THE STAR Sunday 29 March 2015

StarSpecial

INNOVATIONS
MALAYSIA

Igniting the passion

for creativity

Thinking outside the box > 6

Exploring wind energy potential > 7

2 INNOVATIONS MALAYSIA

StarSpecial, Sunday 29 March 2015

Modern-day inventions
that improve quality of life
By TINA CARMILLIA

PROMOTING innovation is one of the top challenges that

most organisations face. The reasons for this vary but can
be narrowed down to fear of risk-taking. This is apparent
especially in bigger companies, which are more conservative
and built on hard work of the past generation.
This type of organisations could risk failure that
may incur not just damage to their revenue, but more
importantly, their reputation. They are also more likely to
have a larger number of stakeholders whose interests they
must protect.

Bullet-proof material

Wi-Fi
During her career as a famous
film star, Hedy Lamarr was also
an inventor. In 1942, an American
patent was granted to Lamarr and
George Anteheil for their early
version of frequency hopping. During
its early stage of development,
the invention was used as a secret
communications system during
World War II but now serves as
the basis for several technologies,
including Bluetooth and GPS.
The technology is also
incorporated into a wireless
local area network that allows an
electronic device to participate in
computer networking using specific
radio bands, known as Wi-Fi. Wi-Fi
technology is commonly used to
provide Internet access to devices
that are within the range of a
wireless network that is connected
to the Internet. These devices include
desktop computers, smartphones,
digital cameras, tablets and video
game consoles.
Desktop

Laptop
Smartphone

Tablet

Start-ups, on the other hand, are usually the

brainchildren of daring entrepreneurs with a nothing-tolose mindset. Their venture may even be funded by their
college fund or parents investments. Because they did not
have to work as hard for the money, they are less likely to
be attached to it and are therefore more likely to take risks
with it.
Their main concern, instead, is on creating the next big
thing an innovative idea that can change the way we live
our lives. The mantra Innovate or die is a strong working

The Kevlar vest is a well-known

bulletproof vest worn mainly by
members of the law enforcement
agencies and military forces. The
lightweight fibres used in the
Kevlar vests are made from liquid
crystalline solution that are five
times stronger than steel and
were initially intended to be used
in automobile tyres. Aside from
being used as a protective layer, the
synthetic fibres have at least 200
other lesser known applications,
including in tennis racquets, camping
gear and airplanes.
Since the invention of the
liquid crystalline solution in 1965,
thousands, if not millions, of lives
have been saved for donning the
Kevlar vests, and they have chemist
Stephanie Kwolek to thank for that.
Kwolek is credited to be the inventor
of the super-strong and stiff fibre,
which is resistant to wear, corrosion
and flames.

culture in these smaller organisations to

break through and make profit.
Some of the most important modern
inventions have permanently changed the
world. For instance, can you imagine living
a day without lights? Thanks to Thomas Edison who invented
the lightbulb in 1879, electrical lighting has become part and
parcel of life that we barely notice and even take for granted.
Here are a few more contemporary inventions that made
similar impacts in our lifestyles.

ATMs and credit cards

ATM

Ever run out of money in the late

evening or on a weekend? Fret not,
just find an automated teller machine
or swipe your credit card.
The ATM invention is credited to
John Shepherd-Barron and Donald
Wetzel, and the first machine was
introduced in 1967 in the United
Kingdom. The ATM enables users
to perform financial transactions
without a human bank teller. Today,
the machine can be found in almost
every corner of every commercial
building and in some residential
areas.
John Biggins is the brain behind
the credit card system. The cashless
and time-saving invention allows
the cardholder to pay for products
and services with cash advance from
a card-issuing merchant that the
cardholder will pay back.

GPS
The Global Positioning System (GPS)
was launched in 1978 to provide
location and time information in all
weather conditions, anywhere on or
near the Earth. The technology was
developed by several individuals over
the 1960s and 1970s Ivan Getting
established the basis for the GPS,
Bradford Parkinson conceived the
satellite-based system and Roger L.
Easton invented the GPS.
It is a space-based satellite
navigation system that is critically
useful for the military, explorers,
pilots and paramedics but is also just
as important to civilians. Most cars
and smartphones now are
GPS-enabled.

