17/11/2004

Innovative inventions and new technology awards were given for the second consecutive year by the Industrial Property Organisation (OBI) and the General Secretariat for Research and Technology, on October 5, 2004, in the OBI event hall in Athens. The purpose of these awards is to reward inventiveness and ingenuity, contributing to the advancement of technology and the improvement of the economy's competitiveness.The event was attended by representatives of the academic community, as well as members of research centres, private and public institutions involved in research and innovation, and so forth.

In his speech, the Minister of Development Dimitris Sioufas stressed the priority that the Ministry places on technology, human creativity and intellectual activity aimed at developing and improving the quality of life.

The General Secretary of Research and Technology, Professor Ioannis Tsoukalas, spoke about the need to improve the legal framework and emphasized the need for a less bureaucratic, more functional and effective framework, which will allow the public to benefit from inventions by any person or group. Professor Tsoukalas went on to say that, in order to take advantage of the ingenuous Greek mind, we must abandon the introversion that characterises many of our actions with respect to the means available to develop that ingenuity.

Professor Georgios Koumandos, President of the Industrial Property Organisation (OBI) stressed the fact that inventions require funds, both for the necessary research as well as for the protection of the results of that research. "But since research funding is not part of OBI's responsibilities, we have established awards for invention as a means of supporting the inventors' inspiration and motives".

In his speech, Associate Professor Manolis Samouilides, General Manager of the OBI, noted that by creating inventor awards, the OBI highlights the efforts of Greek scientists, researchers and all those involved in technology and production, who work quietly to solve technical problems, to make inventions and to develop innovative products from these inventions.

In total, awards were given to eight patents which had been submitted within the last five years. The submissions were evaluated by a committee of experts, chaired by Professor Emmanuel Koukios of the National Technical University of Athens. For the first five inventions, the award included a monetary prize (10,000 Euro for the first prize, 6,000 Euro for the second prize and 3,000 Euro for each third prize).

It should be noted that the second OBI Invention Awards were characterised by submissions of better quality on average, better potential for practical applications and greater contribution of the selected inventions. In fact, there are strong hopes that a culture of innovation and ingenuity will be reinforced in Greece, through the continuation of this OBI initiative. As Prof. E. Koukios said, "This initiative must be the starting point and a source of inspiration for many other 'journeys' for people, groups and institutions upon the seas of innovation and ingenuity, that are so vital to the Greek economy and society".

A brief presentation of the award-winning inventions is given below. More information on these inventions can be found by key-word search in the OBI patent database at: http://gr.espacenet.com.

1st Prize

Concentrator Type Triple Hybrid Solar System for the Simultaneous Production of Electrical, Thermal and Cooling Energy

Inventor: A. Papadopoulos (Mechanical/Electrical Engineer)

The invention concerns the construction of a solar water heater which, in addition to hot water, will also produce electricity, at approximately the same cost with a conventional water heater.

It is a hybrid PROTEAS A photovoltaic system, based on the development of an innovative system for concentrating solar radiation on special photovoltaic cells, using full reflection mirrors made of ordinary colourless glass. The mirrors have an indefinite life span and can be mass-produced at a very low cost in existing automated printed glass production facilities. This underlines the significant potential for development and expansion of related business activities. The system's major advantage is the clean production of power, with no environmental pollution.

A larger version of PROTEAS A in conjunction with heat pumps can also provide air conditioning, thus realising the concept of an energy-independent house (PROTEAS B). Specifically, using special heat pumps that convert the heating power of hot water to cooling power, it is possible to use the hot water produced by the system for air-conditioning in the summer and for direct heating in the winter.

The industrial standards of PROTEAS A and B, which are manufactured as part of a European programme, are expected to be completed by the end of 2004.

2nd Prize

An Automatic Process for the Reliable and Secure Creation and Distribution of Quantum Keys

Inventors: I. Vrettaros (Physicist, responsible for e-learning in the Net Media Lab of the National Center for Scientific Research "Demokritos"), I. Bakopoulos (Mathematician, post-graduate scholar of the NCSR "Demokritos"), A. Dringas (Electrical Engineer, responsible for the Applied Technologies Department of NCSR "Demokritos")

Quantum methods for the creation and distribution of "single-use" cryptographic algorithms (one-time pad codes) are an innovation that allows safe and reliable communication in a digital information transfer network environment. This is a robotics and automation application, based on the observation that each protocol for the quantum creation and distribution of cryptographic algorithms is essentially an algorithm.

