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"description": "Daily Maverick is an independent online news publication and weekly print newspaper in South Africa.\r\n\r\nIt is known for breaking some of the defining stories of South Africa in the past decade, including the Marikana Massacre, in which the South African Police Service killed 34 miners in August 2012.\r\n\r\nIt also investigated the Gupta Leaks, which won the 2019 Global Shining Light Award.\r\n\r\nThat investigation was credited with exposing the Indian-born Gupta family and former President Jacob Zuma for their role in the systemic political corruption referred to as state capture.\r\n\r\nIn 2018, co-founder and editor-in-chief Branislav ‘Branko’ Brkic was awarded the country’s prestigious Nat Nakasa Award, recognised for initiating the investigative collaboration after receiving the hard drive that included the email tranche.\r\n\r\nIn 2021, co-founder and CEO Styli Charalambous also received the award.\r\n\r\nDaily Maverick covers the latest political and news developments in South Africa with breaking news updates, analysis, opinions and more.",
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"contents": "<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">On Wednesday morning, the third day of the Mining Indaba, a robotic dog named Spot walked 1.5km from the V&A Waterfront to the Cape Town International Convention Centre. Simply because he can, of course. </span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">But the wider point is that he can also easily walk 1.5km underground if required to do so and, with his 14kg payload, could take 14 litres of water to mine workers trapped after an accident. Rather like a more compact version of a St Bernard, which rescues people buried under snow. </span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Spot, which is controlled by an X-box-style console, is powered by a lithium iron battery and once he’s juiced up, can roll for 90 minutes, said Jamie van Schoor, the CEO of Dwyka Mining Services. </span>\r\n\r\nhttps://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2022-05-11-reserve-bank-smoked-out-guptas-money-laundering-bank-of-baroda-before-state-capture-findings/\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">“Who wants to do a push-up challenge with Spot?” he joked after the robot arrived at the convention centre to the delight of a small crowd of attendees. Here’s a hint: only challenge him if his battery is almost empty. </span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Spot is manufactured by Boston Dynamics, while his environmental sensors are the product of Maestro Digital Mine. Dwyka is the local authorised reseller for both and has spliced the technology, which was on display for the first time at the Indaba. </span>\r\n\r\n<p><a href=\"https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/boston-dynamics-spot-robot-dog-visits-va-waterfront-4/\"><img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"size-full wp-image-1261872\" src=\"https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/ED_379423.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"720\" height=\"360\" /></a> Spot arriving at the CTICC on 11 May 2022 in Cape Town, South Africa. (Photo: Gallo Images / Brenton Geach)</p>\r\n\r\n<p><a href=\"https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/boston-dynamics-spot-robot-dog-visits-va-waterfront-3/\"><img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"size-full wp-image-1261871\" src=\"https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/ED_379422.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"720\" height=\"415\" /></a> Spot and his handler, Rethabile Leetlala from Dwyka, at the V&A Waterfront on 11 May 2022 in Cape Town, South Africa. Spot is an agile mobile robot that navigates terrain with unprecedented mobility. (Photo: Gallo Images / Brenton Geach)</p>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Spot’s uses are varied and go beyond search and rescue. Importantly, he can be applied to preventive measures to ensure accidents don’t happen in the first place. </span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Using laser technology, Spot can go in and “map an underground area to detect geotechnical faults”, Van Schoor told </span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Business Maverick</span></i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. </span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Such technology can also be employed to detect other hazards.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">“Hazardous gases underground are an invisible threat to mining teams, who often don’t know they are in danger until it’s too late. This gas build-up can be created through the exposed strata, blasting, daily ‘mucking’ and even runaway battery fires on critical machinery. </span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">“Traditionally, the gas levels are measured by the ventilation system at the return air raises or wearable sensors donned by miners. While this fixed infrastructure has saved countless lives, mobile autonomous inspection on aerial and ground robots of strategic areas before re-entry or in emergency situations are the next step to complete real-time coverage,” Dwyka said in a statement. </span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">“Using the Spot Enterprise on-board processing, the data is shared wirelessly over Wi-Fi and gas and temperature sensor readings are captured while the robot is in operation and displayed in real time via the MaestroLink application.” </span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Spot, the robotic dog, and Anglo American Platinum’s massive hydrogen truck – let’s dub it Goliath – both underscore how mining is at the cutting edge of technological advancement. Goliath points to a greener future with zero emissions, while Spot heralds a safer future for mine workers, not least because he can reach places too dangerous for humans to venture into. </span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">And that’s something to set tails wagging. </span><b>DM/BM</b>\r\n\r\n \r\n\r\n[hearken id=\"daily-maverick/9472\"]",
