Juan Science, One Nation
Indigenous, home-grown technology developed by Filipino scientists and engineers take center stage on Monday, July 25th as the Department of Science and Technology Region 10 celebrates National Science and Technology Week 2016 to be held at the Grand Caprice Restaurant and Convention Center at Limketkai Center, Cagayan de Oro City.
At the Philippine Information Agency Region 10’s “Talakayan sa PIA” latest episode, DOST-10 Regional Director Alfonso P. Alamban said the Innovation and Technology Forum will showcase DOST programs and projects during its morning session including the Small Enterprise Technology Upgrading Program (SETUP), One Expert, oneSTore, and RxBox.
SETUP is the DOST’s nationwide strategy to encourage and assist micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) to adopt technological innovations to improve their products, services, operations and level up their productivity and competitiveness.
Engr. Cesar Alba, CEO of McAlba’s Foods Corp. will share his experience as SETUP Adoptor which made the firm a national finalist for DOST’s Best SETUP Adoptor.
DOST have prioritized the following sectors for SETUP assistance: food processing; furniture, marine and aquatic resources; gifts, housewares & decors; horticulture & agriculture; metals & engineering; health products and services/pharmaceuticals; and ICT/electronics.
To date, DOST Region 10 have provided 270 technology interventions to 200 existing firms and 73 start-up firms. These firms were able to generate employment of 5,808 man-months and gross sales of PhP 429.11-million following SETUP interventions.
One Expert (1E) is an interactive web-based national pool of science and technology (S&T) experts which aims to provide technical advice and consultancy services to Filipinos anywhere in the country.
Meantime, oneSTore.ph is an e-commerce web application that operates nationwide and caters primarily to Filipino consumers. It helps the DOST’s assisted MSMEs expand the scope of their target markets to help spur economic growth and multiply business opportunities. oneSTore provides consumers with an effortless shopping experience and retailers with simple and direct access to the largest customer base in the country.
Not the least, the RxBox is a portable innovation funded by the DOST’s Philippine Council on Health Research and Development (PCHRD) and developed by researchers at the Electrical and Electronics Engineering Institute, the U.P. National Institute of Physics from the University of the Philippines in Diliman, and the National Telehealth Center.
Nurse Laarni Navales takes an Electroencephalogram (ECG) of PIA-10’s Rudy Mendoza with the RxBox. (photo by Mike Baños, NPN)
The connecting medics is a medical device which enables health workers in remote communities to consult with medical experts in urban areas, providing better access to life-saving healthcare services in isolated and disadvantaged communities anywhere in the nation.
RxBox has built-in medical sensors for monitoring blood pressure and blood oxygen levels, assessing the strength of contraction of the mother’s uterus, as well as electrocardiogram and fetal heart monitor. The data acquired by the sensors are stored in the device and may be transmitted to a specialist as the need arises and upon patient’s consent.
The RxBox being demonstrated by Laarni Navales to take the blood pressure of DXIM Program Host Andrew Jularbal. (photo by Mike Baños, NPN)
Through RxBox’s video consultation capability, clinical experts from urban centers can diagnose patients and assist rural doctors in managing the treatment of their patients. Audio signals from a patient’s heart, lungs, and the abdomen could also be transmitted to help experts diagnose the status of the patient from the health unit. This allows clinical experts from the Philippine General Hospital’s “telecenters” help rural doctors in handling serious medical cases in their health units. The National Telehealth use wireless technology (Landline, internet, SMS, MMS, GPRS) to enhance access of rural patients.
The RxBox, shown here being demonstrated by Laarni Navales who is taking PIA-10 RD Thelma Oliver’s Blood Pressure (photo by Mike Baños, NPN)
All three technologies will be demonstrated through audio-visual presentations during the morning forum and will be among the exhibits available for the public’s scrutiny at the venue until Tuesday, July 26.
For the afternoon session, Stratech Multi-Industrial Resources Co., Inc. will host a forum on solar energy and later at 3:00PM DOST-10 hosts a forum on its commerciable technologies.
All three forums are open to the public free of charge.
“We wish to present these commerciable technologies to the private sector for them to take up as business ventures,” Alamban explained.
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