MIC unveils new innovations

THE MIC Institute of Technology (MIC-IT) will introduce four of its latest innovations soon.

Last Tuesday, the MIC held its diversification through innovation event in Macoya where guests were shown the four devices - the Octoport charger, the Ion Hammer, the SolarPonix and the Flik-a-Stix.

The Octoport charger is a branded, eight-port, 12volt continuous charging system for multiple car batteries. It is both a supporting product designed for regenerated battery stock as well as new batteries and can remain connected to eight batteries at once for maximum battery shelf-life and immediate battery sale to the customer.

Similarly, it can be used by battery dealers or service centres to maintain warehoused batteries at 100 per cent charge before delivery to retailers.

It can be connected to a battery ‘in vehicle’ with no risk to vehicle electronics. The device carries a one-year warranty with repair options.

The Ion Hammer regenerates spent, used lead-acid batteries at a commercially viable rate, optimising waste resource use which mitigates environmental contamination.

The system processes batteries on a 24/7 basis and auto-sequences two batteries in tandem. Each completed battery can be moved to the ‘keep-fresh’ connections on the system for maintenance. Another ‘defective or weak’ battery can then be queued for processing without lost time.

The SolarPonix is a portable hydroponic system delivering low labour and low energy farming for urban and off-grid environments.

It is a zero energy, portable, hybrid hydroponic approach which can combat climate change and can be considered true green technology by conserving water and energy resources (100 per cent renewable energy), while also eliminating mass pesticide use.

Some of the parameters monitored by the system include soil dampness/moisture, which makes the system energy efficient since this monitors when the plants need to be watered as opposed to watering based on experience. It also reduces pump wear and tear. The irrigation point determines the minimum soil dampness level appropriate for the crop and the pump cycles and adds moisture. The device's controller checks this trigger level every 16 minutes.

In the area of music technology, the Flik-a-Stix is the first sound sensitive, LED performance, tenor steel pan sticks.

It is the world's first viable electronic steel pan tenor stick which delivers a visual accompaniment of ‘sound synchronised’ coloured light to accompany the playing of the tenor steel pan.

A single, tiny button delivers 100 per cent control for colour selection, illumination duration, and sound sensitivity calibration.

The LED pan stick is fully rechargeable from a standard mobile phone charger or portable power bank making it suitable for performances anywhere and eminently suitable for encouraging school-aged or early childhood centre cohorts to play the pan.

Before the tour, MIC-IT's chairman, Professor Clement Imbert, was eager for Trade Minister Paula Gopee-Scoon and Education Minister Anthony Garcia to see what the institute was developing.

“I want to impress upon them to get funds to develop more products. Other countries spend two to three per cent of GDP on innovations to the benefit of those countries.”

Engineer Ancil Bhagwandeen took time to explain how the devices were configured and functioned after which Brian James, general manager of Industry Services said since the inception of MIC-IT, some 25,000 skilled labourers, craftsmen, engineers and technicians have benefited from programmes at the institution, as well as another 14,000 in building and construction.

He listed some of the more recent innovations coming out of MIC-IT including the tamper-proof cap for gas cylinders, plastic containers for ice-cream, cleaning agents and Trinbone Foods, the Pellet Pump for Lake Asphalt, the pan burner, the Visually Impaired Sensor (VIS), an external bio-mechanical device for hip support and the rotating vertical farming unit.

Gopee-Scoon disclosed that government will be funding up to $1 million for innovations as well as investing one per cent of GDP on innovations.

Garcia was not too happy that the work of the institute was unknown to the public and challenge MIC-IT to work with his ministry to strengthen its communication programme.