MANILA, Philippines – Two Filipino inventions made quite a mark in the 46th International Exhibition of Inventions Geneva (Geneva Inventions) in Switzerland held from April 11 to 15: the Portable Smart Surface System and Biotek-M Dengue Aqua Kit. Each won a gold medal in the highly-prestigious competition, while Smart Surface also came home with a “Jury Distinction” to boot. The Smart Surface, an electronic sensor, is “a system that converts virtually any flat surface into an interactive interface” which then can be used “to enhance the learning…by offering interactive learning environments that increase learning effectiveness through participation,” explains the Department of Science and Technology (DOST). The DOST through its Technology Application and Promotion Institute (TAPI), headed by director Edgar Garcia, brought and presented the two inventions in Geneva, along with a third Philippine entry that did not get recognition. The Smart Surface project was led by Dr. Nestor Michael Tiglao, and computer engineering alumnus Charles Kevin Verdad, while the University of the Philippines Diliman Electrical and Electronics Engineering Institute (UPD EEEI) developed the interactivity system. The DOST’s Philippine Council for Industry, Energy and Emerging Technology Research and Development (PCIEERD) funded and monitored the project. On the other hand, UP Manila’s Institute of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology of the National Institute of Health (IMBB-NIH) developed Biotek-M, which is said to be a confirmatory test for use in detecting the presence of dengue infection inside an hour or less in hospitals and stand-alone chain laboratories.