Taiwan Bags 32 Gold Medals at Pittsburgh Invention Show

At the 2014 Invention and New Product Exposition (INPEX) held in Pittsburgh in the US, Taiwan earned 32 gold medals, 44 silver medals, and 10 special awards.  Among the approximate 700 and more inventions presented by 18 countries, Taiwan is the biggest winner by showing 97 inventions at the event and in terms of number of medals and the winning rate. 

The Taiwanese invention that won the 3rd prize and also a cash prize in the event is the technology coming from UWin Nanotech Co., Ltd. (優勝奈米科技有限公司), titled “Eco-friendly electrolyte gold stripping technology” which is able to separate gold from wasted electronic components without producing chemicals detrimental to the environment. 

Another Taiwanese award winner is a technology involving sealwort extract created by TCI Co., Ltd. (大江生醫股份有限公司) that is able to help balance androgenic hormones and ease manic depression in males.  This invention captured the Best Invention of the Far East award.

Taiwanese inventors also took home a gold medal and also Korean special award for the work relating to the vacuum-sealed storage canister, presented by the Department of Horticulture of the Affiliated Taichung Agricultural Senior High School of National Chung Hsing University (台中高農園藝科).   Inspired by the Chinese paper lanterns people carry in the Lantern Festival, the inventor of this work used PP materials to make the storage canister which is able to be folded up through air compression without taking extra space and the sealing cap can squeeze air out to keep the canister in 90% vacuum.  This invention was also awarded gold both at the Seoul International Invention Fair and the International Exhibition of Inventions in Geneva.

Moreover, the Korean special award winning invention is the “intelligent portable solar tracker”, exhibited by the National Chung-Shan Institute of Science & Technology (中科院) and the Southern Taiwan University of Science and Technology (南台科大) as the co-inventors, which is created by using the smart phone’s built-in GPS, tri-axis accelerometer, e-compass, and the host system calculation to complete the correction and operation parameter of the high-efficient solar tracker. 

Far East University (遠東科技大學) also took home a Korean special award by the invention, a “full function and aseptic urinal”, which is created to prevent reflux of urine and help rehabilitation in urination.  This invention is an easy-to-carry medical equipment that is able to maintain patient’s dignity. 

Hair O’right International Corporation (歐萊德國際股份有限公司) also won a gold by its product “Tree in the Bottle”.  Coming from an eco-friendly idea, this product includes the shampoo made with coffee oil extracted from coffee grounds recycled from coffee shops and convenient stores and also the 100% biodegradable shampoo bottle made with coffee grounds and PLA without adding any dyestuff.  In addition, every bottle carries coffee seed at the bottom, and the seed inside will sprout and grow into a coffee tree when the bottle has been buried in soil and broken down.  The greenest product earns a gold and a special award. 

In addition, Tajen University (大仁科技大學), the winner of a special award, displayed the technology of biodiesel production, by which biodiesel is produced from microalgae cultivated in livestock wastewater.  In this technology, microalgae grow acceleratively because of the nitrogen and phosphorous in livestock wastewater so as to facilitate use of livestock wastewater and protect the environment.

Taiwanese young inventors also had outstanding performance.  A student from Tainan Municipal Jhongsiao Junior High School (台南忠孝國中), who applies what he has learned about acid, alkali, salt and buoyance to make a filter layer by using active carbon, diatomite, and coagulant, and thus creates a portable water purifier, making himself a gold and a special award winner.  The device is small enough to take on hiking trips.  (June 2014)
/CCS