TECH OFFERS

Lithium ion (Li-ion) battery is now the dominant energy storage system in portable electronics and electric vehicles (EV). The rapid expanding EV is driving the demand for next generation high-energy batteries. Compared to conventional Li-ion batteries with graphite anode, which has a theoretical capacity of 372 mAh/g, lithium-metal batteries can deliver ten times of specific capacity (3860 mAh/g). Theoretically, anode-free batteries can double the energy density in volume compared to Li-ion batteries at the cell level. However, current anode-free batteries suffer from faster capacity decay due to poor lithium plating on Cu foil. To overcome this challenge, the technology owner has developed a liquid electrolyte comprising lithium difluoro(oxalate)borate (LiDFOB) and a carbonate solvent, enabling reversible lithium plating of anode-free lithium metal batteries. This electrolyte ensures good thermal stability with smooth Li plating of counter electrode on the anodic side even at elevated temperatures. It facilitates a capacity retention of above 80% after 100 cycles for an anode-free battery or 80% after 400 cycles for a battery with a Li metal anode. The technology owner seeks collaboration with industrial partners such as battery developers and manufacturers for further co-development and test-bedding of electrolyte and subsequent licensing of this technology for commercialisation. The patented technology is an electrolyte comprising lithium difluoro(oxalate)borate (LiDFOB) dissolving in an organic carbonate solvent that has the following features: High concentration of the LiDFOB in the range of 1.5M to 3M Enable smooth and reversible lithium plating / stripping Good cycling performance and high charging rate Good thermal stability enabling high operating temperature (up to 80 °C) Good electrochemical stability compatible to high voltage cathodes The patented electrolyte can be applied to high-energy lithium ion batteries, which have the following potential applications: Aerospace and aviation (drones and satellites) Electric vehicles (EVs, HEVs) Grid-scale energy storage Backup power systems Enable smooth and reversible lithium plating Higher energy density (about 30% increase in gravimetric capacity) Good thermal stability and cycling performance Enable high-energy-density anode-free lithium metal batteries Lithium ion battery, Electrolyte, LiDFOB Energy, Battery & SuperCapacitor, Chemicals, Polymers, Organic

This technology is suitable for companies looking for a probiotics delivery system with increased probiotics viability. Spray-dried probiotic powder derived from this technology can be used as dietary supplements or functional food additives for human and animal consumption. Conventional probiotics often lose viability during shelf storage and upon ingestion, especially during their transit through the gastric region. Our industrially scalable encapsulation technology can improve probiotics’ shelf life and maintain viability during their passage through the human upper gastrointestinal tract. The encapsulated probiotic product achieves qualities of gastroprotection and targeted release in the intestinal region, overall boosting the beneficial effects of probiotics on gut health. Probiotics represent a US$ 58 billion market with immense growth potential, as global consumers are increasingly invested in digestive health and means to enhance the gut microbiome. Our patented technology of encapsulating probiotics involves a modified spray-drying process and is a high-throughput, food-grade, and inexpensive technique applicable to pharmaceutical, food and animal feed sectors. The modified spray drying technique used in this technology is a facile, high-throughput and industrially preferred method to produce environment resistant encapsulation systems. Key advantages of this optimized spray drying process include: High encapsulation efficiency High probiotics viability Achieving a dried product with high powder yield This technology provides four major advantages in probiotics supplementation: Scalability of production Uses food-grade materials and hence renders the advantage of non-toxicity Offers gastroprotection of probiotics in the upper GI tract High viability over shelf-life This technology may be versatilely used for a variety of candidate probiotic microorganisms and can henceforth be applied to many different applications and markets. The encapsulated dry probiotic powder product is: 1. Applicable to both human health product lines and animal feed formulations due to its use of generally regarded as safe (GRAS), non-toxic materials 2. Compatible with incorporation of other active pharmaceutical ingredients alongside probiotics (to promote or enhance desired therapeutic outcomes) 3. Dried probiotic powder is compatible with standard pharmaceutical or dietary supplement dosage formats (e.g. capsules, tablets, or sachets) 4. Dried probiotic powder can be incorporated into functional food or beverage matrices, such as