TECH OFFERS

The waste and resource industry is heavily reliant on manual sampling and sorting processes. Currently, there is little to no visibility on waste composition at each stage of the sorting process – from infeed all the way to output line including quality control and residue line. This makes it impossible for waste managers to take informed actions to manage and optimise processes to increase recycling rates. This technology offer is an artificial intelligence (AI) waste recognition system that uses cutting edge computer vision to digitise waste to monitor and audit waste at a macro scale. With an average materials recovery facility (MRF) processing over 1k tonnes of waste per day, this technology allows for 100% of it to be monitored continuously 24/7. Furthermore, it can provide waste analytics and new insights previously unavailable to waste managers, which in turn reduces the cost of manual sampling, increase product and recovery quality, and improves operational efficiencies.

The technology offer is an autonomous robot navigation software for indoor ground mobile robots. The software serves as a robot mobility enabler for robot manufacturers and builders to deploy robots faster. The software is designed to address the challenges of robot navigation when deploying mobile robots in complex and dynamic environments.

The choice of substrate for agricultural applications is crucial to ensure optimal growth of the crops. For instance, peat has traditionally used as a growing medium to produce crops due to its fertility and ability to provide the necessary conditions to support growth. However, peatlands are running out and unable to cope with the global demand for increased food, hence there is a need to seek for sustainable alternative substrates. The technology is a three-dimensional (3D) dry but wettable substrate formed through the chemical reaction between natural substances such as clay, humus, and polysaccharides to form a matrix and incorporated with cellulosic fibers. The cellulose fibers can be derived from several waste streams including wood, coconut, straw, and bamboo to name a few. The 3D substrates can be customisable according to the type of crop and is biodegradable and compostable, releasing beneficial substances for soil and microflora at the end-of-life cycle. It has been successfully tested as a growing medium for fungi (Lentinula spp), lettuce, corn, and wheat. This technology is cost-effective and suitable for the vertical farming sector. It may also be extended to bioremediation applications. The technology owner is interested in co-development, test-bedding and licensing collaborations in Singapore.

This cell encapsulation technology is unique, versatile, and can be applied for a wide range of applications. It enables encapsulation of probiotics (bacteria and yeast) in natural cellulose capsules. The membranes of the capsules are permeable, allowing for free diffusion of nutrients/growth media across the membrane into the capsules, and the release of any bio-factors produced by the encapsulated probiotics. As a result, the probiotics can grow, fill-up and remain viable inside the capsules. This enables very high cell-to-capsule material ratio and is one of the main advantages over other technologies. This bioencapsulation has a significant potential for delivering probiotics. Importantly, encapsulation of probiotics provide a very high degree of protection from stomach acid and bile juices. The end product can be freeze-dried, leading to high viability of probiotics during extended shelf storage and transportation. The freeze-dried product can be readily rehydrated to reactivate the encapsulated probiotics without any damage to the capsule integrity. These probiotic capsules can be used for various sectors including food additives, nutraceuticals, wellness, animal feed, agriculture, cosmetics etc. The technology provider is seeking partners who have interests in this bioencapsulation technology for food/feed and topical grade encapsulated probiotic products.

This cell encapsulation technology is unique, versatile, and can be applied for a wide range of applications. It enables encapsulation of live eukaryotic cells in biologically-inert cellulose capsules. The membranes of the capsules are permeable, allowing for free diffusion of nutrients/growth media across the membrane into the capsule, and the release of any bio-factors produced by the encapsulated cells. As a result, the cells can grow, fill-up and remain viable inside the capsules. This enables very high cell-to-capsule material ratio and is one of the main advantages over other technologies together with the capability for cryopreservation and long-term storage. The technology provider is equipped to produce GMP-compliant capsules containing eukaryotic cells as medical cell therapy products. Scientific data with clinical studies have confirmed that when grafted into humans, these capsules do not elicit immune response, which is the major obstacle faced by other encapsulation strategies. These capsules have been shown to be efficacious in bringing about the desired effects of cell-based therapy and are therefore the ideal mode for localized/systemic delivery of therapeutic products allowing a one-for-all “off the shelf” product. The technology provider is seeking partners who have interests in this bioencapsulation technology for GMP-certified living cells and released bio-factor related products, e.g. cell lines, stem cells.

