The Philippine Council for Industry, Energy and Emerging Technology Research and Development (PCIEERD) has expressed hope that companies could support a power-saving microchip developed by researchers from Mindanao State University-Iligan Institute of Technology (MSU-IIT).
PCIEERD Executive Director Enrico Paringit hopes has called on businesses and investors to take a look at this technology and its potentials. “They should partner with MSU-IIT to make this (microchip) available in the local and international market,” he said.
Paringit said PCIEERD has allocated P3.8 million to the MSU-IIT researchers for the development of the power-saving microchip, which they were able to finish last year.
The customized microchip is capable of harvesting, storing, and using light energy for its operations, as well as prolonging battery life for smarter power management.
At least 100 chips were already fabricated, 25 of which have undergone and passed testing and characterization, according to Department of Science and Technology (DOST) Secretary Fortunato de la Peña said in a Viber message.
“As conventional ICs (integrated circuit) available in the market consume power whether it transmits data or not, the MSU-IIT-developed microchip increases power consumption when transmitting data but consumes low power when idle,” de la Peña said.
Paringit pointed out that power-cutting cost measures, achieving operational efficiencies, and applying conservation practices are among the challenges that the country deals in the energy and technology sector. The researchers’ technology is a bright prospect to address those concerns, he said.
The power-saving microchip is among the projects under the “μC-IC” program, which had a total of P32 million funding support from PCIEERD, Paringit shared.