Invention Asia|Vol 1|No 1|2015|ITEX 2014

BRINGING YOUNG INVENTORS TO THE FORE Young inventors share their ideas & thought process

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MALAYSIAN INVENTIONS THAT HAVE IMPACTED SOCIETY INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY

MyIPO Director General Shamsiah Kamaruddin talks about the importance of IP protection

INVENTIONS THAT CONTINUE TO CHANGE OUR WORLD

ITEX MALAYSIA 2014

The year that was

A look at some inventions that shape our daily life Vol 1 No.1 / 2015 / RM10.60 ISSN 2289-9308

KDN No PP18559/08/2014/(033967)

POWERED BY

IInvention Inv nven e tion ent ion on As Asia sia a

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ASIAN CAUCUS OF INVENTION ASSOCIATIONS (ACIA): EMPOWERING ASIAN MINDS

COV E R STO RY

24 INVENTIONS THAT

INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY

In today’s highly competitive world, creativity and innovation are two vital factors that contribute towards a successful business.

FROM SCIENCE TO SCIENCE POLICY

Getting science and technology to where it is now is not easy for Tan Sri Dr Omar Abdul Rahman. Although retired for so many years now, his passion for science is still very much alive.

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10 MALAYSIAN INNOVATIONS THAT HAVE IMPACTED OUR SOCIETY Of the scores of inventions by Malaysian, Tan Sri Augustine Ong, the founding President of MINDS, selects 10 which he believes are outstanding and illustrative of the invention process.

ITEX MALAYSIA 2014, THE YEAR THAT WAS

The International Invention and Innovation Exhibition (ITEX) has been on a winning streak since its inception in 1989 and last year’s event was the most successful to date. This year, ITEX will be returning bigger and bolder.

We take a look at some of the inventions that have not only evolved over time but have changed our lifestyle as well.

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20 TO CREATE IS TO THRIVE

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Entrepreneurship leads the way forward for Malaysia.

GETTING ON INVESTOR’S RADAR AND TREND SPOTTING

INTERNATIONAL FEATURE

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CONTINUE TO CHANGE OUR WORLD

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INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY: RIDING THE GREEN WAVE ASIA’S INNOVATIVE COMPANIES

The right work environment, commitment and consistency are some of the factors that can bring about innovation. We highlight some of the companies that are in the forefront where innovation is concerned.

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PUBLISHER C.I.S Network Sdn Bhd PRESIDENT Dato’ Vincent Lim

IN PARTNERSHIP WITH Malaysian Invention and Design Society (MINDS) ADVISOR Academian Tan Sri Emeritus Professor Datuk Dr Augustine Ong Soon Hock Tan Sri Emeritus Professor Dr Omar Abdul Rahman EDITOR Mala Chandran SUPPORTED BY Asian Caucus of Invention Associations (ACIA) POWERED BY International Invention, Innovation and Technology Exhibition Malaysia (ITEX) EDITORIAL COMMITTEES Dr Leo Ann Mean Yuhanis Latif Janice Gan CONTRIBUTING ART DIRECTOR Goh Wei Lee Invention Asia Is Published twice a year

By C.I.S Network Sdn Bhd 9-1-6, Jalan 3/109F, Danau Business Centre, Danau Desa Off Jalan Kelang Lama, 58100 Kuala Lumpur Malaysia.

Email: info@cisnetwork.com Printing Percetakan Skyline Sdn Bhd (135134-V) 35-37, Jalan 12/32B, TSI Business Industrial Park, Batu 6 1/2 Off Jalan Kepong, 52100 Kuala Lumpur.

Tel: +603-6257 4846 / 1217 (Hunting) Invention Asia is produced for C.I.S Network Sdn Bhd by Harini Management Services Sdn Bhd

TOP INVENTIONS BY WOMEN THAT CHANGED THE WORLD

Did you know that it was a woman who came up with the idea of a windshield wiper for cars? We feature five women who made tremendous impact on society with their inventions.

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INVENTORS TO THE FORE

Spotlight on young Malaysian inventors who have impressed invention exhibition and competition organisers and judges all over the world.

All authors automatically agree to indemnify C.I.S Network Sdn Bhd

by Harini Management Services Sdn Bhd against any loss, costs, expenses (including legal fees), damages and liabilities that might arise from their own incapacity, negligence, breach of contract or other civil misdeeds. We reserve the right to edit all articles.

All rights reserved. Copyright © 2015 by C.I.S Network Sdn Bhd

by Harini Management Services Sdn Bhd. No part of this publication may be reproduced in any form without prior written permission from the publisher. The views expressed in the articles are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of C.I.S Network Sdn Bhd by Harini Management Services Sdn Bhd. C.I.S Network Sdn Bhd by Harini Management Services Sdn Bhd accept no responsibility for unsolicited manuscripts, photography, illustration and other editorial materials.

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Asian Caucus of Invention Associations (ACIA):

Empowering Asian Minds

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hen making reference to the most celebrated ancient Asian inventions, chances are many would have heard of the four great inventions – compass, gunpowder, paper making and printing. These four discoveries made a large impact on civilization and most modern scholars opined that these inventions served as the bridge of interaction between the East and West.

It’s important to note that these inventions are celebrated for their historical significance as well as for the portrayal of advancement in science and technology in ancient China. In fact, the ancient Asian region as a whole helped put in place lots of fundamental building blocks that shaped the modern invention realm today.

The first demonstration of radio wave usage in the world was done by Indian scientist, Jagadish Chandra Bose in Calcutta in 1894. Hiraga Gennai was a Edo-era Japanese pharmacologist, physician, author, painter and inventor who is well known for his Erekiteru (electrostatic generator), Kandankei (thermometer) and Kakanpu (asbestos cloth).

Collectively, these great minds tell us that Asians had a head start in invention.

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I truly believe that Asian minds have the ability to create. Looking at history, Asians are ahead in many ways when it comes to inventions.

There’s plenty of potential to showcase in Asia but there are also a lot that needs to be done.

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Tan Sri Emeritus Professor Dr Augustine Ong Soon Hock, President and Founder of MINDS and ACIA.

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The president and founder of the Malaysian Invention and Design Society (MINDS) and the Asian Caucus of Invention Association (ACIA), Tan Sri Emeritus Professor Dr Augustine Ong Soon Hock earnestly believes that Asians have what it takes to compete against the great minds of other regions. “I truly believe that Asian minds have the ability to create.

Looking at history, Asians are ahead in many ways when it comes to inventions. There’s plenty of potential to showcase in Asia but there are also a lot that needs to be done,” he adds.

Bringing together great minds from all over the region is not an easy task and it takes a great collaborative leader to start such a movement. Tan Sri Dr Augustine Ong says, “People in this region should be able to use their creativity to their utmost ability. Inventors and innovators from the region must also be reminded that science and technology are important tools.”

Despite the geographical challenges, Tan Sri Dr Augustine Ong proved that it wasn’t a task too daunting for him. With much perseverance the Asian Caucus of Invention Associations or ACIA, was established on 24th April 2009. The founding member countries of ACIA include Saudi Arabia, India, South Korea, Taiwan and Malaysia.

Despite his great understanding of many areas in science and technology, Tan Sri Dr Augustine Ong admits that nothing excites him more than the subject of the unknown. Speaking fondly of his time spent lecturing in universities, he says the opportunities to explore subjects of the unknown with young and budding inventive minds are most intriguing to him.

“Researching and discovering new things that are still in the unknown with my students is what excites me. It creates a level playing field between me and my students because I don’t know the answers myself. It’s almost like walking in a dark tunnel hand in hand with my students and we are both trying to find the light at the end of the tunnel,” he says.

Still a trailblazer at the age 81 and boasting a long list of accomplishments, many would think that Tan Sri Dr Augustine Ong would have checked most items on his bucket list but according to him, not just yet.

He dreams of a day when he can play a bigger role in stimulating more inventions in tropical countries that will in return help elevate the quality of life of its people.

He explains that the grass is not always greener on the other side and most social dilemmas faced by the less fortunate in tropical countries can be eradicated if the right resources are identified and utilised efficiently.

“There’s a great number of people living in the tropical region who are still facing difficulties accessing

p Hiraga Gennai was a Edo-era Japanese pharmacologist, physician, author, painter and inventor who is well known for his Erekiteru (electrostatic generator), Kandankei (thermometer) and Kakanpu (asbestos cloth).

p The first demonstration of radio wave usage in the world was done by Indian scientist, Jagadish Chandra Bose in Calcutta in 1894.

p Microwave Apparatus – Jagadish Chandra Bose Museum – Bose Institute – Kolkata.

basic necessities and are very poor. The tropical region is blessed with plenty of natural resources — the sun, the rain and fertile land. There is no reason for these people to continue living in such bad condition,” he states.

As a research pioneer in agriculture, especially palm oil, Tan Sri Dr Augustine Ong has a yearning to export agricultural models for oil palm and rubber tree, among others, that are successful in Malaysia to other tropical countries. He explains that given the immediate similar resources that Malaysia has with other under developed countries, it isn’t difficult to emulate Malaysia’s success story and expand in other economies.

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MALAYSIAN INVENTIONS That Have Impacted Our Society

Mention the name Tan Sri Datuk Dr. Augustine Ong Soon Hock and the first thing that comes to mind is invention.

