Australia’s national science agency, CSIRO, will invest AU$ 50 million over the next five years in four new programmes to drive critical breakthroughs in tough national challenges. The programmes are part of CSIRO’s AU$ 200 million portfolio of Future Science Platforms (FSPs), initiatives that push the boundaries of existing research through collaboration with universities and industry.
CSIRO’s Chief Scientist Professor stated that the new FSPs will enable collaborations between industry and science, including early career researchers, to invent the cutting-edge science that will shape the future. She added that the foundational research that these four new Future Science Platforms will undertake will pave the way for innovations and catalyse new industries that will help us to better manage our health, food security, natural resources and environment in the decades to come.”
The Interim Director of the Revolutionary Energy Storage Systems FSP, said disruptive change is crucial to meeting future energy needs safely, efficiently and sustainably. He said that unlocking the secret to efficient and safe energy storage could see charge electric vehicles be charged as easily as petrol tanks are currently filled, or would mean that portable devices would stay charged for many days without the need for a top-up. On a larger scale, it could even be mimicking pumped hydro through new technology and making it more responsive to the needs of the grid.
The Director of the Permanent Carbon Locking FSP said the research would focus on accelerated atmospheric carbon removal and permanent carbon storage, and integrating these in novel ways. If the worst impacts of climate change are to be avoided, he said, breakthroughs and innovation in permanent carbon removal from the atmosphere are needed. The future science and capability developed in this FSP have the potential to underpin new industries and reshape existing industries for Australia and beyond, with CSIRO’s science at the centre.
Interim Director of the Immune Resilience FSP said new and emerging science could enable solutions that harness immune responses to better tackle diseases. This innovative research will further unravel the complex nature of immune systems and develop new strategies to enhance immune resilience in both humans and animals, he added.
The Interim Director of the Advanced Engineering Biology FSP said developing powerful new tools for biological design and prototyping will supercharge the delivery of impactful new goods and services. The research will help deliver the 50,000 jobs and AU$ 30 billion a year that have been identified in the CSIRO Synthetic Biology Roadmap. CSIRO’s AU$ 200 million portfolio of Future Science Platforms includes 20 programmes that underpin innovation and have the potential to help reinvent and create new industries for Australia.
At the recent fourth U.S.-India 2+2 Ministerial Dialogue, the two countries agreed to engage in new talks on artificial intelligence in defence, space cooperation and public health, among others. According to a government statement, the event was chaired by four ministers who highlighted their commitment to deepening cooperation in defence domains such as space and cyberspace, as the U.S. and Indian militaries jointly meet the challenges of this century. The leaders discussed launching an inaugural Defense Artificial Intelligence Dialogue and expanding joint cyber training and exercises.
During their discussions, the officials forged new and deeper cooperation across the breadth of the U.S.-India partnership, including defence, science and technology, trade, climate, and people-to-people ties. The leaders lauded the US-India Defence Technology and Trade Initiative (DTTI)’s ongoing projects, including a project agreement to co-develop air-launched UAVs. To foster robust private industry collaboration, the countries will consider initiating several more DTTI projects, such as counter-unmanned aerial systems (UAS) and an intelligence, surveillance, target acquisition, and reconnaissance (ISTAR) platform.
The two sides also signed a Space Situational Awareness arrangement, which lays the groundwork for more advanced cooperation in space. Bound by common strategic interests and an abiding commitment to the rules-based international order, they agreed to continue charting an ambitious course in the U.S.-India partnership. As the Indian military emerges as a more jointly integrated force, the 2+2 Ministerial advanced initiatives will allow the U.S. and Indian militaries to work more seamlessly together across all domains of potential conflict—from the seas to cyberspace. The U.S. and India finalised major bilateral initiatives on information-sharing, liaison exchanges, and joint service engagements to support high-end, combined operations.
The Indian Defense Department has been using AI in equipment and for several initiatives over the past decade. In January 2019, the Centre for Artificial Intelligence and Robotics (CAIR), a Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) laboratory, initiated a project to develop AI-based solutions for signal intelligence to enhance the collation and analysis capabilities of the armed forces. The AI-based tools would help defence forces constructively in decision-making, sensor data analysis, predictive maintenance, situational awareness, accurate data extraction, and security.
More recently, the Indian Army set up an AI centre at the Military College of Telecommunication Engineering (MCTE) in Madhya Pradesh. It will oversee more than 140 deployments in areas of emerging tech and in active support of the industry and academia. The centre, along with a quantum computing laboratory, will carry out extensive research in developing transformative technologies for military use.
