Internet video for developing countries

On screen: The UCT team in the consortium to develop a new internet video broadcasting platform are (from left), Josephine Nakato Kakande; Adeyemi Abel Ajibesin; Guy-Alain Lusilao-Zooi; Veronica Sentongo and team leader Professor Mqhele Dlodlo.

UCT is part of a consortium developing an internet video broadcasting platform that has received a R14.5 million boost from the Department of Science and Technology.

The consortium is set to develop a commercial-grade platform with integrated advertising, which is aimed at servicing developing countries with low bandwidth networks. The three-year, R14.5 million investment comes from the department's Innovation Fund.

Prof Anthony Chan and Prof Mqhele Dlodlo of the Department of Electrical Engineering will lead the research at UCT. They will also supervise two PhD students, Adeyemi Abel Ajibesin, and Guy-Alain Lusilao-Zooi, and two MSc students, Veronica Sentongo, and Josephine Nakato Kakande, who will research specialised areas of adaptive multimedia broadcasting.

Other members of the consortium are the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) and Durban-based Internet service provider East Coast Access (ECA).

The video team: (from left) Veronica Sentongo, Professor Mqhele Dlodlo, Josephine Nakato Kakande, Adeyemi Abel Ajibesin, and Guy-Alain Lusilao-Zooi