confectionaries, dairy products and instant foods. The probiotics market was valued at US$ 58 billion in 2021 and is projected to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 7.5% through 2030. The market is driven by a rise in health expenditure, an increasing consumer inclination towards preventive healthcare and a growing consumer awareness about the importance of the gut microbiome in influencing human health. So far, probiotics are mainly consumed via dairy-based yogurts (74% of the global retail value of probiotics), while 11% is attributed towards probiotics supplements. The market for probiotic supplements is set to expand rapidly, at a CAGR of 7%, from its market size of US$ 6.5 billion in 2021 (Grand View Research, 2021). Probiotic supplements may be consumed in the form of capsules, chewables/gummies, powders, tablets and softgels. This technology is well-positioned to develop probiotic supplements suitable for these various formats, as the dried powder product can be versatilely incorporated. Besides supplements, there is a growing trend to incorporate probiotics in different foods and beverages. Several examples of innovation here include probiotic ice-creams, probiotic sodas, probiotic beers, probiotic candies, probiotic ice, etc. This technology can be useful to encapsulate and protect probiotics from the external food or beverage matrix and prolong its survivability and functionality. The use of probiotics in animal feed sectors represents another opportunity. The global probiotics in the animal feed market was valued at US$ 4.4 billion in 2020 and is projected to grow at a CAGR of 8.8% through 2026. This technology benefits from having a high-scale and inexpensive production process, which reduces the costs of the encapsulation of probiotics. Using an industry-approved spray drying technique and food-grade materials, our encapsulation system guarantees both safety and scalability. This advanced technology ensures the probiotics' viability as they pass through the upper gastrointestinal tract and reach the gut, providing a remarkable advantage over conventional probiotics. probiotics, encapsulation, viability, shelf-life, spray-drying, high throughput Personal Care, Nutrition & Health Supplements, Healthcare, Pharmaceuticals & Therapeutics, Manufacturing, Chemical Processes, Foods, Ingredients, Processes

Grasping technology, often associated with robotics and automation, addresses the challenge of manipulating and handling objects in various environments. The primary problem solved by grasping technology is the ability to securely and accurately pick up, hold, move, and release objects with different shapes, sizes, and materials. This technology is especially crucial in situations where human intervention may be difficult, dangerous, or inefficient. Before the deployment of new models and algorithms in the real world, it would be great to test the algorithm in a realistic simulation environment first.  The technology presented is a realistic simulation environment to test a robotic system for grasping and manipulation. Using the simulation environment, the movements of the physical and virtual robots are synchronized. This is done without the need for writing additional code to control the physical robot, which makes real-world deployment seamless and easy. The grasping system is tested in simulation and can easily be deployed in the real world with visualization of real-time feedback on robotics tasks via the same design and simulation platform.   The technology has potential applications in manufacturing, warehousing, and household robotics, where improving grasp success rates is critical for enhancing efficiency and reducing costs. These environments are often cluttered and contain dynamically moving objects.  A synchronized sim-to-real platform for robotic grasping and manipulation can be incredibly useful to the industry in several ways:   Reduced Cost: Traditional methods of developing robotic grasping and manipulation systems require expensive hardware, time-consuming trial-and-error testing, and large amounts of data. A synchronized sim-to-real platform allows for much of this testing and data collection to be done virtually, reducing costs and increasing efficiency.   Improved Efficiency: With a synchronized sim-to-real platform, researchers and developers can test and fine-tune robotic grasping and manipulation algorithms in simulation before deploying them on physical robots. This can reduce the time required for physical testing and enable more efficient algorithm development.   Increased Safety: The use of simulation environments can provide a safer testing environment for robotic grasping and manipulation systems, allowing developers to test and refine algorithms without risking damage to expensive hardware or injury to human operators.   Enhanced Performance: With the ability to test and optimize algorithms in simulation, developers can achieve higher levels of performance in robotic grasping and manipulation tasks, leading to more effective and reliable systems.   Better Scalability: A synchronized sim-to-real platform can also facilitate the development of more scalable robotic grasping and manipulation systems, as algorithms and methods can be tested and refined in simulation before being deployed on a larger scale.   Overall, a synchronized sim-to-real platform for robotic grasping and manipulation has the potential to significantly improve the efficiency, safety, and performance of industrial robotic systems, leading to greater productivity and cost savings for companies.   Robotics, Grasping, Manipulation, Simulation Manufacturing, Assembly, Automation & Robotics, Infocomm, Robotics & Automation

