MEDIA RELEASE
*For Immediate Release*
Singapore, 7 Aug 2007
A*STAR Research Institutes win Prestigious Awards
How often have you been frustrated with the performance of your wireless internet access when it just isn’t giving you the “blazing” speeds that you had signed up for? Even if you do get your ‘blazing’ speeds, while blissfully surrounded with the latest high-tech gadgets boasting blue-tooth, wi-fi and wireless capabilities, have you ever paused to consider the level of radiation you might be exposed to?
Well, finding the answers to these questions has certainly reaped benefits for two groups of scientists at A*STAR’s Institute for Infocomm Research (I2R) and the Institute of High Performance Computing (IHPC). Scientists from these two research institutes have recently been honoured with the Prestigious Engineering Achievement Award conferred last Friday (3 Aug 07) by the Institution of Engineers Singapore (IES).
Scientists at I2R have developed a set of cognitive radio technologies to exploit the under-utilised television (TV) bands for wireless broadband services. Cognitive Radio is an advanced radio technology that aims to overcome spectrum scarcity, one of the most challenging problems of modern wireless communications. While most of the available radio spectrum has been allocated, many of the TV bands are under-utilised. By intelligently detecting and making use of the allocated under-utilised spectrum, cognitive radio will allow wireless networks to operate without requiring extra dedicated spectrum.
Research on cognitive radio in I2R led by Dr. Liang Ying Chang to reuse TV bands for wireless broadband access may also potentially hold the key to bridge the ‘digital divide’ between populations in urban and rural communities. Reusing TV bands for long-range wireless communications, without interfering with conventional broadcasting signals, forms the key part of a Wireless Regional Area Network (WRAN) system to give broadband access to rural communities, thus truly providing equal opportunities and access for all in the information society.
On the other hand, with the widespread and ever-growing use of faster and higher speed electronic devices in areas such as wireless communication, automotive or even domestic and household appliances, there are now genuine concerns on the perils of electromagnetic radiation on our environment. Researchers are not only concerned about the biological impact of such radiation on human beings, they are also mindful of the impact of harmful electromagnetic effects on electrical and electronic equipments, which might lead to device malfunction. Hence, all modern electronic and electrical equipment/systems have to undergo electromagnetic field strength testing to comply with compatibility and safety regulations prior to production.
However, there are various limitations to current facilities available to test electromagnetic emissions such as the limited size and mobility of test objects within the test chamber. The use of the traditional test chamber system also faces challenges of having to measure a high complexity of electromagnetic radiation, making it hard to carry out field analysis.
At IHPC, the research team led by Dr Li Er Ping has achieved a breakthrough in its invention of an improved, fully integrated electromagnetic environment testing system that not only has a much improved testing capacity, it has also resolved many of the technical challenges through pioneering advanced reverberation testing technology. This system has allowed companies to overcome numerous testing issues that have previously affected testing adoption, and is now able to provide accurate and efficient test solutions to industries. Underscored by high take-up rates amongst relevant industries, the IES award recognises the impact of this new technique developed by IHPC which has elevated Singapore’s position as a leader in electromagnetic environment simulation systems.
In 2008, I2R and IHPC will be the first A*STAR research institutes to move into Fusionopolis, Singapore’s latest R&D icon for physical sciences and engineering.
Located just a stone’s throw away from Biopolis, the unique co-location of public-private sector R&D capabilities within Fusionopolis promises further research synergy and opportunities to meet the excitement of Singapore’s technology growth.
The attachment has a picture of Dr Li Er Ping (IHPC) and Dr. Liang Ying Chang (I2R) with their awards at the annual IES event last Friday.
For media enquiries, please contact:
Mr Jimmy Lim Assistant Head, Corporate Communications A*STAR
Tel: (65) 6826 6344 Fax: (65) 6478 9593 Email: [email protected]
Anand Raghavan
Senior Manager, Corporate Communications
Institute for Infocomm Research (I2R)
Tel: (65) 6874 2520 Fax: (65) 6775 9923
Email: [email protected]
Ms Joanne Tan
Assistant Manager, Corporate Communications
Institute of High Performance Computing (IHPC)
Tel: (65) 6419 1422 Fax: (65) 6778 0522
Email: [email protected]
Background
About Institution of Engineers Singapore (IES)
IES is a national society of engineers in Singapore and the Prestigious Engineering Achievement Awards are presented annually to recognise the outstanding achievements of engineers.
Website: www.ies.org.sg
About Institute for Infocomm Research (I2R)
The Institute for Infocomm Research (I2R - pronounced as i-squared-r) is a member of the Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR) family. Established in 2002, our mission is to be the globally preferred source of innovations in `Interactive Secured Information, Content and Services Anytime Anywhere’ through research by passionate people dedicated to Singapore’s economic success. I2R performs R&D in information, communications and media (ICM) technologies to develop holistic solutions across the ICM value chain. Our research capabilities are in information technology and science, wireless and optical communications, and interactive digital media. We seek to be the infocomm and media value creator that keeps Singapore ahead.
Website: www.i2r.a-star.edu.sg
About Institute of High Performance Computing (IHPC)
As a national research institute supported by A*STAR through its Science and Engineering Council (SERC), the Institute of High Performance Computing (IHPC) was established in April 1998 to provide leadership in high performance computing as a strategic resource for scientific inquiry. IHPC seeks to power discoveries through advanced methodologies, techniques and new tools in modelling, simulation and visualisation.
Its research focus are in the realm of complex-coupled systems, mechanics and fluid dynamics, large-scale systems, scientific computing and software development, digital modelling, adaptive and collaborative computing, data mining and analyses, computational electronics and electromagnetics, computational material and chemistry.
Website: www.ihpc.a-star.edu.sg
Please download the attachment for the press release