SHOP

Sunday 29 March 2015

StarSpecial 3

4 INNOVATIONS MALAYSIA

StarSpecial, Sunday 29 March 2015

Creative and
healthy offering
M

ALAYSIAN Agricultural
Research and
Development Institute
(Mardi) is a statutory body that
has been mandated to conduct
research in agriculture, food and
agro-based industries.
Some of the potential research
areas in the development of
functional foods include the
following areas:
l Screening for new novel
bioactive compounds
l Bioavailability of functional
ingredients
l Standardisation of chemical
markers and product
development
l Agronomic practices for
production of high-quality
bioactive compounds
l Processing technology for
production of high-quality
bioactive compounds
l Efficacy and toxicological
studies
l Nutrigenomic

Mardi has developed some

functional food and beverage
products as shown in the table.
Here are examples of Mardis
achievements in the development
of functional foods:
l Malaysia Teknologi Expo 2012
(MTE 2012) Mardi obtained
the Gold Award and Best Award
for Highly Absorbed Antioxidant
THE Malaysian food pyramid
incorporates a variety of foods and
nutrients required for maintaining
good health. At the base of the
pyramid are unprocessed cereals
and grains as sources of energy
and dietary fibre, followed by
three to five servings of fruits and
vegetables as sources of multiple
vitamins, minerals and fibre at the
level above it.
At the next level, the suggested
daily intake is two small to
moderate servings of fish, chicken,
lean meats, beans or tofu and
a glass of milk as the source of
protein, vitamins and minerals. At
the topmost level, consumption
of fats, oils, salt and sugar should
be reduced to minimise their
negative effects on health.
The food pyramid approach
advocates a balanced overall diet
to ensure good health rather than
focusing on individual food items
or ingredients to prevent diseases.
However, the market today
is flooded with various types of
functional foods.
The number of new functional
foods produced remains
reasonably high, and health
trends observed throughout the
developed world (such as rising
obesity rates) suggest that the
market potential for functional
foods remains positive.
According to Euromonitor
Internationals latest health and
wellness statistics, the global
health and wellness market has
managed to surpass the US$600bil
(RM2.2tril) mark for the first time.
The United States remains the
worlds biggest market for health
and wellness foods and beverages.
Generating US$153bil (RM561bil)
in retail value sales in 2010, it
accounts for one quarter of

Juice (Nutri-Jus).
l ITEX 2011 Mardi was
awarded two silver for Healthy
Crisps from VitAto and Towards
Odourless Reduction of
Mengkudu (Morinda citrifolia)
Products.
l British International
Showcase 2010 Mardi received
Double Gold Medal Award
for Best Innovation and Best
Consumer Product International
for its innovation of sweet potato
leaves as a functional ingredient.
l Brussels Eureka Innova,
Belgium (2008) Mardi received
Gold Award for its innovation
in producing a pink guava drink
that is high in dietary fibre.
The technologies developed
by Mardi are transferred through
several means:
l Mardi has set up various types
of incubator and test-bed systems
that are ready to demonstrate
the potential technology for
commercialisation.
l Mardi, through its commercial
arm, seeks interested parties
for technological licensing, joint
ventures or other arrangements.
l With the establishment of
the Technology Development
and Promotion Centre within
Mardi, potential technologies are
screened and evaluated.
l Within the Technology

Products

Benefits

Limau purut tea

High antioxidant activity, rich in flavonoids and exhibits antibacterial properties.

Mas cotek tea

Reduces blood cholesterol level.

Misai kucing tea

Reduces blood pressure and blood cholesterol; could also be used as a diuretic.

Soursop drink

Antioxidant, anti-cancer and anti-inflammatory properties.

Lutein-rich snack

High in carotenoid. Lutein is good for vision and general health.

High-fibre frozen fruit

Pineapple, banana and jackfruit are rich in fibre.

Pegaga drink

Contains flavonoids and antioxidant. Good for brain functions such as memory development.

Herbal confectionery

Jellies incorporated with local herbs such as Misai Kucing, Kacip Fatima, pegaga and ginger.

Roselle granola bar

High-fibre and high-energy bar.

Just Great Juice

Contains high free phenolic acid. Phenolic acids are also known to be useful in controlling
inflammation, making the cells stronger and decay-resistant, preventing growth of abnormal
cells, boosting the immune system and improving blood circulation, all of which produce
significant anti-ageing benefits in the body.