The Academician Emeritus Professor who is also the founding President of MINDS, is a scientist with a vision and faith in the inventive ability of Malaysians.

by Dr. Leo Ann Mean

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ounded in 1986, the Malaysian Invention and Design Society (MINDS) is the largest body in Malaysia representing individuals, universities and companies who pursue excellence in invention, creativity, innovation, research and development, and industrial design. It provides a platform from which these inventors and designers are able to generate ideas and successfully commercialise them into leading brands.

Through various invention exhibitions and competitions organised by MINDS, such as ITEX, IEYI, MYIE and AYIE,

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thousands of inventions have been showcased to the Malaysian public as well as visitors from many overseas countries.

Of the hundreds of inventions by Malaysian, Tan Sri Augustine Ong selected 10 which he believes are outstanding and illustrative of the invention process. The inventions featured here are the brainchild of people from all walks of life — scientists, academicians, entrepreneurs, hobbyists and even school children.

The common thread that runs through these inventions is that they meet our needs and have a lasting impact on our community and society.

10 INTERESTING MALAYSIAN INVENTIONS TYPHIDOT

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SMART LAMP LIGHT AT A TOUCH The Noval Smartlamp is an example of a well-designed Malaysian invention that uses a passive infrared detector that switches on when it senses movement, body heat or failing light. Its inventors C. K. Diong and John Tjoeng who are engineers, worked with design consultants for the aesthetics of the award-wining smart lamp. The thrust behind the duo’s creation is functionality. It is convenient and user friendly. As Diong says, it is, after all, a consumer product, not an engineering product.

A touch sensor replaces the switch. Apart from the non-metallic touch sensor there are no controls.

The Noval Smartlamp is the world’s first lamp to use a non-metallic touch sensor, The lamp also has a motion and light sensor. The light sensor is unique in that the inventors removed the optical feedback, a problem encountered in indoor lighting when light from a lamp is fed back into the sensor causing it to switch off.

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RAPID DETECTION OF SPECIFIC ANTIBODIES SUCH AS SALMONELLA TYPHI Associate. Professor Dr. Asma Ismail of Universiti Sains Malaysia discovered an antigenetically specific biomarker for the rapid detection of salmonella typhi, the causative agent for typhoid fever. This scientific discovery was translated into a diagnostic kit which makes available the results of the test within three hours. The test kit, trademarked Typhidot, has been successfully commercialised in more than 18 countries and has generated millions in sales while creating more than 500 jobs worldwide.

Dr. Asma set up a biotech company pioneering in biodiagnostics with Typhidot as its flagship product. She became a technopreneur and continued further R&D to develop three improved kits. The latest kit, TYPHIRAPID, includes both protein and DNA tests and is able to produce test results in 15 minutes.

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THE WAKIE-WAKIE PILLOW PILLOW FOR THE HEARING IMPAIRED The Wakie-wakie Pillow was invented by three primary school children from Sementa, Selangor. Asfarina Fatin Redzuan, Mohd. Ridzuan Hamdan and Muhammad Syazwan Mohd.

Khair were concerned when they read in the newspapers about several deaf students in Korea who died when their hostel caught fire as they were not able to hear the fire alarm.

The young inventors created a pillow which shakes when a sensor is triggered by smoke thus waking up the sleeper.

The pillow also shakes and wakes any sleepy head when the alarm clock rings or when the doorbell rings. The trio used an old 3-speed Perodua Kancil car windscreen wiper motor inside the pillow to do the shaking – gentle speed for door bell, medium speed for alarm clock, and fast and furious for the fire alarm.

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PLASTIC ABACUS CALCULATION AT YOUR FINGER TIPS The wooden abacus was invented by the Chinese centuries ago but the method of production has not changed. Production is labour-intensive.

When the Malaysian government decided to introduce the abacus in the teaching of Arithmetic in primary schools, a problem arose. How to produce enough “calculating machines” within a short period of time.

Along came Professor Goh Sing Yau who came up with the idea of using plastic. The inventive professor made an unbreakable abacus from ABS plastic with rails instead of rods and snap-off beads in a range of colours. The simple design enables the abacus to be produced fast and sold cheaply, thus meeting the demand for thousands of abacus for school children.

ADAPORT

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JUST PLUG IT IN The Adaport is an improved electrical outlet socket adapter which is safe, functional, reliable and efficient to use. It needs no new wiring and can be affixed to any surface by any suitable attachment.

Since the Adaport came into the market there have been more improved models as well a wider range of electrical adapters. There are adapters with or without switches as well as adapters with surge protectors.

ANTI BACTERIAL FOOD COVER

TARA KLAMP CIRCUMCISION DEVICE NON-INVASIVE SURGERY A medical practitioner in Kuala Kangsar, Dr. T. Gurcharan Singh, was dismayed to see in his patients, mutilations resulting from bad circumcision jobs. He decided to do something about it. He researched and also witnessed how circumcisions were done. He concluded that noninvasive surgery was a better option. He introduced the Gurcharan method, noninvasive circumcision surgery, a nontoxic clinically-induced way of causing the occlusion of the blood vessel, a first in the world.

Based on this method he invented the Tara Klamp Circumcision Device which achieves bloodless surgery and involves no stitching. He patented his device world-wide and after several years of success, devoted full-time to the promotion of his disposable device in the service of mankind. Dr. Gurcharan’s invention has been cited as the final frontier in circumcision technique.

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NO MORE FOOD POISONING Two 17-year-old school girls from Kemaman, Terengganu, Tiyor Chen Ling and Lim Mei Kee, bagged a half million ringgit deal when their invention, the bacteria buster, was bought by a private company for commercial use in hospitals and healthcare centres in developed countries. The food cover, when placed over the food for about 10 seconds, has the ability to kill bacteria via ultra-violet lights which sterilises the food.

Tiyor came up with the idea when she sees her father suffering from a bout of food poisoning. Knowing that UV light can kill bacteria, she and her co-inventor decided to use it as one of the key elements in their invention.

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LIGHTNING ARRESTOR

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NO MORE BUSTED ELECTRICAL EQUIPMENT Paul Chang Pak Chuen has a passion for inventing. His house is filled with innovative contraptions, which he creates as a hobby.

In his home, the clapping of a hand will turn on the indoor lights and the porch lights will turn off and on by themselves.

He founded Caltona Lab (Cal-Lab), a small company in Muar that gave much importance to R&D. He began working on a better lightning isolator. His lightning isolator protects valuable electronic equipment by means of detecting, absorbing and isolating the current before the full magnitude of the lightning surge arrives. He had it patented and today the business is thriving. Cal-Lab manufactures, sells and services the equipment.

Through aggressive marketing he convinced major electronics companies to promote the use of his lightning isolators for their fax machines and cordless phones.

09 ZOWIN SWIVEL-HEAD TOOTHBRUSH THE AUTO UP AND DOWN TOOTHBRUSH Chan Boon Su, a smoker, had problems removing nicotine that had accumulated in his teeth. There were no toothbrushes in the market that could get rid of the nicotine especially from the back of his teeth. Existing toothbrushes could not reach those hard-to-reach places.

One day, Chan, a farmer in Kedah, had a Eureka moment. He noticed that the cangkul or hoe had a blade which was right angled to the handle but was always used at a 45 degree angle. He reasoned that the toothbrush could be designed the same way.

Based on that connection he invented the Zowin Swivel-head toothbrush, the world’s first toothbrush that can tilt 45 degrees for effective reach. The Zowin toothbrush is a joint venture between Chan, a plastics manufacturer, and a co-operative.

MPOB

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PALM BIODIESEL PILOT PLANT Biodiesel is an alternative renewable fuel that has been hailed as a technology breakthrough. It is one of the most viable substitutes for petroleum diesel fuel and is manufactured from vegetable oils, animal fats or recycled greases combined with alcohol. Biodiesel has a major advantage over petroleum diesel in that it is derived from renewable sources and is environmentally friendly.

The Malaysian Palm Oil Board or MPOB, in collaborating with an established technology provider, embarked on the commercial production of palm biodiesel as a fuel. A pilot project has already revealed exciting prospects. For instance, palm oil can be used in compression ignition engines (diesel engines) without any modifications.

Palm biodiesel has been accepted as a diesel fuel substitute. Field trials have been conducted on a large number of vehicles, including taxis, trucks, trains, passenger cars and buses. MPOB pioneered its development and have scaled up the process for commercial use.

The commercial plant will be able to produce biodiesel that meets international standards, EN 14214.

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ITEX MALAYSIA 2014 The Year That Was

The International Invention and Innovation Exhibition (ITEX) will be returning bigger and bolder this year. Visitors can expect to be part of an immersive experience in the presence of the brightest minds and the most revolutionary inventions. ITEX has been on a winning streak since first raising its curtains in 1989 and has grown exponentially in size and number from year to year.

ITEX 2014 has been the most successful to date, raising the bar even higher.

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o what have we learned from ITEX 2014 and why it became the talk of the town?

Here is a quick take on the year that was for ITEX.

The Inventor’s Melting Pot

The successful gathering of the brightest minds from more than 20 countries worldwide has placed ITEX on the world map. To put things into perspective, ITEX in the invention space is like the Academy Awards to the movie scene. More than 1,000 inventions battled for attention from investors, academicians and fellow researchers. It drew a massive crowd of 123,000 eager visitors from 43 countries. Nearly 20 per cent of the visitors flew in just to be a part of this landmark event.