Autonomous driving technologies hold promise of substantial manpower savings, but the technology is still not mature enough to remove the driver from the vehicle. This also hinders the deployment of autonomous systems for many business applications as the ROI (Return on Investment) is not justifiable. There are also multiple scenarios, such as firefighting or waste processing, that require the agility offered by a human operator but have worksites that can be harmful. The technology presented here offers a high-fidelity teleoperation solution platform which can control many kinds of vehicles and machinery with high quality video feed at low latency. This technology is particularly useful for autonomous vehicle or machinery related companies that want to release their fleet to the market and have the option to remove the requirement for a safety driver onboard. It is also useful for companies providing heavy machinery, or end users of heavy machinery who seek to remove operators from harmful worksites. Main features and specifications related to the technology are given below: Low end-to-end latency at < 200 msec. Low bandwidth requirement. The technology can work with 4G/5G/Long Range Wi-Fi. Inbuilt smart assistance features and multiple camera view in picture-in-picture format to make operation easy and safe. Motion and haptic feedback for better situational awareness. Potential applications for the teleoperation technology can include, but are not limited to, scenarios like – Autonomous EVs Airport support vehicles Street sweeping vehicles Prime movers Engineering machinery such as forklifts, excavators, and others. The global teleoperation and telerobotic market is expected to reach US$60.9 billion in 2023 and the expected CAGR for the next five years is 14.2%. The TAM (Total Available Market) estimation for 2023 is at US$14 billion in the logistics and autonomous mobility sectors. In Singapore, the SOM (Serviceable Obtainable Market) is estimated at US$ 62.1 million. Telerobotics covers a lot of advantages promised by autonomous mobility and does not have the drawback of uncertainties on maturity level and risks associated. The offered technology solution offers following advantages – The platform can work under 4G, 5G or long-range Wi-Fi. Wide field of view along with multiple camera views in an easy to operate configuration provide the operator with a more natural visual feedback and enhanced awareness. The video stream is further synchronised with haptic feedback to improve operator’s judgment. The platform comes with customizable buttons and controls and can be configured for multiple vehicle types and scenarios. Infocomm, Video/Image Analysis & Computer Vision, Mobility, Geoinformatics & Location-based Services

In the mid-infrared region, gases exhibit absorption spectral features that are typically two orders of magnitude stronger compared to the near-infrared region. This makes the mid-infrared quantum cascade laser (QCL) a highly suitable choice for gas spectroscopy applications. QCLs offer several advantages, including broadband spectral coverage ranging from 3 to 25μm, narrow linewidth, compact size, and robustness, which have contributed to their popularity in various spectroscopic applications. In this context, a portable gas sensor has been developed utilizing self-developed QCL arrays, covering two specific wavelength regimes: 9-10 μm and 13-14 μm. To further enhance the detection sensitivity, an artificial intelligence (AI) algorithm has been integrated into the gas sensor. The incorporation of a hollow-core fiber as a miniaturized gas cell contributes to the overall compactness of the system. By leveraging the capabilities of QCLs, this gas sensor overcomes critical weaknesses associated with existing approaches, particularly their lack of selectivity and inability to differentiate mixtures of gases effectively. We anticipate that this technological innovation will accelerate scientific research progress and prove valuable across various industry sectors. The innovation of this portable gas sensor is mainly in the laser source and beam combining approach. Compared with the commercial QCL products, the developed QCL arrays exhibited wide spectra tuning range, ultra-fast tuning speed, narrow linewidth, and eye-safe average power. To combine the laser beams in the array, a cost-efficient beam combining method has been developed. This method utilizes an aspherical lens and a series of mini mirrors to collimate the individual beams from the laser array. The system is controlled by a LabVIEW program, which simplifies its operation.  