Naledi3d Factory

The Naledi3d Factory, located at the Innovation Hub in Pretoria creates visual content based on Virtual Reality (VR) and their interactive3d learning objects, or i3dlos. This innovative approach leads to material that is content as well as context rich, in realistic and stimulating 3D environments. Today, this powerful visual communication medium is available to most modern PCs and hence, to many of our communities.

In Africa, where poor literacy skills and language barriers pose huge challenges to learning and skills development, VR comes into its own. It’s intensely visual nature transcends these barriers by showing as opposed to telling. Unlike other, more traditional approaches to learning, VR takes advantage of the visual strengths of the human brains and provides a new, dynamic and powerful form of engagement.

In 2009, the Naledi3d Factory received a prestigious World Summit Award (WSA) for its work with World Links in Zimbabwe – selected from over 20 000 nominations from 1657 counties.  More recently, they established a collaboration agreement to work closely with Digi-Connect, who will focus on the implementation of developed interactive3d learning objects across South Africa.

As part of the work with SAFIPA, we are using visualisation and VR in two ways to educate local communities and municipalities, contributing to the resolution of service delivery challenges being experienced at the local level.

Background

Local government in South Africa is facing significant service delivery challenges. National Government has now placed a priority on addressing these challenges as they often result in service delivery interruptions and consumer protests.  As part of the solution, it is also important to also explore new and innovative approaches to ensure an effective reversal of this situation.

Municipal management – improved decision-making

Exploratory work has been undertaken on SimCity to develop a first version of a localised version of SimCity that can be used in training interventions with senior municipal administrative and political decision-makers (Councillors).  The objective is to help improve management, planning and decision-making skills at the strategic level in municipalities.

The project includes the replacement of the typical American buildings normally found in SimCity with new equivalents that better reflect buildings (including other objects such as trees) found in typical South African rural towns; as well as adjusting some of the game variables. The outcomes will be piloted later in a local municipal environment.

Resource management – reducing potable water waste

Poor infrastructure maintenance has not only led to a deteriorating infrastructure in municipalities, but also a major waste of scarce resources, including potable water from pipe and taps leaks.

At the grassroots level, the Naledi3d Factory aims to educate communities (and other municipal stakeholders) on potable water losses in domestic households – and how simple it can be to to fix a leaking tap. A set of i3dlos will show how to replace faulty washers in domestic taps and seals in cisterns.

The resulting interactive3d learning objects (i3dlos) will by piloted by the projects project partner, Daniel Lentle, who will work with selected water authorities, municipalities and with their local community intervention initiatives.

For more information contact Dave Lockwood via email at dlockwood@naledi3d.com or via phone on 082 894 3178.

Visit the Naledi3D website.