James Dyson Award 2024: Meet the Filipino Minds Solving Real-World Problems

From fire-resistant coatings to eco-friendly cement and underground monitoring tech, these are the innovations from year’s James Dyson Award participants from the Philippines

We all know Dyson for their game-changing vacuums—those sleek, futuristic gadgets that suck up dust bunnies with the force of a small hurricane. But it turns out that Sir James Dyson, the man behind the machines, isn’t just about surface-level clean-ups. He’s also deep into the messier business of fostering global innovation. The James Dyson Award is a prestigious competition that challenges young inventors to solve real-world problems with groundbreaking solutions. It attracts bright minds from all corners of the globe, with participants flexing their problem-solving creations on everything from daily annoyances to colossal global challenges.

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In the 2024 edition of the national round, three inventive Filipinos snagged top honors. Each presented an innovation that could save lives—or at the very least, make them a bit easier.

Runner-Up: Fire GeoPrimer

King Zhytt Driz and Alonzo Gabriel Limocon of Mindanao State University-Iligan Institute of Technology

King Zhytt Driz and Alonzo Gabriel Limocon aren’t here to play with matches. Their brainchild, Fire GeoPrimer, is a geopolymeric intumescent flame-retardant primer coating designed to protect wooden structures from burning to a crisp. Inspired by the Philippines’ staggering fire incident rates and the environmental nuisance of agro-industrial waste, they’ve hit two birds with one stone by turning waste into fire-resistant gold.

Their unique formula uses nanosilica derived from agricultural waste and aluminum extracted from clay. This sustainable concoction coats wood in a fire-resistant barrier, forming a thick char layer when heated. The result is a protective shell that keeps the flames at bay, reducing the temperature on the other side and buying precious time during a fire.

The coating also doubles as a primer, providing a better surface for paints to cling to. The duo behind Fire GeoPrimer tinkered with various formulations, perfecting the balance between fire resistance, adhesion, and affordability. Compared to commercial options, this primer offers sustainable fire protection without the hefty price tag.

Runner-Up: GeopolyCement

Ynna Nichole Ilogon and Rodel Jr. Remolana of Mindanao State University-Iligan Institute of Technology

Ynna Nichole Ilogon and Rodel Jr. Remolana are not your typical cement mixers. Their innovation, aptly named GeopolyCement, takes on the challenge of lowering carbon emissions from construction. Traditional cement might hold the world together, but it’s also responsible for nearly 8% of global CO₂ emissions. GeopolyCement promises to cut down this environmental impact by swapping out the usual carbon-intensive ingredients for something a bit more resourceful.

In their special blend of agro-industrial waste and pozzolan materials, it is further activated by a solid calcium-based alkali, likened to an “earth-friendly binder”. Unlike others, GeopolyCement doesn’t need to be fired up at scorching temperatures. Instead, it is set at room temperature, which means less energy consumption and fewer emissions. The duo has developed a lightweight foamed concrete perfect for non-load-bearing applications, ideal for thermally insulating houses and slashing cooling costs by up to 70%.

The innovation has already garnered accolades, snagging the 2023 BPI-DOST Innovation Best Innovation Project of the Year Award. It’s a prime example of how turning to sustainable practices and local resources can help solve global problems, one bag of cement at a time.

Winner: RAMUN

Joseph Aristotle de Leon of De La Salle University-Manila

Forget about checking your rearview mirror. There’s a whole world right beneath your tires that you’ve been oblivious to—and National Winner Joseph Aristotle de Leon wants to change that. The De La Salle University-Manila prodigy has developed RAMUN (Resistivity Acquisition and Monitoring of the UNderground), an innovation that’s similar to what a CCTV camera does for your doorstep.

If you’ve ever worried about sinkholes, groundwater pollution, or crumbling infrastructure, RAMUN is here to ease those anxieties by giving us a glimpse of what’s lurking underground. Traditionally, underground surveying tech involves lots of wires. RAMUN solves this problem with a decentralized system, a setup that’s not only more efficient but also less invasive, leaving streets clear of messy cables.

RAMUN uses decentralized sensors that can be installed pretty much anywhere—under roads, in parking lots, or even beneath your favorite café. These sensors pick up resistivity changes in the subsurface, essentially turning hidden ground movements into visible data, or what de Leon calls a “video” of underground events. The sensors are disguised as solar-powered road studs, while the transmitters sit comfortably on utility poles. Moreover, it can collect data in two modes: static (for regular updates) and dynamic (for detailed weekly or monthly scans).

What started as a simple tweak to existing underground resistivity technology has blossomed into an award-winning project. RAMUN already clinched 1st Place at the 19th DSP Creative Design Contest, backed by the Taiwan Ministry of Education, and even snagged an Outstanding Master Thesis Award at De La Salle University. But de Leon’s ambitions stretch beyond the award podium. He envisions RAMUN sensors lining every road and parking lot, creating a network that doesn’t just see the unseen but also safeguards our cities’ futures.

These young minds prove that innovation doesn’t always mean reinventing the wheel—it’s about taking what we have, tweaking it, and making it work smarter for a better world. The triumphs of Fire GeoPrimer, GeopolyCement, and RAMUN show that Filipino ingenuity is more than capable of tackling pressing global challenges with homegrown solutions. Their projects are a testament to what can happen when passion meets purpose, and they serve as a rallying cry for the next generation of Filipino scientists, engineers, and innovators: the world needs your ideas, your talent, and your drive.

Photos: JAMES DYSON AWARD

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By: Sean Castelo III
Title: James Dyson Award 2024: Meet the Filipino Minds Solving Real-World Problems
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Published Date: Thu, 14 Nov 2024 11:31:38 +0000