Explore World IP Day 2022 with RC&I case study videos
World IP Day focuses on how young inventors, creators and entrepreneurs can use IP rights to achieve their goals, generate income, create jobs, tackle local and global challenges and support community and national development.
RC&I asked five researchers to share how IP helped them to commercialize their work. Watch these videos on our YouTube channel:
Dr Amir Patel, Associate Professor, University of Cape Town
Amir uses robotics to understand the locomotion of animals. He utilises techniques such sensor fusion, optimal control and physical experiments to understand the neuromechanics of manoeuvrability and is particularly interested in studying the cheetah (Acinonyx jubatus), the fastest terrestrial animal. This has resulted in 20 papers in the top five Robotics and Computer Vision publications. He has also made an impact in the biology field, with a co-authored paper in Nature Protocols and a cover article in the journal of Integrative & Comparative Biology (ICB). His novel sensing work has resulted in two sensor patents with applications in human biomechanics.
“My fascination with – and research into - cheetah locomotion has led to several innovations in robotics and machine learning (artificial intelligence). These translate to more affordable and accessible biomedical devices for orthopaedics or any kind of neurological disease that require rehabilitation with a 3D force plate.”
Edmund Wessels, biomedical engineer and inventor of Flexigyn
Edmund began his journey into biomedical engineering by developing FlexiGyn, a solution aimed at improving access to medical technologies for clinicians to better aid patients. While Edmund continued his work on FlexiGyn as part of his PhD in Biomedical Engineering, he lectured courses on medical device design to equip others with the skills to navigate the complex medical device landscape. Additionally, he worked on South Africa’s National Ventilator Project during the height of the Covid-19 Pandemic to ensure the best fit solution was developed in such a critical time of need.
“FlexiGyn revolutionises women's health. This flexible mobile hysteroscopy system that allows gynaecologists and senior nurses in South Africa and the rest of Africa to do procedures at the point of care, shortening waiting periods for operating theatres, increasing capacity to provide services in overburdened and under resourced facilities – also in rural areas, and ultimately improving outcomes for women.”
Gokul Nair and Giancarlo Beukes, co-founders of Impulse Biomed and serial inventors
Gokul and Giancarlo are serial inventors who launched Impulse Biomedical, aimed at increasing access to life-saving health technologies, after completing their Master’s Degree in Biomedical Engineering. Gokul’s inventions include the ZiBiPen, a reloadable adrenaline auto-injector for Anaphylaxis and a novel drill guide test rig for patella femoral ligament surgery. Giancarlo developed medical technologies in the fields of sports medicine, asthma, allergy, orthopaedics and public health including the Laxmeter - a knee joint ligament laxity measurement stress radiography device, Easy Squeezy - a reusable sleeve attachment to enhance the usability of the standard metered dosage inhalers, and a needle and sharp crushing device for rural clinics in Nigeria.
“We improve accessibility to healthcare by rethinking medical device design. Our devices for the treatment of asthma and anaphylaxis (severe allergies) are more affordable, smarter, easier to use and accessible for patients.”
Dr Olufemi Olayiwola, researcher in solar PV applications
Olufemi’s research resulted in a low-cost platform for capturing the impedance spectrum of a PV module or string within a very short period of time (compared to conventional impedance analyzers). The impedance spectrum is correlated with PV performance and a variety of online fault conditions can be characterised. The technology measures the electrical impedance response of an optimised and unique superimposed multisine broadband signal injected into the PV panel or string. The signal spans a very large frequency range of between 100 Hz – 500 kHz with a very low crest factor, for characterising various PV cells/modules. It is also applicable to fuel cells, for example used in electric cars.
“We are moving from carbon energy to a renewable world, but for this new system to succeed it needs reliable storage. My technology improves the efficiency, reduces fault conditions, increases life expectancy and ultimately improves the economic viability of the investment into batteries used for solar PV systems and fuel cells for electric cars.”
Dr Sarah Carroll, research scientist and co-founder: MariHealth Solutions
Sarah obtained her PhD in Molecular and Cell Biology from the University of Cape Town, which focused on the effect of climate change on farmed abalone utilising a high-throughput proteomics approach and bioinformatic pipeline to identify and characterise specific biomarkers of chronic stress in farmed abalone. Following this, she commenced a research position, developing and scaling a probiotic feeding regimen for settled post-larval abalone in commercial farm hatcheries. This opened the door to MariHealth Solutions, which offers solutions in the form of abalone probiotics for improved animal growth rates and disease resistance, as well as an “early detection” monitoring service of chronic stress levels in farmed abalone.
“Our diagnostic and therapeutic solutions for farmed abalone improves practices and overall farm health, resulting in sustained and improved yield for farmers and long-term food security on a global scale – even in the face of rising temperatures and other stressors due to climate change.”
Watch the videos here.