The “Pencroscope”, invented by student Ceejay Faala of Carlos Hilado Memorial State University (CHMSU), is now an official entry to the James Dyson Award 2025.
Faala is an incoming fourth-year Bachelor of Secondary Education, major in Science, at CHMSU Binalbagan Campus.
The pen-sized digital microscope, or pencroscope, could connect through a mobile phone and television, and is 10 times cheaper than the typical microscope, Faala had said of his invention, which was created using recycled materials, such as scrap electronic components.
It is now featured in the James Dyson Award (JDA) Gallery and is available for global public viewing together with over 2,000 entries from around the world.
These entries will be further evaluated by Dyson engineers, and ultimately, James Dyson will select the international winner, two runners-up, and the sustainability winner from the top 20.
The JDA is a global design competition that highlights and supports emerging inventors and engineers.
Faala said he did not expect for his invention to become an official entry as most of the entries are from the engineering and industrial design fields, the CHMSU said in a statement July 17.
The JDA mainly accepts entries from university students and recent graduates of engineering, product design, and industrial design, or those undertaking degree-level apprenticeships in these fields.
While it accepted entries from students in education, Faala said he had to comply with specific eligibility criteria set by the foundation.
He said he developed the Pencroscope under the guidance of his research adviser, Alberto De la Cruz. The patent is currently being processed.
Faala urged fellow CHMSUans to collaborate with him on future innovation projects.
He said that joining this year’s JDA made him even more eager to come up with innovations that can help solve education challenges.
Organized by the James Dyson Foundation, JDA is open to current students and recent graduates in design or engineering fields.
The award celebrates innovative and practical ideas that address real-world problems, helping to spark interest in careers in design engineering. ||