The Who’s Who

Besides setting eyes on the thousands of inventions displayed at the exhibitions halls, an even more exhilarating experience was the opportunity to rub shoulders with the inventors and personalities who made it happen. Although local participants, who accounted for more than 66 per cent of the exhibitors, stole the limelight, it did not dampen the spirit of the international exhibitors. The gathering of hundreds of local

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and international inventors opened new horizons for individual exhibitors especially for budding or up-and coming ones. Through the duration of the exhibition, thousands of handshakes and ideas were exchanged in the exhibition halls.

People With a Mission or Two

There are lots of lessons an inventor can take home with him or her from the exhibition. Staged on a grand scale, the organisers of ITEX had meticulously planned every details of the event to ensure that exhibitors would be able to make the most of their visit. Many visitors and participation came with a mission or two. For participants, market surveillance and analysis were on top of their list. With a wide array of inventions on display, it was clear that participants would have been able to get a good sense of how the global inventive society had evolved. Apart from market surveillance, visitors and participants were also interested in evaluation the exhibition for their future participation. It was also a place for market trend gathering.

Launch Pad

Without a doubt, ITEX was a land of opportunities for exhibitors. Consisting of mostly inventors, ITEX was the right place to not only strut their stuff but attract the attention of investors willing to develop or take the product a step further. Like any other products in the market, it isn’t unusual for even the most life changing product to lack branding and appeal. The question of financing has always been a long standing issue among inventors but with the right exposure in ITEX, the chances of investors being drawn to the inventions can lead to the successful commercialisation of the product.

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For the competitive and innovative hungry participants, ITEX flagship award night is one of the most attractive installments of the event. Winning inventions have a better chance of getting the attention of investors.

Chip of the Old Block

With the presence of hundreds of father figures in the invention society, budding inventors were grabbing the opportunity to meet their mentors. The creativity and perseverance of these young inspiring inventors are also acknowledged and recognised by ITEX. Many budding inventors rose to the Hall of Fame with their revolutionary products. From the classroom to the business place, the exposure at ITEX definitely helped pave the way for budding inventors.

Each year futuristic inventions turn heads. Besides nurturing the inventive spirit, such involvement also helps sharpen a young investor’s analytical skills and also exposes him or her to the importance of supporting elements such as marketing, advertising and luring investors.

The Malaysian Young Inventors Exhibition (MYIE) and Asian Young Inventors Exhibition (AYIE) provide a platform for young inventors aged 20 and below to showcase their innovations, allowing these youths to meet like-minded young inventors and their mentors from around the world at ITEX.

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ITEX 2015:

Asia’s Leading Invention Exhibiton The International Invention, Innovation & Technology Exhibition (ITEX) by the Malaysian Invention and Design Society is now on its 26th series. This annual event has become an international meeting point for the global invention communities attracting a myriad of inventors and related stakeholders to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. It had shown unexpected growth, increasing every year: 1,100 exhibitors from more than 20 countries convened in 6 exhibition halls this year.

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he founder and president of MINDS, Tan Sri Emeritus Prof. Dr. Augustine Ong Soon Hock said the encouraging turnout is indeed a testament of how highly regarded is ITEX both locally and internationally.“ITEX is a good launch pad for inventors who seek successful commercialisation and also a great place for inventors from different countries to meet and exchange news and views. During these three days of exhibition, discussions, and side events will inspire new ideas and innovations,” he explained.

Dr.Augustine also added that emphasis will be given on industry participation through business matchings and public talks. This year 3 categories are expected to take centre stage: bio-tech, green technology and household products. The star invention from each category is expected to be a huge magnet in attracting different

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stakeholders to the event. According to the organizer of ITEX, CIS Network, the organizing committee is gearing up for more than 12,500 visitors from more than 40 countries for this years event.

The president of CIS Network, Datuk Vincent Lim specifically pointed out another event to look out for this year: the co-located exhibition, the Malaysia Young Inventors Exhibition. Targetted at primary and high school students, MYIE is a national event under the patronage of Malaysia’s Minister of Education. More than 6 years after it was first tied in with ITEX, MYIE has grown rapidly . This year the exhibiion will showcase another set of impressive figures with more than 100 inventions from all 14 states of Malaysia.All these local bright minds will have a chance to bounce ideas with likeminded regional budding inventors at the Asian Young Inventors Exhibition(AYIE).

Both the MYIE and AYIE combined makes the largest young invention exhibition platform in the world.

“We hope that with MYIE, we will be able unearth and nurture the young ‘Thomas Edisons.’ This event is a good platform to showcase their creative ability as well as their analytical and scientific skills. We highly encourage school’s science clubs and teachers to come together and make MYIE and ITEX their avenue in achieving higher innovative practices in their respective institutions.” said Datuk Vincent.

After 26 successful years, ITEX has today earned its right as the top 10 inventions exhibitions in the world. It is recognised by many international bodies that play integral roles in elevating the global inventive and innovative

Mr Alireza Rastegar, President of IFIA presented With the inaugural issue of Invention Asia magazine from Dato’ Vincent Lim.

ecosystem on of which being the International Federation of Inventors Association (IFIA) IFIA is a non-profit, non-governmental organization created by seven European inventor associations in 1968.

Today, it boasts membership of more than 80 countries.

Up untill this day, it is still the only organization which groups inventors associations worldwide, and is one of the most recognized mouth piece for the inventors community. The ability of ITEX to garner support from IFIA is a milestone achievement as IFIA enjoys observer status at the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), as well as observer status (Special Category – Technology) at the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), both based in Geneva, Switzerland. ITEX’s objectives are also in line with that of IFIA: to improve the status of inventors at national and international levels, and to promote cooperation between inventor associations.

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Intellectual Property In today’s highly competitive world, creativity and innovation are two vital factors that contribute towards a successful business, writes SHARMILA VELLA.

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n order to protect one’s business, one needs to have protection on their products or services. This is where the intellectual property (IP) comes to play.

IP protection comes in various forms and each is tailored to protect a particular example of intellectual property. Intellectual property can be defined as those products of the mind to which the law grants the author or creator legal protection for a certain period of exploitation – free from competition.

It covers a wide range of areas including literary works, artistic works, films, computer programs, inventions, designs, brand names, and the shape of packaging, among others. The different rights are not necessarily mutually exclusive. Two or more rights can co-exist in a product.

Unlike many forms of property, intellectual property rights protect intangibles and this gives rise to considerable problems over the control of the property and its protection. In most cases, intellectual property rights eventually expire, leaving the subject matter without an owner and so free to be used or exploited by anyone.

The economic interest of the producer of intellectual property and his competitors or customers will be affected when the property is exploited in the marketplace and therefore registration is important to protect the intellectual property rights.

The use of IP rights can add immense value to any business, including those of SMEs. SMEs are also

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strongly encouraged to register their IP to safeguard their brands, designs and products from being infringed by unscrupulous parties.

In the US, these IP-based businesses and entrepreneurs are said to be a strong driving force behind economic growth than any other sector.

Regardless of their market share, industry or location, virtually all businesses possess some form of protectable and valuable IP which can take a multitude of forms ranging from inventions to brand names, slogans, visuals and literary works including symbols and creative expressions.

We believe that Malaysians are becoming aware of the importance of IP registration which is reflected in the number of IP applications.

Shamsiah Kamaruddin, Director General, MyIPO.

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Malaysia recognises the significance of IP and has taken initiatives to encourage businesses to safeguard their interest. The government’s 2014 budget tabled recently in the Parliament recognises the development of entrepreneurs as a key factor in generating economic growth. One of the initiatives to develop entrepreneurs was the establishment of the Malaysian Global Innovation and Creativity Centre (MaGIC), a one-stop centre to empower entrepreneurs. Another vital aspect of this empowerment is the provision of financial assistance to register and patent the IP of budding entrepreneurs.

The recognition of the protection of IP is a step in the right direction. In any entrepreneurial venture, there is an element of creativity and innovation that gives the entrepreneur an edge over the competition.

The Malaysian intellectual property regime affords protection via an extensive statutory scheme covering intellectual property rights including copyright, trade marks, geographical indications, industrial designs, patents and layout designs of integrated circuits in

ABOUT IP

• IP is a power tool for economic development and wealth creation that is not yet being used to its optimal effect in all countries due to the lack of understanding on the matter.

• IP is critical in a nation where its economy is increasingly dependent on innovative creations.

• IP plays a significant role in promoting progress in science and technology, enriching culture and developing economy.

• Looking at the prospects of an IP such as in areas of financing and commercialisation, MyIPO has established an IPR Marketplace which is an IP listing portal.

• IPR Marketplace is a platform to connect to IP holders far and wide across borders.

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compliance with Malaysia’s obligation as a signatory to the Agreement on Trade Related Aspects of Intellectual Property (TRIPS).

Malaysia has acceded to the World Intellectual Property Organisation, the Paris Convention for the Protection of Industrial Property, the Berne Convention for the Protection of Literary and Artistic works, as well as the Patent Cooperation Treaty.

The Intellectual Property Corporation of Malaysia (MyIPO) is a statutory body established, among others, to generally administer and enforce of intellectual property laws and issues or matters relating to intellectual property.

Malaysia’s Intellectual Property laws are in conformance with international standards and has been reviewed by the TRIPs Council periodical.