The installation, control and operation of the communication system between two users, A and B, is performed exclusively through a computer system network, the controllers. The system establishes communication by allowing the exchange of information 'quanta' (qubits) by one of the authorised methods, while examining and confirming the authenticity and exclusivity of the key code, thus protecting the users from interception attempts. In addition, the system will perform all operations required for safe, reliable and comfortable daily communication between two users, who are not even aware of the quantum algorithm used.

Using mathematical simulation models for interception techniques, the system can adapt to dealing with specific forms of such methods and to interceptor deception and entrapment procedures. This method can convert any experimental process of quantum algorithm distribution into a comprehensive daily communication system in a digital network environment such as the Internet.

3rd Prize

Non-Peptide Mimetics Based on the Active Sequence S42FLLR46 of the Thrombin Receptor for the Treatment of Thrombosis and Cancer

Inventors: I. Matsoukas (Professor of Chemistry, University of Patras), M. Maragoudakis (Professor of Medicine, University of Patras), D. Vlahakos (Assistant Professor, Medical School, University of Athens), K. Alexopoulos (Chemist, Regional Hospital of Patras "Aghios Andreas")

This invention concerns new non-peptide compounds (peptide mimics), based on a peptide sequence of the thrombin receptor, and new methods for their synthesis. These compounds act as antagonists for a variety of cells, such as endothelial cells, platelets, vascular smooth muscle cells and cancer cells. These substances are used in treating thrombosis and cardiovascular diseases, as well as in regulating angiogenesis in the treatment of cancer and in wound healing.

This internationally pioneering research focuses on the study of thrombin, a protein involved both in thrombosis and angiogenesis, i.e. the formation of new blood vessels, a process vital to the development and metastasis of malignant tumours. The Greek inventors designed synthesis methods based on new knowledge regarding the prevention of angiogenesis in cancer. The scientists' efforts were aimed at developing antiangiogenetic substances, i.e. substances that lead to resolution of the malignant tumour.

Based on their knowledge of the active section of thrombin, a pentapeptide in its receptor, the Greek investigators created substances that mimic the properties of that section. In effect, they created peptide mimics, a new generation of pharmaceutical products with fewer side-effects than peptides.

During this research, cancer was induced in laboratory animals and the new compounds were tested to see if they would shrink the malignant tumours. To date, the effectiveness of this method in lung cancer has been studied, with encouraging results. According to the investigators, biological evaluation must be expanded to other laboratory animals in order to confirm its safety and lack of toxicity, before clinical studies are undertaken. It should be noted that a large American pharmaceutical company is conducting large-scale testing of the compounds created by the Greek investigators.

3rd Prize

Gas Flow Microsystem and Specially Designed Housing for Use in Medical Equipment for Respiration Control

Inventors: A. Nasiopoulou (Director of the Microelectronics Institute of the NCSR "Demokritos"), G. Kaltsas (Assistant Professor of the Electronics Department of the Technological Educational Institute of Athens)

This patent concerns a flow system with its housing, designed for exact flow measurement in medical applications, in respiratory control equipment. In most medical applications, for example respiration control, it is vital to determine the patient's inhalation and exhalation. Therefore, a sensor is required which can measure both flow directions.

The application uses a silicon-based integrated flow sensor, developed by the Microelectronics Institute of the NPSRC "Dimokritos". The sensor consists of a thermal resistance with a row of thermal elements on either side, with the thermal contacts of the thermal elements lying on a layer of porous silicon, which provides local heat insulation from the substratum of monocrystalline silicon. The direction of flow is perpendicular to the thermal resistance and, through the symmetry of the design, both flow directions can be measured. This is a low-cost sensor which provides high sensitivity and precision.

