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CCTV for the Underground? A DLSU Student Comes Up With an Underground Monitoring System

This year, the Philippine National Winner of the James Dyson Award is awarded to a flexible and intelligent underground monitoring system that provides real-time fo

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Grace C. Diez

<p>“It’s like CCTV for the underground.”</p><div><br/></div><p>That was how <strong>Joseph Aristotle De Leon</strong>, a Manufacturing Engineering student from De La Salle University-Manila, describes his<strong> Jason Dyson Award</strong>-winning <strong>RAMUN</strong>. De Leon tackles the risks that often go unnoticed within the earth’s subsurface.</p><div><br/></div><p>The James Dyson Award, run by the <strong>James Dyson Foundation</strong>, is an international design competition that inspires and celebrates the next generation of design engineers. The Award operates across 29 countries this year and has supported over 400 problem-solving inventions with over P4.8 million in prize money.</p><div><br/></div><p>In a country like the Philippines that deals with many typhoon visits which leads to flooding, subsidence, landslides, and soil liquefaction, underground monitoring is an urgent need. Hazards like groundwater pollution and depletion as well as sinkholes, which recently transpired in Kuala Lumpur and Seoul, proved to be threats to today’s society as well. There was just so much going on underground that better monitoring should be in place to avoid dire consequences.</p><div><br/></div><div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:950px"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img loading="lazy" src="https://assets-metrostyle.abs-cbn.com/prod/metrostyle/attachments/30d74443-24b5-43bf-94bf-51f117bb3441_eyj3ijoymdq4lcjoijoymdq4lcjzy29wzsi6imfwccj9.jpg" style="width:950px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" alt=""/></span></span></div><div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:950px"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img loading="lazy" src="https://assets-metrostyle.abs-cbn.com/prod/metrostyle/attachments/d96188c2-5586-46fb-b6ff-681f4cba50c3_eyj3ijoymdq4lcjoijoymdq4lcjzy29wzsi6imfwccj9 (1).jpg" style="width:950px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" alt="Joseph Aristotle De Leon, a Manufacturing Engineering student from De La Salle University-Manila, is the National Winner of the James Dyson Award for his groundbreaking underground monitoring system."/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">Joseph Aristotle De Leon, a Manufacturing Engineering student from De La Salle University-Manila, is the National Winner of the James Dyson Award for his groundbreaking underground monitoring system.</span></span></span></div><div><br/></div><div><br/></div><div><strong>RAMUN: James Dyson Award National Winner</strong></div><p>“See the Unseen”—RAMUN (Resistivity Acquisition and Monitoring of the Underground), a groundbreaking underground monitoring system, offers a real-time video feed of the earth’s subsurface. Unlike traditional methods, RAMUN can be easily deployed in any environment, providing valuable insights for engineers, decision-makers and environmentalists. Accessing real-time information below is essential to mitigate hazards and optimize the use of underground resources.</p><div><br/></div><p>The national winner saw that the design of existing technologies had lower efficacy when used in areas like urban cities, making it less versatile. Inspired by the risks and potentials under our feet, RAMUN was created to be an underground monitoring system that provides a 24/7 video feed of events happening below the earth’s surface.</p><div><br/></div><p>De Leon, a member of the DLSU’s research team developing underground imaging equipment, also named the project RAMUN as tribute to his late father Jose Ramon. He shared that his father passed away while working on this project as part of his thesis. “The beauty of RAMUN is we have the ‘eyes’ or the system to see what is happening to the underground so we can manage hazards better. We can also put existing solutions to better use. For example, for groundwater depletion, we can do artificial recharge,” De Leon explains.</p><div><br/></div><p>RAMUN takes home <strong>P348,000</strong> from the James Dyson Award national prize, to support its next steps in development—working reliably in a real-world setting.</p><div><br/></div><p>“I was very excited, honored and very grateful to win because the James Dyson Award is a prestigious award. It showcased that my hard work was for something and people do believe in my goal to see what is happening underground—for underground imaging,” De Leon shares.</p><div><br/></div><div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:950px"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img loading="lazy" src="https://assets-metrostyle.abs-cbn.com/prod/metrostyle/attachments/9064b72f-5129-4fab-83c8-79128328a06a_eyj3ijoymdq4lcjoijoymdq4lcjzy29wzsi6imfwccj9 (7).jpg" style="width:950px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" alt="RAMUN (Resistivity Acquisition and Monitoring of the Underground)"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">RAMUN (Resistivity Acquisition and Monitoring of the Underground)</span></span></span></div><div><br/></div><div><br/></div><div><strong>James Dyson Award Runners-Up</strong></div><p>Runners-up in the James Dyson Award in the Philippines include <strong>Geopoly Cement </strong>and <strong>Fire GeoPrimer </strong>which both came from the hard work of students from Mindanao State University-Iligan Institute of Technology (MSU-IIT).</p><div><br/></div><p>Geopoly Cement, created by <strong>Ynna Nichole Ilogon </strong>and <strong>Rodel Remolana Jr. </strong>of MSU-IIT, offers a low-carbon and more cost-effective alternative to traditional cement, providing adequate strength and integrity while addressing the pressing issue of CO2 emissions in the construction industry. It is made entirely from agro-industrial waste and pozzolan materials. The lightweight foamed concrete can provide better thermal insulation, potentially lowering energy costs for buildings. </p><div><br/></div><p>Asked how relevant the project is to today’s society, Ilogon emphasized the wide-ranging and regular need for a structural foundation. “The cement is the foundation and if we target it, it’s going to be a game-changer for the industry. We can make a cement which can pave the way for a transition to greener and more sustainable infrastructure development,” Ilogon remarks.