MyIPO Director General, Shamsiah Kamaruddin, says, “This year, our focus is to increase the number of applications of IP among Malaysians.” She is also looking into increasing the level of awareness on the importance of IP protection among the Small and Medium size Enterprise entrepreneurs and to promote the use of IP system as a tool for business development in Malaysia based on main strategies.

MyIPO is also focusing on strengthening the legal infrastructure of IP, enhancing IP service delivery system, acceding to the IP international treaties and promoting IP awareness among Malaysians, besides keeping constant engagement and cooperation with other IP offices.

“Last year we received 44,241 IP applications while the total IP registrations issued was 32,106. The highest IP component filed in 2014 is trademark, followed by patent and industrial design.

“As this year is expected to be a difficult year with the economic downturn, the number of local applicants for IP is expected to be lower. However, we are hoping for the number of international application to increase,” says Shamsiah.

GLOBAL IP VALUATION CONFERENCE

To boost IP protection registration this year, Shamsiah says that MyIPO is initiating many programmes with local Chambers of Commerce, Trade Associations, Research Institutes and Universities and other government related agencies such as AIM, MIMOS and SME Corp.

She acknowledges that there are several challenges hindering higher IP protection registration among local business owners. “Many are not clear as to what is IP protection. It is quite technical to be understood by the layman or business owners, so they choose not to register.

“However, we are committed to organising on a regular basis comprehensive awareness programmes on

Protecting Your Ideas There are many simple ways of protecting your ideas and business. If you have an idea but you are not sure whether the idea is new, you can use the free patents database to check whether your idea already exists or to identify existing ideas There are no “hard-and-fast” rules in developing your ideas. You may licence-in other people’s technology to help develop ideas of yours or collaborate with other businesses or educational organisations. However, if you have spoken to another person about your ideas, make sure that you have signed a confidentiality agreement with the other person first.

Inventors are understandably protective of their inventions, particularly if their creations cost a lot of money to produce and are able to help them generate more money. By patenting their invention, they can exploit it without fear of being copied by another person or organisation during the period of protection.

Even if it is copied, they can seek recourse in the legal courts. In Malaysia, that period of protection is 20 years from the date of filing the patent application. In this instance, the law protects the inventors and allows them to enjoy the fruit of their intellectual labour.

MyIPO in cooperation with the Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of Domestic Trade, Cooperatives and Consumerism will be organising the second Global IP Valuation Conference (GIPVC) in June, 2015.

The global conference provides an excellent opportunity for influencers, stakeholders, decision makers and key players in the IP industry to participate, engage, and share best practices in the area of IP Valuation and IP Financing.

IP to various target groups.” MyIPO’s programmes have received tremendous support and participation from Small and Medium Enterprises, members of various co-operatives and Chambers of Commerce as well as the public.

“We believe that Malaysians are becoming aware of the importance of IP registration which is reflected in the number of IP applications.”

Another challenge that MyIPO faces is tailoring each programme to the needs of different levels and kinds of society — from the business community and social media users to the grass-root level.

With the Asean Economic Community (AEC) coming into place in the near future, IP is expected to play a bigger role in the development of the country and businesses. “We are currently promoting the adoption of new technologies and a regional comprehensive IPR and policies. At the same time we are also aiming to promote the country and businesses towards sustainable economic growth,” adds Shamsiah.

Asked about the importance of IP protection to companies who wish to export their products to member countries of AEC, Shamsiah states by securing IP protection, the companies can be more competitive.

Malaysia is a member of the WIPO since 1989 and MyIPO has been working closely with the international body to organise seminars such as the National Workshop on Management of Intellectual Property in the Advertising Industry, Regional Forum on Intellectual Property and the Creative Industries and WIPO Workshop on Building Respect for IP, at national and regional levels.

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Tan Sri Professor Emeritus Dr. Omar Abdul Rahman Malaysia’s 1st Science Adviser to Former Prime Minister, Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad.

From Science to Science Policy

Tan Sri Dr Omar Abdul Rahman’s Passionate Journey.

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he Essentials of Science, Technology and Innovation Policy is a book written by Malaysia’s first science advisor, Tan Sri Dr Omar Abdul Rahman but what many do nott know is that the book initially started as “The Five Templates of Science, Technology and Innovation Policy,” a brief insert Tan Sri Dr Omar wrote as a contribution to his biography. The biography was then being written by fellow scientist and current Academy of Sciences Malaysia CEO, Dr Ahmad Ibrahim.

Over the next months, the insert took a life of its own resulting in a book that took off separately from his biography.

After three years and hours of interviews between Dr Ahmad and Tan Sri Dr Omar, his biography From Science To Science Policy – One Man’s Passionate Journey was finally completed. If you’ve read the book, you would realise that there is more to it than just a biography. It is also a memoir. Perfectly capturing the essence of Tan Sri Dr Omar in the biography are words printed in purple and italic, (which are written in the first person account

by Tan Sri Dr Omar). The biography cum memoir captured Tan Sri Dr Omar’s humble beginnings from his birthplace in Kota Bharu, Kelantan, to the peak of his career and accomplishments. It also highlighted his thoughts: the much needed transformations that will put science, technology and innovation back on the main stream of national development. One of it is a game changing initiative announced by the government two years ago.

In November 2013, Putrajaya announced an initiative that would accelerate the pace of science and technology in Malaysia. Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak made a public announcement on the Science-to-Action (S2A) initiative

aimed at intensifying the application of science and technology in the country.

It has three main components: science to industry, science to well-being and science to governance. It was a move that Tan Sri Dr Omar approved of and in his book he referred to it as the answer to Malaysia’s STI woes.

After all, he foresaw the need for such initiative to be in place more than two decades ago.

It all began on 28th of November 1991 when the vision of transforming Malaysia into a high income and developed nation by the year 2020 was conceived. Malaysia’s then Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Mahathir Mohamad brought attention to nine challenges that had to be tackled before the way forward could be paved. Two of the stumbling blocks were related to STI. A month later at an event organised by the Socio Economic Research Unit (SERU) in the Prime Minister’s department, Tan Sri Dr Omar presented for discussion an innovative approach for STI policy planning. He suggested four pillars of technologies that were crucial to meet the targets of vision 2020. “When you talk about science policy, it is about developing a national STI agenda to support the nation’s socioeconomic transformation programme. To put it simply, in my book I mentioned four generic critical technology groups. These groups are true for any country,” he explains.

Despite various efforts to intensify the application of technology across all four areas, most were met with speed bumps.

It was also a challenge to mobilise different parties and Government ministries to fulfill the STI objectives without stepping on each other’s toes. Tan Sri Dr Omar says most efforts fell through due to one missing link: the absence of an action council. “Who is going to determine

what are these technologies that are needed and what are the sciences that are needed to support those technologies? We need a STI governance system that is efficient and effective,” he states.

At present, there isn’t a STI action council in place. What is available is a STI advisory council. The absence of a central coordination body forces different units to act in isolation. According to Tan Sri Dr Omar, unless there’s a governing central body placed high up on the food chain with direct decision making powers, different ministries and planning units will face gridlocks in converting their STI agendas into actions. “The action council must be over and above all the other Government ministries. Therefore this has got to be an action council chaired by the Prime Minister and the Secretariat must be a central agency. It must not be a ministerial agency,” he explains.

Getting science and technology to where it is now is not easy.

Despite being in retirement for so many years now, Tan Sri Dr Omar’s passion for science is still very much alive. It is not surprising that many continue to see him as a source for inspiration, a person who is not afraid to rock the boat even when the odds are stacked against him.

FOUR GENERIC CRITICAL TECHNOLOGY GROUPS ARE:

• Technology for satisfying basic needs Application of technology to help meet minimum human needs such as access to food, water and security. The term “basic needs” might vary from one economy to the other.

• Technologies for quality of life Application of technology to elevate standards of living. Technological advancements that promotes access to proper shelter and emphasizes on environmental considerations also fall under this category.

• Technologies for wealth creation and maintenance of industrial competitiveness Application of technology to boost productivity and increase business advantages.

• Technologies for good governance Application of technology and harnessing the power of information technology to lead governance change.

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Sparking Entrepreneurship

To Create Is To Thrive Entrepreneurship leads the way forward for Malaysia.

by Azzura Soraya Hassan

W

ith the tabling of Budget 2015 as proposed in Parliament in October 2014, there were various economyboosting decisions announced by Prime Minister Dato’ Seri Najib Tun Razak. Amounting to RM273.9 billion in total and with the theme “Accelerating Growth, Ensuring Fiscal Sustainability and Prospering the Rakyat”, Budget 2015 covered various issues such as cost of living, household income, education opportunities, employment and business, quality of life, skills training, and security and safety.

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One of the highlighted topics in Budget 2015 was the announcement of human capital development where entrepreneurship is to be developed as one of seven core strategies to spur the prosperity of a nation.

Dato’ Seri Najib who is also the Finance Minister, said that Malaysia’s R&D expenditure as a share of GDP (gross domestic product) was not as high when compared with other Asian countries with advanced economies such as Japan and South Korea.

Aina Ghani, a Kuala Lumpur-based manageriallevel economist with five experience in a major finance house, said, “In an era of globalisation, it is indeed time to expand the domestic view of entrepreneurship to one that is more global in outlook. In that sense, further policies should be in place on how best to build resilient, competitive global entrepreneurs.”

