2024 Russian Archimedes Invention Exhibition ESG and SDGs become mainstream

The 27th Archimedes International Invention Exhibition took place from March 19th to 21st, 2024, at the Amber-Plaza Business Center in Moscow, Russia. This year's event featured over 570 innovative inventions from 28 countries, including Taiwan, Russia, China, Thailand, Malaysia, Egypt, South Korea, Indonesia, and more. Taiwan achieved remarkable results, earning 20 medals at the exhibition.

Wu Chih-yao, Executive Director of the Chinese Innovation Invention Association, stated that many of the gold medal winning entries at the exhibition demonstrated a strong focus on ESG or aligned with the goals of the SDGs. These works embraced a greater sense of human concern and harmony with nature, going beyond simply pursuing innovation for its own sake.

Non-animal protein has become a growing trend in recent years. Driven by factors such as reducing animal farming, mitigating greenhouse gas emissions, and addressing population growth, 葡萄王生技 (Putao King Biotech) has leveraged its 30 years of experience in cultivating fungal mycelia, such as Ganoderma lucidum, Cordyceps militaris, Antrodia cinnamomea, and Hericium erinaceus, to produce fungal protein through fermentation. This innovative process allows for the completion of production in just 3 days.

The company aims to promote the development and application of fungal protein in various food products, opening up new avenues in the vegetarian and vegan markets and driving the adoption of fungal protein as a dietary choice. This move aims to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, enhance production efficiency, and ultimately promote a sustainable, healthy lifestyle.

A team of students and faculty from the Department of Business and Technology Management at Zhili University of Technology, led by Professor Yang Chih-wei, Professor Zhao Liping, and Professor Tu Min-yi from the Department of Information Management, created a "Philanthropic Metaverse Fundraising Platform." This platform utilizes metaverse and virtual reality technology, allowing potential donors to experience the daily care and rescue operations of animal shelters through VR headsets.

While most people are familiar with cats and dogs, many are less familiar with other animals and the workings of animal shelters. This system allows individuals, including potential donors, to experience the operations of an animal shelter in a virtual environment. They can witness the entire process, from the capture and care of animals to their eventual adoption, gaining a deeper understanding of the challenges and operations of animal shelters.

The immersive experiences offered by the metaverse aim to enhance donation intentions and user engagement, promoting the concept of responsible pet ownership and fostering a greater appreciation for animal welfare.

A team from the Department of Life Product Design at Shu-Te University of Science and Technology, led by Professor Chen Wen-liang and student Chen Chih-han, developed the "Fitness Rehabilitation Chair." This creation is rooted in human-centered design, combining fitness and rehabilitation functions while also serving as a regular chair for everyday use.

The chair features exercises such as sit-ups and pull-up stretches, allowing users to train their core muscles and maintain their physique. It also offers hand-pull stretch rehabilitation exercises with adjustable resistance springs to suit individual needs. The chair's backrest utilizes a fixed panel structure for increased stability. This invention can be used for fitness, rehabilitation, relaxation, or even everyday office work, allowing users to adjust it based on their individual needs.

It's common to see spotlights directly illuminating artwork when visiting galleries or art exhibitions. This helps to enhance the brightness of the artwork itself, making it easier for viewers to appreciate the details.

This direct lighting can easily create shadows between the edges of the frame and the wall, which can detract from the viewing experience. These shadows can make the artwork appear disjointed and disrupt the overall aesthetic appeal.

A team from the Cultural Relics Conservation Research Center at Cheng Hsin University of Science and Technology, led by Professor Li Yi-cheng, and Professor Shi Song-cun from the Department of Electronics, have jointly invented a "Smart Device to Reduce Frame Shadows". This device uses supplemental lighting and light sensors to automatically diminish or eliminate the shadows cast by the frame, creating a more seamless viewing experience.

This invention can identify shadow areas and adjust the brightness of the light source to soften or even eliminate those shadows, enhancing the overall aesthetic appeal of art exhibitions. The invention has been awarded patents in both Taiwan and Japan.

Wishes Technology Corporation has developed a new method for recycling graphite materials from electric vehicle and energy storage batteries. Their invention involves a physical decomposition process for lithium batteries, followed by the use of enzymes to degrade the toxicity of the electrolyte. This allows for the recovery of graphite materials, which are then physically separated and returned to the battery cell manufacturing process for the production of new cells.

This enzymatic degradation technology offers a completely non-toxic and environmentally friendly approach to graphite recycling. The water used in the process can also be reused, further minimizing environmental impact. This method significantly reduces the production cost of graphite, and the recovered graphite purity has been tested to reach 99%, matching the quality of new graphite. The technology has successfully completed battery cell production testing.