As of January this year, the Navy had progressed around 30 AI projects that encompassed autonomous systems, language translation, predictive maintenance, inventory management, text mining, perimeter security, maritime domain awareness, and decision making.
As OpenGov Asia reported, the AI initiatives are envisaged to have both tactical and strategic level impacts. Officials stated that the Navy would launch several other major projects that incorporate AI and machine learning (ML). Along with centres of excellence, the Navy has organised seminars and workshops with academics and experts for its personnel, focussing on capacity building.
The Hong Kong Applied Science and Technology Research Institute (ASTRI) has partnered with a leading supplier of semiconductor assembly and SMT equipment as well as a local power solutions provider to co-develop the industry’s first ‘Made in Hong Kong’ Silicon Carbide (SiC) Intelligent Power Module (IPM) for electric vehicles (EVs).
SiC power transistors are progressively displacing silicon counterparts because of their advantages in voltage resistance, high switching speed, and superior thermal performance, all crucial requirements for next-generation EVs. Enabling power systems with significantly smaller size and weight but much better efficiency could address EV ‘range anxiety’ issues while enabling vehicle design improvements in both aerodynamics and performance.
This development is expected to add impetus to the Hong Kong Government’s drive to promote the development of EVs. It announced in 2021 that by 2035 it would suspend new registrations of carbon fuel-driven private cars (including hybrid vehicles) and require newly registered private small and medium-sized private cars to be EVs.
This collaboration is a great example of the spirit of cooperation between the private industry and local technology institutions in Hong Kong. This promotion and development of a third-generation semiconductor ecosystem via the first ‘Made in Hong Kong’ IPM will help fuel Hong Kong’s re-industrialisation endeavours and help create a high-end semiconductor industry ecosystem in China’s Greater Bay Area.
ASTRI has always focused on innovative packaging technology and power electronics technology for electronic modules. To develop a ‘Made in Hong Kong’ SiC MOSFET power module, a core research team has been formed. The R&D for this project will delve into technology from raw die to high precision multiple die integration technology.
The project will be conducted at ASTRI’s 3D Systems-in-Package Laboratory and the semiconductor assembly supplier’s Power Lab of the Innovation & Technology Centre. The Power Lab’s market-leading high-performance SiC IPM complete solutions include printing, precision multiple die placement, silver sintering, heavy aluminium wire bonding, and more. The three partners bring strong, complementary strengths to the table.
ASTRI is a leader in advanced semiconductor application technology and has been focusing on the development of a new generation of advanced semiconductor technology solutions, including 3D integrated power electronics technology for the construction of high-power ‘SiC’ modules.
The power solutions provider is a local manufacturer of third-generation semiconductor silicon carbide power devices in Hong Kong with high-efficiency ‘SiC’ transistor technology and design capability that helps EVs operate with better battery life and efficiency. It also has strong in-house development capabilities for ‘SiC MOSFET’, and strong relationships with EV makers in the region.
The semiconductor assembly supplier provides hardware and software solutions for the manufacture of semiconductors and electronics, possessing more than 1,000 semiconductor packaging technology patents, including ultra-thin chips, ultra-high precision bonding and third-generation semiconductor packaging technology. It has deep technology and process and design know-how including the full range of automotive electronic packaging solutions, from working with a wide array of customers in the industry.
Crucially, it will be providing crucial silver sintering solutions to the project via its SilverSAM tool. Its patented anti-oxidation and uniform pressure control technology ensures high-strength sintering quality to address not only the basic thermal and electrical conductivity requirements but can also increase the chip density of the IPM design as well as readiness for the emerging requirement of copper sintering to achieve optimal cost-effectiveness and superior high-power performance from the ‘SiC’ module.
The Chief Executive Officer of ASTRI stated that Silicon power modules not only bring breakthroughs in the development of electric vehicle manufacturing in Hong Kong, but this cooperation can also contribute to the roadmap for the popularization of electric vehicles in Hong Kong while promoting the re-industrialization of Hong Kong.
This ground-breaking collaboration with Hong Kong-based upstream and downstream semiconductor companies to harness their innovative technologies to jointly develop a high-performance, high-power SiC electronic module will drive innovative electric drive technology that will support an impending popularization of EVs and could usher in a new chapter in Hong Kong’s re-industrialisation efforts, the Senior Director of integrated circuits and systems technology at ASTRI said.
