GOVPH

By Mirielle Vacal

The DOST Team Philippines won several awards from the Seoul International Invention Fair (SIIF) 2024 this November 29, 2024, in Seoul, South Korea. From 519 inventions and products from 32 countries, our fifteen (15) technologies won three (3) gold awards, three (3) silver awards, four (4) bronze awards, and thirteen (13) special awards from Thailand, Malaysia, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, and South Korea. 

SIIF 2024 Gold Awardees 

One of the inventions that won a gold medal is Covert Security Yarns & Markings for Anti-Counterfeiting Applications developed by a team of inventors from the Philippine Textile Research Institute (DOST-PTRI).  This invention integrates glow-in-the-dark materials embedded into its textile fibers which imitated textiles from authentic ones. With this, it increases the security features for textile products and these markings emit colors when exposed to UV radiation creating traceability of the fabric’s origin.

Engr. Jeremy De Leon’s MAKE-roscope also received a gold award in SIIF 2024, this microscope keychain uses a smartphone’s camera to magnify small objects, allowing the users to observe intricate details without the need to buy types of equipment seen in the science lab.  This innovation also bridges the gap in science education, wherein traditional microscopes are often out of reach for many schools due to high cost and space constraints.

Completing the pool of gold awardees, Engr. Mark Kennedy E. Bantugon’s Pili Seal is a technology derived from discarded Pili tree resin that offers a sustainable, dual-purpose solution as both an adhesive and a sealant. Its organic composition minimizes environmental risks associated with synthetic sealants. The Pili Seal adheres to various materials, including metal, glass, wood, ceramics, bricks, tiles, and composites. This makes it suitable for various industries, such as aviation, construction, and building and roofing. 

SIIF 2024 Silver Awardees 

The silver award was given to the 2024 NICE First Prize Winner of the Sibol Award for Outstanding Student Creative Research - High School Level - Smart Helmet: The Head Covering Emergency Alarm System, Life Saver, and Monitoring Device invented by Peter John R. Bacani and Miraleih S. Jaime from the Isabela State University - this high-tech helmet uses sensors and AI which keep riders safe and secured. It also primarily focuses on Bluetooth connectivity for calls and music access, and rider-safety features for the detection of overspeeding, drunk driving, and fatigue. It can also allow the rider to analyze surrounding data and can send an emergency alert to the rider’s phone if it senses danger.

2024 NICE First Prize Winner of Sibol Award for Outstanding Student Creative Research - College Level which is the IET Pro: the effective and affordable Impulse Excitation Technique Prototype, the invention of Ms. Beatrice V. Bayan, offers an affordable and non-damaging tool compared to commercially available IET tools. These tools are used for measuring how materials bend and stretch. It has three components: a mainframe, USB microphone, and impulse or mallet. The IET Pro is essential for small-scale research, helping engineers choose suitable project materials.

Forest Products Research and Development Institute’s (DOST-FPRDI) Multifunctional School Furniture/Silyang Pinoy represented by Engr. Edward Paul S. Marasigan is made of engineered bamboo and serves multiple purposes, turning from a student desk and chair into a makeshift bed for evacuees in evacuation centers during emergencies.  Engineered bamboo, or an improved version of bamboo, is an excellent alternative to traditional wood due to its properties.

SIIF 2024 Bronze Awardees and Special Awards 

Bronze awards were given to these inventions: Smarter and Integrated Local Health Information System (SMILHIS) - eHATID represented by Mr. Jaztine A. Calderon, iPOND represented by Ms. Zalda R. Gayahan from the Metals Industry Research and Development Center (DOST-MIRDC), Bamboo Textile Fiber Technology represented by Ms. Marie Antonette V. Berces, from the Philippine Textile Research Institute (DOST-PTRI), and Herbal Cream preparation DEBCC Cream in Removing of Basal Cell Carcinoma or Skin Cancer using Cashew Nut Extract represented by Inv. Lorena B. Dela Cruz-Chiu. 

Below is the list of the special awards that the DOST team of delegation got in the said event:

The inventions showcased in the SIIF 2024 exhibition are a collective group of recent winners of the 2024 National Invention Contests and Exhibits (NICE) 2022.  DOST-supported technologies across various industries including textiles, water security, disaster risk reduction, environmental conservation, and education, self-funded inventors, and DOST-TAPI’s TECHNiCOM grantees.

The Philippines' triumph at the SIIF 2024 underscores its growing prominence in the global innovation arena after competing with five hundred and nineteen (519) inventions from thirty-two (32) countries in this year's exhibition.

With the nation continuing to nurture a culture of innovation and entrepreneurship, Filipino inventors, researchers, and technopreneurs stand poised to make significant contributions to addressing global challenges and bringing local innovation into the spotlight, where it shines the brightest.

**This article is part of the "SPICE: Science and Technology Promotion for International Contest and Exhibits" campaign for the Seoul International Invention Fair – SIIF 2024. For more information and event updates, please visit the DOST-TAPI website at www.tapi.dost.gov.ph.**