To give entrepreneurship a boost, an allocation of RM10 million was made to the Research Incentive Scheme for Enterprises (RISE) to encourage companies to establish research centres in high technology, ICT and knowledge-based sectors. In complement this, an allocation of RM50 million was made to a new initiative known as the Public Private Research Network that was introduced and will be spearheaded by the Education Ministry in collaboration with the Malaysian Technology Development Corporation (MTDC).

However, the most generous allocation was towards the Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation (MOSTI) – RM1.3billion to spur research and development and for innovation and commercialisation programmes.

“It is known that nurturing entrepreneurship can contribute to economic welfare and development as it stimulates job creation, promotes innovation, and increases productivity and growth while aiming for poverty reduction. The role of the Government, from the viewpoint of business owners, is that it can exert a positive influence on the extent to which these benefits materialise.

Malaysia has a vibrant entrepreneurial base with a huge potential to become a global player,” says Aina.

MOSTI: High-impact Commercialisation and Innovation Established as a Ministry in 1973, the Malaysian Cabinet renamed MOSTI in 2004 in order to lead the National ICT Development function, Multimedia and Innovation.

Confident that MOSTI can contribute to the Government’s efforts towards helping Malaysia achieve a high-income nation status, the Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation, Datuk Dr. Ewon Ebin shared that in line with the theme of Budget 2015, the

creation of wealth through science, technology and innovation will furnish national prosperity in a big way.

MOSTI plans to implement several related programmes. The first is the commercialisation of 360 high-impact innovative products by 2020. This initiative will be extended up to the grassroots such as Jejak Inovasi, Karnival Kreativiti and SCIENCE4U and BioMalaysia.

MOSTI will also allocate RM290 million to double incentive programmes for companies and individuals to implement various high-impact research and development and commercialisation. Companies and individuals are encouraged to carry out activities related to innovation so that they may benefit from this allocation of research funds.

“A boost in funds can help strengthen the infrastructure and build the capacity and capability of domestic entrepreneurs and SMEs. The need for entrepreneurs to receive more formal guidance and training from business incubators has also been recognised and this is good for strengthening entrepreneurship in Malaysia,” comments Aina.

The national standards body, SIRIM (Standards and Industrial Research Institute of Malaysia) will undergo a rebranding exercise. For this, an SME technology auditing will be implemented with upgrades to be granted – efforts which will enhance the role of SIRIM as a national industry driver.

With an additional allocation of RM50 million, MOSTI is also to strengthen the Technology Commercialisation Platform Programme by Agensi Inovasi Malaysia (AIM), a statutory body created to jumpstart the creation of wealth via stimulation of the national innovation eco-system and by encouraging the current and new generation of entrepreneurs and innovators.

Assistance To Startups and Companies

Also expected to benefit from this new boost aimed towards entrepreneurship and innovation are small and medium enterprises (SME). About RM80 million was allocated to Soft Loan Schemes for automation and modernisation of SMEs, with the addition of special packages for Bumiputera entrepreneurs and SMEs. Aina points out that one of the challenge SMEs face in financial assistance, are the bureaucratic delays and red tape. “These are major stumbling blocks for entrepreneurs, especially those who have to operate and make decisions in real-time. This is a major setback in an ever-changing economic landscape at which economic decisions that have to be made will only continue to get faster as the world becomes increasingly linked via ICT.”

“

Malaysia’s R&D expenditure as a share of GDP (gross domestic product) was not as high when compared with other Asian countries with advanced economies such as Japan and South Korea.

”

The Right Honourable Prime Minister of Malaysia, Dato’ Seri Najib Tun Razak.

Currently, SMEs contribute 33 per cent to Malaysia’s GDP with the share targeted to increase to 41 per cent by 2020.

Start-up companies will also receive assistance in commencing and facilitating operations with the establishment of the Malaysian Global Innovation and Creativity Centre (MaGIC). Officially launched by US President Barack Obama in April 2014, MaGIC serves to gather resources in order to catalyse the entrepreneurial ecosystem in Malaysia, empowering entrepreneurs thus creating impact nationally and regionally.

In addition, eligible expatriate start-up entrepreneurs will be given work passes for one year.

“Realistically, access to funding has been deemed a common challenge that most entrepreneurs/SMEs face, as banks are selective due to lack of track record and poor cash flow management.

“Theoretically, the evolution of an array of financial institutions enables the country’s funds to be channelled productively and efficiently to investment activities.Among the sources of capital that are open to entrepreneurs/ SMEs in Malaysia are the banking system, institutions of finance development, and venture capital funds and other funds. Therefore, the various initiatives launched by the Government to promote entrepreneurship via increased fund allocations as well as platforms which allow entrepreneurs and SMEs to leverage on public sector resources and foster private sector entrepreneurship, are positive steps,” states Aina.

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da i t t r a o nd Tr nd Sp e

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ommunicating the value of your startup to potential investors can be a daunting task.

Many entrepreneurs find it challenging to navigate their funding options in the startup scene. Stiff competition is the norm. A growth spurt in the local startup front and an influx of foreign startups wanting to get a piece of the action make vying for investor’s attention an intense exercise. The struggle is real especially among technopreneurs.

A quick glance at data compiled by the newly established Malaysian Global Innovation & Creativity Centre (MaGIC), reveals that the Malaysian government is still on the driver’s seat when it comes to seed funding.

In 2014, about 90 per cent of the startup funding in Malaysia was channelled by the government. Names such as 1337 Accelerators, Cradle and MDEC dominated the venture capitalists sphere.

Startups that are able to paint the grandest vision of their business stand a higher chance of securing funds.

But given how often venture capitalists are presented with unique ideas on a daily basis, are outlandish ideas enough to lock in funds? Ask any venture capitalists today and the answer will most likely be no. ‘Cool’ ideas are not really uncommon these days. Assurance of financial returns are not what savvy investors want to hear either. Chances are these seasoned investors are better at running the numbers themselves.

However, one thing is clear, they are no longer looking for the next big thing, rather they are looking for the next big team. Venture capitalists are more likely to invest in the people who make the start-up team rather than the idea. In an ever evolving business ecosystem, the competency of the team in managing head-on competitions and ensuring sustainability supersedes the existence of the product itself.

The ability to leap the bar set by venture capitalist is the first step to launching your business to a larger scale.

Unless you take a sneak peek into the mind of investors, it’s not easy cracking the code. Budding entrepreneurs can now be in the radar of venture capitalists.

There are several summits and conferences that are being organized. Among them is Venture Capital to Entrepreneur 2015 held in conjunction with ITEX 2015. Showcasing a stellar line-up of speakers, bookings are now open for the one-day summit to be held at the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre on 22nd May 2015. The summit dissects various areas from advanced topic to the very basic of investments 101 to cater to budding entrepreneurs. It offers an opportunity to venture capitalists, angel investors, debt ventures and grant providers to exchange handshakes with fundable startups.

Spotting the Next Big Thing Startups which have an eye for trend will often be ahead of the curve and stand a higher chance of getting into the good books of venture capitalists. Spotting excellent trends will not amount o anything if you are not going to do anything about it. The bottom is that you need to find what the trends are and use them to your advantage.

Spotting trends early make it possible to anticipate market reactions and needs, or you can be a trend setter by modifying your startup plans. That way you can almost seamlessly jump on to a new trend just as it takes off.

Spotting trends is no rocket science and you don’t need a sophisticated system to help you spot trends. The easiest, hassle-free and conventional way is the oldschool approach of reading and browsing through sources.

Also, stay active in industry conferences, events and associations – insights gathered from these conferences can can help you keep up with what’s new and what matters.

Secondly, keep a watch on the demographic changes in a community, society or economy. Modifying products or services for different generations is a great way to capitalise on trends. Keep abreast with demographic trends and be mindful of how your target customers’ needs may shift. Once you’ve figured that out, it’s easy to offer innovations and ideas to customers. Quite often consumers do not know how much they need a product until it’s presented to them.

Thirdly, dare to be disruptive. Dare to go against the grains. Many inventors have emerged as champions simply by being a disruptive force and betting against market trends. Creating a product based on countertrend is one of the most effective ways to dominate highly saturated and competitive market. If there are lots of competitors in your niche, an inventor should be bold enough to take the road less travelled to make a difference the business needs.

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MOBILE PHONE

Motorola’s senior engineer Martin Cooper invented the first mobile phone in 1973, an invention that forever changed the world. The first mobile phone was the size of a brick weighing about 1.1kilos.

Then

C O V E R

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The mobile or cell phone is the single most important gadget that runs the lives of people, especially young adults, teenagers and business professionals. Scores of other mobile phone makers have flooded the market with phones featuring ultra-sophisticated features such as high resolution touch screen, texting, listening to music, watching video, playing video games and even check your blood pressure, among others.

The phone of the future may be a mere sliver, as thin as but lighter then a credit card and see-through as well. A fully-solar powered smartphone that charges itself is one of the main improvements smartphone owners would like to see.

The modular smartphone may become a reality.

Instead of buying a smartphone with its screen, CPU and memory for the duration of its life, a modular design will allow you to pick and choose the components you want to create a customised phone.

Future

INVENTIONS THAT CONTINUE TO CHANGE OUR WORLD LIGHT BLUB

Then Thomas Edison changed the course of the light bulb technology by improving it vastly by using carbon filament, thus extending its life span. At the start of the 1900s, the Europeans started using tungsten filament because this produced more light.

