SHAH ALAM, Feb 7 (Bernama) -- A Malaysian innovator-turn technopreneuroffers a new service to industries wanting their industrial material toundergo a strength test according to their needs and requirements.

Scientist Dr Ku Halim Ku Hamid said Thursday he had innovated anddeveloped a product called Strength Testing Kit for Filtering GranularMedia that could be used to test carbon, coal, and catalyic to theparticular need and requirement of an industry.

The industries which could benefit from this would be petrochemical,petroleum, and oil palm millings, he told Bernama in an interview afterthe launching of the testing kit by deputy secretary general at theEntrepreneur Development ministry, Datuk Abdul Rahman Husin.

"For three years I have to crack my head to innovate and develop thetechnology and commercialise it, especially in identifying the actualstrength of materials. So now this the result," Ku Halim, who is theAssociate professor/resident scientist with Universiti Teknologi Mara(UiTM).

Ku Halim made the headlines in 1999 when he became the first localscientist to innovate and develop an environmental friendly catalyticconverter fixed to car's exhaust system.

He said his only RM40,000 worth of research and studies before coming upwith this final product had now bore fruit when local automative giant UMWAuto Parts Sdn Bhd showed great interest in it.

Ku Halim said the RM43,000 grant he received from ministry was only enoughto finance his research and studies but he needed more when the technologyeventually turned into product and services.

"I am also negotiating with other big companies like Proton and Petronasfor possible deals," Ku Halim said.

He said this product was initiated and brought up from a technology hecalled "Ku Halim technology", which was granted a silver medal during thenational innovator exhibition in 1998 as well as silver medal in aninternational innovation competition in Geneva in 1999.

"But the medal I received was solely for the advent in technology.However, I have to go one step ahead to turn it into a product or serviceand to sell it," he said. Ku Halim, who is attached to UiTM since 1993,was also looking for the private sectors' financial assistance to sponsorand promote his technological product and service.

On other technologies he had already developed with high potential forcommercialisation, he said, included a new environmental friendlycatalytic converter, absorber to absorb oil spill, and utilisation ofplant which is capable of treating batik water and many others.

He said his intention was to innovate and commercialise two newtechnologies a year with specialisation given to technology related toenvironment and pollution.

The university has formed an Innovation Centre as a department within itsfaculty of mechanical engineering three years ago to spearhead theresearch and development activities and innovation works by students andlecturers.

-- BERNAMA