Both technologies which are related to each other, are used in the process of transferring and storage of liquid such as blood for laboratory use, medical, veterinary and the like.
Both innovations are produced by a team of researchers, led by Assoc. Prof. Ir. Dr. Abd Rahim Abu Talib from the Department of Aerospace Engineering of the university’s Engineering Faculty.
Currently, disposable safety syringes and non-penetrative vacuum blood containers are imported as they are not produced in this country.
These multi-purpose disposable safety syringes cannot be reused or misused, thus preventing the spread of germs and outbreak of diseases.
Assoc. Prof. Ir. Dr. Abd Rahim said like the normal syringe, this disposable safety syringe could be used to administer and withdraw liquid to and from the patient’s body.
However, he said, upon withdrawing liquid from the safety syringe, the plunger can be further pressed to break the needle support holder permanently.
“This will disengage the needle permanently from the barrel, thus preventing the syringe from being reused or misused,” he said.
The SJ-Vactube, meanwhile, is a new innovation in the use of vacuum technology without needles.
He said the novel design of the cap, enclosure and tube allowed the innovative process of non-penetrative vacuum blood container.
“This new process does not require needle penetration for vacuuming process. Air was withdrawn via innovative passages in the cap to get the desired vacuum level, hence, reducing the possibility of air leakages and a longer shelf life,” he said.
Both technologies have received copyright protection in the form of patent in Malaysia and seven other countries. A company, Selia Tek Industries Sdn Bhd, has agreed to work with UPM to commercialize the products and buy both patents from the university.
UPM Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Datin Paduka Dr. Aini Ideris said safety syringe market size in Malaysia was huge, with the demand estimated to be between 3 and 5 million units per annum and between 10 and 30 million units each year for the Asean market.
For tubes, the demand in Malaysia stood between 5 and 8 million a year, and between 30 and 50 million tubes per annum as for the Asean market.
"Since 1990 until today, UPM has succeeded to transfer 112 new technologies to the industry through licensing and sale of intellectual property, with the gross sales value of more than RM52 million,” she said during an exchange of agreement of transfer of patents between UPM and Selia Tek Industries Sdn Bhd for the two new innovations here.
As of today, UPM boasts of more than 1,900 intellectual properties with the potential to be explored by the industry. – UPM.
By Azman Zakaria