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SAMAR STATE UNIVERSITY, Catbalogan City, Samar. – From a college thesis, now a commercialized product in-waiting. This is the fate of a computer engineering project of Samar State University in 2013, which has received at least 5 different awards to date, from local to national competition. The biggest was the USAid-STRIDE award worth PhP 1.03M received this month of February 2017.

The device is a system which allows visually impaired people to detect and evade obstacles. It comprises a microcontroller-based embedded design that can measure the distance to the near objects through the use of ultrasonic, which generates high-frequency sound waves and evaluates the echo which is received back by the sensor. When a nearby obstacle is detected, the device notifies the user through a sound and vibration.

In 2014, Ma. Corazon Curiano, ChillaUy, Bryan Garabilis, ArwilRoyandoyan and LeeanIlao, fifth year Computer Engineering students under the advice of Engr. Jon Alvin Macariola developed an Obstacle Detection and Evasion System for Visually Impaired People. This project won as Outstanding Research Project in Samar State University in March 2014 from among the 30 projects in the competition.

In 2015, a fifth year computer engineering student then, Raven Tabiongan, also under the advice of Engr. Macariola, submitted an enhanced version of the project to the 2015 Regional Invention Contest and Exhibits (RICE 2015) under the Creative Research-Sibol Awards (College Category) of which he won.

The project was further enhanced and was submitted for the 2016 National Invention Contest and Exhibits (NICE 2015) competition as Region 8 entry in the same category. This was adjudged second among the entries from other regions. The wearable device for visually impaired people likewise won National Prize for the 2016 Alfredo M. Yao Intellectual Property Awards (AMY National IP Awards).

Late last year, the project was submitted to a technology pitching competition dubbed as SYNERGY 2016. The event was a venue where leaders/enthusiasts in science and technology research and innovation gathered to discuss current and future trends in high-impact sectors and industries. Conducted by the United States Agency for International Development – Science, Technology, Research and Innovation for Development (USAID-STRIDE) in cooperation with the Intellectual Property Office of the Philippines (IPOPhil), the group selected the wearable device as the second place winner.

Seeing the potential of the project for commercial application, a grant of PhP 1.03M was awarded to Samar State University (SSU) to further refine the device, specifically on its wearability. Establishment of an industry partner to manufacture said device for commercialization is among the targets of this award.

It is noted that visual impairment is a public health problem, according to World Health Organization (WHO). A 2010 study of the organization says that there are about 285 million visually impaired people, 39 million of them are totally blind. Of the total number, 12.05 million are in South East Asian Region. The study of Saaddine et.al (2003) also explains why it is considered a health problem and how people perceive it to be a threat to the public.

The report further disclosed that visual impairment contributes a large burden in terms of morbidity, quality of life and cost, thereby perceived as threat to the public. Based on the 2011-2016 National Unified Health Research Agenda (NUHRA) of the Philippine Council for Health Research and Development (PCHRD), studies and/or projects targeting persons with disabilities (PWD) are not yet among the priority areas for research.

Technologies designed to help ease the lives of PWDs like the wearable device for visually impaired people, are not included in the NHURA and RUHRA. There are, however, efforts to address PWD concerns by the health sector in the Philippines.

In 2013, a Medium Term Strategic Plan (2013-2017) was developed to strengthen the existing health program for PWDs, which may result the inclusion of PWD- related researches in the NUHRA.
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Eastern Visayas Health Research and Development Consortium (EVHRDC) conducts an Institutional Visit Cum Research Information Committee (RIC) Meeting last February 2, 2017 at Samar State University (SSU)

Catbalogan City, Samar. February 2, 2017 --- The EVHRDC – RIC members and Committee Chairs together with Ms. Anicia P. Catameo had gathered and conducted its first institutional visit at Samar State University (SSU), Catbalogan Samar.

The SSU had been actively participating the EVHRDC activities for the past several years, hence, SSU has been chosen by the EVHRDC to be visited this CY 2017. The institutional visit aims to promote EVHRDC and be able to come up with health related research studies for possible funding this year.

During the visit, the Orientation on EVHRDC was conducted by Dr. Lucia P. Dauz the EVHRDC Coordinator, then discussed an Overview of the PCHRD/DOH Regional Research Fund (RRF) which was presided by Ms. Catameo and Call for health related research proposals by the EVHRDC staff during the morning. On the other hand, the RIC meeting was held on the afternoon where Committee members of RIC and Committee chairs (ERC, CBC, RMC) had been invited for the reconciliation of CY 2017 Work and Financial Plan (WFP) and other concerns were also discussed.
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Norman Quilantang, a magna cum laude BS Biology graduate last March 2016 of the Department of Biology of the University of San Carlos (USC) and the representative of Central Visayas, won second prize in the National Research Paper Poster Presentation (Student Category) contest during the 10th Philippine National Health Research System (PNHRS) Week celebration held at the Citystate Asturias Hotel, Puerto Princesa, Palawan from August 8 to 12, 2016.
His paper was entitled “Isolation and in vitro characterization of adipose derived stem cells from Rattus norvegicus Berkenhout (Rodentia: Muridae)” and was co-authored by Vanessa May Ybañez, Crecialyn Pulvera, Dr. Rommel Bacabac (Chair, Department of Physics), and Dr. Frances Edillo (Thesis Adviser, Department of Biology). The study was in collaboration with Dr. Jenneke Klein Nulend of Vrije University, Amsterdam, The Netherlands. Norman’s PNHRS presentation was funded by Central Visayas Consortium for Health Research and Development.

The 10th PNHRS Week celebration had the theme “Research and Innovation for Health and the Environment” and was hosted by the MIMAROPA (Mindoro, Marinduque, Romblon, Palawan) Health Research and Development Consortium (MHRDC), together with the Philippine Council for Health Research and Development (PCHRD).

Norman has just moved on to Chung-Ang University, Department of Integrative Plant Science, Anseong, South Korea to start his master’s degree under the Chung-Ang University Asian Young Scientist Scholarship (CAYSS) award.

Source: Dr. Frances Edillo; Department of Biology; September 5, 2016
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Tacloban City, Feb. 1, 2017 --- The EVHRDC conducted a meeting with the Lead Investigators of EVHRDC Funded Researches in the region wherein Ms. Anicia P. Catameo, RPO of PCHRD has presided. The meeting is intended to present/provide updates on the status of ongoing researches of investigators, and discuss issues and concerns encountered during the conduct of the study and also Ms. Catameo discussed an overview of PCHRD Regional Research Fund (RRF).
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