Singapore, 25th January 2012 - Companies in Singapore are benefitting from the technologies created by research institutes under the Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR). Reachfield IT Solutions, a local fast-growing e-Solutions provider, has signed an agreement with Exploit Technologies Pte Ltd (ETPL), the commercialisation arm of A*STAR to develop and market the Scalable Multimedia Platform (SMP) technology, a game-changing software technology that drastically simplifies the current media transcoding, management and streaming process. As a validation of the quality and potential of the technology, Reachfield has already secured a contract with NUS High School to deploy SMP in their internal learning network. Reachfield will continue to promote the technology to their existing customers, including the Singapore Tourism Board, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, National Archives of Singapore and the Asian Civilisation Museum.
The SMP technology was developed at the Institute for Infocomm Research (I2R), a research institute of A*STAR, and brings pronounced benefits for video hosting service providers. While most existing products require the creation of multiple files to cater to a range of bandwidths and device resolutions, SMP is a standards compliant solution that creates a single ‘layered’ source file that can adapt automatically to the device and bandwidth of end users. In this way, substantial savings can be achieved in the reduction of storage space needed, and minimisation of man-hours for file transcoding and complexity of file management.
For end users, if one is a fan of Titanic and wished to view the movie on their iPhone, computer and on a High Definition TV (HDTV), they may need to download multiple files with the corresponding frame rates, resolutions and file sizes. Now, with SMP, a single file is all they need. With just a one-time encoding process, the source file can be loaded and read anytime, anywhere and on any device. The core layer of the source files is backward compatible to the common H.264 format. Users can use their existing H.264 players on their devices to play the core layer of the video file. In addition, SMP can also automatically adapt to the available bandwidth and scale to the best quality of video, thus enabling uninterrupted video streaming over a variable bandwidth. No more endless buffering and playback problems!
Professor Lye Kin Mun, Executive Director of I²R said: “I2R is delighted that its Scalable Multimedia Platform (SMP) technology has been licenced to a local SME and that the company has secured its first customer. We hope that other companies providing video hosting and other video streaming services will take advantage of this cutting-edge software technology to bring new, exciting and innovative solutions to the global market.”
Winson Wee, Reachfield’s Vice President of Client Engagement and Projects said, “Our collaboration with A*STAR on the SMP technology has been an exciting and enriching journey. The I2R team has exemplified their dedication to support us in our common digital entertainment lifestyle vision. With the licensing of SMP, we are now able to expand our core business with scalable video product and service offerings, and be empowered as a differentiated local SME company to stay ahead of our competitors by delivering innovative digital media solutions and cost savings for our customers.”
“Reachfield is a good example of how an SME can effectively make use of promising homegrown technology to grow their business. Local companies need specialised measures to ramp them up, and we have just that— a suite of services tailored just for SMEs to enhance their growth strategies. We encourage more of Singapore’s 154,000 SMEs to come forward and work with A*STAR. There are plenty of other good sciences ready for more of you to springboard to greater heights!” said Philip Lim, CEO of ETPL.
I2R will progressively expand the capabilities of SMP from video-on-demand into other vertical applications including live event-casting, live broadcasting and video surveillance. SMP holds great potential to be deployed across many other complementary media industries.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
For more information, please contact:
Ms Amanda Lee
Exploit Technologies Pte Ltd (ETPL)
DID: (65) 6478 8443
Mobile: (65) 9776 4218
Email: [email protected]
Ms Doris Yang
Institute for Infocomm Research
DID: (65) 6419 6525
Email: [email protected]
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
About the Institute for Infocomm Research
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, wireless and optical communication networks, interactive and digital media, signal processing and computing. We seek to be the infocomm and media value creator that keeps Singapore ahead.
About Exploit Technologies Pte Ltd (ETPL)
Exploit Technologies Pte Ltd (ETPL) is the strategic marketing and commercialization arm of the Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR). Its mission is to support A*STAR in transforming the economy through commercializing R&D. Exploit Technologies enhances the research output of A*STAR scientists by translating their inventions into marketable products or processes.
Through licensing deals and spin-offs with industry partners, Exploit Technologies is a key driver of technology transfer in Singapore. It actively engages industry leaders and players to commercialise A*STAR’s technologies and capabilities, bridging the gap from Mind to Market. Exploit Technologies’ charter is to identify, protect and exploit promising intellectual property (IP) created by A*STAR’s research institutes.
About the Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR)
The Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR) is the lead agency for fostering world-class scientific research and talent for a vibrant knowledge-based and innovation-driven Singapore. A*STAR oversees 14 biomedical sciences and physical sciences and engineering research institutes, and six consortia & centres, located in Biopolis and Fusionopolis as well as their immediate vicinity. A*STAR supports Singapore's key economic clusters by providing intellectual, human and industrial capital to its partners in industry. It also supports extramural research in the universities, and with other local and international partners.
About Reachfield IT
Reachfield is a fast growing e-Solutions provider that develops and provides leading-edge e-business solutions for customized web-based applications. It aims to be the leading provider of component based solutions to organisations, enabling them to meet the challenges of fast moving business needs through the use of highly customizable, intuitive, responsive and user friendly software business components without corresponding high investment in Information Technology. The company’s strength is in developing and deploying applications for organizations and enterprises, using open Internet technologies such as Java, Enterprise Java Beans, Java ServerPage, Servlets and Web services – XML.
