Cafe2008

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Please note that admission to ALL cafés (from 1 June 2010 onwards) is complimentary to attendees who are Individual/Family/Educator/Corporate members of the Science Centre. The privileges accorded to these membership packages will also apply (unless otherwise stated). Our regular admission charges will apply to all attendees who are not Science Centre members or who subscribe to the Associate/Institutional membership packages.

2008 CALENDAR
The listings are arranged chronologically with the latest café at the top.
Click on the DATE to see the details.
Red means tentative.

DATE	PRESENTER	TITLE
15-Dec-08	Mr Jan Croeni	The ZECO Scooter: Good Clean Fun!
11-Dec-08	Mr Chiu Yen-Ping & Ms Wu Shu-Min	The Flow of Qi
26-Nov-08	Mr Taras E Wankewycz	Starting a Global Hydrogen Revolution
24-Nov-08	Dr David J Nagel	Status & Prospect for Low Energy Nuclear Reactions
20-Nov-08	Dr Joaquin Alfonso Fargas	The Meeting of Art, Science & Technology
23-Oct-08	Prof Stephen W Tsai	Composites & Their Impact on Energy Efficiency
8-Oct-08	Mr Franklin Taye	Sustainable Mobility
17-Sep-08 9-Sep-08	Ms Felicity Aston	The Commonwealth Women's Antarctic Expedition
11-Sep-08	A/P Seah Kar Heng	The NUS Formula SAE Race Car Project
1-Sep-08	Mr Eric G Holthusen	The Fuels Behind Ferrari
28-Aug-08 27-Aug-08	Dr Makoto Manabe	Evolution & Extinction of Dinosaurs Dinosaurs Are Still Evolving!
26-Aug-08	Mr John Collins	The Science & The Fun of Paper Airplanes With The Paper Airplane Guy
30-Jul-08	Dr Carter Emmart	Come Take A Tour Of The Real Universe!
30-Jul-08	Prof Victoria Vesna	Art Science Exchange
24-Jul-08	Prof Philippe Gourbesville & Dr Liong Shie-Yui	Water & Environment: Challenges for the Cities of the Future
16-Jul-08	Prof Federico Rosei	What Type of Energy for the Future of Humanity?
10-Jul-08	Prof John Villadsen	Production of Single Cell Protein from Natural Gas
1-Jul-08	Dr Bella S Galil & Prof Peter Ng	Taking Stock: Inventory of Alien Species
29-May-08	Dr Vladimir Mironov	ORGAN PRINTING: Promises & Challenges
14-May-08	Mr Lim Yeow Khee	Aviation Safety
27-Mar-08	Prof T Gregory Dewey	Below the Gathering Storm: Discovery & Innovation in the Life Sciences Industry
5-Mar-08 3-Mar-08	Prof Brian J Ford	The Intelligent Cell
27-Feb-08	A/P Louis-Philippe Demers	Robots in Entertainment

Date of Café Time & Venue
Presenter, Organisation / Supporters
Title : Synopsis

27 Feb 2008 7pm in Newton Room
A/P Louis-Philipe Demers / Interactive & Entertainment Research Centre, NTU
Robots & Entertainment ... Robots are progressively leaving the manufacturers’ assembly lines and appearing new environments. We are witnessing new markets and fields of research with surprising paradoxes in their labels: social robots, emotive robots and entertainment robots. Are we witnessing a paradigm shift in robotics? This presentation will look into the history of automata to shed light on our desire for machine replication in our own image. A history of representations, models and simulations of the living by means of mechanical objects will be traced. By looking at recent artwork with robots, how and why they can become an expressive medium will be discussed. Questioning the ontology of robots in entertainment leads us towards a broader questioning of Robotics and Artificial Intelligence.

5 Mar 2008 3pm in Maxwell Auditorium
3 Mar 2008 7pm in Newton Room
Prof Brian J Ford / British High Commission, Singapore
The Intelligent Cell ... What will preoccupy biologists after genetics? Prof Ford will present an extraordinary new view of life – that ingenuity and intelligence reside, not so much in our brains, but in every living cell. Even microbes reveal surprising levels of ingenuity. The presentation concludes with a remarkable sound recording that reveals, for the first time, how brain cells talk to one another.

