PRESS RELEASE30 SEP 2009
Growing importance of Wireless Technology sees
Texas Instruments
Invest in Joint Innovation Lab at Republic Polytechnic
Republic Polytechnic showcases Innovations at Wireless Tech Day
Singapore – September 30, 2009 – As interest continues to grow in the potential of low power wireless technology, extensive research and innovation by Republic Polytechnic’s (RP) School of Engineering has seen the tertiary institution score a significant coup with investment and support from global technology developer, Texas Instruments(TI), to establish a joint laboratory on the discipline.
Known as the tertiary institution that approaches learning with a difference, RP today officially opened the joint lab with TI Singapore (Pte) Ltd, during its first Wireless Technology Series event. The RP-TI Low Power Wireless Applications Joint Laboratory is expected to further enhance the research and innovation of applications currently being carried out by RP for the lifestyle, healthcare and wellness sectors.
This will be TI’s first such undertaking with a tertiary institution here, and will see the company invest both its expertise as well as funding towards the laboratory, which will boast state of the art equipment for development and testing. The lab is now fully equipped with the necessary development kits and software to develop low power wireless applications. TI will also conduct periodic training to staff and students in RP either through workshops or talks and conduct seminars to share its latest developments in a bid to sharpening the capability of the lab.
Mr Lim Kwee Song, Managing Director of TI Singapore, who officiated at the opening of the lab, said, “We are pleased to be collaborating with RP on this venture, working with the next generation of engineers to further understand and develop low power wireless technology. TI has a long tradition of partnering with academic institutions, and we are hopeful that this venture will produce innovations which will improve the quality of life and range of care available to people everywhere.”
RP’s Wireless Innovations
In addition to presentations from other industry partners, another key highlight at the RP’s Wireless Technology Series event was the showcase of three innovations by RP’s internal teams, which were developed while working closely with partners in industry.
Wireless Proximity Monitoring for Childcare Centres – Wireless Group Sensing System
The device was developed with childcare centres in mind, for use when they take groups of children on school trips and excursions. Prototypes of this Group Sensing System have been welcomed and trialed by Learning Visions @ RP (RP’s on-campus childcare centre). It has proven to be useful in keeping track of young wards when taken on schools trips to places such as Admiralty Park, the school lawn and the playground. Using radio frequency (RF) and wireless technology, it has an advantage over GPS which often doesn’t work indoors. There are many teacher-student configurations that the Group Sensing System can support. One possible group setup is for 4 teachers to pair up with 24 students. Each child device will store a unique identity that allows the supervising teacher/ adult to know which children are in range, and the system can identify students in various scattered locations. The Wireless Group Sensing System has proven to be very effective during the trial, as it also acts as a ‘second pair of eyes’ that every pre-school should consider to further complement the quality of safety & security of children especially while they are not confined within the premises of a childcare centre.
Real-time Wireless Data Acquisition of Physiological Signals for Sports Activities
This device was developed by RP’s School of Engineering team in collaboration with its School of Sports, Health and Leisure to monitor athletes’ body indicators such as rate of movement, heart rate, and body temperature via sensors that will transmit data wirelessly. This sports enhancement monitoring tool will provide data that can be used to indicate the amount of exertion by the sportsperson.
Physiotherapy System for Recovering Patients
The third prototype showcased is a system designed to support the physiotherapy needs of patients who are recovering at home, and have limited mobility, and hence have difficulty making it to the hospital for a physiotherapy session. The system, which allows the patient at home to wear a cuff connected to a computer while carrying out his or her exercises, monitors how well the patient is progressing in the exercises, through the data that is being visually streamed back to the physiotherapist’s office. The system is currently under development and RP is working closely with Tan Tock Seng Hospital’s Physiotherapy Department.
“Given the depth and interest in the area of wireless technology, RP is wholly committed to pursuing further research and development, specifically in the areas of healthcare and wellness. In addition to the above innovations, we are also currently working on a Low Cost Portable Wireless Heart Rate Monitoring Device project in collaboration with a healthcare company and with several hospitals in Singapore on a project focusing on “Environmental Monitoring System for Sensitive Medical Equipment”, concluded Mr Liew.
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For more information, please contact:
| Republic Polytechnic Pandiyan Tel: 3100 1267 Email: pandiyan@rp.sg |
Weber Shandwick May Yong / Samantha Lee Tel: 6825 8073 / 6825 8022 Email: myang@webershandwick.com / salee@webershandwick.com |
About Republic Polytechnic
The first educational institution in Singapore to adopt the Problem-Based Learning approach for all its diploma programmes, Republic Polytechnic (RP) has six schools and one centre offering thirty four courses in Information and Communications Technology, Engineering, Applied Science, Technology for the Arts, Sports, Health & Leisure, Events and Hospitality, and Culture and Communication. Republic Polytechnic is committed to nurturing innovation and entrepreneurial learning in an environment that develops problem-solving process skills and a life-long learning attitude. Its holistic, broad-based curriculum, covering culture, enterprise development and cognitive processes, prepares students for an active and meaningful role in society. Republic Polytechnic strives for excellence by achieving various international and national accreditations, including ISO9001, ISO14001, OHSAS 18001, TR19, People Developer Standards, Singapore Quality Class and Singapore Innovation Class. For more information, visit http://www.rp.sg