The development and popularization of electric vehicles will become a major trend. The government announced last year to formulate a roadmap for the promotion of electric vehicles in Hong Kong. It will stop the new registration of fuel-powered private cars, including hybrid vehicles, by 2035. The government will also update its environmental protection procurement policy.
The Minister for Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare recently unveiled the Computerised Registration of Pesticide (CROP) portal and the Plant Quarantine Management System (PQMS). The projects are steps to digitise agriculture and business and will benefit the country’s farmers, exporters, and industrialists, the Ministry wrote in a press release.
The portals will quicken registration and documentation processes related to the export and import of agricultural commodities and pesticides. It will make integrations with external systems and stakeholders more coordinated and existing online systems more transparent. The PQMS portal is convenient as it requires no physical touchpoints for the applicants. It facilitates e-payments, uploading documents and downloading certificates, online accreditation, and the renewal of treatment agencies and facilities.
The upgraded CROP portal automates pesticide registration processes. It will make transactions more seamless and provide better quality crop protection solutions to farmers across the country. The Department of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare (DAFW) DAFW had collaborated with the Centre for Good Governance (CGG) in Hyderabad for the design, development, and technical support maintenance of PQMS and CROP.
Furthermore, as outlined in the 2022-23 budget, the government is using drone technology, through its Kisan Drone scheme, to assess crops, digitise land records, and spray insecticides and nutrients. High-capacity drones will also be used to carry vegetables, fruits, and other produce to the market directly from the farms. DAFW consulted with stakeholders in the sector to develop standard operating procedures (SOPs) that provide precise instructions for the effective and safe operations of drones.
As part of efforts to make drone technologies reach all farmers, the Ministry granted interim approval for the use of drones to spray nearly all registered pesticide formulations. The application of pesticides using drones will not only make it easier for farmers to efficiently protect plants from pests but will also eventually help in increasing their incomes through reduced input costs, the release claimed.
Apart from drones, India has been deploying tech-enabled farming equipment to increase crop yield and quality. Earlier this week, The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI), in collaboration with the National Institute of Technology (NIT), developed a sensor-based irrigation system for farmers in Goa. The system can be controlled through a mobile application or the web. The sensors can start and stop water motors depending on the moisture value of the soil. This process prevents water erosion and maintains the soil quality throughout the field.
As OpenGov Asia reported, the system is powered by renewable energy resources (solar-powered pumps) to provide clean water to farmers in off-the-grid areas. The technology has saved time, especially for daily wage farmers giving them freedom and flexibility to sell their harvest in the market. Using riverbank filtration (RBF) technology, the system can provide clean water for irrigation.
RBF operates by extracting water from wells located near rivers or lakes. As the river water infiltrates into and passes through the riverbed sediments, contaminants like bacteria and toxic metals are removed by overlapping biological, physical, and chemical processes. Agriculture is the primary source of livelihood for about 58% of India’s population. The share of agriculture and allied sectors in gross value added (GVA) in 2020-21 was 20.2%.
Much is needed to address Earth’s drastic climate changes and China is sending a satellite to do an in-depth study toward that end. In time, Chinese scientists will soon have a new space-based tool to advance their research on the atmospheric environment and pollution.
The AES is a 2.6-metric ton satellite and was launched by a Long March 4C carrier rocket recently from the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center in Shanxi province. Accordingly, it entered a sun-synchronous orbit 705 kilometres above Earth. The satellite is designed to observe the planet’s health from above. It is the world’s first satellite using laser radar to detect carbon dioxide.
After in-orbit tests, the Atmospheric Environmental Surveyor (AES) satellite will start its monitoring operations and send data to scientists, according to its designers at the Shanghai Academy of Spaceflight Technology.
AES shall be focused on studying different key aspects of the planet’s health. It will be used to observe air pollution, greenhouse gases and other environmental elements. By doing so, it will provide data for research on climate change and ecological changes, and will help to forecast agricultural yields and hazards, the designers said.
The spacecraft carries five atmospheric monitoring devices. Researchers at the Hefei Institutes of Physical Science of the Chinese Academy of Sciences who took part in the development of the scientific payload detailed among these devices are:
It can also monitor other polluting gases such as nitrogen dioxide, sulfur dioxide and formaldehyde. In addition, the craft can conduct quantitative observation of atmospheric particulate pollutants.
The majority of the data obtained by the satellite will be used by the Ministry of Ecology and Environment, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs and the China Meteorological Administration.
Launching a dedicated satellite to study the environment is timely. It will give China a world-class capability to carry out atmospheric remote-sensing operations to help with the country’s efforts in achieving low-carbon development and reducing pollution, said the China National Space Administration. The administration also said it will launch a satellite dedicated to measuring greenhouse gases in the near future.
