Research for Real-World Development Impact
The AIoT for ICT4D Research Cluster advances applied research that connects Artificial Intelligence, Internet of Things, cybersecurity and emerging technologies to Africa’s development priorities. Our work is organised around strategic research themes and funded projects that support public services, digital governance, resource security, health innovation, smart infrastructure and postgraduate capacity development.
AIoT for Resource Security
We apply Artificial Intelligence, Internet of Things and data-driven technologies to strengthen water, energy and food systems. This theme focuses on smart water management, agricultural intelligence, green hydrogen systems, environmental monitoring and resilient infrastructure for African development contexts.
Smart Water Systems
Developing AI and IoT-enabled approaches for water monitoring, leak detection, non-revenue water reduction and data-informed water management.
Agricultural Intelligence
Applying AI to crop health, plant disease detection and food-security challenges, with emphasis on locally relevant African agricultural systems.
Energy and Green Hydrogen Systems
Using data-driven models and anomaly detection to support safety, reliability and resilience in emerging energy systems.
Climate-Sensitive Infrastructure
Exploring intelligent systems that help communities, cities and institutions respond to environmental risk, resource constraints and sustainability pressures.
Secure Digital Societies
We advance research in cybersecurity, digital trust, smart communication, health innovation, public safety and connected urban systems. This theme supports secure, inclusive and intelligent digital transformation through AI-enabled solutions, IoT systems and emerging technologies.
Cybersecurity and Digital Trust
Strengthening secure communication, digital infrastructure, anomaly detection, cyber resilience and trustworthy technology adoption.
Smart Cities and Connected Infrastructure
Designing IoT-enabled systems for urban mobility, smart services, public safety and responsive city management.
AI for Health and Social Good
Applying machine learning and data science to health risk prediction, public-service improvement and community-centred development challenges.
Digital Governance and ICT4D
Supporting policy-relevant research, responsible innovation and technology solutions that improve governance, inclusion and development outcomes.
Water, Food and Climate-Resilient Systems
This project stream brings together research on urban water security, AI-supported crop disease detection and advanced water sciences. It supports practical solutions for resource resilience, agricultural productivity and sustainable development.
Innovate4Water
Reimagines urban water security through applied research, stakeholder collaboration and AI/IoT-enabled approaches to water management.
Lacuna Fund Project
Applies AI to plant leaf disease detection, with a focus on Pearl Millet and Maize, supporting food security and locally relevant agricultural intelligence.
ACEWATER III
Strengthens water sciences and technology through African and international collaboration, postgraduate mobility, research exchange and applied AI/IoT capacity development.
Smart, Safe and Healthy Communities
This project stream applies machine learning, IoT and intelligent systems to health, urban mobility and citizen safety. It translates research into practical prototypes and decision-support tools for public value.
HASH Project
Uses machine learning to identify teenage patients at risk of gestational hypertension, supporting data-driven health risk assessment.
Smart Parking Project
Develops an IoT-based smart parking payment solution for the City of Windhoek, contributing to smart urban infrastructure and digital service innovation.
Making Windhoek Safer
Explores AI-enabled citizen safety and panic reporting, supporting more responsive, data-informed approaches to public safety.
Frequently Asked Questions
The cluster focuses on applied research at the convergence of Artificial Intelligence, Internet of Things, cybersecurity, smart systems and emerging technologies. Its work addresses Africa’s development priorities, including public services, digital governance, water and food systems, health innovation, secure communication and economic value creation.
The research themes are organised around two broad areas: Water, Food and Climate-Resilient Systems and Secure, Smart and Inclusive Digital Societies. These include smart water systems, agricultural intelligence, green hydrogen systems, cybersecurity, smart cities, AI for health, digital governance and ICT4D.
The research benefits postgraduate students, academic researchers, communities, government agencies, industry partners, development organisations and policy stakeholders. The cluster is designed as a multi-stakeholder platform that supports research outputs, innovation outputs, external funding, postgraduate development, societal impact and economic value creation.
The cluster commits to annual research and innovation outputs, including peer-reviewed publications, conference presentations, postgraduate student support, implemented research projects, grant applications, external grants, industry partnerships, innovation projects and prototypes.