Tech review recognises NUS researchers
Asst Prof Chian (right) inspecting a collapsed building following the 2009 Padang Earthquake
Three exceptional researchers Assistant Professor Darren Chian Siau Chen from NUS Civil and Environmental Engineering, Assistant Professor Raye Yeow Chen Hua from NUS Biomedical Engineering, and Research Assistant Professor Joseph Fitzsimons from NUS' Centre for Quantum Technologies ' have garnered a spot on MIT Technology Review's "Innovators Under 35 Asia list, published on 12 November.
The list honours researchers under the age of 35 who have significantly transformed the nature of technology in biomedicine, communications, computing, energy, materials, transportation and the web. As regional finalists, the researchers will be considered for MIT Technology Review's 35 Innovators under 35 global list, to be made known in 2016.
Earthquake engineering is the focus of Asst Prof Chian's expertise, specifically in catastrophe modelling and lifeline infrastructure damage mitigation. His model produces accurate estimates of the expected relative extent of damage to buildings based on tremors at the rock bed. Asst Prof Chian's methodology has been validated with case histories of four earthquakes ' 2011 Tohoku Earthquake, 2011 Christchurch Earthquake, 2007 Bengkulu Earthquake and 1999 Chi-Chi Earthquake.
Asst Prof Yeow's research is in soft wearable robotics. Created with soft materials and motors, the robots fulfil a host of functions, including intelligently assisting with daily living and improving patient mobility. An example of his recent work is the robotic sock which, drawing inspiration from the tentacle movements of corals, facilitates blood circulation and prevents deep vein thrombosis. The ExoGlove is another new development, and provides assisted finger joint motions to patients with impaired hand mobility. Asst Prof Yeow is currently working towards commercialising both robots.
Asst Prof Yeow (left) with the ExoGlove
Asst Prof Fitzsimons is a theoretical physicist whose work in quantum mechanics and quantum information theory offers more efficient computation and stronger cryptography. He is currently enhancing privacy in secure computation through quantum cryptographic protocols.
Asst Prof Fitzsimons sharing about his work
The three innovators will be presenting their work to regional researchers, industry and investors at the EmTech Asia conference in Singapore in January 2016. The conference, held in association with MIT Technology Review, is an annual showcase for emerging technologies.
Read more about the Asian innovators honoured by MIT Technology Review.