Several hours before the launch in Taiyuan, a Long March 3B carrier rocket blasted off from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center in Sichuan province to put the ChinaSat 6D communication satellite into orbit. That satellite, developed by the China Academy of Space Technology, is tasked with transmitting radio and television signals to islands in the South China Sea and small countries in the Pacific Ocean, its designers said.
China has carried out 11 space launches so far this year. The nation’s major space contractors announced at the start of 2022 that they planned to conduct more than 50 launches.
The latest research from Murdoch University and the Perron Institute is paving the way for the development of a new technological screening platform that will rapidly and accurately detect COVID-19, without compromising quality.
A medical device company’s Sentinel saliva sampling approach involves sensitive molecular processes and ultra-high throughput technology for screening potentially infectious, asymptomatic carriers. It can run up to four thousand samples per hour, with results reported within 25 minutes. The latest data published in the Nature journal Scientific Reports shows 98 per cent accuracy in identifying the SARS-CoV-2 virus in samples.
Senior author, Professor Sulev Koks, Head of Genetic Epidemiology Research at Murdoch University and Western Australia’s Perron Institute is among the scientists and others contributing. He is collaborating with local specialists from various institutes, including the University of Western Australia and further afield in the United Kingdom and Spain. The key overseas organisations evaluating the technology are the Lancs LAMP Laboratory in Preston, UK and Biodonostia Health Research Institute in San Sebastian, Spain.
Professor Koks noted that while present testing methods are accurate, they are not capable of providing a result to people with COVID-19 that have no symptoms. Additionally, PCR testing puts a strain on the health system as health staff need to undertake rigorous training to obtain results.
It was also noted that while the diagnostic gold standard RT-PCR test accurately detects viruses such as SARS-CoV-2, which causes COVID-19, it lacks sufficient speed for efficient, large-scale routine surveillance screening and quarantine applications. The rapid antigen tests (RAT) are easier to use but not sufficiently sensitive in detecting the virus in infected people who are contagious but have no symptoms. The viral load samples from pre-symptomatic or asymptomatic people can take several days to reach sufficient levels for detecting infection.
“PCR results take hours and throughput is, at most, a few thousand samples processed per instrument per day. Also, nasopharyngeal PCR sampling requires trained personnel and has decreased participant acceptance if multiple tests are required within a short period.”
Effective viral surveillance to contain outbreaks requires frequent testing with more sensitive assays, particularly as new variants arise. The new screening technology, that will identify infectious patients sooner and eliminate the threat of unwanted community transmission, will help hasten the pandemic’s closure.
The proposed large-scale and convenient saliva testing platform combines accuracy and scalability to mitigate the risk of viral transmission as restrictions are lifted and to guard against future threats. It would make frequent testing feasible in complementing vaccines to contain the spread of highly infectious pandemic agents such as COVID-19. Further validation of the medical device company’s rapid, ultra-sensitive Sentinel screening system is continuing.
The first authors of the recent publication are Robert Dewhurst and Tatjana Heinrich (Perron Institute and Avicena Systems), and the other authors are Paul Watt and Paul Ostergaard (Avicena Systems), Jose Maria Marimon (Biodonostia Institute), Mariana Moreira and Philip Houldsworth (Lancs LAMP Laboratory), Jack Rudrum (Perron Institute) and David Wood (UWA).
The medical device company’s pilot Sentinel system was supported by grants from the WA Department of Health, Department of Premier and Cabinet, Department of Jobs, Tourism, Science and Industry, and a Modern Manufacturing Initiative grant from the Australian Government Department of Industry, Science, Energy and Resources.
The Ministry of Science and Technology, the Ho Chi Minh Communist Youth Union, and related units recently led a launch ceremony for the student fintech start-up contest Finnovation 2022. The event aims to raise society’s awareness of innovation and intellectual property in the field of financial technology and digital transformation, according to the Deputy Minister of Science and Technology, Le Xuan Dinh. Popularising fintech will promote the innovation start-up ecosystem and help build a domestic and competitive start-up community capable of going global.
Individuals and groups of students can introduce their ideas and business models to leading experts in the fintech field to receive companionship and legal support, as well as approach investors, seek capital for start-ups, and commercialise products and services. The contest is part of a series of events to celebrate World Creativity and Innovation Day (21 April) and World Intellectual Property Day (26 April). It intends to build a multi-disciplinary ‘finnovation’ creative start-up ecosystem with international standards. The Deputy Minister stated that it will do this with technology and innovation as the means, students as the core, and society as the creative orientation.
