The Royal Society pf South Africa and the Academy of Science of South Africa invite you to a webinar on ‘Bringing Light to the Digital Divide: Laser Links, AI, and the Future of Connectivity‘ presented by Dr Mitchell Cox MRSSAf, Senior Lecturer, Optical Communication Laboratory, School of Electrical and Information Engineering at Witwatersrand University on 20th August 2025 @ 17h00 SAST. REGISTER
Abstract: Many of us enjoy fast fibre internet at home, but millions in South Africa—and across the world—still have no reliable connection at all. As digital tools and artificial intelligence become central to education, work, and healthcare, how will these communities catch up? This talk explores a new approach from the Wits Optical Communications Lab: using laser light to wirelessly transmit data, much like fibre optics but without the costly cables. By shaping the beam into structured patterns, we can send data across long distances, even in areas where traditional infrastructure is too expensive or difficult to install. We will show how machine learning keeps these links stable in real-world conditions, and how our latest work—optical neural networks—could shift part of the processing from computers into the light itself. This could pave the way for cheaper, faster, and more energy-efficient networks that bring the benefits of the digital age to everyone.
About the Speaker: Mitchell A. Cox received his PhD in Electrical Engineering in 2020, focusing on Structured Light in Turbulence. He co-founded the Wits OC Lab, where he applies his expertise in structured light and his proudly-embraced “nerdy engineer” skills to pioneer solutions for long-range, low-cost free-space optical communications. These solutions often involve the creative use of low-cost components—often in ways not originally intended by their manufacturers—and the application of machine learning, evolving into optical neuromorphic computing, to advance low-cost FSO technologies. Dr. Cox was honoured with an NRF P rating in 2025, the 2024 Meiring Naudé Medal from the Royal Society of South Africa, the 2023 Friedel Sellschop Award, and holds positions as an Optica Ambassador and a Senior Member of the IEEE. With his wide-ranging and deep interests, Dr. Cox is committed to using his research to help bridge the digital divide.
He aims to make high-speed internet access available globally, beginning with his home in South Africa—tipping his hat to the hardworking taxpayers who keep the lasers on.