Six R&D projects, ranging from an interchangeable handphone jacket to a detection system that can track air pollution, have been approved by the Singapore-Israel Industrial R&D Foundation (SIIRD).
The SIIRD is a co-operation between the Singapore Economic Development Board (EDB) and the Office of the Chief Scientist (OCS) in Israel to promote, facilitate and support joint industrial R&D projects between companies from Singapore and Israel.
The handphone ‘jacket’ promises to allow consumers to change the appearance of their handsets. Consumers can retain the inherent data in their handsets as well as modify and upgrade their devices as frequently as they wish.
Called the modu2 system, the development of the mechanical structure and connector system for the mobile phone ‘jackets’ is a joint project by modu, an Israeli mobile handset manufacturer and Amphenol East Asia (Singapore), one of the largest manufacturers of electronics interconnect products in the world.
Another SIIRD approved project is being undertaken by Maradin Technologies, developer of novel chipset solutions, and Singapore-based Lynxemi, turnkey provider of manufacturing development and supply chain management for the semiconductor industry. Lynxemi is developing a 3D packaging solution for a miniature projection chip — which Maradin is currently building—to be incorporated into ubiquitous devices such as mobile phones, PDAs and laptops. Once completed, mobile professionals will be able to do business presentations on the move without the need to lug around a separate projector.
The rest of the projects
Four more groundbreaking projects have also received grants from the SIIRD. These projects include:
ASOCS and Doodle Labs: This project involves the development of an 802.11n Wide Frequency Mini PCI Radio Module that provides users of compatible devices with the flexibility to utilise unoccupied frequency bands, thus enjoying the benefit of seamless wireless connectivity by avoiding spectrum congestion and mutual interference.
SolidCAM and Manusoft Technologies: Both companies are working to enhancing their current electro-discharge machining software, and integrating it into the Autodesk Inventor platform as a plug-in. This will help to ease the electrode design and machining process for computer numerical controlled (CNC) machines, by supporting the advanced machinery tools and built-in artificial intelligence, ensuring more accurate output in precision tooling.
ActionBase and Imfinity: This project involves customising Actionbase’s existing human process management system for the Microsoft SharePoint Server platform. The resulting solution will ensure more efficient tracking and workflow especially within organisations that have processes that cross group boundaries or require an audit trail.
Green Vision Systems and SECOM: The two companies are developing a Particulate Matter (PM) Sampling, Analysis & Tracking System, which will provide a cost-effective way and near real-time solution for identifying contamination sources of ambient PM. The technology will be useful for organisations such as environmental agencies in identifying the sources of air pollution.
The six joint–venture projects are expected to generate cumulative revenues of US$1.1 billion in the first three years of commercialisation. A total of 81 research scientists and engineers from Singapore and Israel will be involved in all the six projects.