After conducting measurements, the AI algorithm automatically calculates the concentration of the target gases. This information is then displayed on the software interface, providing a convenient and user-friendly experience. The gas cell in the sensor employs a hollow-core fiber, which results in a quick analyte charging time of less than 1 minute. Furthermore, the gas sensor utilizes a broadband laser source, enabling simultaneous detection of multiple gases. The performance of the homemade QCL array is notable in terms of lasing peak and transverse mode, making it well-suited as the light source in gas spectroscopic systems. Notably, the gas sensor extends the operation wavelength regime into the ~13-14 μm region, which is advantageous for detecting volatile organic compounds (VOCs) that have strong absorption features in this range. In terms of detection limits, the gas sensor has been evaluated to achieve 940 parts per billion (ppb) for acetylene and 470 ppb for o-xylene. Primary application areas: scientific research, environmental monitoring, and industrial process control. Other areas: Indoor air quality monitoring and oil & gas. The potential products: Mid-infrared photoacoustic gas sensor, QCL-based dual-comb gas sensor, Cavity ring-down gas sensor and liquid sensors.   The global gas sensor market size was valued at USD 2.50 billion in 2021 and is expected to expand at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 8.9% from 2022 to 2030. In this context, the QCL plays a pivotal role as one of the primary light sources in mid-infrared gas spectroscopy applications. Consequently, the QCL-based gas sensor has promising potential in the gas sensor market size. This technology is portable and provides both high selectivity and sensitivity with key benefit lies in three domains: Gas Sensing: this solution enables precise and accurate gas sensing, allowing for the detection and differentiation of multiple trace gases in various environments. Spectroscopy / Instrumentation: With the capability to design and create long-wavelength quantum cascade lasers, our technology is well-suited for advanced spectroscopy and instrumentation applications. IoT (Internet of Things) for Smart-Nation: By integrating this technology into the Internet of Things framework, contribute to building smarter and more efficient nations with improved environmental monitoring and management. The most critical problem of the existing technologies, such as electronic and chemical sensors, lies in their lack of selectivity. This means they are unable to distinguish between multiple trace gases unless more advanced methods like GC-MS or FTIR technology are employed. Unfortunately, these advanced methods are both bulky and expensive, restricting their usage to laboratory environments only. Quantum Cascade Laser (QCL), High sensitivity, Multi gases, Spectroscopy, Sensing system Electronics, Lasers, Optics & Photonics, Infocomm, Artificial Intelligence, Green Building, Indoor Environment Quality, Environment, Clean Air & Water, Sensor, Network, Monitoring & Quality Control Systems

Fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) and other product components come in a wide variety of shapes, sizes and packaging configurations. During the manufacture of such products, a key challenge for automation is to effectively handle and manipulate such diverse products during production or logistical processes. Users planning to automate their production lines typically have to take into consideration the use of either multiple grippers for different product types, or incorporate an automated tool changer with added complexity and cost. To address this challenge, a Singapore start-up has developed a universal soft robotic gripper designed to manipulate a wider range of product sizes by incorporating a resizeable gripper base. Gripper adjustment is automatically carried out via an integrated computer vision system thus minimizing the need for human intervention during pick-and-place processes. The gripper's soft fingers also minimize damage to products during the gripping process. Vacuum Suction Gripper Incorporating extendable linkages in the gripper arms for resizeability, the gripping workspace remains adaptable to handle products of various sizes. The gripper arms may either take the form of fingers or suction cups configuration. With 5 vacuum cups embedded, the gripper is ideal to handle pouched products or carton boxes of various sizes. Gripper weight: 2.18kg Gripping width: 125mm to 315mm Manipulating weight: up to 10kg Actuation method: Clean, dry air up to 250kPa Operating temperature: up to 100°C Computer Vision System An integrated computer vision system provides the gripper with