The flow sensor system for respiration control systems is marketed by the company THEON SENSORS SA

3rd Prize

Device for studying the Angular Momentum and the Moment of Inertia of a Body (Strophormoscope)

Inventor: D. Tsaousis (Physicist, Education Advisor for Natural Sciences Teachers in the prefectures of Ioannina and Corfu)

This device's design is based on the familiar experiment where a student holds a vertically rotating wheel while sitting on a rotating chair. The student and the chair are immobile at first, while the wheel rotates around a vertical axis. Flipping the wheel (i.e. the student turning the wheel by 180ο) will cause the student and the chair to rotate in order to preserve the system's angular momentum.

The device has a low construction cost, is simple to use, small, lightweight, completely safe, and lets the students understand at a glance the law of preservation of angular momentum and the change in angular momentum through external torque. Additionally, it operates independently and does not require any set-up time.

Furthermore, the strophormoscope and its accessories (torque spring and weights to increase the inertia), can be used in laboratory exercises of angular momentum change, in disk inertia measurement exercises, as well as in rotational kinetic energy exercises. For these reasons, Mr. Tsaousis believes that the strophormoscope should become part of the necessary equipment for Physics labs in secondary and tertiary education institutions.

More information on the strophormoscope and its operation is given in the website http://www.epyna.gr/modules.phpname=News &file=article&sid=918.

Honourable Mention

Internal Combustion Axle-Motor

Inventor: V. Dimos (Civil Engineer)

The axial internal combustion engine features a central rotating straight axle, the PIVOT, with the cylinders arrayed around it, forming a regular polygon. Due to the shape of the PIVOT's flywheel, work during the expansion phase is produced selectively, while the use of the regulatory flywheel also allows the fuel compression ratio to be modified. Valve operation is regulated directly by the PIVOT which, through the cam flywheel, successively opens the valves of all cylinders during one full rotation.

The 4-stroke axial engine has a robust structure thanks to the compact shape of the ROTOR and its external casing and, relative to its size, will produce many times more torque at a given speed and for a given power than the standard engine with a crank shaft. These limits are continuously expanding through the use of the variable fuel compression ratio and the specially designed flywheel.

Furthermore, the engine's compression ratio can be changed, thus allowing different fuels to be used, as long as the necessary changes are made to the engine's external auxiliary systems. The construction cost and the maintenance requirements of the axial engine are significantly lower than those of standard engines.

Honourable Mention

Self-cleaning Filter

Inventor: A. Dermitzakis (Mechanical Engineer)

This patent concerns a liquid filtration system with a basic cleaning cage, consisting of successive equidistant separation disks made of rigid plastic material. The same number of elastic disks, ending in a circumferential ring with roughly semi-circular cross-section, are placed in the spaces between the plastic disks. The body of both the rigid and the soft disks is perforated.

The unclean fluid with sediments enters the filter through its external surface and leaves by its interior. Filtering is performed at the circumferential surfaces of contact between rigid and elastic disks.

Cleaning is achieved automatically at the start and at the end of the filter's operation, by scraping the sediments which remain on the filtering surfaces. This mechanical scraping is achieved through the relative motion which is created automatically between rigid and elastic disks through changes in the flow rate and, consequently, in the pressure between the convex and concave surface of the elastic circumferential ring. Removal of sediments from the cage and piping is achieved automatically, with or without stopping the filter, by momentarily opening and closing specific valves.

Honourable Mention

Transgenic Organism Production Method Using Transposable Elements

Inventors: H. Savvakis (Professor of Molecular Genetics at the University of Crete), F. Grosveld (Professor of Cell Biology and Genetics at the Erasmus University, Rotterdam, Netherlands)

This patent concerns a method to produce transgenic organisms by crossing two organisms, one of which contains - preferably through genetic transformation - one or more copies of a transposable genetic element (a gene that will move from one location to another in the chromosomes), and the other contains - preferably through genetic transformation - one or more copies of the corresponding transposase gene. The transposable genetic element "Minos" is given as example; "Minos" is part of a large family of such elements, which are "parasites" on the DNA of possibly all known species. "Minos" was discovered and isolated at the Foundation for Research and Technology (FORTH) from a Drosophila insect species, and is not parasitic in human DNA.

More information on the "Minos" transposable element and its commercial uses is provided in the site of the biotechnology company Minos BioSystems Ltd, operating as a spin-off company of FORTH's Institute of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology: http://www.minosbiosystems.com