30 March 2023

Explore Singapore’s Vision of Future City with ASEAN Experiential Learning Programme (AELP) 2023

By
Ninnart Ratanasukhon
AUN Programme Officer;

How do you imagine your future city? 

In this age of digitalisation and urbanisation, cities are changing in the way we have never seen before. More people in the cities means more consumption, and more consumption means more waste and more energy needed to keep everyday life going. Environmental change, or even deterioration, is inevitable. Yet, the rise of the internet and digitalisation are changing how we use information, how we live our life, and might as well be our weapons in receiving the impact that our future will bring.

Nanyang Technological University Students’ Union, together with National University of Singapore Students’ Union, are delighted to invite you to explore how Singapore is envisioning its future in the tech-enabled era with the ASEAN Experiential Learning Programme (AELP) 2023. 

With technology as the major force behind the improvement of everyday life and younger generations now equipped with necessary skill sets for the digitalised era, Singapore’s vision of the future city is not only ‘envisioned’ but ‘alive’.

Tech-enabled Sustainable Town

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Technology makes life easier, but Singapore is stepping ahead with  its sustainable tech-enable city, where technology does not simply make life a little more convenient, but is a major tool in solving problems of modern cities such as rapid urbanisation, urban density, and infrastructure strain.

Smart Nation CityScape by Urban Redevelopment Authority Center is an exhibition that showcases how technology is being fused into all aspects of Singaporean daily life. From geospatial technology to help Singapore maintain its parks and green spaces to Computer Vision Drowning Detection System to ensure safety in public swimming pools, technology has become an important enabler in making a safer city and greener city.

LIVINGSPACE by Housing Development Board (HDB) is an immersive gallery that demonstrates how technology, creativity, and innovation are being employed to develop Singaporean public housing and communities. Environmental simulations help HDB in planning and designing HDB estates, from identifying where green spaces are needed to enhancing wind flow and natural ventilation within towns. HDB’s concrete structure is also more eco-friendly with 70% of its structure employing prefabrication methods.

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Technology-enhanced Transportation System

As the city grows, so does the pressure on its transportation system and infrastructure. Singapore’s Land Transport Authority already launched the Land Transport Authority Master Plan 2040 report, which provides a long-term plan for innovative and technology-enhanced transportation systems that will meet the demand of the city in the coming decades.

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Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) is part of the improvement plan laid out in the 2024 report. By employing various methods of data collection, ITS provides real-time and dynamic coverage of traffic and transportation in the city-state. It allows ITS Operations Control Centre (OCC) to smoothly manage traffic, maximise network capacity, and spot any accident or distress as quickly as possible.

Centre of Excellence for Testing & Research of Autonomous Vehicles NTU  (CETRAN) also plays an important role in carrying out one of the agendas laid out by the 2024 report – the improvement of safety and availability of self-driving vehicles (SDV). This centre, which was launched under the collaborative efforts of Land Transport Authority, JTC, and Nanyang Technological University,  is one of the few SDV testing and research facilities existing in the world. With a 1.8ha test circuit, researchers can evaluate prototypes of SDV under various conditions such as: traffic rules, traffic behaviour, road design, and climate. A computer-simulated environment is also used to supplement this real-world test at CETRAN.


Digital Solution to Healthcare

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Healthcare is undeniably one of the areas where technology is creating a revolution of. The availability of technology such as artificial intelligence, VR/AR, 3-D printing, robotics, and nanotechnology are transforming the landscape of healthcare at a rapid speed. It is now crucial that healthcare workers must be able to work hand-in-hand with emerging technology in the coming, or even ‘happening,’ future.

Anatomy Learning Centre, NTU LKCMedicine now utilises various kinds of technology to enhance the education and the experience of its students. Anatomage is a life-size ‘tablet’ that can portray the whole human body. Students can scroll, zoom in, or isolate a certain structure to examine its details, from the outermost layer to innermost structures. The centre is also equipped with plastinated specimens, 3D-printed specimens, anatomical models, and applications to assist in anatomy learning.

Community Telehealth Service (CTS) was first launched in 2021 to provide free health screening for Singaporeans, especially those who are above 50 years of age and those whose regular check-ups were affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. The telemedicine booths are equipped with state-of-the-art technology that can perform retinal scan and process retinal images to detect three types of eye diseases – diabetic retinopathy, glaucoma suspect, and age-related macular degeneration. The service now aims to cover more than 2,000 people, doubling its original target in 2021.


Digital-Ready Society

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The city’s sustainable future would not be secured if the future generation is not prepared. In this age where digital transformation is making our life easier and leading us to new innovation and solutions, Singapore recognised that certain sets of skills, tools, and habits are necessary to thrive in the tech-enabled future. To ensure that everyone has equal opportunity to access and make use of what technology could offer us will be crucial in securing a sustainable future for a tech-enabled city.

Code in the Community (CITC) programme was launched to ensure that no one was left behind in this digital era. It provides free coding classes to children from disadvantaged backgrounds, helps them nurture their interest in coding, and equips them with skill sets that will be necessary in the digital age. It is the largest programme of its kind in Singapore and has also received support from a leading tech company like Google.

Singapore is not only embracing technology and digitalisation to propel its city to the future. Singapore makes sure that the foundation is laid for all its population to have the right skill sets for thriving in the future city they are building as well.

AELP would like to invite interested students to experience these visions Singapore is drawing out for its future and, in turn, craft the vision of your own future city as well.

Stay tuned to AUN’s newsletter and AUN’s Facebook Page to find out more about what AELP 2023 has to offer you. We will see you very soon!

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