Important Innovations Collection

   DAILY INNOVATION BRIEF                                                                                                  By Journalists Edward Kane & Maryanne Kane KIA OFFERS 1ST MASS MARKET 3 ROW, ELECTRIC SUV                                                                                          Source: Kia Kia has given a sneak peek of its upcoming, 2024 electric, 3 row SUV, EV9 This much anticipated EV is the 1st battery powe...

US-Based MagniX and Brazil's Desaer Partner on Electric Aircraft                                             Source:  Desaer and MagniX E-Plane Uses Significantly Less Fuel With Reduced Emissions An important, global partnership has been announced in the development of electric powered aircraft.  Everett, Washington based MagniX and Brazilian aircraft manufacturer Desaer have formed a partnership to develop a hybrid electric plane for regional commuting.  The plane will be an electric hybrid version of Desaer's ATL-100 regional aircraft.  The hybrid electric propulsion system is being developed by MagniX.  The environmental importance of this new aviation technology is significant.  The companies say the new plane will operate with 25 to 40% less fuel consumption depending on the range. Big Fuel and Emissions Savings The new hybr...

  Xavier on Patrol to Fight Small Crimes                                                 Source:  Singapore & HTX Also Known as "Snitch" Bot For the next month on the streets of Singapore, a bold robotic experiment is getting underway.  A pair of robots, both named Xavier, will help Singapore police spot small, petty crimes.  Their duties include patrolling a popular shopping center to spot "undesirable social behavior" like hawking and illegal product selling, smoking in unauthorized areas, motorbiking on sidewalks, gatherings of more than 5 people in violation of COVID restrictions and illegally parked vehicles.  The 2 Xaviers are being jokingly nicknamed "snitch-bots" because of their surveillance duties. When Xavier spots questionable activity, he sends an alert and video to police command and control and a huma...

Unique Electric Hydrogen Vehicle That Flies Like Ocean Crossing Birds                                             Source:  RDC Aqualines Creation of RDC Aqualines of Singapore Using the physics of ocean crossing sea birds, a team of developers at RDC Aqualines of Singapore have created a hybrid boat-plane that flies a foot over the water at speeds of 70 mph plus.  The 72 foot, EP-15 uses a cushion of air, known as ground effect, to fly above the water and land on water.  The boat-plane uses a principle of physics that ocean crossing birds use to travel faster, longer and with much less energy expenditure.  When the vehicle reaches an altitude roughly half the length of its wingspan, ground effect produces excess air pressure which provides additional lift for the plane and cuts the downdraft pressures on it. The EP-15 is designed for passe...

Volocopter of Germany - eVTOL Flying Taxis                                             Source:  Volocopter Takeoff by 2023 Germany's Volocopter will start flying taxi service in Singapore by 2023.  The first flights will carry a pilot and one passenger.  When cleared for autonomous operations, the Volocopters will carry two passengers.  This is a world first and the beginning of an exciting era of flying urban mobility with Singapore leading the way. Singapore At the Forefront Singapore is at the forefront of putting flying taxis into service thanks to its more supportive regulatory environment for deploying new technologies as compared with other nations.  The Volocopter is nimble and small enough to travel into densely populated cities and take-off from small spaces.  It's an eVTOL or electric, vertical takeoff and landing vehi...

Singapore Ranks Top in Asia-Pacific on Global Innovation Index                                               Source: Singapore Stock Image City-State Investing Heavily in Technology and Innovation Singapore is investing heavily in technology and innovation,  It hopes to become the world's first smart nation.  And, its investments are paying off.  The funding it put into digital innovation helped it to continue to do business during the COVID pandemic.  COVID has devastated its tourism business.  So, Singapore is using AI to help bring tourists back safely to its MICE economy.  Singapore is a global leader in meetings, incentive travel, conventions and exhibitions otherwise known as MICE. AI "Chat Bots" on Duty From Vouch Tourism and business travel to Singapore this year took a very hard hit.  From January - July 2...

Rapidly Expanding Use of Ultraviolet Light Robots to Eliminate COVID Virus Source:  UV Light Robot in Hospital Hotels, Public Transit, Amazon Putting UV Robots to Work Ultraviolet light (UV)) has been used as a disinfectant in hospitals for decades.  As businesses start re-opening after the COVID lockdowns, the use of UV is rapidly expanding into the hospitality industry, public transportation and beyond including entertainment venues. Beverly Hills Hilton An example is the Beverly Hills Hilton Hotel, where 3 UV robots from San Antonio-based Xenex Disinfection Services are on deep cleansing patrol.  Xenex has UV robots deployed in more than 500 hospitals around the world, including the Mayo Clinic.  In two minutes the high energy pulses of UV light from the robots eliminate dangerous viruses like COVID by 99.999%, according to the company and independent analysis by the Texas BioMedical Research Institute.  UV works at the speed of light and provides ...