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Graphene-coated LED light is the latest consumer product making waves in the lighting industry.

The bulb doesn’t use a regular filament like incandescent bulbs. Instead it has a graphenecoated LED light shaped like a filament.

Graphene conducts electricity and heat with extreme efficiency and is about 200 times stronger than steel, harder than diamond, and more conductive than silicon. As such, graphene-coated lightbulbs can cut energy use by 10 per cent and is expected to last longer than traditional LED bulbs.

Today

Future Smart bulbs are becoming a reality where you can dim or brighten the illumination or change the colours with your smart phone. Some others even let you switch on when you clap your hands together. Another possibility is laserbased lighting to illuminate your home. In fact, BMW is already using laser for the headlights of its “hybrid supercar,” the i8. Using blue laser diodes, BMW’s engineers were able to create a focused beam of white light.

CAR Future

Then In 1885 a German named Karl Friedrich Benz built the first automobile. Like our cars today, Benz’s car ran on gas that powered an internal combustion engine and instead of four wheels, the car had only three.

Today

The car has evolved over the years in aesthetics and performance. Also, with earth’s natural resources such as oil likely to run dry, some car manufacturers have already come up with hybrid cars. They combine the traditional technology of internal combustion engine with the electric motor. All the driver has to do is plug the car into an electric socket to run the vehicle.

Beyond electric, the innovation of the car could be speeded up by linking it to the Internet, making it a smart car. As cars become more computerised, they will be able to trade messages about traffic, weather and road conditions. They can also broadcast their speed and direction and warn other cars about potential safety hazards, such as when a nearby vehicle is drifting into your lane.

Cars that can park themselves at the push of a button may become a reality too.

A driverless car may also become a reality — simply sit at the passenger side or at the back, relax and read a paper while the car drives you to your destination.

Many of us take for granted some of inventions that have become so entrenched in our daily life. We take a look at some of the inventions that have not only evolved over time but have changed our lifestyle as well.

by Leon Wing

COMPUTER If you are talking about electronic computers, you’d have to disregard the earliest mechanical computer invented in the 1800s by Charles Babbage. We fast forward to the late 1930s and the 40s, when the first truly digital computer was named Atanasoff-Berry Computer or ABC. Later the Electronic Numerical Integrator and Computer or ENIAC was built, but it was enormous and weighed 30 tons and used 18,000 vacuum tubes to calculate a problem Computers shrunk to a more manageable size in the 50s when IBM introduced their machines. In the 80s and 90s, the computer became more accessible to everybody when Microsoft wrote the MS-DOS and Windows operating systems, and Apple competed with its Macintosh.

Today The computer has evolved from a desktop to more than just a laptop.

Now you can easily – and affordably – acquire a hybrid machine which can double as a laptop and as a tablet when you detach the display. Companies such as Apple is banking on its iPad while Microsoft is continually improving on the Surface tablet so that ultimately we will discard our normal computers altogether.

Then

Future

Computers of the future will be a souped-up version of the smartphone and it will not look like a laptop. It would be like a phone or watch. It will be like an intelligent partner reminding you of your appointments and medicine schedules, among others.

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TELEVISION The first television set introduced commercially to the world was a novelty at the 1939 World’s Fair. Back then the biggest screen was 12 inches of a cathode ray tube, the kind once used for computer monitor. The pictures were in black and white.

Then

Future

Today

HOUSEHOLD IRON

Then

After the cathode ray tube, TV technology took a big leap with plasma screen LCD screen and LED screen followed by OLED. The 3D TV made a big splash not too long ago, but people got a bit jaded having to wear special glasses. The word on everybody’s lips today is curved TV, with the screen curving inwards so that the pixels are equidistant from your eyes.

The modern day iron still runs on electricity but it weighs much less and takes just seconds to heat up. Some models spew out steam from water heated in a reservoir. They also have extra features such as non-stick coating, anti-burning and energy saving.

The iron has evolved where you just hold over, not press on, the surface of a piece of clothing. It will shoot out steam to soften and smooth the dress or shirt and remove creases.

Today As early as the Middle Ages, blacksmiths were forging flat irons that had to be heated over a fire or a stove before applying onto clothes.

Then came charcoal iron with a container for stowing glowing coal. When electricity took over as heating energy in the late 19th century, a New Yorker Henry Seely invented the electric iron which weighed about 15 pounds.

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The TV of the future is not rectangle but sphere. At the 2015 Consumer Electronics Show held recently in Las Vegas, USA, visitors got a peek at the new way to view 360° video.

The new viewing experience was shown as part of a collaboration among several partners including French video software firm Ateme and British-based Pufferfish Displays, which makes the spherical projection module.

Although 360° video can be viewed on a standard television or tablet, the spherical module adds a new dimension. Ateme general manager for the Americas Mike Antonovich says this “Can augment the experience of viewing a live concert or sporting event.”

Future

The Infinity Iron designed by Adam Wendel is great in design and functions.

The ergonomic surface is an OLED touch screen; the water reservoir, which is normally silver, illuminates a light blue when the heat that you have programmed on the OLED touch screen is reached. It has an automatic turn off feature, among others.

BICYCLE Today

Then

Today’s bicycle still requires the rider to pedal it. However the technology has improved tremendously. There are models built with different speeds, gears, handlebars and saddles.

Depending on whether you just want to ride it normally or do tricks and climb steep terrain, you can have the pick of either BMX or mountain bikes.

The first bicycle with two wheels that anyone could purchase was built in 1816 by Baron Karl von Drais, a civil servant to the Grand Duke of Baden in Germany. He patented it the following year as the Draisine. As the bicycle had no pedals, you had use your legs to ride.

WATCH

The bicycle of the future is expected to be much lighter and more compact. This means that you can easily carry it around.

Instead of chaining it to a railing, you can simply fold it into half and stash it indoors for greater security. The Gi Bikebike comes in an electric model powered by a lithium-ion battery that travel 64 kilometres (without the rider having to pedal) using electrical assist with a maximum top speed of 25kph. A smartphone app allows you to control the speed. When it runs out of power, it can still be cycled like a normal bike.

Future

When they were worn on the wrist, they became known as wristwatches. From the earliest mechanical watches, they evolved as electrical pieces powered by solenoid, to quartz using digital counters, to radio-controlled watches with the same accuracy of atomic clocks.

Today Future

Only recently has the watch undergone a radical innovation, emanating from computer technology as a smartwatch. It is practically a mini computer you wear on your wrist. These days such a device tells more than just time. It can receive calls and messages, play music, and monitor your health. In the foreseeable future new technology will allow wearers to talk to each other via video.

Then In the 15th century a German clockmaker, Peter Henlein, built the first watch and called it the clockwatch. It was worn around the neck as a pendant. Then people decided to wear them in their pockets, thus the name pocketwatch.

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SMART MACHINES – INTERNET OF THINGS

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In the 90s Bill Joy thought of making objects smart by connecting them to each other wirelessly. But it was Kevin Ashton of Procter & Gamble who made this a reality by connecting them using radio frequency tags, and calling this technology Internet of Things.

Today smart gadgets are connecting using NFC or Near Field Communication. For example, a computer can monitor the supply of tagged products on a store shelf. When supply runs low, it alerts the store.

Future

Today

The future with Internet of Things will be very exciting when every home can have every object communicating with each other.

Instead of touching a phone or tablet display, you use your voice to switch on the lights, the TV, or the air condition.

SOLAR POWER

Then Solar power first came into being in the 1880s when Charles Fritts built the first solar cell. In the 1930s and 40s improvements were made using better material such as selenium cells and in the 50s silicon was used.

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Today we use lenses and mirrors to harness solar energy to generate electricity or power.

Many households too use solar panels to harness the eco-friendly energy to not only light up their homes but reduce their energy bill as well.

Today

Future There are plans to carry such solar panels into space.

The light will be converted into lasers, which will shoot down into some facility on earth, to generate electricity.

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Bringing Young Inventors To The Fore Invention does not discriminate by age. It is the imaginative and creative mind that invents things and that characteristic cuts across all age groups.

There are as many award-winning inventions by young inventors as there are winning inventions by much older inventors. Many of the inventions by the young have impressed invention exhibition and competition organisers and judges all over the world. Often the ideas behind each invention and the process through which the invention came about are more enlightening than the inventions by adult inventors.

by Dr. Leo Ann Mean

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t is not surprising that today many invention exhibitions have a section for young inventors and this section draws many visitors and investors too. Many invention exhibitions too are held exclusively for the young.

Some of the Young Inventors Exhibitions and Competitions

MYIC or The Malaysian Young Inventors Competition is organised by MINDS in collaboration with the Ministry of Education Malaysia. It is an annual competition opened to all schools in the country. The best entries are showcased during the Malaysian Young Inventors Exhibition (MYIE) held in conjunction with the ITEX Exhibition.

The best of the best amongst them is selected to represent Malaysia at invention exhibitions and competitions overseas.

This competition, organised since 2003, attracts wide participation from primary and secondary schools throughout Malaysia.

This is a competition and exhibition that young budding inventors look forward to each year.

