Filipino innovations developed to address the needs of the new normal are on showcase in the upcoming 5th National Research and Development Conference (NRDC).
The game-changing innovations in the industry, energy, and emerging technologies are set to take center stage as the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) feature its latest technologies virtually on November 9 to 11.
With the theme “Research and Development: Making Change Happen,” the 5th NRDC will present the latest researches and technologies that DOST and other government agencies have produced, technologies developed in response to COVID-19, and updates on the Harmonized National R&D Agenda.
DOST Philippine Council for Industry, Energy and Emerging Technology Research Executive Director Dr. Enrico C. Paringit encouraged partners from industry, government, and academe to join the 5th NRDC and know the latest about the innovations happening in the country.
“May our partners in the industry, government, and academe be inspired on how our local researchers are answering to the challenging times. We enjoin everyone to be with us in this three-day conference and meet our researchers who generated these technologies,” he said.
Technologies that will be featured in the 5th NRDC under the industry, energy, and emerging technology sectors are:
- The first locally-made disinfection booth in the country, USHER GoClean, was developed by USHER Technologies, Inc. which can be installed at the entrances of hospitals and buildings to sanitize and disinfect the whole body of a person. It provides sanitation thru the misting of electrolyzed saline solution or Anolyte that takes up only to 5 to 10 seconds per person.
- Project RAMDAM or Resource Allocation Management, Distribution, and Monitoring is a system developed by Geographic Innovations for Development Solutions, Inc. (GrIDS) which can be accessed via a mobile app and/or through a website to serve as a platform for community citizens and the government to share accurate information regarding relief distribution activities, contents of relief packs, schedule of distribution, and feedback from the recipients.
- The Tracing for Allocation of Medical Supplies (TrAMS+) project is an online geographic system for tracking information about health facilities’ medical resources. It relies on crowdsourced data to aid in the proper allocation of medical resources needed by healthcare facilities.
- As COVID-19 cases continue to rise, BPSU through the Additive Manufacturing Research Laboratory mass-produced 3D-printed face shields for frontliners. The AMREL serves as a facility for the BPSU community to do research, share and create their ideas, essentially serving as a playground for generating new products and world-class research projects.
- The Advanced Manufacturing Center (AMCen) mass-produced over 2,000 pcs of 3D printed face shields which were donated to 21 hospitals in Metro Manila and other nearby cities. The team has also produced more than 1,800 pieces of 3D printed ear relief bands to alleviate ear pain caused by prolonged wearing of face mask.
- They have facilitated the 3D-printing of venturi valves (also called the respirator valve) to 4 hospitals. They also produced various 3d printed devices such as prototypes of N95 mask, multiple patient ventilator splitter, modified oxygen concentrator mask, doorknob handle, and mechanic ventilator.
- The Futuristic Aviation and Maritime Enterprise, Inc. (FAME) designed swab collecting booths to mitigate the exposure of frontline health workers to the virus. Using technology, people with coronavirus symptoms can get tested without being in direct contact with the medical staff.
- The Batangas Egg Producers Cooperative’s (BEPCO) low-value edible eggs can now be converted into an egg white powder through pre-processing protocols and spray drying technology developed by the scientists from University of the Philippines Diliman. This product has a longer shelf-life than raw eggs, making it easier for bulk transport and storage without losing its functional properties and nutritional benefits. With this, the once low-value eggs of BEPCO go up the value chain as the egg white powder can be used for baking in households, and more importantly for institutional purposes as an ingredient in food manufacturing. The project is under DOST’s Collaborative Research and Development to Leverage Philippine Economy (CRADLE) Program.
- The Platform for Assessment and Tracking of Urbanization – Related Opportunities (PATURO) aims to formulate a smart index that can reliably and accurately capture the city’s “health” such as the diverse interactions between the city’s people, land, transportation system, and various economic activities. It intends to build a data hub allowing real-time and interactive access to data for simulation modeling to support decision making and generating features to define a smart index, and build a city dashboard showcasing the different levels of analytics (from descriptive to prescriptive).
- The Infrastructure Monitoring Petrography uses the petrography technique to provide in-depth analysis and assessment of the health of the concrete used in construction, roads, bridges, and buildings. With the large costs of building construction, this technology offers a cost-effective and time-efficient way of assessing concrete quality. The project is supported by DOST-PCIEERD and implemented by the University of the Philippines National Institute of Geological Sciences (UP-NIGS), in partnership with the Bureau of Research and Standards of the Department of Public Works and Highways.
Paringit urged the public to join the 5th NRDC and express their support to the Filipino researchers who harnessed their talents and expertise in coming up with these technologies.
“We look forward to meeting you in the 5th NRDC as we showcase to you the latest technologies that we have here in the Philippines,” he said.
For her part, DOST Undersecretary for Research and Development Dr. Rowena Cristina Guevara stressed the importance of investing in R&D to uplift the country.
“We at DOST believe that research leads innovation and innovation drives sustainable economic growth, even in the face of a pandemic. Innovation offers avenues to overcome challenges halting normal operations and offers the possibility of new products or business disruptors that will succeed in the new environment. The 5th NRDC is a platform for our researchers and scientists to tell the world how R&D can make change happen. It is therefore imperative for us to continue to invest and prioritize R&D for the betterment of our economy, our community, and our country,” she said.
The NRDC is spearheaded by the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) in collaboration with the Commission on Higher Education (CHED), Department of Agriculture (DA), Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) and Department of Trade and Industry (DTI).
Register now at http://nrdc.dost.gov.ph/ to know more about these government-supported R&D projects and programs that will help us recover and adapt to the new normal.
SEND CHEERS in the comments below to the people and organizations behind the Filipino innovations for new normal on showcase in the upcoming DOST R&D conference.
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