Intellectual property or \u201ccreations of the mind\u201d can go a long way in stimulating the country’s economy\u201a but these ideas and innovations often skip the country\u2019s borders and make other countries or companies millions of rands.<\/p>\n
This according to the Department of Science and Technology and the National Intellectual Property Management Office (Nipmo)\u201a which briefed Parliament\u2019s select committee on communications and public enterprises.<\/p>\n
Mmboneni Moufhe\u201a deputy director general for technology innovation in the department\u201a said what was important was to acknowledge that as a country\u201a South Africa had been investing a lot of money in \u201cknowledge generation\u201d and development.<\/p>\n
\u201cAs a result it is important to make sure that whatever knowledge we generate is actually properly protected. We\u2019ve had some lessons in the past where knowledge is sometimes funded here and supported\u201a and it somehow skips the borders and makes huge money for other countries and companies\u201a\u201d said Moufhe.<\/p>\n
He said an example of recent South African developments and ideas was the recent breakthrough in laser technology at the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research\u201a which was developed by young scientist Sandile Ngcobo.<\/p>\n
Another example was the South African full-scale body scanner called Lodox\u201a which ensured very low exposure to harmful radiation.<\/p>\n
The Lodox Statscan was recently featured in the hit TV series Grey\u2019s Anatomy and was first developed for use on the diamond mines of South Africa to prevent the smuggling and theft of diamonds by mineworkers in the 1980\u2032s and 1990\u2032s.<\/p>\n
Head of Nipmo\u201a Dr Kerry Faul\u201a said intellectual property and innovation was a key driver for economic growth.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt has been universally accepted that intellectual property and associated rights that go with it are critical for innovation and are critical for economic growth. We believe that intellectual property holds the key to our future in one or more forms.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere are no approval and reporting requirements to stop our intellectual property from just leaving the shore without any benefit ever accruing to South Africa\u201a\u201d said Faul.<\/p>\n
She said to date the office had 961 disclosures on their database\u201a 89 had been granted intellectual property rights and 42 had been commercialised.<\/p>\n
\u201cMore than 89% of our database is in form of an invention and it can take five to 10 years to get a granted right for a patent\u201a\u201d said Faul.<\/p>\n
Source: RDM News Wire.<\/em><\/p>\n South Africa sinks in innovation index<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\nMore on innovation<\/h3>\n