Innovation Insights

Functionalising surfaces with novel materials  There's no sugar coating it - dirty walls and windows are unsightly. These three TechOffers could help keep buildings spick and span.    The gecko’s foot is often referenced as an inspiration for self-cleaning materials. Minute structures on the reptile’s soles and toes allow it to adhere to vertical surfaces, but unlike tape that has...

The barriers to open innovation are lower than you think  Here are five common misconceptions associated with open innovation and why they are untrue.   Coined by American organisational theorist Henry Chesbrough in 2003, the term ‘open innovation’ (OI) became a rallying call for enterprises to look beyond their four walls for ideas and expertise. Yet, sixteen years on, some...

Giving sight to machines  Making sense of pictures, videos and objects is no simple feat for machines, but these innovations are making it possible.      Humans are visual creatures—more than fifty percent of the human brain is directly or indirectly involved in processing visual information. While often taken for granted, our sense of sight influences how we make decisions,...

Innovation highlights from EmTech Asia 2019  Passion and partnerships are like a fusion energy reactor for innovation, said Dr CJ Meadows at the EmTech 2019 conference.   Thinking outside the box is easier said than done. Encumbered by preconceived notions about how the world operates, we sometimes fail to see how a problem may be approached from multiple different angles...

Get a leg up from the government  Singapore companies can tap into a range of government schemes and incentives to help them ride out the uncertainty and thrive in 2019.    As a small economy heavily influenced by the winds of global trade, Singapore faces an uncertain economic outlook in a year marked by the possibility of a trade war...

An openness to innovation starts from within  Here are four tips to build a culture of open innovation within your organisation.      In a climate of constant disruption, the greatest threat to an organisation’s survival can sometimes come from within, taking the form of resistance to open innovation. As technology advances, companies that are receptive to new ideas, equipment...