Omega-3 egg

Improves health by a variety of mechanisms, including maintenance of cell membrane function

and depression of blood lipid levels.

Low-cholesterol egg

Low-cholesterol content.

Virgin coconut oil

Exhibits antibacterial properties.

High-fibre beverages

High-fibre beverages such as roselle, ginger and mixed fruits (pineapple, calamansi, starfruit),
and pink guava high-fibre drink.

Probiotic yoghurt

Contains probiotic cultures such as Lactobacillus bulgaricus.

Vitato-based products

High in vitamin A. Examples are Vitato flour, Vitato cubes, Vitato sweet bun and doughnut.

Stevia-based products

Stevia as a sugar replacement. Examples are dark chocolate and pineapple jelly.

Functional products developed by Mardi.

Development and Promotion
Centre, the Business Development
Unit prominently assists in
the transferring of technology
either through licensing or
Memorandum of Understanding
(MOU) with selected
entrepreneurs and other

Functional food for life

Just Great is a mixed
fruit juice with honey.

global sales.
There are many definitions
for functional foods. Some of the
definitions are as follows:
l Food that may provide health
benefit beyond basic nutrition
(IFIC Foundation, 1995).
l Foods or food products
marketed with the message of
their benefit to health (Riemersma,
1996).
l A functional food is similar
in appearance to conventional
foods, is consumed as part of a
usual diet and has demonstrated
physiological benefits and/or
reduces the risk of chronic disease
beyond basic nutritional functions
(Health Canada, 1997).
l A food can be regarded as
functional if it is satisfactorily
demonstrated to beneficially effect
one or more target functions in the
body, beyond adequate nutritional

effects, in a way that is relevant

to either improved stage of health
and well-being and/or reduction
of risk of disease (Roberfroid,
2002).
For a food product to be
designated as functional, the
fundamental requirements are:
l It is a food, not a capsule or
powder.
l It is consumed as part of the
daily diet.
l It provides health benefits.
The term functional foods
currently lacks a common
definition. This category is
generally thought to include
products that influence specific
functions in the body and thereby
offer benefits for health, wellbeing or performance beyond
their regular nutritional value.

private sectors.
l Mardi has published MARDI:
Three Decades of Achievements
in Research and Development
and Technology on Offer, which
highlights potential technologies
ready to be commercialised.
l Mardi has organised business

roadshows to highlight its

potential technologies and
also for business networking.
l Mardi is actively involved
in various exhibitions
throughout the country
where potential technologies
are displayed.

For example, foods and

beverages that are beneficial to
health are referred to as functional
foods.
Food products that
contain ingredients such as
oligosaccharides and dietary
fibres are believed to confer health
benefits.
Another example is adding
omega-3, omega-6 and omega-9
fatty acid, docosahexaenoic acid
(DHA) and eicosapentaenoic
acid (EPA) to foods to improve
cardiovascular health.
Functional foods can be derived
through several ways, so almost all
our foods and drinks can be made
functional. One of the easiest ways
is to reduce salt and sugar in the
foods that are linked to high blood
pressure, obesity and diabetes.
The opposite of reducing the
unhealthy components is to
simply increase the beneficial
ones, such as adding calcium to
biscuits.
An unhealthy component can
also be replaced with a healthy
one. For example, blending
polished wheat flour with whole
grain flour makes a functional
product.
In Malaysia, segments with
the greatest concentrations of
functional products are:
l Energy drinks
l Infant and other milk formulae
l Dairy-based drinks
l Sports drinks
l (To a lesser extent) fruit juices,
breakfast cereals, energy bars,
biscuits and baked products
l Other products, including drinks
containing local herbs, fresh eggs
with omega-3, fresh eggs with

selenium and fresh chicken

enhanced with DHA
Malaysia has a sizeable
functional food and drink market
niche within its very large food
and beverage market.
Estimates of consumption of
these drinks range between 120
million and 130 million litres
per annum. The bulk of these
products are energy drinks and
dairy-based products.
Malaysia-based food
manufacturing companies that
are involved in the production
of functional/enriched food
products include:
l Nestl Malaysia Malaysias
largest food and drink company
l F&N (Fraser & Neave) one
of Malaysias largest food and
drink processors and producer
of a range of different functional/
enriched food and drink
products
l Yakult producer of cultured
milk drinks in Malaysia
l Kraft operates a major
Asian regional biscuit and snack
production facility in
Malaysia
l Yeo Hiap Seng
another large
Malaysian food and
drink company
that produces
isotonic drinks

Stamenus drink.