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AYIE is the acronym for Asian Young Inventors Exhibition. Started in 2010 and jointly organised by MINDS and ACIA (Asian Caucus of Invention Associations), this exhibition, held currently with ITEX, is the platform for young inventors from all over Asia to showcase their inventions to an international audience. This exhibition aims to encourage the spirit of invention amongst the young in Asia by gathering them to compete at an international level.

AYIE is held annually and has achieved commendable success.

IEYI the acronym for International Exhibition for Young Inventors provides opportunities to promising young innovators to exchange creative concepts with others and show their invention and innovation to participants from all over the world. IEYI was conceived and first hosted by the Japan Institute of Invention & Innovation (JIII) in 2004 to celebrate its 100th anniversary. Young inventors from 40 countries across the globe participated in this inaugural exhibition. The following year, the second in the IEYI series was organised by the Malaysia Innovation and Design Society (MINDS). MINDS organised the IEYI again in 2013.

BYSCC or the Beijing Youth Science Creation Competition which has a history spanning 30 years, is organised by the

Beijing Association for Science and Technology, Beijing, China (BAST). It is a comprehensive scientific and technological competition for scientific and technological innovations and scientific explorations of the youth. It is one of the largest and topmost scientific and technological and educational activities for primary and secondary school students in Beijing.

About one million teenagers in Be ijing participate every year out of which about 300 of the best competitors participate in the finals in Beijing. Each year foreign participants are also invited.

ISIE, the International Students’ Invention Exhibition, is organised by the Korea Invention Promotion Association (KIPA) with the co-operation of China and Japan to reinforce competitiveness and train inventors through technology exchange among youngsters.

Conclusion

Young inventors need to be encouraged and nurtured for many of them will become the inventors and scientists of the future. It is important for us to promote inventiveness from a young age. A head start is always advantageous. The passion for invention we all know starts from young and continues till old age. Invention knows no bounds.

AWARD-WINNING YOUNG MALAYSIAN INVENTORS Qiblat Finder for the Blind How do the visually impaired find the Qiblat, the direction that should be faced when a Muslim prays? Two young inventors Mohd Alif bin Mansor and Mohd Aiman bin Manap from a technical school in Kuala Lumpur, made Malaysia proud by winning the First Prize and a Gold Medal for their invention during the 33rd Beijing Youth Science Creation Competition (BYSCC) held in China in 2013. The Qi-Find is a special compass that has a buzzer which sounds when it is switched on and will only stop when the direction of the Qiblat is located.

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E-Z Barrow Two technical school boys from Rompin, Abdul Halim Abdul Hadi and Mohd Saddam Kamarulzaman, invented a versatile and user-friendly wheelbarrow when the traditional wheelbarrow that their classmates were using during their school’s construction course was too heavy for them. With the click of a button, a simple high pressure absorber helps to tilt the tray of the barrow to empty it. Their invention won them a Gold Award at the 5th IEYI in Taipei, Taiwan, in 2008.

Happy Sandals Sweeping the floor was boring and tiring for three primary school classmates, but it gave Jenny Foo, Yap Jim Hui and Wang Hui Shan, from Chukai, the inspiration to come up with an innovative slipper that not only helps solve their problem, but also won them the WIPO gold medal at the MYIE. The trio, all of whom are 12 years old, also won an award at the ISIE 2006, held in Seoul, Korea.

The three girls invented the Sandal with Dust Removing Ability. These are slippers with colourful frills on the side and valves on the soles that help suck dust from the floor just by walking. “We looked for a way to make our chore more fun and save time. After using the slippers we found that the floor was very clean,” Foo said, adding that it took them two weeks to finalise the product.

FloodWarn Three young inventors from Penang designed a flood warning detector that won them not only a 2010 MYIC prize but also the inaugural AYIE Gold Award. Wong Yoong Wern, Chew Ming Han and Dominic Teh Shan Xiong, took two months to assemble the detector from a T-shaped PVC pipe, a rechargeable hand-phone battery, a solar cell, a buzzer and an electronic circuit.

When flood-waters reach a pre-set danger level the solar powered device will produce an audible sound to warn residents. The young inventors are planning further improvements by making the detector trigger the house alarm or send a warning signal to the owner’s mobile phone in case of floods.

Dr. Leo Ann Mean Formerly an associate professor in education at the University of Malaya, Leo has been active in the field of invention after many years of teaching creativity in management.

For the past few years he has been the Chief Judge of ITEX Malaysia which is organised by MINDS annually. He believes that it is the creative mind that brings us to the exciting and wonderful world of invention.

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Intellectual Property:

Riding the Green Wave

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he year 2015 is said to be the most pivotal year in the earth’s long-standing battle against climate change. Forty five years ago on 22nd April 1970, the first Earth Day Celebration was held in the United States. The landmark event is often cited as the start of the modern environmental movement. More than 20 million Americans convened around major cities, parks were filled and streets were occupied, all united towards one goal: a nationwide protest to end critical environmental issue facing the United States and the rest of world.

Fast-forward four decades from that watershed moment, environmentalism has become a powerful force in the global cultural, economic and political scene.To shy away from a carbon dependent economy to one that is clean, green and lean may very well be the single biggest

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challenge confronting humanity today. Despite the expeditious growth of technological advancements around the globe, economies that have succesfully managed to balance the constant hunger for exhaustable energy sources with preserving the ecosystem are still very far and few in between.

Despite a myriad of collective efforts by governments, acitvists and international bodies, the relentlessly rising curve of carbon dioxide output does not show the slightest downward turn. The Green Paradox, a phrase coined by German economist Hans-Werner Sinn in his contentious writings, draws attention to how global warming can be accelerated if various building blocks are not scrutinised meticulously. It also raises one very hard hitting question: have we been going in circles in this green battle?

Growing efforts to understand clearly how we can use natural resources without depleting them and how we can tread a little more lightly on the planet lead to a vital enabler of growth in the innovative green front: The Green IP. Green Intellectual Property is a concept where innovations which are helpful to the environment are legally protected. It is pertinent to note the primary motives of granting monopoly rights is to elevate innovative standards and subsequently increase environmental benefits.

Jumping on the bandwagon and spearheading such initiative is none other than the World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO). In late 2013, WIPO GREEN was launched to promote innovation and diffusion of green technologies by connecting technology and service providers with those seeking innovative solutions.

It has been a little more than a year marked by rapid development. WIPO GREEN now boasts 53 partner organizations drawn from five continents. The effort has also come a long way, picking up momentum as it gained recognition and much hype from industry players. Its database lists over 1,700 green technology products, services and intellectual property (IP) assets available for commercialisation or licensing. In November, the UN Office for South South Cooperation awarded WIPO GREEN its Innovation Prize for its pioneering work in facilitating green technology transfer to developing countries.

The development and broad diffusion of innovative green technologies are central to international efforts to mitigate and adapt to climate change. In its first year, WIPO GREEN has shown itself to be an important catalyst for innovation and diffusion of green technologies, assembling in one place technologies at all stages of development – from upstream research to marketable products (and everything in between) – and making them available for license, collaboration, joint ventures and sale.

By adopting a bottom-up approach, built around partnerships and networks, WIPO GREEN is helping ensure that all countries can gain a piece of the action stemming from the exciting innovations that are taking place in green technology.

Progress is looking rather encouraging. More patents have been filed in the last five years than in the previous 30 years across key areas such as biofuels, solar thermal, solar photovoltaics (PV) and wind energy. While the average global rate of patent filing grew by 6 per cent between 2006 and 2011, these areas have experienced a combined growth rate of 24 per cent over the same period – four times the rate of growth!

The partners of WIPO Green have been working hard to deliver green technologies to countries and regions where they are most needed. Some highlights include:

• The Climate Innovation Centre, Kenya, is working with several partners to purchase agricultural waste from smallholder farmers and convert the waste into biomass briquettes.

• General Electric is working with Indian stakeholders to manufacture and distribute the first wind turbine specifically designed for India’s low-speed conditions.

• Ghana Bamboo Bikes Initiative has developed an innovative bicycle that uses natural materials to reduce the cost and environmental impact of manufacture.

Vélo Bamboo Bikes.

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Asia’s Innovative Companies Innovation is a big corporate buzzword today and building innovation into a company’s DNA is not an easy task. The right work environment which encourages the staff to bring new ideas to the table, commitment and consistency are some of the factors that can bring about innovation.

We have listed here some companies in the Asian region that have managed to get the innovative formula right.

Xiaomi, China

This fast-rising darling of China’s smartphone market has turned many heads and raised eyebrows. The four-yearold company is today worth a staggering USD50billion.

What’s even more impressive is how it managed to corner a huge chunk of the global mobile market share, without even venturing into America and Europe. Xiaomi is the world’s third largest smartphone vendor in 2014.

Dubbed as the Apple of China, Xiaomi managed to find the right formula – offering sophisticated smartphone models at a very low price to the growing middle class market in emerging economies. To keep its cost low, Xiaomi relies on its online sales strategy.

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Rakuten, Japan

CEO Hiroshi Mikitani.

Pricey telecommunication services and limited coverage in India brought about a unique form of communication in the populous country. Friends would intentionally call each other, allow the phone to ring one or twice and promptly hang up before the receiver answers the call.

To those who are unfamiliar, this little gesture is a method of conveying a far bigger and important message. It’s a signal for “I’m home safe”, all without being charged a single cent.

California-based tech entrepreneur, Valerie Wagoner picked up on the hassle-free method, figured out ways to improve it and eventually relocated to Bangalore, India’s hi-tech city.

