Johannesburg – The Institute for Collider Particle Physics (ICPP), headquartered at the University of the Witwatersrand, led by Director Professor Bruce Mellado, has been named one of the global recipients of the prestigious ODESS 2025 Prize from the Pierre Fabre Foundation in France.
This highly selective competition received a record 350 applications from around the world.
The prize recognises a technology transfer achievement of the SA-CERN programme, adapting methods from experimental particle physics to broader applications.
The winning project integrates environmental sensors, IoT communications, and real-time AI-powered analytics, an approach inspired by how detectors at CERN collect, transmit, and analyse data in real time.
For the first time, this integration has been implemented in a cost-effective way, enabling deployment at scale in diverse environments.
The system can monitor air quality and related risks in real time, supporting timely responses.
At the core of the project is the AI_r technology, an integrated platform that links data with advanced AI algorithms to detect potential anomalies early and assess the impact of environmental factors and climate change.
AI_r combines cost-effective, high-accuracy sensors with cloud-based analytics, offering a scalable solution that can be adapted to different local contexts while maintaining high performance.
The project has been made possible through the support of the South African Department of Science, Innovation and Technology (DSTI), the National Research Foundation (NRF), iThemba Laboratory for Accelerator Based Sciences (NRF-iThemba LABS), the Canadian International Development Research Centre (IDRC), the UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO), and CERN’s IdeaSquare.
Prof Bruce Mellado, Director of the ICPP, said: “This prize shows how the expertise and technologies developed in experimental particle physics can be applied far beyond the laboratory. The same principles that allow us to detect fundamental particles can help address challenges in society.”
Professor Mary Kawonga, project lead on public health aspects, said: “The system’s ability to combine environmental and health data in real time provides actionable information for decision-making, particularly in contexts where resources are limited”.
Chaitali Sinha, Senior Program Specialist at the Canadian IDRC, said: “Research that tackles pressing development challenges is as critical as the air we breathe.
“This achievement, as part of a joint IDRC and UK Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office initiative, shows how South African leadership and innovation can harness the power of AI in ways that are rooted in local realities and deliver real-world impact.”
The prize will be formally presented on 9 October 2025, during the 9th ODESS International Conference in Lavaur, France.