27 Mar 2008 7pm in Newton Room
Prof T Gregory Dewey / Keck Graduate Institute of Applied Life Sciences
Below the Gathering Storm: Discovery and Innovation in the Life Sciences Industry ... A number of recent publications have presented a dire picture of innovation and competitiveness in American industry. These publications document a picture of America slipping behind and losing its status as world leader across a range of industries. The proposed fix to this problem is quite simple. America needs to educate more scientists and engineers, it needs to educate them better and it needs to invest more money in basic research. However, contrary to the common perception, basic discovery in the life sciences is actually progressing at an unprecedented pace. The current post-genomic era is arguably the golden age of the life sciences. Yet it is true that discovery is indeed not being translated into innovation that can be commercialized. The remarkable work at our research lab benches is simply not progressing to a bedside therapeutic. The cause of this lack of innovation is not a lack of scientists or of scientific research. Rather it is associated with economic models and a regulatory environment that inhibits innovation. This talk discusses the ongoing advances and discoveries in the life sciences, the nature of the constraints on innovation and finally puts forth a number of ideas for promoting innovation.

14 May 2008 7pm in The Nexus, iSpace Gallery
Mr Lim Yeow Khee / Singapore Institute of Aerospace Engineers
Aviation Safety ... Every year, 20,000 commercial aircraft carry millions of passengers over millions of kilometres safely to their destinations. What is the secret behind this wonderful mode of transportation? The technology, the people and the organisation make up the safety environment we experience today. A brief history of aviation technology will be presented, followed by a discussion on the phenomenal growth of air travel over the last decade. Analyses of aviation safety statistics, what they mean, the challenges of maintaining the high standards of safety and some examples of air accident investigation will be presented.

29 May 2008 7pm in The Newton Room
Dr Vladimir Mironov / Nanyang Technology University
Organ Printing: Promises and Challenges ... Organ printing (which is the biomedical application of rapid prototyping) also defined as additive layer-by-layer biomanufacturing, is an emerging transforming technology that has potential for surpassing traditional solid scaffold-based tissue engineering. Organ printing has certain advantages: it is an automated approach that offers a pathway for scalable reproducible mass production of tissue-engineered products; it allows the precise simultaneous 3D positioning of several cell types; it enables the creation of tissue with a high level of cell density; it can solve the problem of vascularisation in thick tissue constructs; finally, it can be done in situ. The ultimate goal of organ printing technology is to fabricate 3D vascularised functional living human organs suitable for clinical implantation. The main practical outcomes of organ printing technology are industrial, scalable, robotic biofabrication of complex human tissues and organs, automated tissue-based in vitro assays for clinical diagnostics, drug discovery and drug toxicity, and complex in vitro models of human diseases. This presentation describes the conceptual framework and recent developments in organ printing technology, outlines main technological barriers and challenges, and discusses potential future practical applications.

1 Jul 2008 7pm in Hall B
Dr Bella S Galil, National Institute of Oceanography, Israel Oceanographic & Limnological Research, &
Prof Peter Ng, Raffles Museum of Biodiversity Research / National University of Singapore
Taking Stock: Inventory of Alien Species ... The study of biological invasions in the marine environment has grown over the past 3 decades, as it has been widely recognized that the littoral and infra-littoral biota in many regions had undergone rapid and profound changes caused by the introduction of alien species. Marine invasions are recognized as endangering global biodiversity, marine industries (including fishing and tourism) and human health. More than 580 alien species were listed from the Mediterranean Sea. The majority of aliens are thermophilic species originating from the Indo-Pacific or Indian Oceans, which have entered the Mediterranean through the Suez Canal. However, the means of introduction differ greatly among the phyla, and the basins of the Mediterranean. The temporal records of the alien species reflect political crises, economic development and scientific interest in studying the phenomenon – in the past 2 decades, about 10 alien species (on average) new to the Mediterranean were recorded annually. Many have established durable populations and extended their range: 125 alien species have been recorded from 4 or more countries. Although no extinction of a native species is known, sudden decline in abundance, and even local extirpations, concurrent with the proliferation of the aliens, have been recorded. Examination of the profound ecological impacts of some of the most conspicuous invasive alien species underscores their role, among multiple anthropogenic stressors, in altering the infra-littoral communities. Local population losses and niche contraction of native species may not induce immediate extirpation, but they augur reduction of genetic diversity, loss of functions, processes, habitat structure, and increase the risk of decline and extinction, leading to biotic homogenization. The relevant environmental policy and management framework are discussed and the possible impacts of regulatory instruments and environmental management options are examined. ... What about Singapore? Unfortunately, we know very little about the number or immediate impact of alien invasives in Singapore’s marine waters. There have been reports of algae and sponges not supposedly native to the country, but there is no concerted effort as yet to have a national database for them. Linked to this is of course the need for a national database of native species which is still far from accomplished. Efforts by scientists from the Tropical Marine Science Institute and the Raffles Museum are slowly addressing these challenges. There is a growing awareness from National Parks Board about these problems as well. Freshwater invasives pose a different challenge – hundreds of alien fish, mollusc and other invertebrate species have entered the island via the aquarium trade and the number is set to grow. They pose innumerable challenges for the Ministry of the Environment and Water Resources as well as National Parks Board as Singapore tries to conserve the indigenous fauna as well as encourage public use of our waterways.

