Innovative inventions unearthed at Trailblazer 3

May 21, 2007

A compact water saving device and carbon nanotube electrodes for an energy system were the two innovative research projects that have won top honours at the University of Wollongong's annual Trailblazer competition.

Trailblazer rewards and stimulates innovative thinking and early-stage research, which has the potential to benefit community, industry or business we well as generate a financial return.

The finalists had 10 minutes to pitch their ideas to a panel of judges before the award ceremony was held. Prize recipients shared in a total prize money of $14,000.

Dr Jun Chen from the Faculty of Science won first place in the open category with his 'Nanostructured Flexible Carbon Nanotube Electrodes for Energy System' project. Mr Mitchell Byrne from the Faculty of Health and Behavioural Sciences was runner-up for his project 'Medication Alliance' - a mental health staff-training program that enables staff to understand the individual reasons for a patient's non-adherence to medication.

Michael Jones and Tony Larchez from the Faculty of Informatics won first place in the student category for their 'Go with the Flow - Every Drop Counts' project. The invention is a compact water saving device, which can be easily fitted to a standard showerhead and provides an easy way for user control over water usage, based on volume limit. Runner up was Ava Simms from the Faculty of Science who developed an 'OzMUSLE model' in order to determine, on an event basis, how soil erosion varies within catchments.

Trailblazer was officially launched at UOW in 2005 and has proved a great success, motivating and showcasing the extraordinary talents of researchers and students at UOW. Several previous winners are working with UOW to turn their ideas into real-world commercial applications.

"UOW runs the Trailblazer competition in collaboration with the University of Queensland's commercial arm, UniQuest Pty Ltd, which rewards and inspires researchers as well as promoting innovative research with commercial potential," said Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research), Professor Margaret Sheil.

"Through Trailblazer, we want to encourage UOW researchers and students to consider the market potential of their research as well as increase an awareness across campus of the role we can play in helping to take innovative ideas and research through the commercialisation process -- from protection to investment to start-up companies."

At the University of Queensland, the event has generated immense interest in commercialisation as well as unearthing projects that are now the basis of spin-off companies with venture capital investment.

Trailblazer is open to all UOW researchers and students. Entries from all research disciplines and across all faculties are encouraged, whether they relate to businesses, products, services or technologies. Entries can be an original or novel Idea, Concept, Theory, Discovery, Research Outcome or Invention.

For details on highly commended awards and other Trailblazer information visit: Trailblazer