Sunday 29 March 2015

StarSpecial 5

6 INNOVATIONS MALAYSIA

StarSpecial, Sunday 29 March 2015

Thinking outside the box

I

NNOVATION is the engine that will

propel us into the future. It will happen
in all segments of our society, schools
and colleges, at the grassroots level, and
in our businesses and industry, says
Muhammad Aziph Datuk Mustapha,
chief executive officer of Yayasan Inovasi
Malaysia (YIM).
YIM, also known as the Malaysian
Foundation for Innovation, was established
in October 2008 with the support of
the Ministry of Science, Technology and
Innovation (Mosti) and was approved by
the Malaysian cabinet on November 7 in
the same year.
The purpose of YIMs inception is to
promote and inculcate creativity and
innovation among Malaysian citizens
in general and especially target the
grassroots community such as children
and youth, women, rural folks, people
with disabilities and non-government
organisations. By doing so, Malaysians
will be mobilised to embrace and practise
creativity and innovation.
I personally believe that Malaysia will
not be able to achieve our Vision 2020
goals without innovation in all segments of
society. Innovation is the key, says Aziph.
In order to achieve this, YIM capitalises
on its position as an agency under Mosti.
It collaborates and synergises with
various other agencies of the government
machinery, including Agensi Inovasi
Malaysia and Department of National
Unity and Integration under the Prime
Ministers Department, Ministry of
Education, Ministry of Agriculture,
Ministry of International Trade and
Industry, Mara and, most recently, SME
Corp Malaysia, to implement High Impact

Aziph (front centre) with his Yayasan Inovasi Malaysia staff members called YIMsters.
Programme 6: Inclusive innovation.

Walk the talk

Although the foundations day-to-day
operation involves a lot of activities around
the country to scout for new grassroots
innovations, YIM is only about 20 people
strong in manpower and uses its own
innovative ways to encourage work-life
balance.
All YIM staff members, called YIMsters,
have to be multi-tasking and pro-active.
Our office is set in such a way that YIMsters
can work in many different spots in the

office such as the Kopitiam Pantry, The

Garden and The War Room.
This is one of the innovative ways used
to nurture our staff to be productive,
shares Aziph.
According to Aziph, science, technology
and innovation must become a way of life
in Malaysia, which is why the foundations
mission is to enculturate this mindset.
Since it started operations in 2010, YIM has
reached out to more than 6.8 million people
through its various programmes, including
World Innovation Forum-Kuala Lumpur
(WIF-KL), YIM Ideation and Jejak Inovasi.
Malaysians are an innovative and
creative lot. I have personally seen countless
examples of creativity and innovation that
come from Malaysians from all walks of
life. If there is a weakness, it may be the
lack of focus to see innovations through to
commercialisation. It takes a special kind
of person to focus on realising an idea and
bringing it to the market, he says.
That special kind of person is exactly
who YIM is looking for. The foundation has
scouted 1,413 innovative ideas through
Jejak Inovasi and, as a result, more than
50 innovations have received value-added
assistance.
As a foundation, YIM sources for
sponsorship from private sectors through
these programmes to manage and sustain
its operations.
We are allocated an incentive by the
government to receive matching grants
for every ringgit that we source from the
private sector. Therefore, we welcome the
private sector to sponsor our initiatives
because we are able to add value to them
by providing tax exemption for their
contributions, which in turn will benefit the
nation, says Aziph.

