Environment

An improvised LoRaWAN has been developed to enhance data transmission efficiency between LoRa trackers and LoRaWAN gateways addressing the prevalent issue of mid-air data loss due to collisions. This improved protocol enhances the data transmission rate from its current range of 10-30% to 65%. This substantial improvement leads to power savings for IoT end nodes, particularly those powered by batteries, by eliminating the need for data re-transmission. Moreover, the improved protocol also significantly increases gateway capacity, thereby reducing the capital expenditure associated with IT infrastructure.

Norovirus is a highly contagious non-enveloped virus responsible for causing >90% of viral gastroenteritis, and >50% of all gastroenteritis outbreaks worldwide. According to the WHO, norovirus causes an estimated 685 million cases of infection and 200,000 deaths per year. Its resilience poses challenges for eradication through altering pH, heat exposure, or common disinfectants. Notably, alcohol-based hand sanitisers are not as effective against this virus, according to the US CDC. To address this, a biotech company has successfully developed a novel virus-binding protein technology derived from jack beans or sword beans. This patented lectin protein exhibits antiviral properties and has demonstrated the ability to neutralise not only norovirus, but also coronavirus and Hepatitis A virus. It has also demonstrated activity against Escherichia coli bacteria.  By utilising this innovative technology, viral outbreaks can be prevented. This versatile lectin protein can be incorporated as an active ingredient into various product formulations. The technology owner is especially interested to work with companies from health service sectors, and personal care product manufacturers.

Corrosion of metal structures is often addressed as one of the main prevailing problems in aerospace, petrochemical, marine, automobile and aeronautical industries. Most of the currently existing technologies for corrosion detection lack sensitivity and focus on direct viewing, which restricts defect detection in difficult to access areas such small channels, technical cavities, pipelines, tunnels, oil wells and others. A flexible ultraspectral imaging-based probe, capable of providing more than hundreds of spectral bands would be the best choice in case of sensitive and early stages detection of defects and corrosion in human inaccessible area. This invention discloses a portable specialised imaging probe that uses fast (snapshot) and non-destructive imaging technology for early detection of stresses, contamination, and corrosion.  

This technology is a patented synbiotics (combination of probiotics and prebiotics) cleaning solution that offers a safe and sustainable alternative to traditional cleaning products and disinfectants. When released onto the surface, the probiotics will digest and break down dirt, grime, and other unwanted substances while the prebiotics in the solution act as an additional source of nutrition for the probiotics. The resultant surface microbiome provides a continuous cleaning effect that is longer lasting than traditional cleaning chemicals and disinfectants. Often, the overuse of traditional chemicals and disinfectants results in antimicrobial resistance (AMR), allergenic reactions to the user, negative impact on the environment and short effective lifespan. With this synbiotics technology, users can overcome these limitations and achieve a long-term effective cleaning system and a natural microflora to the environment. When utilised in healthcare settings, the synbiotics cleaning solution demonstrated a higher reduction of pathogens (80% more), decreased AMR (up to 99.9%) and health-associated infections (52% lesser). The technology owner is interested in co-development projects and test-bedding opportunities with companies looking for a sustainable and long-lasting cleaning technology i.e., cleaning equipment and automation manufacturers/suppliers and cleaning service providers.

Biodegradable adhesives are a class of adhesives derived from natural materials such as as plant-based polymers or proteins, and they do not contain any synthetic plastics or other harmful chemicals. They are more environmentally friendly, as they do not release harmful pollutants into the environment when they break down. They are also often compostable, which means that they can be disposed of in a way that is beneficial to the environment. This technology is a patented environmentally friendly, biodegradable adhesive that overcomes the limitations of fossil-fuel based adhesives. Made from a natural polymer and other natural materials, this bio-adhesive can exhibit 100% biodegradability within 30 days, does not contaminate the environment and can be separated by water. The adhesive can be applied onto a variety of substrates including paper, leather, foams, and wood to name a few. The technology owner is interested in joint R&D projects with companies who require a biodegradable and sustainable adhesive solution.

