Enabling Singapore’s digital future

Invention and innovation are key components of Singapore’s business culture, and the island nation has emerged as a prosperous technology hub in the region.

But innovation goes beyond just enabling business opportunities. For the country to fulfill its goal of becoming a smart nation, a critical piece of the puzzle is getting citizens from all segments of society to embrace technology.

Initiatives that help Singaporeans learn how technology can benefit people in daily life go a long way towards encouraging this vision. Cultivating the spirit of innovation and a love for tech in children and young adults ensures that the next generation is digitally ready and innovation-focused.

The next generation

To this end, SG:Digital Wonderland plays an invaluable role. Organized by the Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA), the annual event’s main goal is awareness, giving visitors a glimpse of everyday tech in its many forms, such as drones, artificial intelligence, and augmented reality.

Everyday tech doesn’t mean mundane tech, though. The most recent edition featured the inaugural Youth Innovation Awards, in which 20 teams from institutes of higher learning across Asia came together to showcase their prototype solutions for real-world problems.

Projects on display included an anti-drunk driving solution, a muscle-actuated glove that aims to provide a low-cost way to help stroke patients regain the use of their hands, and a blockchain-based food-safety app, among others.

Best of Show was awarded to Whizz, an on-demand autonomous scooter service. It was put together by a team of five students from Singapore’s Nanyang Technological University who wanted to solve the redistribution issues that electric scooter fleets face. Inspired by self-driving cars, the team developed scooters equipped with sensors that detect obstacles, allowing the scooters to make their own way to users’ locations without incident.

Valerie Ho, one of the five NTU students who formed Whizz, presented the team’s on-demand autonomous scooter solution at the Youth Innovation Awards / Photo credit: IMDA

When Whizz received the invitation to take part in the Youth Innovation Awards, the team leapt at it. “We’ve been working on this prototype for a very long time, putting in a lot of effort,” says Melvin Foo, who came up with the initial idea. “We thought that this was quite a good competition to get some eyes on it.”

Anthony Fong, who worked on the self-driving AI, spotted the same opportunity. “We met so many people interested in our product, and we’ve had discussions with some people interested in collaboration.” He adds, “We’ve had some interested investors and scooter companies connect with us as well.”

The Whizz team, which also won the Visitor’s Choice award, agrees that events like these are a good step forward, especially as Singapore moves to a tech-based society. “The earlier we get exposed to it, the better,” observes Vivienne Chong, who worked on the electrical hardware.

A tech carnival for all

Elsewhere in the event, AR-powered games and art pieces caught the eye. There was one that taught users about the effects of pollution on the ocean and its creatures. Esports competitions and hands-on cybersecurity demonstrations alike encouraged participation and education, and a robot barista prepared coffee for visitors.

There were even workshops for children, which gave participants the opportunity to code their own mobile apps or build a computer.

Photo credit: IMDA

At the event, Minister for Communications and Information S Iswaran remarked that initiatives such as these demystify technology and get people excited about using it in their lives. He also pointed out technology’s potential for social impact. At the Tech for Good workshop conducted by Engineering Good, for example, toys were “hacked” to make them more accessible for people with disabilities.

“We’re seeing very interesting projects where technology is being used to find solutions for everyday needs,” Iswaran explains. “At the national level, the government and our agencies are working with enterprises and industries to bring digitalization to all sectors. We also want to ensure that this message is carried through to society at large, that there are many opportunities like these where people can learn in a fun, non-threatening environment.”

With more than 70 different exhibits, hands-on activities, workshops, and interactive displays covering technologies such as AI, mixed reality, and internet of things, SG:Digital Wonderland 2019 sought to demonstrate the importance of technology and inspire participation with technology and all things digital in its visitors.

Find out more about the event here.