10 Jul 2008 7pm in The Newton Room
Prof John Villadsen, Technical University of Denmark / Embassy of Denmark, Singapore
Production of Single Cell Protein (SCP) from Natural Gas ... Expanding food and energy resources through the conversion of cellulose and complex carbohydrates in wastes into single cell protein (SCP) feedstuff for humans and animals, or into ethanol, is currently heavily researched. Large scale production of commodity chemicals by various fermentation routes is one of the fastest moving enterprises in the 21st century. Among the most promising processes is the production of animal feed from natural gas. This cafe will review the key features of the process, from the properties of the microorganism and the metabolism of the carbon source (methane or methanol) by the organism, to the issues relevant for the scaling-up of the process, eg: to 100 000 tonnes per year. It turns out that an important part of the process design is to ensure a good mass transfer between the gaseous reactants (methane and oxygen) and the liquid phase reactants, ie the biomass and dissolved substrates.

16 Jul 2008 7pm in The Newton Room
Prof Federico Rosei, INRS, University of Quebec
What Type of Energy for the Future of Humanity? ... As the age of cheap oil and fossil fuels is coming to an end, humanity will face an energy crisis. Many alternative energy sources have already been identified. However, there is no optimal solution to replace fossil fuels on a short time scale with new sources that are economically viable and environmentally sustainable in the long term. History reports disastrous consequences for human societies that over-exploited their resources in a non-sustainable way [1], and arguably this is exactly what is happening today on a global scale. This presentation aims at describing a general picture of the looming energy crisis [2] outlining some possible solutions.
[1] Jared Diamond, Collapse, Viking Penguin (2005).
[2] N Armaroli, V Balzani, The Future of Energy Supply: Challenges and Opportunities, Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 46, 52 (2007).

24 Jul 2008 7pm in Newton Room
Prof Philippe Gourbesville, Nice Sophia Antipolis University / Embassy of France in Singapore
Dr Liong Shie-Yui, Tropical Marine Science Institute / National University of Singapore
Water & Environment: Challenges for the Cities of the Future ... The talk covers the main aspects of construction and risks management in relation with water and marine environment in the framework of urban development. The challenges encountered and solutions proposed are reviewed for the similar situations of Singapore and Monaco, as well as the need for new technologies and concepts. This discussion is particularly relevant to the case of the new Marina Bay catchment.

30 Jul 2008 2pm in Newton Room – Regular entry charges apply for non-Science Centre members.
Prof Victoria Vesna, University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA)
Art | Science Exchange ... Victoria Vesna, Center Director of the UCLA Art | Science Center presents the concept, research and work of the recently established center housed at 2 locations – Broad Art Center and the California NanoSystems Institute (CNSI). She is joined by the co-chairs of the Leonardo Education Forum, Elen Levy, Andrea Polli and Nina Czegledy. Together, they will discuss some of the most recent activities, challenges and opportunities in which this internationally oriented organization is involved. After this, Victoria will lead a tour of the NANOTECHNOLOGY exhibition she co-created with nanoscientist, James Gimzewski, followed by the "mixer" where ideas and contacts will be exchanged, and then the launch of the Filter magazine published by the Australian Network for Art & Technology. The edition will be on Interdisciplinarity – specifically as such a practice relates to art and science collaborations.

