Patents by Inventor Tshilidzi Marwala

Tshilidzi Marwala has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Publication number: 20210350928
    Abstract: This invention relates to systems and methods for imputing missing data in a dataset, for determining a health condition of a person, and for calculating an insurance premium. In particular, the method described herein employs a trained autoencoder system which is configured to receive an input dataset comprising input data which has data missing therefrom. In a preferred example embodiment, the input data contains data associated with a person and the missing data is an HIV and/or Syphilis status of the person. The trained autoencoder system is configured to impute the missing data from the input dataset, which in the case of the preferred example embodiment is to impute or predict the HIV and/or Syphilis status of the person.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 20, 2019
    Publication date: November 11, 2021
    Inventors: Tshilidzi MARWALA, Rendani MBUVHA
  • Patent number: 9129595
    Abstract: This invention relates to a means for compensating for a whole or partial loss of speech. The means has a sensor unit in the form of a Logometrix pseudo palate and a palatometer which sense the position of a user's tongue while endeavouring to articulate words or sounds. The sensor unit is connected to a comparator which makes use of suitable artificial intelligence algorithms (such as Multi-Layer Perceptron Neural Networks and Hidden Markov Models) together with a library of stored words and sounds as well as tongue positions and signals related to jaw and lip movement as well as inhalation and exhalation to match words or sounds and transmit the matched words or sounds to a loudspeaker. Preferably the output of the loudspeaker will simulate the natural voice of the user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 8, 2015
    Assignee: UNIVERSITY OF THE WITWATERSRAND
    Inventors: Megan Jill Russell, David Milton Rubin, Brian Wigdorowitz, Tshilidzi Marwala
  • Patent number: 8357905
    Abstract: This invention relates to a method and an apparatus, primarily a radiation imaging apparatus and an array of coded aperture masks, for use in diagnostic nuclear medicine. The coded aperture masks are fitted with radiation attenuation tubes, each of which extends from each side of the mask in the direction of the mask apertures. The tubes are made from lead and have parallel sides. The masks are configured for gamma ray usage and are made from tungsten having a thickness of between 1 and 2 mm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 22, 2013
    Assignee: University of Witwaterstrand
    Inventors: David Mark Starfield, David Milton Rubin, Tshilidzi Marwala
  • Patent number: 8237124
    Abstract: This invention relates to a coded aperture mask for use in diagnostic nuclear medicine imaging. The coded aperture mask consists of a sheet of radiation opaque mask material having a series of apertures extending therethrough. The thickness of mask material has an attenuation percentage of less than 75% and, in a preferred embodiment, about equal to 29%. The coded aperture mask also, in a preferred embodiment, has a lead attenuation tube and has a projection of the smallest hole occupying the same area as a single pixel of a detector. The invention extends to a diagnostic nuclear medicine imaging system which uses a 16 bit gamma camera as a radiation detector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 7, 2012
    Assignee: University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg
    Inventors: Tshilidzi Marwala, David Milton Rubin, David Mark Starfield
  • Publication number: 20120106699
    Abstract: This invention relates to a method and an apparatus, primarily a radiation imaging apparatus and an array of coded aperture masks, for use in diagnostic nuclear medicine. The coded aperture masks are fitted with radiation attenuation tubes, each of which extends from each side of the mask in the direction of the mask apertures. The tubes are made from lead and have parallel sides. The masks are configured for gamma ray usage and are made from tungsten having a thickness of between 1 and 2 mm.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 8, 2010
    Publication date: May 3, 2012
    Applicant: UNIVERSITY OF THE WITWATERSRAND, JOHANNESBURG
    Inventors: David Mark STARFIELD, David Milton RUBIN, Tshilidzi MARWALA
  • Publication number: 20110190881
    Abstract: This invention relates to a means for compensating for a whole or partial loss of speech. The means has a sensor unit in the form of a Logometrix pseudo palate and a palatometer which sense the position of a user's tongue while endeavouring to articulate words or sounds. The sensor unit is connected to a comparator which makes use of suitable artificial intelligence algorithms (such as Multi-Layer Perceptron Neural Networks and Hidden Markov Models) together with a library of stored words and sounds as well as tongue positions and signals related to jaw and lip movement as well as inhalation and exhalation to match words or sounds and transmit the matched words or sounds to a loudspeaker. Preferably the output of the loudspeaker will simulate the natural voice of the user.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 30, 2009
    Publication date: August 4, 2011
    Applicant: University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg
    Inventors: Megan Jill Russell, David Milton Rubin, Brian Wigdorowitz, Tshilidzi Marwala
  • Patent number: 7915590
    Abstract: This invention relates to a method and an apparatus, primarily a radiation imaging apparatus and an array of coded aperture masks, for use in diagnostic nuclear medicine. The coded aperture masks are fitted with radiation attenuation tubes, each of which extends from each side of the mask in the direction of the mask apertures. The tubes are made from lead and have parallel sides. The masks are configured for gamma ray usage and are made from tungsten having a thickness of between 1 and 2 mm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 2006
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2011
    Assignee: University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg
    Inventors: David Mark Starfield, David Milton Rubin, Tshilidzi Marwala
  • Publication number: 20080296504
    Abstract: This invention relates to a method and an apparatus, primarily a radiation imaging apparatus and an array of coded aperture masks, for use in diagnostic nuclear medicine. The coded aperture masks are fitted with radiation attenuation tubes, each of which extends from each side of the mask in the direction of the mask apertures. The tubes are made from lead and have parallel sides. The masks are configured for gamma ray usage and are made from tungsten having a thickness of between 1 and 2 mm.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 2, 2006
    Publication date: December 4, 2008
    Applicant: UNIVERSITY OF THE WITWATERSRAND, JOHANNESBURG
    Inventors: David Mark Starfield, David Milton Rubin, Tshilidzi Marwala