UST Faculty of Engineering Acting Assistant Dean Asst. Prof. Anthony James C. Bautista, Ph.D., more popularly associated with the LISA robots that he developed to help the frontliners, received the Gregorio Y. Zara Award for Applied Research in a virtual awarding ceremony held on September 6, 2021.
Bautista was awarded for his project, the Logistic Indoor Service Assistant (LISA) Telepresence Robot. It was recognized for allowing remote communication and medicine delivery between healthcare practitioners and patients, which minimizes the exposure of the hospital staff to the coronavirus.
The Philippine Association for the Advancement of Science and Technology (PhilAAST) virtually presented the award to Bautista through Zoom, which was livestreamed for public viewing on the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) Philippines Facebook page.
The LISA robot was developed with funding from the DOST – Philippine Council for Industry, Energy and Emerging Technology Research and Development (DOST-PCIEERD) and was first deployed in April 2020 to minimize the contact of medical front liners with their COVID-19 patients.
The LISA Robot has four independently driven Mecanum wheels, which enables the robot to turn efficiently in a single spot via remote control. Units began deployment in various hospitals in 2020 such as the UST Hospital, Pasig Doctors Medical Center, Premier Medical Center, Binangonan Lake View Medical Center, and Marikina Valley Medical Center, among others.
With the award, Bautista now joins the ranks of Thomasian scientists and faculty members who were recipients of this award, namely, Prof. Maria Natalia Dimaano, Ph.D., (2011, for Applied Science Research), Prof. Dr. Grecebio Jonathan Alejandro, (2015, for Basic Science Research), Prof. Maribel Nonato, Ph.D., (2016, for Basic Science Research), UST Graduate School alumna Dr. Anabelle V. Briones (2020, for Applied Science Research), and Dr. Jonel Saludes (2020, for Basic Science Research).
The award, named after National Scientist Gregorio Y. Zara, is given by the Philippine Association for the Advancement of Science and Technology, to Filipino scientists who have made valuable contributions to their field of study. Zara, a mechanical engineer, was known for his advances in the fields of aeronautics and engineering.