</p><div><br/></div><p>Remolona notes the personal relevance of being recognized as well. “Having a platform like this that recognizes our hard work, it really means a lot to us. We feel validated and at the same time, it also extends to our young researchers in our university since we kind of paved the way <em>na kaya pala kahit nasa </em>Mindanao <em>kami</em>. It’s fulfilling that we’re able to provide at least some sense of visibility for Mindanao especially since MSU-IIT is one of the top universities for research,” Remolona says.</p><div><br/></div><div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:950px"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img loading="lazy" src="https://assets-metrostyle.abs-cbn.com/prod/metrostyle/attachments/5e0c662f-66da-481d-a15a-a9235d040712_eyj3ijoymdq4lcjoijoymdq4lcjzy29wzsi6imfwccj9 (3).jpg" style="width:950px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" alt="Ynna Nichole Ilogon and Rodel Remolana Jr. from  Mindanao State University-Iligan Institute of Technology created the Geopoly Cement, which offers a low-carbon and more cost-effective alternative to traditional cement."/></span></span></div><div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:950px"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img loading="lazy" src="https://assets-metrostyle.abs-cbn.com/prod/metrostyle/attachments/762eaddb-aabd-4a19-96a5-e75985da4b5d_eyj3ijoymdq4lcjoijoymdq4lcjzy29wzsi6imfwccj9 (6).jpg" style="width:950px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" alt="Ynna Nichole Ilogon and Rodel Remolana Jr. from  Mindanao State University-Iligan Institute of Technology created the Geopoly Cement, which offers a low-carbon and more cost-effective alternative to traditional cement."/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">Ynna Nichole Ilogon and Rodel Remolana Jr. from  Mindanao State University-Iligan Institute of Technology created the Geopoly Cement, which offers a low-carbon and more cost-effective alternative to traditional cement.</span></span></span></div><div><br/></div><p>Fire GeoPrimer, created by <strong>King Zhytt Driz</strong> and <strong>Alonzo Gabriel Limocon </strong>of MSU-IIT, is a geopolymeric intumescent flame-retardant primer coating for wood applications that provides better fire resistance and protection for wooden structures while also being sustainable and eco-friendly. The two felt honored to participate in the project.</p><div><br/></div><p>“It’s rewarding to be recognized because we dealt with months of sleepless nights, doing various experiments and new formulations since it’s a novel study,” Driz says, honored with the James Dyson Award recognition.</p><div><br/></div><p>“It’s amazing that our hard work—the blood, sweat, and tears we poured into the study was recognized. We finally got the recognition we deserve and we hope that in the future, there will be more emerging opportunities in making a real-world difference to come,” Limocon notes.</p><div><br/></div><div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:950px"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img loading="lazy" src="https://assets-metrostyle.abs-cbn.com/prod/metrostyle/attachments/eda513a0-bebf-4b8c-9e7b-097687e56cae_eyj3ijoymdq4lcjoijoymdq4lcjzy29wzsi6imfwccj9 (4).jpg" style="width:950px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" alt="King Zhytt Driz and Alonzo Gabriel Limocon from Mindanao State University-Iligan Institute of Technology created the Fire GeoPrimer, a geopolymeric intumescent flame-retardant primer coating for wood applications."/></span></span></div><div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:950px"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img loading="lazy" src="https://assets-metrostyle.abs-cbn.com/prod/metrostyle/attachments/62e736a6-53ce-4d9a-96e0-b3720dfc1169_eyj3ijoymdq4lcjoijoymdq4lcjzy29wzsi6imfwccj9 (5).jpg" style="width:950px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" alt="King Zhytt Driz and Alonzo Gabriel Limocon from Mindanao State University-Iligan Institute of Technology created the Fire GeoPrimer, a geopolymeric intumescent flame-retardant primer coating for wood applications."/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">King Zhytt Driz and Alonzo Gabriel Limocon from Mindanao State University-Iligan Institute of Technology created the Fire GeoPrimer, a geopolymeric intumescent flame-retardant primer coating for wood applications.</span></span></span></div><div><br/></div><p>RAMUN, GeopolyCement, and Fire GeoPrimer will progress to the next stage of the James Dyson Award, with the international Top 20 shortlist announced last October 16, selected by Dyson engineers, and the global winners on November 13, chosen by no less than James Dyson himself.</p><div><br/></div><p>“I think most of the Philippine entries actually focus on sustainability as well as health. So, as you have seen in the other finalists, they highlight their inventions that are mostly using sustainable materials to envision a sustainable future,” <strong>Valery Chong</strong>, the Singapore-based Project Associate of the James Dyson Foundation, observes.</p><div><br/></div><p>According to Chong, there are three key things they look for in winning entries: a clear problem statement, an iterative design process that shows how students fail and overcome difficulties and challenges, and the final solution that must be feasible and commercially viable.</p><div><br/></div><p>“We see the iterative design process because we want to see how students endure the so-called hardship and difficulties. Whenever we go to schools, we actually ask students to show their failures because that&#x27;s when the judges will see how you improve your design over time. But overall, we also want to see that the design and innovation is something special and unique that has not been done before by other people,” Chong concludes.</p><div><br/></div><p>Photos courtesy of <strong>James Dyson Award</strong></p><div><br/></div>

This year, the Philippine National Winner of the James Dyson Award is awarded to a flexible and intelligent underground monitoring system that provides real-time footage of the earth’s subsurface. The runners-up also created products relevant in today's society