PULP-SEED (Philippines UK coLlaborative Partnership-System for Environmental and Efficient Drying)
Funder
British Council
Value
£103,352
Collaborators
Coventry University, University of San Carlos and Green Enviro Management Systems Inc
Team
Professor Elena Gaura, Dr. Ross Wilkins, Dr. James Brusey and Dr. Kojo Gyamfi
Objectives
PULP-SEED aimed to:
- Make use of Wireless Sensor Network (WSN) technology to improve and streamline mango waste processing.
- To increase social wealth amongst disadvantaged local communities by increasing the viability of mango waste processing via a scalable system that can process all or most of the mango waste currently being produced (processing prior to the project could only take waste from 1 of 36 plants in the region).
Impact
The immediate beneficiaries of this project are the GEM Inc. mango waste processing factory, and their employees. This work benefited the spin-off company by improving processes and reducing wastage, which led to a greater throughput, higher quality of goods and greater profit.
The use of WSN technology improved the profitability of GEM Inc. to the point that the plant was able to expand to work with banana as well as mango waste. This has led to further job creation in the region, reducing unemployment rates, bringing people out of poverty and making a substantial contribution to GDP.
With the help of Coventry University, the University of San Carlos has built an excellent research and skill base in wireless sensing technology. The University of San Carlos is now a national leader in Internet of Things expertise.
A series of summer schools has been run in collaboration between Coventry University and the University of San Carlos.
IoT instrumented scales predicting drying time in the GEMS factory
Statement from PI
“I am delighted with the success of PULP-SEED and the contribution it has made to the local community. We brought the right team together to develop pioneering technologies and models. I am confident that this project will inspire other Filipino industries to make greater use of their academic institutions as a source of technological advancement.”
Professor Elena Gaura
Outputs
Research papers:
Modelling uncontrolled solar drying of mango waste
Heartbeat design for energy aware IoT: are your sensors alive?
A video commissioned by the British Council providing an overview of PULP-SEED (featuring Dr Evelyn Taboada, the PI at University of San Carlos)
