3 inventions of DLSU, MSU-IIT students advance to global round of James Dyson Award 2024

Three inventions of Filipino students from De La Salle University-Manila and Mindanao State University-Iligan Institute of Technology are headed to the global round of the James Dyson Award 2024 after being selected as the national winner and national finalists, respectively.

On Wednesday, the James Dyson Award announced the three inventions from the Philippines that are set to participate in the international round of the competition.

'RAMUN' by Joseph Aristotle de Leon

Joseph Aristotle de Leon of DLSU clinched the National Winner title this year with his invention “RAMUN.”

RAMUN, short for Resistivity Acquisition and Monitoring of the UNderground, is an underground monitoring system offering a near real-time video feed of the Earth’s subsurface.

As opposed to current electrical resistivity underground monitoring systems, RAMUN claims to be easily deployed in any environment, which can provide valuable insights for engineers, environmentalists, and policy and decision makers to deal with sustainability issues like groundwater pollution, infrastructure health, and more.

Joseph will receive about P350,000 ($6,300) for winning the national round.

Meanwhile, two more inventions from students of MSU-IIT are also advancing to the international round as the runners-up from the Philippines.

GeopolyCement by Ynna Nichole Ilogan and Rodel Remolana Jr.

GeopolyCement, an invention created by Ynna Nichole Ilogan and Rodel Remolana Jr. of MSU-IIT, offers a low-carbon and more cost-effective alternative to traditional cement, providing adequate strength and integrity while addressing the pressing issue of carbon dioxide emissions in the construction industry.

GeopolyCement is made from agro-industrial waste and pozzolan materials and is "refined by varying the silica-alumina ratio and alkali activator concentration."

Fire GeoPrimer by King Zhytt Driz and Alonzo Gabriel Limocon

FireGeoPrimer, an invention by King Zhytt Driz and Alonzo Gabriel Limocon of the MSU-IIT, is a geopolymeric intumescent flame-retardant primer coating for wood applications.

Its formulation combines nano silica from agro-industrial waste and aluminum from a clay, offering better fire resistance and protection for wooden structures and a surface for paints to hold onto.

RAMUN, GeopolyCement, and Fire GeoPrimer will progress to the next stage of the James Dyson Award, with the international Top 20 shortlist to be announced on October 16 and the global winners on November 13.

The international winners will receive approximately P2,100,000 ($38,000), while the international runners-up will take home P350,000 ($6,300).

The James Dyson Award is a yearly competition that challenges young designers and engineers to “create products that work better.” It is run by the James Dyson Foundation, the charitable trust of inventor, industrial designer, and entrepreneur James Dyson.

In 2020, Carvey Ehren Maigue, an alum of Mapua University, was named the first-ever global sustainability winner at the James Dyson Awards for developing solar panels using food waste.

— Hermes Joy Tunac/CDC, GMA Integrated News