and Africa as a whole.

MISSION

To advance the knowledge and practice of the disciplines that constitute engineering and those that deal with the built environment and to foster the intellectual and economic vitality of the Kenyan people through teaching, research and outreach.

SCHOOL OF ENGINEERING

The school of engineering is divided into five departments namely; Civil and Construction, Environmental & Bio-systems, Electrical & Information, Geospatial and Space Technology and Mechanical & Manufacturing Engineering. The school has various departmental student associations and an overall Engineering Students’ Association (ESA). The departmental associations are SAME for Mechanical and Manufacturing students, GESA for Geospatial Engineering students, EBESA for Environmental and Bio-systems Engineering students, CESA for Civil Engineering students and two Associations for Electrical and Information Engineering namely; ICT & INTERNET CLUB and Association of Students in Electrical and Electronics Engineering(ASEEE). The school is represented at the students organization of Nairobi university(SONU) by a faculty representative.

The Student Engineer

23

IEEE PROJECT REVIEW REMOTE CONTROLLED SWITCH VIA SMS; INTELLIGENT SECURITY SYSTEM.

(Caption)

T

he Remote controlled switch enables one to control any electrical equipment remotely by sms. The system has two predefined sms formats. The first one can send a single sms to

THE I-LOCATOR

T

he i-Locator is an interactive virtual campus map that was designed and developed as a final year project by a team of 8 students from the Faculty of Computing and Information Technology, Makerere University. The main objective of the i-Locator was to develop an electronic geographical infrastructure referencing system. The

control several equipments at a go. This minimizes the cost of operation. The second one can control each equipment separately by specific sms. This gives the independent handling of the various equipments. The Intelligent Security system when enabled alerts the owner (or relevant person e.g. police) by calling the specific numbers whenever there is an intruder. For a big compound, the system will help in locating where the intruder

T

is situated by blinking the security lights where the intruder is as long as (s)he is still there. Practical application would be the banking strong rooms whereby if there is a break into the strong room without disabling the system first the police or security firm are called automatically. Apart from this the system is affordable to those who may not have the capacity to hire services from security firms.

by IRENE BEROCHAN AND TEAM. (MAKERERE UNIVERSITY) i-Locator links up (administrative, recreational religious and accommodation) centres and faculties within Makerere University and the surrounding hostels for the purpose of direction, navigation and orientation for students and all beneficiaries such that they avoid losing their way each time they find themselves in and out of campus.

INTELLIGENT TRAFFIC CONTROL his system automatically keeps on monitoring all the roads at a particular junction and subsequently gives Green light to each road for a duration

by EDEMBA MOSES (UON)

The i-Locator has a wide application in that interactive maps of other universities as well as towns can be developed on the same basis to save people’s valuable time and energy which they would have otherwise spent reading paper maps and making inquiries so as not to lose their way.

by RICHARD OCHIENG (MOMBASA POLYTECHNIC)

of which is proportional to how busy a road is. The current traffic lights on our roads sequence the lights equally to all roads regardless of its condition.

This system achieves this intelligence by use of sensors that are mounted along each road to detect the number of cars on a particular road.

SECURITY LIGHTS CONTROL

A

s the cost of energy escalates, so does the need of economic use available energy resources. Security lights are needed are needed during night hours particularly in places where the 24 hour work system is to succeed. They can however be wasteful if left working during daytime.

24

The Student Engineer

by WANJOHI DOROTHY(MOMBASA POLYTECHNIC) This project aims at eradicating this. the overall voltage Vout. This is done The project uses a light dependent resis- to a threshold that keeps the lights off. tor in a voltage divider circuit. The light During he night, when the light intendependent resistor is part of the volt- sity is low, the LDR value also goes very age divider circuit that determines the low(almost 0) hence increasing the output voltage of the overall circuit. The voltage Vout to a threshold that turns resistance of the light depended resistor the security lights on. varies with the amount of light intensity This projects aims at promoting ecothat is reaching it. An average light in- nomical use of energy without comprotensity that will normally be available mising on the security of the places in between 7am to 6pm will increase the mind. resistance of the LDR hence lowering

PICTORIAL

2 1

5

3

4

6

7

8

9

10

11

13

12

14

15

1. John R. Munda explains his project at IEEE Exhibition. 2. Best Male and Best Female Engineers, Abdelkareem Abdelrahman and Dorothy Wanjohi 3. IEEE University of Nairobi Team 4. Engineering Women 5. Creating a culture of Innovation 6. UON Participants chat at Exhibition 7. Dr. Dharmadikary at the exhibition 8. Janet of Mombasa Polytechnic displays project at Trade Fair 9. Abdulkareem demonstrates Sign-to-Speech Translator 10. Swaleh Hassan with a friend at IEEE Dinner 11. Engineering Students at Hell’s Gate 12. Edward and Dr. Wulff after Interview 13. Simon Miyare of Kenyatta University displays Ray’s Gasifier at National Energy Conference 14. Euan Fanell, Wananchi Goup’s CEO at Zuku Launch 15. Samuel Eyinda follows procedings at Zuku Media Launch