From Singapore: New Energy Generator Powers Small Electronics                                                 Source:  NUS Device This is An Electrifying Invention This new invention is called a shadow-effect energy generator.  It's the stuff of science fiction but it's real.  The device produces a current from the differences between bright light and shadowy areas.  The bigger the contrast in light the more energy it produces.  The device can produce enough energy to power a small electronic device like an electronic watch.  The materials scientist inventor - Swee Ching Tan of the National University of Singapore - says this allows us to "harvest energy anyplace on Earth." Shadows of Value The new device is similar to a solar cell.  Tan created the generator by placing a thin coat of gold...

Smart Robotic Field Hospital Source:  CloudMinds Caregiving Robots on the Frontlines With the insidious contagion of the coronavirus pandemic, robots are being increasingly used on the frontlines of COVID 19 patient care. Caregiving robots are fast, efficient and "contagion proof". With medical staff supervising remotely, they keep doctors and nurses out of harms way. Wuhan Smart Field Hospital Wuhan, China is where the  global pandemic started.  In a smart field hospital, they temporarily used a team of robots to care for COVID 19 patients.  The robots communicated with the patients, served them meals and took their temperatures. The robots were managed by the medical team remotely. The patients also wore wristbands that gathered their blood pressure and other vitals. The patients remained in the field hospital for just a few days. Future of Medicine This field hospital in China is a glimpse at the future of medicine durin...

Breakthrough New Material from National University of Singapore Next Generation of Soft, Conductive Robots An innovative, new metallic material that bends, folds and stretches has just been unveiled by inventors at the National University of Singapore.  Experts say this material is so innovative it could lead to a next generation of soft conductive robots. Singapore Innovation The team at NUS developed a new process called "graphene oxide-enabled templating synthesis".  They take paper, soak it in graphene oxide, dip it in metallic ions and burn it twice.  The result is a thin metal layer that can stretch, bend and fold.  It can withstand high temperatures, remain electrically conductive and function as an antenna for wireless devices. De-icing Robots The inventors say the new metal's properties could allow robots made with a backbone of the material to operate in hazardous conditions and de-ice themselves if necessary.  For a free listen to my audi...

New Portable, Air Quality Monitor from Singapore Source:  NTU Singapore Real-Time Detection of Toxic Gases & Chemicals in the Air Researchers at Nanyang Technological University - NTU Singapore - have invented a sensor that can identify a wide range of airborne gases and chemicals instantly.  This includes gas leaks and pollution toxins both indoors and outside.  The prototype device is portable and made for rapid deployment by agencies to identify airborne hazards immediately. Seconds Fast Results Current technology can require up to a few days to identify specific toxins in the air.  This new sensor is made for emergency situations that require quick and ongoing analysis.  The device is composed of a chip made from a porous nanomaterial that traps gas particles.  A laser beamed on the chip interacts with the gas molecules to produce a lower energy light.  That light is analyzed by a camera to see if its spectroscopic signat...

Wireless Connectivity Increased 1000 Times Source:  National University of Singapore Research team with the smart shirt (left) National University of Singapore Invention A research team at the National University of Singapore have invented new "smart" clothing that saves battery power and greatly increases signals on wireless devices, including smart watches and headphones.  The wireless connectivity of the wearable devices is increased 1000 times.  The Singapore team has a patent on this new metamaterial. Greatly Enhanced and Efficient Connectivity Instead of moving out in all directions, radio waves from technology like Wi-Fi and Bluetooth move across the metamaterial in a tee shirt or sports shirt. It generates stronger, faster and more energy efficient connectivity.  According to the lead inventor Asst. Prof. John Ho, the smart tee shirt increases wireless connectivity on the wearer 1000 times.  The shirt has cone-shaped stripes of the metamateria...

Hydrogel Invention from Singapore to Harvest Fresh Water from Ocean Air Source:  Stock Ocean Image Huge Water Resource Scientists from the National University of Singapore have invented a system to pull fresh water out of ocean air.  They've developed a hydrogel using a zinc based material that is able to absorb more than four time its weight in water.  Huge amounts of water evaporate every day from the ocean, lakes, rivers and reservoirs.  The team in Singapore has found an innovative way to harvest the water in the humid surface air above the water surface. Secret Ingredient - Sunlight The system has been successfully tested.  The team put the gel in devices floating on the ocean surface where it collected water vapor created during evaporation.  By placing the gel in a glass container in sunlight, fresh water was created and harvested.  The salt content in the water was negligible. Renewable, Reusable Energy Rather th...