Inclusive
Innovation
Challenge 2015
ONE of the biggest sub-events at the
Karnival Kreativiti and Science4U is the
Inclusive Innovation Challenge 2015.
The challenge aims to spread the
positive message among the masses
that the erudite, rich and powerful are
not the sole custodians of innovations.
Instead, real innovations come from
people connected to grassroots problems,
who live under constraints and still show
out-of-box thinking that offers scientific
and technical solutions. The competition
categories are:
Public category Open to participants
living in Selangor and Wilayah
Persekutuan (Kuala Lumpur and
Putrajaya) only
Ministry and government agencies
category Open to all residents in
Malaysia
IPTA/S category Open to students in
Selangor and Wilayah Persekutuan
(Kuala Lumpur and Putrajaya) only
The participants are required to bring
along their innovation for showcase
during the event. They can choose from
the themes listed below:
Utilities Affordable, sustainable
renewable energy
Health care Early detection and
cure of chronic or spreadable
diseases
Productivity Enhancing
agricultural productivity
Education Reducing the educationaccess gap between the rich and poor
Winners will receive cash prizes and an
official certificate.

Innovation for all

Malaysian mindset to embrace creativity

and innovation.
Since the foundation is on the lookout
for great new products and services, Aziph
encourages members of the public to let
the foundation know of any innovation
happening in their neighbourhood or
workplace.
If the innovation has potential, we
will assist to develop it until the precommercialisation stage. We also welcome
youth volunteers to join our programmes to
ensure they gain experience and exposure,
he says.
Those who are keen to learn more
about YIMs effort to champion grassroots
innovations will not have to wait too long.
The foundation is jointly organising the
Karnival Kreativiti and Science4U from
April 16 to 18 at Kiblat Walk, Perbadanan
Putrajaya, Precinct 3, together with Mosti
and Yayasan Angkasawan Malaysia.

The foundation is constantly engaging

the public with awareness and educational
programmes to improve and change the

n For more information, e-mail

info@yim.my or call 03-8319 1714
or visit www.yim.my

Aziph (middle)
explains the
innovative
functionality of
a trash bin that
traps rats to a
group of YIM
visitors.

StarSpecial, Sunday 29 March 2015

INNOVATIONS MALAYSIA 7

Assoc Prof Chinnasamy Palanichamy says Curtin Sarawak is keen to explore

the potential of wind energy in Malaysia.

Exploring
wind energy
potential
A

CCORDING to Kable
Intelligence Limited, the
global capacity of wind
power installed exceeded
370GW last year, making
wind the second most widely
used renewable source after
hydropower.
With the annual growth
rate of cumulative wind power
capacity averaging at 25% in the
last five years, wind is the fastest
growing renewable power
source, a trend projected to
continue in the future.
Researchers at Curtin
University Sarawak have
begun to explore the potential
of wind energy in Malaysia,
carrying out active research
on new technologies such as
the application of the Venturi
effect to harness wind energy.
Last year, they presented and
published two research papers
on this new concept.
According to Assoc Prof
Chinnasamy Palanichamy of
the Department of Electrical
and Computer Engineering in
Curtin Sarawak, the university
has applied to secure funding
support from the Ministry
of Science, Technology and
Innovation (Mosti) to conduct
a more intensive research
programme in renewable
energy systems.
The aim is to provide a
remedial solution to the
energy sustainability and
environmental protection
issue of Malaysia through costeffective renewable energy
systems. The proposed research
project will consider Malaysias
energy sector and the challenges
that restrict its sustainability.
To successfully harness wind

energy, the wind speed, annual

wind distribution, air-density
factor, land cost and public
opinion on wind energy are
major factors to be ascertained.
As Malaysias mean annual
wind speed is low at no more
than 2m/s, wind energy has not
been successfully harnessed
since most of the commercially
available wind turbines require
a minimum cut-in speed of 4m/s
for electrical energy generation.
An effective way of increasing
the wind speed is by employing
the Venturi effect principle. The
Venturi effect is similar to a jet
effect, much like the effect of
placing a thumb at the end of
a garden hose when watering
plants.
A new wind harnessing
technology based on the Venturi
effect will increase the wind
velocity, which leads to a rise in
the power output of the wind
turbine.
An efficient, economical
and environmental-friendly
wind turbine prototype will
be developed to be a reference
model for energy planners and
renewable energy investors.
The outcome of the research
will show that there is indeed
potential in wind energy as an
energy source in Malaysia and
that slow wind turbines are
highly suited for Malaysian wind
conditions.
Though the wind speed in
Malaysia may be low, which is
beyond human control,
energy harnessing technology
could be suitably adjusted to
meet the nations energy targets.
n For more information, visit
www.curtin.edu.my

