singapore

Your own personal museum docent

If you visit the National Museum of Singapore, you can get your very own Chinese Companion. Sorry, this one won't make moo eyes at you--instead, it speaks in an electronic voice and is programmed to give visitors access to videos and reading materials on the relevant artifacts and topics in the museum. The National Museum of Singapore claims it is the first and only museum in Southeast Asia, for now, to incorporate an interactive handheld companion to complement its exhibits.

The handheld personal guide, which was developed by Canadian firm GSM, is part of the Companion project which involved … Read more

Singapore military officials embrace drone aircraft

WASHINGTON--Singapore may not occupy much more than a tiny dot on the world map, but it's counting on drones and other remote-controlled vehicles to make its military mighty.

As one of the world's busiest sea ports, the Asian city-state's "survival and prosperity depends on national security," Tan Peng Yam, deputy chief executive of the country's Defense Science &Technology Agency, told attendees at the first day of the annual North America symposium put on here by the Association for Unmanned Vehicle Systems International.

Because a third of the world's trade--including 90 percent of … Read more

That color just isn't you--hit the switch

While U.S. high schools students dominate in the kegger-fueled, jackass video art form, their counterparts in Singapore are pulling ahead with what could be the most significant innovation in individual camouflage since the gilly suit--a military uniform that changes color.

The students accomplished this, shockingly, "by using a material that can change colours," the Singapore News helpfully explained. Actually they relied on electrochromism, a process that causes electroactive material to change color when an "electric field is applied."

The students belong to the Young Defense Scientists Program, which the country's leaders hope will create … Read more

Singapore sponsors contest to build warrior robot

The island city-state of Singapore announced a contest to build a Terminator-style robot, able to operate in urban warfare environments independent of direct human control. That's right; no joystick.

Individuals, companies, universities and research institutes are invited to compete in what the country's Defense Science and Technology Agency (DSTA) calls the TechX Challenge. The autonomous robot DSTA has in mind would be an all-weather unit, able to negotiate stairs, use an elevator and generally move and shoot in a search-and-destroy mode without the aid of satellite navigation, just like a human soldier.

"Operation in urban areas represents … Read more