Brainternet
World's first project to connect a human brain live and mobile to the internet, generating massive global media attention with over 300,000 Google hits.
About · Innovation
Innovation Journey
Pioneering breakthrough technologies and driving transformative innovation across biomedical engineering, brain-computer interfaces, and applied AI.
36+
Innovation Projects
3
World Firsts
12
Companies Founded
19+
Years Active
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01 Notable
Notable
Projects
2025
Founded Mailiam
Founded Mailiam
2025
Founded Polymode
Founded Polymode
2024
Co-founded Dsrupt
Co-founded Dsrupt.ai
2024
Co-founded Demograph
Co-founded Demograph.ai
2024
Co-founded AI Leads Factory
Co-founded AI Leads Factory
2024
Co-founder Closerr
Co-founder Closerr
2023
Co-founded Efficient Automation
Co-founded Efficient Automation
2022
Founded ERROS to combat medical error
Founded ERROS to combat medical error
2022
Co-creator and supervisor of a novel approach to detecting virus evolution through mathematical entropy
Co-creator and supervisor of a novel approach to detecting virus evolution through mathematical entropy
2021
Co-founded Evia Health to improve medicine adherance and auto-package pills for improved convenience and healthcare outcomes
Co-founded Evia Health to improve medicine adherance and auto-package pills for improved convenience and healthcare outcomes
2021
Created an interview series/podcast Shift
Created an interview series/podcast Shift.Stream to showcase human resilience to forge success despite major adversity
2021
Initiated projects to study the uncanny valley hypothesis and to leverage GAN networks to improve medical textbook images
Initiated projects to study the uncanny valley hypothesis and to leverage GAN networks to improve medical textbook images
2021
Conceptualised and supervised a novel stimuli based model of the brain
Conceptualised and supervised a novel stimuli based model of the brain
2020
Co-supervised an X-Ray data generation system to include pathology
Co-supervised an X-Ray data generation system to include pathology
2020
Angel to and Chairman of the Board of Resolute Education which is closing the increasing gap in STEM education and accessibility in STEM education
Angel to and Chairman of the Board of Resolute Education which is closing the increasing gap in STEM education and accessibility in STEM education
2020
Created shift
Created shift.stream to give hope during the 2020 pandemic. Shift.stream is an interview series to showcase remarkable individuals who have overcome major adversity to make their lives extraordinary
2019
World first innovation BrainConnect where messages were passed through a human brain using the SSVEP response to light
World first innovation BrainConnect where messages were passed through a human brain using the SSVEP response to light
2019
Co-founded Reach to help solve the anxiety pandemic by democratising access to mental health tools
Co-founded Reach to help solve the anxiety pandemic by democratising access to mental health tools
2018 - 2022
(Toward PhD) A solution to the issue of error in laboratory medicine developed with machine learning
(Toward PhD) A solution to the issue of error in laboratory medicine developed with machine learning. This problem results in millions of deaths a year and billions in wasted expendature, and has been simply solved using machine learning techniques at Wits University.
2018 - 2022
(Toward MSc) A novel machine learning technique to enable machine learning from exceptionally small datasets in the context of automated body mass index estimation
(Toward MSc) A novel machine learning technique to enable machine learning from exceptionally small datasets in the context of automated body mass index estimation.
2018 - 2022
Delivered over 80 public talks on five continents largely based on innovation work, some to audiences larger than 1 400 people
Delivered over 80 public talks on five continents largely based on innovation work, some to audiences larger than 1 400 people
2018
Co-supervised an automated pathology screening tool for X-Rays
Co-supervised an automated pathology screening tool for X-Rays
2016
World first innovation Brainternet launched to media by Wits University captured massive public attention (more than 300 000 Google hits, and news in media around the world including Futurism, Ozy
World first innovation Brainternet launched to media by Wits University captured massive public attention (more than 300 000 Google hits, and news in media around the world including Futurism, Ozy.com, World Economic Forum, and many others)
2015 - 2017
Lead a team of 54 people in extensive innovation for VAT IT across 7 teams - including international expansions, process automation, OCR, machine learning
Lead a team of 54 people in extensive innovation for VAT IT across 7 teams - including international expansions, process automation, OCR, machine learning
2015
Co-founded AURA and Board Member of the world's largest private response network, which has saved upward of 1 100 lives
Co-founded AURA and Board Member of the world's largest private response network, which has saved upward of 1 100 lives
2015
Co-conceptualised and supervised a project to use electromyography to improve CPR training and delivery
Co-conceptualised and supervised a project to use electromyography to improve CPR training and delivery
2015
World first innovation to leverage the vestibulo-occular reflex to more naturally control a light (note a patent showing idea priority was subsequently discovered, but this was a unique idea at the time and a unique implementation to our knowledge)
World first innovation to leverage the vestibulo-occular reflex to more naturally control a light (note a patent showing idea priority was subsequently discovered, but this was a unique idea at the time and a unique implementation to our knowledge)
2014
Supervised a project for an AI tool to automatically identify medical pills
Supervised a project for an AI tool to automatically identify medical pills
2013
Initiated, arranged, and co-delivered the Lean Launch Pad at Wits University to expose graduate engineers to commercialisation and innovation, resulting in DocFox (also was a co-founder of its predecessor Gladi8)
Initiated, arranged, and co-delivered the Lean Launch Pad at Wits University to expose graduate engineers to commercialisation and innovation, resulting in DocFox (also was a co-founder of its predecessor Gladi8)
2013
Played a minor role in the activities around the establishment of Tshimologong at Wits
Played a minor role in the activities around the establishment of Tshimologong at Wits
2012
Supervised a project for an eye controlled wheelchair using off-the-shelf accessible technologies
Supervised a project for an eye controlled wheelchair using off-the-shelf accessible technologies
2012
Co-founded Tariffic, recipient of a SPII grant, implemented and lead the team producing IP of world-first technology to extract information from billing, analyse, and recommend the optimal mobile phone contract over tens of thousands of options in South Africa
Co-founded Tariffic, recipient of a SPII grant, implemented and lead the team producing IP of world-first technology to extract information from billing, analyse, and recommend the optimal mobile phone contract over tens of thousands of options in South Africa
2012
Supervised a project to leverage SSVEP for disabled people to control their environments demonstrated by controlling a remote robotic arm through perception of light and facial expression
Supervised a project to leverage SSVEP for disabled people to control their environments demonstrated by controlling a remote robotic arm through perception of light and facial expression
2011
Co-founded Medinexus South Africa for distribution of radiological information to recipient doctors which ultimately became a full Lab Information System, PRTL
Co-founded Medinexus South Africa for distribution of radiological information to recipient doctors which ultimately became a full Lab Information System, PRTL
2007
Co-created a low cost surgery automation environment control system including a hand-seeking light system and remote computer interaction system
Co-created a low cost surgery automation environment control system including a hand-seeking light system and remote computer interaction system
2007
Created a viable means of assessing the impact of imputation of missing data in machine learning
Created a viable means of assessing the impact of imputation of missing data in machine learning
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Key Innovation Highlights
BrainConnect
Revolutionary innovation enabling messages to be passed through a human brain using the SSVEP response to light - another world first breakthrough.
Healthcare AI
Multiple AI solutions for healthcare including automated pathology screening, medical error reduction, and novel diagnostic tools.
Technology Companies
Founded multiple technology companies including AURA (security), Evia Health (medicine), and various AI-focused ventures.
Impact
Innovation impact
Worldwide media recognition, world-first breakthrough technologies, life-saving healthcare solutions, and academic research excellence — innovation measured by what it changes in the real world.
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