8 INNOVATIONS MALAYSIA StarSpecial, Sunday 29 March 2015

E-learning platforms and apps

N providing cutting-edge
technologies to enhance
learning, Open University
Malaysia (OUM) has shown its
passionate commitment toward
fulfilling this goal.
Launched last year, the
universitys e-learning innovations
portray a wide array of learning
tools and applications. They are all
available freely to OUM students
and the public should they wish to
use them for learning purposes.
Among them are:

Virtual learning (MyVLE)

MyVLE is a learning platform
that was developed by OUM
in 2012. This platform enables
learning to be conducted online.
Not only do OUMs local
students have access to it,
its students studying at its
international centres are also
able to access it. This is to provide
support to the universitys
international students any time.

OUM App
The new generation of
educational systems enable
students to purchase and consume
educational materials from their
smart mobile devices such as
iPad, iPhone, Android phones and
Android tablets.
Educational materials are
designed to be interactive,
multimedia-centred and viewable
anywhere, anytime, with or
without Internet connectivity.
OUM App is an application
available for students to access
more than 130 titles. The app
contains e-tutorials, videos,
notes and a host of other learning
materials.
Most of the modules consist
of business-related programmes
and is available on both Apple
and Android platforms. Once the
modules are downloaded onto
the phones, they can be accessed
without Internet access.

This makes a good supplement

for students who wish to have
information on the go. We have
converted most of our modules to
the application version and we are
working on having all the modules
completed within the year, says
Prof Emeritus Tan Sri Anuwar Ali,
president and vice-chancellor of
OUM.

OUMobile
Another innovation of the
university is the OUMobile, which
presents a smartphone-friendly
version of the MyVLE. Through
OUMobile, learners can access a
variety of support and services
to help them in their studies,
regardless of their location.
The OUMobile allows
students to access more than
100 programmes that are
made available on the MyVLE
platform using smartphones.
With the smartphone, learners
can check courses, find out the
latest announcements, join the
online community, get help for
administration and examination
matters, read handbooks and
newsletters, find resources, access
the digital library and even visit
the universitys Facebook page.

MOOCs
Massively Open Online Courses
(MOOCs) are a recent but hugely
popular phenomenon in the online
learning world.
They are hailed by many as
a solution for the developing
worlds lack of access to education
because MOOCs can provide
learning opportunities to a
massive number of learners from
anywhere in the world as long
as they can access the course
through Internet.
OUM broke records when it
became the first university in
Malaysia to have its app made
available on iTunes. As of February
this year, more than 8,484

OUMs e-learning innovations portray a wide array of learning tools and applications.

Prof Emeritus Tan Sri Anuwar Ali, president and vice-chancellor of OUM.

OUM has always

been attentive
towards the
initiatives and
development
of new and
advanced learning
technologies that
will pique the
interest of learners
of all ages.

downloads have been made.

According to the iTunes report,
most of the downloads were from
the United States, Malaysia and
China.
Most of the visitors are
the crme de la crme of the
workforce, aged between 25
and 49 years old who mostly
download strategic management,
thinking skills and problemsolving programmes.
OUMs latest addition appears
to be a visual arts programme that
has already been made available.
OUM has always been attentive
towards the initiatives and
development of new and advanced
learning technologies that will
pique the interest of learners of all
ages.
Anuwar proudly speaks of OUM
and its efforts to enhance the
quality of teaching and learning
especially for learners and the
general public.
Recently, OUM has been
entrusted to develop the National
Centre for e-Learning in Riyadh for
the Ministry of Higher Education

Saudi Arabia.
This was one of OUMs
proudest achievements. he says.
This serves as a testament
that OUM has the capability and
capacity to build learning hubs
and delivery methods specifically
for e-learning innovations, both
internationally and locally.
We are also involved in the
growth of e-learning systems
for many local and international
institutions.
These include University of
Science and Technology Sanaa,
Yemen; Villa College, Maldives;
and the Trisakti University,
Indonesia, says Prof Emeritus
Anuwar.
This definitely places OUM as
one of the major contributors and
leading providers of open and
distance learning in the Asian
region and internationally.
With 34 learning centres
nationwide, 10 international
learning centres and more than
150,000 students since 2001, OUM
is set to revolutionise the new
world of education and learning.