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"name": "Spot and his handler Rethabile Leetlala from Dwyka mining services at V&A Waterfront on May 11, 2022 in Cape Town, South Africa. Spot is an agile mobile robot that navigates terrain with unprecedented mobility, allowing one to automate routine inspection tasks and data capture safely, accurately, and frequently. (Photo by Gallo Images/Brenton Geach)",
"description": "<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">On Wednesday morning, the third day of the Mining Indaba, a robotic dog named Spot walked 1.5km from the V&A Waterfront to the Cape Town International Convention Centre. Simply because he can, of course. </span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">But the wider point is that he can also easily walk 1.5km underground if required to do so and, with his 14kg payload, could take 14 litres of water to mine workers trapped after an accident. Rather like a more compact version of a St Bernard, which rescues people buried under snow. </span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Spot, which is controlled by an X-box-style console, is powered by a lithium iron battery and once he’s juiced up, can roll for 90 minutes, said Jamie van Schoor, the CEO of Dwyka Mining Services. </span>\r\n\r\nhttps://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2022-05-11-reserve-bank-smoked-out-guptas-money-laundering-bank-of-baroda-before-state-capture-findings/\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">“Who wants to do a push-up challenge with Spot?” he joked after the robot arrived at the convention centre to the delight of a small crowd of attendees. Here’s a hint: only challenge him if his battery is almost empty. </span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Spot is manufactured by Boston Dynamics, while his environmental sensors are the product of Maestro Digital Mine. Dwyka is the local authorised reseller for both and has spliced the technology, which was on display for the first time at the Indaba. </span>\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_1261872\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"720\"]<a href=\"https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/boston-dynamics-spot-robot-dog-visits-va-waterfront-4/\"><img class=\"size-full wp-image-1261872\" src=\"https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/ED_379423.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"720\" height=\"360\" /></a> Spot arriving at the CTICC on 11 May 2022 in Cape Town, South Africa. (Photo: Gallo Images / Brenton Geach)[/caption]\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_1261871\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"720\"]<a href=\"https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/boston-dynamics-spot-robot-dog-visits-va-waterfront-3/\"><img class=\"size-full wp-image-1261871\" src=\"https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/ED_379422.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"720\" height=\"415\" /></a> Spot and his handler, Rethabile Leetlala from Dwyka, at the V&A Waterfront on 11 May 2022 in Cape Town, South Africa. Spot is an agile mobile robot that navigates terrain with unprecedented mobility. (Photo: Gallo Images / Brenton Geach)[/caption]\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Spot’s uses are varied and go beyond search and rescue. Importantly, he can be applied to preventive measures to ensure accidents don’t happen in the first place. </span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Using laser technology, Spot can go in and “map an underground area to detect geotechnical faults”, Van Schoor told </span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Business Maverick</span></i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. </span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Such technology can also be employed to detect other hazards.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">“Hazardous gases underground are an invisible threat to mining teams, who often don’t know they are in danger until it’s too late. This gas build-up can be created through the exposed strata, blasting, daily ‘mucking’ and even runaway battery fires on critical machinery. </span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">“Traditionally, the gas levels are measured by the ventilation system at the return air raises or wearable sensors donned by miners. While this fixed infrastructure has saved countless lives, mobile autonomous inspection on aerial and ground robots of strategic areas before re-entry or in emergency situations are the next step to complete real-time coverage,” Dwyka said in a statement. </span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">“Using the Spot Enterprise on-board processing, the data is shared wirelessly over Wi-Fi and gas and temperature sensor readings are captured while the robot is in operation and displayed in real time via the MaestroLink application.” </span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Spot, the robotic dog, and Anglo American Platinum’s massive hydrogen truck – let’s dub it Goliath – both underscore how mining is at the cutting edge of technological advancement. Goliath points to a greener future with zero emissions, while Spot heralds a safer future for mine workers, not least because he can reach places too dangerous for humans to venture into. </span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">And that’s something to set tails wagging. </span><b>DM/BM</b>\r\n\r\n \r\n\r\n[hearken id=\"daily-maverick/9472\"]",
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"summary": "The advanced technology of the mining sector has been on full display in recent days. Last week, it was a monster hydrogen-powered truck with a 290-tonne payload. This week, at the Cape Town Mining Indaba, Spot, a robotic dog with a payload of 14kg, made a fetching appearance. \r\n",
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Spot arriving at the CTICC on 11 May 2022 in Cape Town, South Africa. (Photo: Gallo Images / Brenton Geach)
Spot and his handler, Rethabile Leetlala from Dwyka, at the V&A Waterfront on 11 May 2022 in Cape Town, South Africa. Spot is an agile mobile robot that navigates terrain with unprecedented mobility. (Photo: Gallo Images / Brenton Geach)