30 Jul 2008 7pm in Newton Room
Dr Carter Emmart, Rose Center for Earth & Space / American Museum of Natural History
Come Take A Tour Of The Real Universe! A Networked 3D Atlas of the Universe between Researchers, Planetariums & Classrooms across the World ...The American Museum of Natural History (AMNH) with support from NASA began an effort a decade ago to create the Digital Universe – a single-source 3D atlas of all known astronomical catalogues (with distance information). This atlas is the basis of show production at AMNH rooted in data visualization, as well as a series of software development efforts to visualize the atlas in real-time for interactive means for education. The atlas and a freeware viewer called Partiview have available for download since 2002. 2002 also saw the beginning of an internship program between AMNH and Linkoping University (LiU) of Sweden to help with graphical innovations to go beyond Partiview. A company called SCISS grew out of these internships and now supplies the software called Uniview that enables unlimited scale translation, site-to-site networking and scalable display solutions from single screen to multiple projection, high-resolution environments, such as domes. Recent additions of data streaming for planetary surface data bases have enabled special focus on the geosciences and related topics. This presentation will demonstrate the ability to bring multiple, international users together for distributed lectures from the researchers' desks to planetariums and schools everywhere. Such presentations can also be recorded for educational archival purposes. ||||| Mars Exploration Artwork ||||| YouTube Interview

26 Aug 2008 7pm in Mendel Auditorium
Mr John Collins
The Science & The Fun of Paper Airplanes With The Paper Airplane Guy ... who will give a tour of aerodynamics via the world of paper airplanes. It's about the fun and the science of paper airplanes – along with some aircrafts that you have to see to believe. The Paper Airplane Guy is John Michael Collins who has been flying paper airplanes over and around Marin County and San Francisco for more than 20 years. He was raised in the small town of McKinleyville, on the northern coast of California, about 100 miles south of the Oregon border. His favourite subjects in school were mathematics and science. He also enjoyed writing, speech and drama. John has appeared on many local and national (CNN, Discovery Channel, ...) television shows promoting his books, The Gliding Flight and Fantastic Flight. Before settling in Marin, John directed television in Eureka, California; Los Angeles, California; and Atlanta, Georgia (CNN). He’s currently the Senior Production Supervisor for Programming at KRON-TV in San Francisco after having directed Emmy Award-winning newscasts for 18 years. In addition to inventing world-class paper airplanes, John also enjoys origami, boomerangs, windsurfing, stunt kites, and screenwriting. He has flown his flying paper inventions at various conventions, museums, workshops, etc, he is most deservedly THE PAPER AIRPLANE GUY.

27 Aug 2008 3pm in Maxwell Auditorium – Regular entry charges apply for non-Science Centre members.
Dr Makoto Manabe, National Science Museum, Tokyo
Dinosaurs Are Still Evolving! ... Almost 30 years ago, a baby-caring dinosaur called Maiasaura totally changed our image of dinosaurs. With the help of modern technology, together with exciting new fossil discoveries, dinosaurs are no longer seen as just rocks. Today, dinosaurs can be imagined as living animals. This talk will give you an opportunity to learn what it is like to be a paleontologist and solve the puzzles of the evolution of life using fragmentary fossil evidence.

28 Aug 2008 7pm in Hall C
Dr Makoto Manabe, National Science Museum, Tokyo
Evolution & Extinction of Dinosaurs ... The past 5 years saw some of the most exciting advances in dinosaur studies with newly discovered feathered dinosaur fossils, & the application of CAT-scans, high-speed cameras, & mathematical models to help understand the life and times of dinosaurs. What you saw in movies like Jurassic Park are really out-of-date. Let’s find out the latest scientific debates surrounding dinosaurs.

1 Sep 2008 6:30pm in Reality Centre, Hall A
Mr Eric G Holthusen, Shell Companies in SIngapore
The Fuels Behind Ferrari ... Shell began supplying fuels and oils to Ferrari racing cars in the 1930s. Enzo Ferrari produced his first Ferrari racing car, a Ferrari 125C, for a race in Piacenza, Italy in May 1947. Back then, fuels were mixtures of aviation fuel and benzene. Shell produced blended fuels that generated more horsepower and protected the Ferrari engine. When Enzo Ferrari set up his own team, he took Shell technology with him. Since then Shell has helped Ferrari win an incredible 134 Grand Prix races, including Ferrari’s first ever Constructors' World Championship in 1961 when Hill also took the Drivers’ championship and the first of Schumacher’s wins in Barcelona 1996. Shell pioneered the development of unleaded racing fuel which were later made obligatory for all F1 cars. By 1996, road car fuel used 95% the same components as those in F1 car fuel. And the same team of scientists who developed Ferrari’s racing fuel later went on to formulate Shell V-Power for motorists in 1998. F1 cars now use a sulphur-free fuel that conforms to 2009 European Union regulations on sulphur content. In this way, F1 has proved to be the ultimate testing ground for us to develop innovative road fuels.

