[Science TALK] Don't Underestimate 'Cheap' Technology… 'Appropriate Technology' That Brings Profit And Foreign Aid At The Same Time

Located between China and India, north to the central mountain range is Nepal which has a lot of dangerous mountainous regions. Nepal is infamous for its harsh geography, containing 8 of the 10 world’s tallest peaks. One interesting fact is that densely populated areas have an average temperature of over 10 degrees even in the winter.<?xml:namespace prefix = "o" ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" />

Due to the dangerous regions and warm climate, delivering medical aid such as vaccines safely are extremely difficult. Due to the lack of proper roads, motorcycles must be used for transport and the warm climate may potentially alter the vaccine during transportation.

Recently, SNU mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Professor Sung Hoon Ahn’s research team has developed a ‘Vaccine Carrier’ for motorcycles regardless of model and have stepped up to supply aid to the locals. By connecting the carrier to the motorcycle battery, vaccines can be safely delivered while being kept at the optimal temperature of between 2~8 degrees. The cheap materials and easy set-up has made it simple for the manufacturing of the carrier in the local region as well.

 ▲ Vaccine Carrier being used in Nepal/ Reporter Min Soo Kim

From the 30^th of last month to the 2^nd, a 2016 Appropriate Technology Conference International Joint Symposium was held at the SNU Global Convention Plaza where appropriate technologies developed by national scientists were introduced. The event hosted together with 18 groups and foundations such as the NRF, MSIP and the Appropriate Technology Committee was a success with over 200 Appropriate Technology professions and over 1000 related personnel attending.

◆ Improving National identity though cheap and easy, locally customized technology

The core of appropriate technology is being able to develop it using cheap materials available locally and practical designs.

Professor Sung Hoon Ahn's research team’s vaccine carrier is a must-have for the rugged terrains of Nepal. Additionally, due to the cheap costs of manufacture, countries lacking in government resources can deploy it in critical conditions. Already, countries such as Tanzania are showing interest in the product.

The core of Vaccine Carrier's operations lie in the thermoelectric device installed on the lid called the Peltier. The characteristics of a Peltier is that once current is provided, one side of the Peltier decreases in temperature while the other side increases in temperature. By designing the product to work in such a way that the outer side of the lid becomes hotter while the inner side becomes colder, the carrier can maintain a temperature of between 2~8 degrees.

Vaccines work by artificially stimulating the immune systems with a weakened version of a virus. The virus may alter itself in high temperature environments which makes temperature control critical.

In the case of Nepal, the Research Foundation is preparing various appropriate technology aid such as the Vaccine Carrier with its newly established 'Appropriate Technology Overseas Offices No.3'.

The first overseas office set up in Cambodia has provided clean water systems for 10 places in the Phnom Penh region from July 2015 to June 2016, with over 20000 people benefitting from it. This region is currently improving its drinking water problems by selling filtered water as drinking water but the problem of locals still drinking from taps, rain puddles and sewers still remain, exposing them to various diseases.

                 

                             ▲ Drinking water facility installed in Cambodia / Provided by NRF