This new packaging is a flexible packaging that is an all-encompassing option for several applications including cosmetics, food, consumer, and industrial products. Typically constructed with multi-layer materials to provide the necessary properties for structural integrity and protection of the packaged contents, these packaging products are not recyclable due to the variety of materials used. This technology offers a unique packaging solution that gathers all the advantages of existing packaging options (stand-up pouches, doypacks, bottles and tubes) while overcoming their limitations. Based on the concept of a pastry bag, the technology is a conical flexible pouch which is eco-friendly and 100% recyclable. Made of a mono-material, this eco-designed packaging utilises lesser materials (up to 70%), is ultra-compressible and suitable for all types of products from liquids to solids, making it adaptable to every sector’s needs. With an optimal restitution rate (no loss of contents), it can reduce wastage of the packaged contents and has been certified to reduce 70% of greenhouse gas emissions as compared to a conventional plastic bottle. The technology owner is interested to work with Singapore companies on R&D projects for sustainable packaging and out licensing opportunities to manufacture this patented eco-designed packaging product.

Blowflies are insects often used for scientific research in fields such as forensics, veterinary science, ecology, and biology. Scientists study them at different stages of their lives, including maggots and adult blowflies.This technology relates to a fully operational and scalable multi-species insectary (Arthropod Containment Level 2) which focuses on harnessing the potential of non-medical blowflies for agricultural and waste management sectors. Firstly, blowfly maggots can be produced at scale to act as biodigesters to break down and convert agri-food waste or side streams to valuable blowfly insect protein. With additional processing, bioactive compounds can be extracted from these insect proteins with diverse applications in medicine and industry. When maggots mature into blowflies, they can be deployed for all-year-round insect pollination instead of bees. This can be conducted in controlled environments, including Indoor Vertical Farms, Greenhouses, and Polytunnels. This application has been validated with state-of-the-art UV lighting technology where blowflies are adept at locating flowers and conducting crucial pollination activities. The technology provider is actively seeking collaborative partnerships with stakeholders from the agriculture sector to enhance crop yields for farmers, while also aiming to collaborate with the waste management industry in order to minimize waste generation and transform it into valuable products through recycling.

Lignocellulosic biomass side streams derived from the agri-food value chain such as agricultural residues, have the potential to be converted into high-value products, including biofuel, bio-composite construction materials, and sustainable packaging. Among the various conversion processes, pre-treatment plays a crucial role in maximizing the value of lignocellulosic biomass. The primary objective of pre-treatment is to address the complex and heterogeneous structure of the biomass by removing lignin, reducing biomass size, and increasing the surface area for hydrolysis. Unfortunately, current pre-treatment methods for lignocellulosic biomass are energy-intensive, costly, and produce inhibitory compounds that impact subsequent production stages. To overcome these challenges, this technology offers a catalytic oxidation pre-treatment process. This innovative approach operates under ambient or mild conditions, with a short reaction time, resulting in reduced energy consumption and treatment costs. The technology provider is seeking interested parties from the agricultural, biofuels, or biogas industry to license this catalytic oxidation pre-treatment process to enhance their operations and achieve a more sustainable and cost-effective production of valuable products from lignocellulosic biomass.

Plywood is a preferred material used in furniture and home building for its durability since the Egyptian and Roman times. In 2019, the world consumed 165 million cm3 of plywood and was responsible for the creation of more than 3 billion tons of CO2. Applications for plywood are widespread including construction, home, retail, and office interior works and furnishings such as cabinetry, woodworking, renovations, and outfitting. Regulations and protectionism to slow down deforestation plus the tightening of sustainable forestry management lessen the supply of logging for plywood.  As global demand continues to be strong, the search for a viable replacement for plywood has become more pressing. More importantly, it is important to find a non-wood-based replacement with similar performance to plywood. Plywood is desirable because of its superior performance properties. Alternatives like medium-density boards (mdf) and particle boards are made from recycled wood waste. Unfortunately, plywood can only be made from virgin wood and there are no direct replacements for plywood currently. This technology leverages the global abundance of lignocellulosic fibre waste which is the discarded waste material after the harvesting and production of palm oil, rice, and wheat. The technology transforms these lignocellulosic fibre wastes into a direct replacement for conventional plywood.  This provides a sustainable, economically viable, and environmentally friendly solution to the continuing demand for plywood and the resolution to the growing lignocellulosic fiber waste problem in agri-food-based countries all over the world. The technology owner is open to various forms of collaboration including IP licensing, R&D collaboration, and test-bedding with different types of agrifood sidestreams. In the case of palm biomass waste, rice, and wheat straw waste, the technology is ready for commercialization.