Have you heard of the titanium-coating technology that helps prolong the usability of metals like knives or scissors three to five times longer? This is among the products of Filipino ingenuity that were patented abroad. Yes, you read it right. Abroad.

Dr. Reynaldo Ebora, executive director of Philippine Council for Science and Technology Research and Development (PCASTRD), an agency of the Department of Science and Technology, said three of the seven research and development (R&D)-supported patents by the agency were granted foreign-invention patents.

He said this is a proof that the approach has been a success in terms of producing highly skilled researchers in academe. At the same time, the country can produce competent scientists vital for enhancing the country’s capability in the knowledge economy.

“No doubt this approach has been instrumental in generating highly qualified and productive research personnel in our universities, R&D institutes, as well as groundbreaking researches in plasma physics, photonics and bioinformatics, to name a few,” he said.

In the past 20 years, PCASTRD has dedicated its efforts in implementing mission-oriented programs and projects, Ebora said.

“One of these mission-critical programs is our scholarship program to generate new experts in the advanced science and technology fields. By far, we have produced 253 graduates, with master of science degrees and 83 graduates of doctor of philosophy since we opened our scholarship program in 1989,” said Ebora in a briefing marking the 20th anniversary of PCASTRD held in a hotel in Makati City.

Dr. Henry Ramos, a member of the National Physics Institute and professor at the University of the Philippines-Diliman, leads the recipients when he was granted patent rights in Taiwan for his titanium-coating technology.

Ramos said his low-temperature coating technology can deposit either a gold luster titanium nitride or a diamond-like thin film on metal substrates, such as scissors, drill bits, cutting tools, punches and dies, dental instruments, knives and jewelry to prolong their usability to three to five times longer.

“This is an alternative to carbide coating which will be more cost efficient because you don’t have to put additional heating mechanisms,” said Ramos, a leader in plasma physics in the Philippines.

Ramos said he plans to initially sell the technology to the tool and die manufacturers in the county. He is also awaiting the patent approval of his invention in Europe, the United States, Japan, Singapore and Malaysia.

The troika of professors Caesar Saloma, Vincent Ricardo Daria and Intel scientist Jelda Miranda were granted patents in the United States for their integrated microscope system for failure analysis of integrated circuits.

Dr. Daria said their technique would enable electronics-manufacturing companies to reduce waste in the assembly line because it can reach and directly observe deep-structure surfaces, thereby giving sufficient time to correct the errors in manufacturing.

Engineer Hilary de Leon was also granted patent rights in the United States for his flight data recorder with wireless data retrieval.

The device can be used in small aircraft to get important flight data during all stages of the flight. The beauty of the device is that there is a built-in global system for mobile communication and general packet radio service modem that retrieves data at the end of each flight. Data can be retrieved locally through a serial port or remotely through a web site.

Ebora said the partnership with the private sector will benefit research and development in science. In the case of PCASTRD, he said the collaboration with the Ayala Foundation Inc. (AFI) will boost the government’s capability in promoting technology entrepreneurship and market-driven R&D of technology commercialization.

He said the focus areas of the cooperation would be in biotechnology, information and communications technology, and related fields.

Another interesting component of the partnership is the establishment of the Labtech Network, an online information tool that contains data on laboratory services and suppliers in the Philippines.

Guillermo Luz, executive director of AFI, said the online database is aimed to encourage more technology business investors to invest in the country and avail themselves of the products and services offered by local companies.

Further, he said, Labtech Network aims to generate greater cross collaboration among local technology companies, including small and medium enterprises (SMEs).

“We will be pushing for greater synergy with the SMEs to ensure they can be globally competitive,” he said.