the ability to recognize the type, location, and orientation of the product to be picked, and commands the gripper to adjust the gripping space and pose to pick the product from the correct location. This process is fully automated without requiring human intervention. For increased utility, the computer vision system may also be configured to perform quality inspections of products being handled. The vacuum suction gripper can be used to palletize or depalletize carton boxes or pouched products (such as coffee powder, sugar packs, rice packs etc.) of various sizes up to 10kg. The computer vision system will be deployed if the working space is not in an organised condition (i.e., randomized locations and orientations of the products), such as when products are scattered in a tote bin, randomly positioned on a conveyor etc. The market value for FMCG robotic packing in the APAC market is estimated to be at USD 1.1 billion and the global market value is worth USD 7.8 billion. Sources: Cobots Transforming the Global Industrial Robotics Market—Opportunities Forecast (Frost & Sullivan) Passport, The Megabrands: The Top 100 FMCG Brands Worldwide (October, 2018) Technavio's library The reconfigurability of this gripper provides high adaptability to many applications, compared to conventional grippers with fixed gripper bases offering limited gripping ability for products of diverse shapes and sizes. Benchmarking tests have been conducted to compare the grippers with other commercially available grippers. The results showed that this universal gripper is able to provide a 22% increase in gripping efficiency. Moreover, compared to using multiple grippers and tool changers to handle different products, this one-fits-all gripper has the potential to help users save on operating costs by up to 36%. Manufacturing, Assembly, Automation & Robotics, Infocomm, Robotics & Automation

Current state-of-the-art lab-scale methods for fabricating superhydrophobic membranes for membrane distillation often involve complex surface modifications or the use of nanomaterials. However, these methods are difficult to scale up. This technology relates to a pure rheological spray-assisted non-solvent induced phase separation (SANIPS) approach to fabricate superhydrophobic polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) membranes. The resulting membranes have high porosity, superhydrophobicity, high liquid entry pressure, and hierarchical micro/nanostructures. They can also be easily scaled up. The spraying step caused local distortion of the membrane surface, which induced a two-stage phase inversion. This led to the formation of multilevel polymeric crystal structures. The morphological structures and other membrane properties (e.g., mechanical strength and liquid entry pressure) could be tuned by applying spraying materials with different physicochemical properties. This facile fabrication method will pave the way for the large-scale production of superhydrophobic membranes for membrane distillation. Flat sheet membrane: Fabricated from commercial PVDF polymer. Superhydrophobic. High liquid entry pressure. One-step fabrication of the membrane with online modification of the membrane surface. Modules: Industrial-scale modules available. Customized modular design. Spiral-wound modules. Treatment of high salinity waters from mining, metal treatment, pharmaceutical, chemical synthesis, and oil and gas operations. Achieve zero-liquid discharge (ZLD) in industrial processes. Desalination of seawater or brackish water. Treat brine that is produced as a byproduct of desalination. Membrane distillation (MD) is a membrane technology that uses the vapor pressure gradient across a porous hydrophobic membrane to separate water from other components. MD offers several advantages over other membrane separation processes, including: Lower operating pressures Insensitivity to feed concentration for seawater desalination Almost 100% rejection of solutes Relatively low operating temperatures These advantages have led to promising results in MD processes for zero-liquid discharge, desalination, desalination brine treatment, and many other wastewater treatment applications. However, the commercialization of MD has been constrained by the lack of commercially available high-performance MD membranes and high energy consumption. This work addresses the lack of commercially available high-performance MD membranes and has the potential to be the next workhorse of the water industry. Treatment of difficult streams which is not possible with other conventional methods Usage of waste heat High surface area to volume ratio compared to the plate and frame membrane distillation as the current work is in the spiral-wound configuration Proven method of translating membrane fabrication from lab-scale to industrial-scale phase inversion (PI) casting line Readily available industrial-scale process settings to fabricate membrane of one meter in width and several hundreds of meter in length. Membrane Distillation, wastewater treatment Environment, Clean Air & Water, Filter Membrane & Absorption Material