11 Sep 2008 7pm in Reality Centre, Hall A
A/P Seah Kar Heng, Mechanical Engineering, NUS / National University of Singapore
The NUS Formula SAE Race Car Project ... You too can be involved in race cars and car-racing! NUS Engineering has been participating in the FSAE Race Car Project since 2001. Each year, engineering students and staff form a team to design, build and compete in the international race/competition. This presentation will feature and discuss the NUS FSAE race car(s), the various competitions particpated, the process of designing and building the cars, and videos of the NUS cars in action.

9 Sep 2008 3pm in Maxwell Auditorium – Regular entry charges apply for non-Science Centre members.
17 Sep 2008 7pm in Hall B
Ms Felicity Aston / British Council Singapore
Life & Science @ Antarctica ... will see Felicity lead 7 women from 7 other Commonwealth countries – Cyprus, Ghana, India, Singapore, Brunei, New Zealand, Jamaica – brave blizzards, crevasses and temperatures below 50C as they ski over 800km across Antarctica to the geographic South Pole in 2009. The aim of the expedition is to demonstrate the potential of greater inter-cultural understanding, raise awareness of the work and value of the modern Commonwealth and to highlight the achievements of women around the World. The selection of the other 7 members of the expedition team is currently taking place. The expedition is funded by the Winston Churchill Memorial Trust. With Felicity’s Antarctic research experiences, this presentation aims to increase the awareness of how their lifestyles affect climate change and the ozone, and to promote the immediate actions needed to alleviate the effects of (if not arrest) climate change. The interesting bits of her life in Antarctica – the 24-hour winter darkness, the extreme temperatures, diving under the sea ice, her ozone work, ... will be elucidated. The nearly-forgotten ozone hole will serve as an example of how humans have the potential to seriously damage global-scale systems and how they also have the power to put it right – very simply, through their lifestyle choices. This discussion also leads appropriately to the current global issues of Climate Change. How do we know it is humanity causing these dramatic changes!? How and why these changes will affect all of us (including and especially tiny Singapore), and how we can together put it right, will be emphasised through what is being observed in Antarctica.

8 Oct 2008 7pm in The Newton Room
Mr Franklin Taye, Daimler South East Asia Pte Ltd / Engineering at the Polytechnics – Nanyang Polytechnic
Sustainable Mobility ... Much has been said about the energy crisis. As the search for and interest in alternative energy heat up, there remain many challenges to overcome. How should mobility be defined? Why should it be sustainable? What options are available? What are the costs? With inflation, rising fuel costs and concerns for the environment, the question perhaps should be: How sustainable is sustainable mobility? This unique presentation combines technological, automotive and environmental issues into one insightful perspective.

23 Oct 2008 7pm in The Newton Room
Prof Stephen W Tsai, Stanford University / Singapore Airlines Ltd
Composites & Their Impact on Energy Efficiency ... Composites are unique in their high strength and low density. They can reduce mass of structures more effectively than other common materials. In addition, they are durable and highly resistant to fatigue and corrosion. As energy efficiency is demanded for aircraft, cars and wind turbines, composites are in high demand. This discussion will cover the brief history of the development of composites and current challenges.

20 Nov 2008 7pm in The Newton Room
Dr Joaquin Alfonso Fargas, Centro Científico Tecnológico Interactivo
The Meeting of Art, Science & Technology ... an industrial engineer by training, has since 1988, worked for the popularization of Science and Technology. In 1990, Joaquin founded and is the current director of the Centro Científico Tecnológico Interactivo (CCTI) which runs the Exploratorio Science Center, the environmental program, Mirando al Futuro (“Facing the Future”), and the international project on Arts, Science & Technology, Global Museum. On April 2005, Joaquin was named by the Red-Pop/UNESCO network, as the “Specialist for the Popularization of Science and Technology”. Joaquin also sits on several advisory committees for various world-known institutions. Being an Engineer and an Artist, Joaquin’s projects ranges from R&D on Lasers, to designing and making sculptures. With skills on multiple materials and techniques, he designs, not only hands-on exhibits for museums, but also kinetic sculptures in one step. He has successfully managed many multi-disciplinary projects from conception to completion in many countries.