The Organising Committee will award the winner with a Certificate of Merit from the Vietnam Students’ Association and a cash prize worth VN50 million (or gifts equivalent to that value). It will award two second-place and two third-place prizes. Additionally, the projects that qualify for the final round will be introduced by the Organising Committee to investment units. Winners can consult with the Committee, which will support the project’s implementation, ensuring it is appropriate and practical to the development needs of the projects. The top ten projects with the highest score will have the opportunity to meet investors to raise capital.
Data from a recent report showed that the global fintech market size was $110.57 billion in 2020 and is estimated will grow to $698.48 billion by 2030, growing at a CAGR of 20.3% from 2021 to 2030. Fintech increases the speed, transparency, and security of transactions, which is why governments and organisations around the world are investing in the sector. For example, investment in UK fintech was seven times higher in 2021 than in the previous year, boosted by a record number of deals.
This month, Singapore and Australia announced a FinTech Bridge Agreement to strengthen cooperation between their fintech ecosystems. Among other things, the agreement sets out a framework for the two sides to support the mutual establishment of fintechs looking to expand in each other’s markets. It will encourage fintechs to use the facilities and assistance available to explore new business opportunities and reduce barriers to entry. Singapore also recently signed an agreement to broaden contactless and digital payments in all junior colleges and secondary and primary schools in the country. Digital payment infrastructure, including tap-and-pay terminals, will be installed in school canteens and bookstores.
In New Zealand, the fintech sector has global revenues of nearly NZ$ 2 billion, with a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 32%. This growth has created a 14% annual growth in high-value jobs, as OpenGov Asia reported. The country has been ranked one of Asia Pacific’s fastest emerging fintech hubs and one of the top ten fintech destinations in the region.
The Industrial Technology Research Institute (ITRI) is the organisation tasked to foster innovation in Taiwan. Government-backed and founded in 1973, the non-profit research institute has been instrumental in the nation’s rise as the semiconductor capital of the world, helping create the biggest brands in microchips in the country today. ITRI has once again called on technology and innovation as the key to achieving the country’s Net Zero goals by 2050.
ITRI, supported by the Ministry of Economic Affairs (MOEA), emphasised the need for innovation in the fight against climate change. Additionally, it detailed various ways carbon reduction strategies can be achieved. Specifically, the research group pointed out the carbon management platform, service team, talent, and technology as central to the task at hand.
R&D innovation plays a vital role in Taiwan’s 2050 net-zero roadmap as it helps industries strike a balance between economic growth and environmental sustainability.
– Edwin Liu, President, Industrial Technology Research Institute
To jumpstart the effort, ITRI pointed out over 40 carbon reduction technologies. Some of these cater to energy supply, power consumption, low-carbon manufacturing and a sustainable environment. Moreover, MOEA Minister Mei-Hua Wang supports ITRI’s stance on achieving sustainable development. He reaffirmed the nation’s commitment to achieving the 2050 target and recognised ITRI’s efforts in leading industries towards net zero. Also, this is echoed by Ming-Hsin Kung, National Development Council Minister with reference to the country’s roadmap in the transition to net-zero emissions.
ITRI disclosed ICT and other technologies that could be helpful in the fight against climate change. These include:
ITRI Chairman Chih-Kung Lee stated that ITRI engages in cross-domain innovation to provide enterprises with one-stop-shop solutions. To note, its cloud carbon management platform offers the largest database of industrial carbon footprint data in Taiwan, spanning over 20 industries and containing over 10,000 entries of information. It thereby allows companies to keep track of their carbon emissions.
The service team assists industry partners in boosting their green competitiveness in a comprehensive and tailored manner, covering corporate education, carbon emissions check-ups, and the introduction of tech innovation. ITRI has also established the Taiwan Net Zero Innovation Map for Industry to provide the latest information on net-zero initiatives. Meanwhile, it plans to establish a Net Zero & Sustainability School to formulate educational programs and cultivate green-collar talent, he said.
Indeed, Taiwan’s ITRI laid the groundwork for the country to transform from a manpower-based economy to an innovation-based one. Its track record speaks for itself. Today, the island nation is in a hugely advantageous place to benefit from its semiconductor industry. For one, it should be able to play a huge role in the introduction of Driver Assistance Systems (DAS) in the near future.
© 2022 OpenGov Asia – CIO Network Pte Ltd.