The Asian Institute of Technology (AIT) along with its Center of Excellence in Nanotechnology (COEN@AIT) signed a long-term agreement with Bilcare to initiate new programmes. The memorandum of understanding (MoU) represents the first step in the development of a unique academia-industry relationship, a model in which opportunities for technology adaptation and product development are in line with AIT’s education, training, research and regional sustainability programmes. Specifically, advanced technologies like Bilcare’s nonClonableID (or nCiD) technology are intended to create synergies that enable all stated objectives. This move represents Bilcare’s first agreement with an academic institution.
Bilcare’s non-clonable identification technology was prompted by serious concerns about the drug counterfeiting industry in the region as well as globally. The nonClonableID exploits, in an innovative way, the intrinsic nature of composite nanoscale and microscale particulates that, when embedded onto a speciality chip substrate, yields a technology-read system that is impossible to copy— even by the inventors of the technology.
During the MoU signing ceremony, Dr Praful Naik, Executive Director and Chief Scientific Officer, Bilcare said, “The nonClonableID technology offers real-time, ‘anywhere-anytime’ identification, authentication and product tracking and tracing, making it by far the only effective technology that is capable of providing all three components in one integrated workable system. Anti-counterfeiting, electronic-pedigree and secured tamper proof packaging are also applications involved with the technology.”
Professor Worsak Kanok-Nukulchai, President, AIT stated, “The MoU with Bilcare earmarks the launch of a unique collaborative initiative, the ‘way forward’, between academia and industry that enables the amalgamation of domain expertise leading to localisation and adaptation of state-of-the-art technologies like ‘nonClonableID for accomplishing the shared vision of sustainable development of the region”. The Center of Excellence in Nanotechnology will establish a technical interface programme for technology evaluation, validation, testing, local adaptation and training.”
EP News Bureau-Mumbai