IP in the news

A new initiative by NASA’s Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS) will send the first artwork to the surface of the moon. For the first-of-its-kind program, space industry organizations enlisted Dubai-based artist Sacha Jafri. The artwork titled ‘We Rise Together – with the Light of the Moon’ was revealed to the world on February 23 at the USA Pavillion at Expo 2020 Dubai.

How many times do we hear stories about how an ingenious solution to solve one challenge ends up being a perfect solution for something the inventor had never thought about? This is how South African researcher Amir Patel’s fascination with the speed and maneuverability of the cheetah led him to the health care arena. In devising methods to understand the way cheetah’s move, he has come up with a more affordable and accessible mechanism to support the rehabilitation of patients suffering injury or neurological disease.

The EPO has named 13 outstanding inventors or teams as finalists of the 2022 European Inventor Award. The prize celebrates their genius and creativity, and recognises their contributions to a brighter and more prosperous world. With eight women named finalists and multiple inventions in green technologies, the 2022 Award also reflects progress and positive societal change. The winners will be announced at a virtual ceremony on 21 June.

Nespresso, the pioneer and reference-point of high-quality portioned coffee, has partnered with zero-waste fashion start-up Zèta to create RE:GROUND, a stylish sneaker made using recycled coffee grounds.

The limited-edition capsule collection was inspired by the principles of zero-waste, eco-design, and French style, with RE:GROUND set to become an instant icon of sustainable fashion.

The impact of digital technologies on the world of art has been nothing short of transformative. From online platforms that make it easier for amateur artists to connect with their audience, to virtual tours that allow us to experience historical works up close, technology has completely redefined how we interact with, understand, and appreciate art in all its forms.

David Aguilar Amphoux was born with a creative spirit and Poland Syndrome, a condition that prevented the development of his right arm and pectoral muscle. The 22-year-old Andorran holds the Guinness World record for being the first person to self-build his own fully functioning prosthetic arm using LEGO® bricks. David is on a mission to make affordable prosthetics widely available and to raise awareness about dif-ability (different ability), working to help other young people believe that “dreams are possible if you fight for them.”

What is the metaverse? In the simplest of terms, it is a virtual space in which users are and will be able to interact and connect with each other in myriad ways – gaming, collaborating, shopping, and exploring – without leaving the comfort of their couch. Some of this functionality already exists in gaming platforms.

Being an artist in today’s increasingly digital world is full of amazing opportunities. You can reach out to a wider audience around the world easily.

But at the same time, the internet and web 3 have also increased the risks of copyright infringements. It takes just a few buttons to copy an image from social media or a website and use it for commercial purposes. If you are not careful, someone else can copy months of your hard work and use it for their personal profits. 

A startup has developed dissolvable threads and a thermal disassembly system for recycling clothes

In the drive to become more sustainable, the fashion industry faces a number of serious challenges. One major issue is how to recycle clothing that is made from several different materials. Taking the clothes apart in order to recycle their constituent materials is costly and time-consuming, and often leads to a large loss of usable material. Now, startup Resortecs has an innovative solution.