Osteoporosis is a significant global public health concern affecting approximately 500 million people. The condition is associated with high mortality and disability rates due to osteoporotic fractures. The management of osteoporotic fractures comes at a considerable cost of SGD 11K per patient in Singapore, placing a growing burden on healthcare budgets as the aging population increases. Currently, osteoporosis is assessed by measuring bone mineral density (BMD) using dual energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA). However, the availability of DXA machines, particularly in developing countries, is limited. Consequently, DXA examinations are not routinely ordered, resulting in orthopaedists often lacking DXA results during examinations. Therefore, an alternative method for estimating and screening osteoporosis is necessary. To address this, an automated AI system that can predict a patient's osteoporotic score by evaluating the CTI (cortical thickness index) from a plain femur X-ray scan is designed and developed. This system would provide a preliminary assessment and enable mass screening for osteoporosis. The technology consists of an AI-based software algorithm, to analyse a plain femur X-Ray scan that produces an osteoporosis score, which is equivalent to BMD score produced by DXA machine. The ideal collaboration partners include hospitals and clinics for osteoporosis primary screening, and X-Ray equipment manufacturers to license and translate our invention as an additional feature in their offerings. The proposed automated osteoporotic score prediction technology using AI can be deployed in healthcare industry, e.g. hospitals, medical equipment manufacturers. The technology can be packaged as a cloud-based services, for doctors to use the service for osteoporosis screening from anywhere. It can also be a stand-alone software. The proposed technology is more accessible and less expensive over the traditional method, as it is based on a plain X-ray scan only, which is routinely ordered. The proposed technology is fully automated as it is trained using large amount of data, thus the result is more objective and consistent. The proposed technology can produce osteoporosis score, which is equivalent to BMD score, well-understood by doctors. Infocomm, Artificial Intelligence

The technology developer has designed a mobile-friendly Smart Cloud-based inventory solution for users who prefer to access real-time inventory status, such as inventory transactions and inventory levels, and perform simple transactions, on the go.  Equipped with robust analytical capabilities, the solution is capable of providing data-driven recommendations based on the inventory data such as sales trends and order history. The solution is based on open-source platforms such as Google Sheets, AppSheets and Looker Studio. The solution is quick to set up and easy to implement with customisable dashboards and data columns to suit different needs. Staff can also be trained to perform simple customisation of the inventory solution for a company’s unique application. Together with an integrated demand forecasting and re-ordering support system, this solution can help businesses to effectively manage their inventory levels and optimize their supply chain. This technology offer is ideal for businesses seeking a cost-effective cloud-based inventory solution with analytical capabilities to facilitate data-driven decisions. Real-time inventory transactions and monitoring from desktop and mobile devices Open-source solution utilising Google Cloud, Google Sheets, AppSheet and Looker Studio Analytics dashboard provides insights into inventory movement, demand trends and forecasting, as well as comparisons between brands/SKUs/customers/etc. Robust decision-making support for inventory reorder Highly customisable features, including data columns, functions and tasks automation such as WhatsApp approval request This inventory solution is used to help businesses achieve real-time inventory visibility and optimise inventory holdings. This includes start-ups, wholesalers, logistics service providers, manufacturers and e-commerce sellers. The solution benefits companies who wish to own an easy-to-use inventory management system capable of performing inventory transactions, demand forecasting and reorder recommendations. Companies interested in implementing or/and customising the system for internal use may also send their staff for a training course conducted by the technology provider. At the end of the course, the company may obtain a license to use the system for internal use. Quick setup without costly customisation and long lead time Customisable performance dashboards, data tables and inventory processes Easy to trial and cost-effective System control lies wholly with company as solution is customisable and can be maintained in-house by trained staff Infocomm, Cloud Computing