Today, she leads the revolutionary tech company that handles 416 million missed calls. The company has since evolved into a money generating entity, allowing users to connect with brands such as Gillette, Disney, P&G and IndiaInfoLine.

How it works: New users will be issued a number. With every miss called made with the number, the caller will receive a call in return. The incoming call will be used as a means to communicate advertisements, contest and coupons. Given its success, ZipDial has expanded to Sri Lanka and Bangladesh. The company has set its sight on Singapore, Philippines and Indonesia as well.

Rakuten, the Japanese electronic commerce and internet company is creating waves in the e-commerce space. The company’s e-commerce platform, Rakuten Ichiba, is the largest e-commerce site in Japan and among the world’s largest by sales.

The online retail platform was launched to help small independent retailers to sell more online as well as reach a wider audience. CEO Hiroshi Mikitani was convinced that even the small independent retailer could enjoy rich rewards from selling on the web.

The company operates in three different segments, its core being internet services and internet finance. It also provides e-reading, online travel reservations, online auctions, online marketing, and online golf course reservations.

Mikitani aims to raise Rakuten’s profile outside of Japan with expansion plans driven by further acquisitions. His ultimate aim is to position the Rakuten brand as the centre of his global empire. Since 2005, he has acquired scores of online retail companies in France, the United States, the United Kingdom and Germany, among others. Last year he acquired Viber, an instant messaging and Voice over IP app for smartphones, for USD900 million.

ZipDial, India

Valerie Wagoner, Founder of ZipDial.

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DiGi, Malaysia

Baidu, China

The powerhouse search company, dubbed the Google of China, has begun to move from software into hardware under its new brand Xiaodu. From its humble beginnings providing router and portable projector, Baidu inched its way into more unconventional territory. Last year it introduced a Wi-Fi–controlled camera called Xiaodu iErmu.

Leveraging on the endless possibilities of cloud storing, the device records streaming video and stores it in the cloud. It can also monitor children, aging parents, or pets from afar. On the software front, Baidu also made waves when it launched a translation app that includes speech and text recognition abilities in English, Mandarin, Cantonese, and a growing catalogue of other languages.

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Malaysia made a mark in the world of innovation when Forbes named local telecommunications operator DiGi.Com Berhad as one of the world’s top 100 most innovative companies in 2014. DiGi joins a list of companies such as Amazon, Netflix and ARM, renowned for its unique business approaches.

DiGi was the only Malaysian company among the 100 companies (of which 22 were Asian) listed by Forbes and the only telecommunications operator from Asia.

Forbes said that firms on this list were ranked based on their innovation premium which measures how much the stock market thinks a company will come up with fresh, money-making ideas over and above its existing businesses in the next several years, This benchmark was created by business school professors Jeff Dyer and Hal Gregersen, in conjunction with HOLT/Credit Suisse.

This is DiGi’s second presence in a Forbes list. In 2012, it was acknowledged as one of Asia Pacific’s 50 best publicly traded companies and was inducted into Forbes Asia’s Fabulous 50 list.

LG, South Korea

LG Corporation, one of the largest South Korean multinational conglomerates, makes electronics, chemicals, and telecom products and operates subsidiaries such as LG Electronics, Zenith, LG Display, LG Telecom and LG Chem in over 80 countries.

The household brand was named Most Innovative Device Manufacturer of the Year at the Global Mobile Awards by industry body GSM in 2014. It flaunted no less than eight smartphones at the Mobile World Congress including the G Pro 2, G Flex, G2 mini, F70, F Series and L Series. The G Pro 2 is by far the most impressive gadget. It’s the first PLG smartphone to feature a 13MP camera with optical image stabiliser plus technology - allowing the user to stabilise the focus when taking a photo to reduce blurring. LG is serious about playing catch up and has invested heavily in advertising in an attempt to narrow the gap between other leading electronic brands.

Innovation is the driving force of HTC. The smart phone maker has developed longstanding working relationships with fellow technology leaders such as Google, Microsoft and Qualcomm. The relationships, in fact, extends beyond mere strategic partnerships: these partners serve as active labs for research and development and product evolution.

At HTC, all collaborations are set up to meet a very specific goal – to create a holistic experience for its customer. HTC form partnerships that will ensure that hardware, software, and content management and delivery systems are united in seamless and intuitive ways that give consumers control. HTC has achieved many industry firsts, including Color palm-size PC (1999), 1080 pixel display - HTC DROID DNA (2012) and 4G LTE Windows Phone - HTC TITAN II (2012)

HTC, Taiwan

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CP All, Thailand

Dhanin Chearavanont.

Many may not be familiar with the name Li & Fung but the company is involved in the production of 40-50 per cent of the clothes sold in many US shopping malls.

It is a leading consumer goods design, development, sourcing, and logistics company for major retailers and brands around the world. It manages the supply chains of high-volume, time-sensitive goods.

It’s headquartered in China and orchestrates close to 14,000 factories in China and around the world. Despite the apparel industry being a very low margin game, Li & Fung has been growing at a double digit rate annually over the past 25 years.

For a particular garment, Li & Fung may source its components from all over the world and piece them together — yarn from Korea, dyed in Thailand, woven in Taiwan, cut in Bangladesh and assembled in Mexico.

It also introduces performance metrics throughout the whole chain so that Li & Fung knows what is going on in the network as well as allowing companies to learn about their production chain.

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Li & Fung, Hong Kong

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This Asian company has been consistently making it into the most innovative list year after year globally. CP All managed to secure its spot in Forbes’s list of 10 Most Innovative Company in 2014, marking its fourth year in the club.

It’s Thailand’s largest convenience store chain with more than 7,000 7-Elevens under its umbrella. The head honcho is the country’s second richest, Dhanin Chearavanont. With sales jumping 46 per cent last year, the company aims to have 8,000 stores by year-end. To ensure seamless expansion across the board, it has developed payment technology for products and services through smart cards (Thai Smart Card Co., Ltd.) and information technology services (Gosoft (Thailand) Co., Ltd.).

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Top Inventions by Women That Changed The World Women are behind a large number of inventions than they are generally given credit for. In fact, the inventive spirit in women can be traced back hundreds of years. The first patent granted to a woman was in 1637. Here’s a sampling of women inventors and their inventions.

MARY ANDERSON Windshield Wiper

Mary Anderson may be a name many of us have never heard before but all those who drive vehicles use her invention. 1903 was the year that brought about a change in how people travelled in frosty weather.

That year, Anderson a native of Birmingham, Alabama, was visiting New York City via a trolley car.

Her intention of catching a glimpse of the Big Apple turned into disappointment when the snowy weather became a nuisance. She not only had a hard time seeing through the windscreen that was heavily covered with snow but noticed that drivers were also having difficulty seeing through the sleet and snow. They would have to reach through the window to wipe the snow and sleet off the windshield by hand. She immediately put her thinking cap on. After getting her formula right, Anderson filed for a patent for the first windshield wipers in 1903.

STEPHANIE KWOLEK Kevlar

Stephanie Kwolek saved an untold number of lives. A modern-day alchemist, Kwolek led the development of a synthetic material called Kevlar which is five times stronger than the same weight of steel. Many police officers owe their lives to Kwolek as Kevlar is the material used in bullet proof vests. The eureka moment came while Kwolek was working on specialty fibers at a DuPont laboratory in Wilmington. Kwolek is the only female employee of DuPont to be awarded the company’s Lavoisier Medal for outstanding technical achievement. She was recognised as a “persistent experimentalist and role model.”

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MARGARET KNIGHT Square Bottom Paper Bag When paper bags were first introduced to shoppers, they weren’t all that useful for carrying things. Shaped like an envelope, its use was limited. However, we have Margaret Knight to thank for the evolution of paper bags. Knight realised that paper bags should have a square bottom; when weight was distributed across the base in this way, more things could be carried in the bag. In 1870, she created a wooden machine that cut, folded and glued the square bottoms to paper bags.

She was granted the patent for the device in 1871.

It’s interesting to note that Knight was awarded more than 20 patents.

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BETTE NESMITH GRAHAM Liqiuid Paper In the 1950s the electric typewriter had just been introduced. Despite the convenience, secretaries often found themselves retyping entire pages because of one small mistake. Bette Nesmith Graham was one of them and being a bad typist did not make the situation any better. An idea sparked when she watched workers painting a holiday display on a bank’s window. She noticed that when they made mistakes, they simply added another layer of paint to cover the mistake. She decided to put the idea to test.

Using her kitchen blender, Graham mixed a water-based tempera paint with dye that matched her company’s stationary. Unfortunately, Graham was fired from her job for spending so much time distributing what she called “Mistake Out”. Having more time on her hands, she tweaked her mixture, renamed the product Liquid Paper and received a patent in 1958.

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JOSEPHINE COCHRANE Dishwasher The real impetus for the invention of dishwasher was driven by the frustration over Josephine Cochrane’s servants breaking her heirloom china after fancy dinners.

Her machine relied upon strong water pressure aimed at a wire rack of dishes, and she received a patent for the device in 1886.

Like any modern inventors today, Cochrane faced the same challenges back then. She claimed that inventing the machine was easier than promoting it. Undaunted, Cochrane sought appointments with large hotels and restaurants. Today, dishwashing machines are common in many homes as more women enter the workplace.

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