The proliferation of e-commerce, ride-hailing and food-delivery services have fueled the need for more accurate and reliable estimation of delivery times. The current common estimation of delivery time is based on Estimated Time of Arrival (ETA) which relies on route distance that is calculated between the origin and the desired destination. It only considers the duration from pick up to drop off, and does not consider the additional time needed for preparing and offloading the goods. This technology offer is a Machine Learning (ML) model that is able to calculate the stop duration (job completion duration), which together with the ETA, provides the Estimated Time of Completion (ETC). This ML model is for Singapore use only.

Freight forwarders usually spend a considerable amount of time in answering queries from customers on the products’ Harmonised System (HS) Codes. This technology offer is a smart chatbot with a HS Code product code search engine, developed to answer these common queries from customers. Customers will simply need to enter the product name or description; the unique algorithm in this HS code product search engine will be able to identify the closest match to their product. Detailed or ambiguous descriptions provided by users will be deciphered by the product search engine. Systematic step-by-step guidance and search priorities will be presented to users on the best option to make. For example, a search on ‘children’s bicycle, non-motorised’ returns a result with a larger list of response, with the most likely applications as the top returns. The conversational format of the chatbot helps to narrow down from a large list response to the closest match to the product. The smart chatbot with the HS Code product code search engine combines the latest developments in machine learning with advanced search algorithms. General Interpretative Rules based on global trade revisions are also adhered to in accurately recommending on the suitable HS Codes. Trade associations, customs, e-commerce platforms and logistics providers will be able to provide a consistent and accurate trade import and export product declaration for companies.

Conventional wastewater treatment solutions are often costly, unsustainable and involves a large carbon footprint. Furthermore, there are harmful chemical by-products and residues from the treatment process are not reusable. As such, there is a need for technologies that can cost effectively treat wastewater with reduced or minimal environmental impact. This technology relates to a new wastewater treatment method using electro frequency pulse (EFP). The EFP produces free radicals that weaken and break down the chemical bonds of the contaminants in wastewater, converting them into harmless products in the process. This technology can handle refractory and recalcitrant contaminants that cannot be readily broken down by biological and chemical processes. Unlike incineration or biological/chemical treatment processes, this technology allows wastewater to be treated onsite instantaneously without any holding time. It is a robust, modular, and scalable and can handle a wide range of water treatment needs (up to 100 m3/h). For treatment scenarios requiring greater flow volume, it can be configured to handle multiple units of 100 m3/h to meet the requirement. The technology owner is looking to either out-license this technology or for partners interested in joint venture/collaborations.

This technology offer is a safety drone system which consist of a rotorcraft-type unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) enveloped by a helium balloon.  As the safety drone takes the form factor of a floating balloon, it inherits the balloon’s non-threatening nature, thus the general public will feel more at ease to have it flying overhead, compared to conventional drones. In fact, if the safety drone were to drop from height, it is unlikely to cause serious injuries or significant property damage, as the helium balloon will act as a shock absorber; it also reduces damage to the drone itself. The safety drone can be incorporated with various cameras and LEDs, with a possibility of installing lightweight projectors, thus enabling functions such as aerial video shooting, light shows, and signage projection onto the balloon body, for advertisements or aerial displays. It has the potential to be a performance and display tool that can interact with the audience, e.g., in outdoor concerts or sports events. In additional, as the drone is completely housed inside the helium balloon, it can also be used in applications where safety is of key importance, e.g., in building and facility inspection, where injury to workmen or passers-by must be eliminated. If this safety drone were to lose control and drop, it is unlikely to cause injury or property damage.