SEOUL, Dec 5 – Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM) marked an exceptional milestone at the Seoul International Invention Fair (SIIF) 2025, securing multiple international awards across diverse research fields. Hosted by the Korean Intellectual Property Office (KIPO) and organised by the Korea Invention Promotion Association (KIPA), SIIF is recognised as one of the world’s largest global invention exhibitions.
Established in 2002 and now held under the patronage of the City of Seoul, the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), and the International Federation of Inventors’ Associations (IFIA), SIIF serves as a premier platform for showcasing breakthrough ideas to manufacturers, investors, licensing firms, distributors, and the public. The 2025 edition featured more than 500 inventions from around the world, reflecting the event’s scale, competitiveness and international prestige.
Leading UTM’s success, Prof. Dr. Suhairul Hashim and his team from the Faculty of Science won a Gold Medal for their innovation, the Wireless Transmission System for Radiation Portal Monitoring (MyRPM), Malaysia’s first ANSI-compliant radiation portal monitoring system. The invention also earned the Special Award from the First Institute of Researchers and Inventors (FIRI), Iran, recognising its global significance in nuclear safety and advanced instrumentation.
Meanwhile, Ts. Dr. Saiful Anuar Abu Bakar and his team from the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering (FKM)secured a Silver Medal along with a Special Award from the Vietnam Fund for Supporting Technological Creation (VIFOTEC) for their Raw Water Pipeline Inspection Robot with Advanced Underwater Vision System. The technology represents a major leap in underwater infrastructure inspection, combining state-of-the-art robotics with high-resolution imaging to improve accuracy, safety and operational efficiency.
Another standout achievement came from Ir. Ts. Dr. Nor Hasanah Abdul Shukor Lim and her team from the Faculty of Civil Engineering, who earned the Bronze Medal along with two international special awards; the Special Award from the National Research Council of Thailand (NRCT) and the Special Award from the Taiwan Invention Association (TIA). Their invention, G-EASYMent (Geopolymer Easy Mix Cement), offers an eco-friendly, fast-setting, and durable sustainable cement solution that reduces carbon emissions while improving construction performance.
In the field of AI and innovation, Assoc. Prof. Ts. Dr. Noor Azurati Ahmad @ Salleh from the Faculty of Artificial Intelligence (FAI) and the team from the UTM Innovation and Commercialisation Centre (ICC) received a Special Award from King Abdulaziz University, Saudi Arabia, for ICCubeX Ignite: Crafting Tomorrow’s Solutions for Malaysia’s Higher Education. Leveraging AI-enabled tools such as AiManTT and 3D technologies, the programme enhances Malaysia’s innovation and commercialisation ecosystem by providing structured training, mentoring and market-readiness support, reflecting UTM’s leadership in bridging research, entrepreneurship and societal impact.
Building on this momentum, Ts. Dr. Jaysuman Pusppanathan and his team from Faculty of Electrical Engineering also delivered notable success, winning a Silver Medal together with the Special Award for Innovation from King Abdulaziz University, Saudi Arabia, for their Visual Signal Device (VSD) for Deaf Sports Athletic Community. This invention underscores UTM’s strong commitment to inclusive, human-centred engineering solutions that enhance accessibility and empower diverse communities.
UTM’s participation in SIIF 2025 was coordinated by UTM ICC, which continues to support researchers in patent protection, technology commercialisation and global market readiness. The university’s involvement builds upon the innovation pipeline established through the Industrial Art & Technology Exhibition and Competition (INATEX), where top-performing projects are refined and elevated for competition on international platforms such as SIIF.
These achievements strengthen UTM’s position as a leading Malaysian research university with global impact. The awards highlight the institution’s growing reputation for delivering technologies that address real-world challenges in areas such as nuclear safety, water infrastructure, sustainable construction materials and AI-driven innovation. UTM congratulates all its inventors for their dedication, creativity and excellence on the world stage, and looks forward to future breakthroughs that will benefit industry, society and the nation.
Authors:
Ts. Dr. Norhayati Mohamed Noor, Associate Member of the Institution of Chemical Engineers and Strategic Officer, UTM ICC
Dr. Ma Kalthum Ishak, Deputy Director, UTM ICC