24 Nov 2008 1pm in The Mendel Auditorium
Dr David J Nagel, The George Washington University
Status & Prospect for Low Energy Nuclear Reactions ... In 1989, 2 chemists announced that they could produce nuclear reactions and energy under ordinary conditions of temperature and pressure. They were Martin Fleischmann and Stanley Pons. Their reactions were termed "cold fusion", even though no one really knew then what nuclear reactions might be occurring. In the years since 1989, hundreds of experiments have been done on what is now called Low Energy Nuclear Reactions (LENR). LENR experiments have involved electrochemical, gas phase, plasma and beam interactions with solids. Power production and new materials have been reported in many studies. The total body of experimental evidence shows that it is indeed possible to trigger nuclear reactions (giving MeV) with low (eV) input energies. There is very little dangerous prompt radiation or radioactive waste from LENR. Despite the prospect of safe and distributed nuclear energy sources, the field remains quite controversial. Many people, including those in several start-up companies, believe that understanding, control, optimization and commercial exploitation of this new means to trigger nuclear reactions and produce thermal energy will happen within 10 years. A new nuclear reactor industry can result. Current research may lead to the design, production and sale of individual nuclear power units for homes and offices. LENR units can have many uses, notably the production of clean drinking water. Electronics and computers certainly play a central role in current and planned experiments, and will be indispensable to future LENR products.

26 Nov 2008 7pm in The Newton Room
Mr Taras E Wankewycz, Horizon Fuel Cell Technologies
Starting a Global Hydrogen Revolution – How Horizon is making hydrogen fuel cells a reality today ... Man-made greenhouse gases have turned the global climate into a ticking time-bomb for humanity. Meanwhile, our energy needs continue to grow in all parts of the world. Leaders have set challenging targets for carbon emission reductions and the search for disruptive solutions is stronger than ever. As an energy carrier, hydrogen can bridge the gap between zero carbon sources of energy and our everyday energy consumption needs. Fuel cells and related technologies are devices that store and convert hydrogen to electricity, and are being researched by most automotive companies as a future engine for zero emission electric vehicles with high performance on efficiency and mileage. While great progress was made over the past 20 years, it may take another 20 years and more research to make this dream a reality. Horizon Fuel Cell Technologies of Singapore is proposing another way to accelerate this global effort – by introducing this technology today in small and simple products, educating the planet, generating ideas, and increasing the scale of applications step-by-step. An international grassroots movement is now building, where people from around the world are joining forces to gradually introduce this ground-breaking technology.

11 Dec 2008 7pm in The Nexus @ iSpace
Mr Chiu Yen-Ping & Ms Wu Shu-Min, ITRI Creativity Laboratory
The Flow of Qi (2007): ... is an interactive artwork-exhibit that lets visitors experience the artistic spirit of the ancient calligraphy masters and the importance of (the control of) breath on the creation of the famous pieces of Chinese calligraphy – through state-of-the-art sensor technology. Two participants are seated; each equipped with state-of-the-art UWB (Ultra Wide Band) sensors which measure both the speed and the depth of breathing every 100 milliseconds – these real-time measurements then influence the resulting patterns of the calligraphy. One user influences the fluidity and the speed of the strokes; the other alters the intensity of the ink. By changing and adjusting the depth and rhythm of their breaths, the participants will gradually reach a state of harmony with the calligrapher and the piece of art – and also with one another – drifting deeper into the art piece by sensing and controlling the flow of their own Qi. With the original calligraphy images authorized by the NATIONAL PALACE MUSEUM (Taiwan), this artwork has been displayed at many sites, the more recent ones being the 2007 Ars Electronica Festival (Linz, Austria), SIGGRAPH Asia Singapore (2008), the Seoul International Media Art Biennale (2008) and the MOT Museum of Contemporary Art Tokyo (2009). The Ultra-Wide Band (UWB) radar (non-contact) technology was developed by ITRI’s Center for Measurement Standards. This technology has applications in the areas of physiological monitoring, security, collision avoidance, and precision positioning systems. It can measure respiratory function and heart rate at the same time, and because it is non-contact, it is especially useful for diagnoses involving infants, the elderly, or tele-homecare. The system can also continually log information, which sets it apart from traditional bio-monitoring devices. UWB is targeted for applications in high-end medical products and in tele-homecare. The Flow of Qi is the first digital art piece to incorporate this technology.

15 Dec 2008 7pm in The Newton Room
Mr Jan Croeni, ZECO Scooters Pte Ltd
The ZECO Scooter: Good Clean Fun! ... Zeco, as a pioneer initiative in Singapore, is committed to delivering the world’s first zero emissions transportation system – electric scooters fuelled 100% by a clean energy charging network. The ZECO Scooter is on display during our Alternative Energy Vehicles Exhibitions.

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