Lankan Inventor Manju Gunawardene wins global accolade

Manju Gunawardene the winner of the prestigious Dassis award at the National Innovations Exhibition in 2012, had been able to win a Gold prize and Silver, for his two inventions at the 41st "Inventions Geneva" exhibition, the largest market place for inventors in the world recently.

Manju brought these honours to the country for his two inventions developed using Nanotechnology. The Gold award was presented for his Air Purifying Nano Photocatalytic CFL lamp and the Silver for the Nano Visible Light Photocatalysis Based Hospital Infection Control System.

The Gold medal was awarded in the category of "Food stuff, drinks, cosmetics, paramedical, health and hygiene for the Nano Photocatalytic CFL lamp sanitizes air, by killing micro organisms present in the air without the use of any harmful sanitizers or any type of chemicals.

The innovative coating on the bulb not only kills germs, but also destroys any odour and harmful chemical vapors present in the air.

The Silver medal was awarded in the category of "Medicine, Surgery, Hygiene, Orthopedics and material for handicap. Manju is an inventor who hails from Matara. He had been a student of Mahanama College and Royal College, Colombo. In 1990, Manju became the 'Junior Inventor of the Year of Sri Lanka, for the development of a formalin detector in fish and with this initiative, developed many innovative products covering various areas.

He earned his primary engineering education from the Engineering Council of UK and post graduate qualifications from the University of Houston in Texas, on a special scheme of research with Raytheon Aerospace. Manju is currently employed in CIC Agri Businesses as a Consultant Research Scientist. He developed a system which generates aqua ozone which could be applied as a food sanitizer, food processing industry sanitation system, post-harvest protector and unique system to reduce the waste water load in the food processing industry, introduced by Manju.

He had invented a specialized Water Conditioner for the North Central province. It is to treat drinking and cooking water in the Rajarata and other kidney disease affected areas. Nano silver Impregnated Non-Woven Wound Dressing is a low cost wound dressing made out of non-woven fabric and impregnated with silver particles for faster healing and Pathegon killing. He is the founder of the Air Purifying Nano CFL Bulb too. Manju's participation had been sponsored by the Sri Lanka Inventors, commissioning him the winner of the Dassis Award in the Open category.

"This competition was one of the world's largest in the area of innovation and new product development. There were 42 countries represented at the exhibition with more than 600 new developments. It was a very tough fight, especially in the categories of medicine and energy. The major problems currently the world is facing, have been solved with extremely advanced techniques as well as some remarkably simple devices. I firmly believe that in future Srilanka must increase participation with more futuristic and applied innovations," says a thrilled Manju.

"Both my products are focused into critical problem areas, the entire world is suffering from. Indoor pollution sources that release gases or particles into the air, are the primary cause of indoor air quality problems in homes, offices, restaurants and industrial work environments. Inadequate ventilation can increase indoor pollutant levels by not bringing in enough outdoor air to dilute emissions from indoor sources and by not carrying indoor air pollutants out of the home.

High temperature and humidity levels could also increase the concentrations of some pollutants. These pollutants are a mix of microorganisms, chemicals and other contaminants. These pollutants make indoor air 10 times cleaner than outdoor air. The Nano air purifying CFL lamp could remove and clean 99+% of indoor air pollutants to make indoor a better and a safer place to breath.

Hospital-Associated Infections (HAIs) are infections that patients acquire during the course of receiving healthcare treatment for other conditions. These infections related to medical care could be devastating and even deadly.

Hospitals and clinics strive to understand how HAIs happen and to develop appropriate interventions. HAIs are an important public health problem. Approximately, 1 out of every 20 hospitalized patients would contract an HAI. With the award winning solutions developed with nano Photocatalysis and ozone, we are now controlling a great level of HAI deaths.

Uniqueness of both systems is the sustainability of the solution and extreme applicability at a negligible long term running cost.

Also the unparalled efficacy of the solutions developed when compared to current solutions," he added, further explaining more about his innovations.

Sri Lanka Inventors Commission functions under the ministry or Research Technology and Atomic Energy. Last year too the Sri Lankan Inventor who was sent to the same exhibition by the Commission, won a Gold award. This year too the commission is planning to have the Sahasak Nimevum national exhibition in late December to showcase the talents of the Sri Lankan innovators.

With a view to promote inventiveness among youth, the Commission is airing a weekly reality TV show, titled YIC ( Young Inventors Club) on ITN on Saturdays at 11 am, where school children are challenged to come up with innovative technological solutions to a day to day problem.

The activities of the Commission are published regularly on their web site www.slic.gov.lk