The different ways of growing plants in the world's first solar greenhouse is the subject of a new research project at Murdoch University that will deploy customized autonomous robotic technology. A Murdoch University researcher will build a custom robot to monitor the growth of greenhouse plants in real time.
The greenhouse horticulture industry is worth more than 30 billion U.S. dollars each year, allowing growers to extend the crop season and annual growth cycle. By 2050, the global population is expected to reach 9.5 billion, and the industry will play an increasingly important role in sustainable food production.
Earlier this year, a solar greenhouse developed by Western Australia Intelligent Building Materials Company opened in Murdoch Park. It is equipped with transparent solar photovoltaic glass panels to allow visible light to enter while using invisible light to generate electricity. Photovoltaic panels generate electricity to run greenhouse air conditioning systems, lighting, fans, shutters, shutters and mesh systems to provide the best growing environment.
Understanding the different growth methods of plants in the company’s greenhouse has proven to be very labor-intensive, requiring people to monitor and regularly record the germination rate and speed, plant height, leaf number, flowering time, and fruit color and yield.
A senior lecturer in electrical engineering robotics at Murdoch University and a mechatronics expert from the Harry Butler Institute received research and innovation seed funding to build customized intelligent autonomous robots for real-time crop monitoring. He pointed out that these robots will be equipped with high-resolution cameras and sensors, and will work day and night to record information about crop physiological characteristics and growth environment.
They will have a mobile base and be able to move autonomously in the room using modern advanced control and artificial intelligence-based navigation technology. The camera will continuously take images of crops at regular intervals, and the sensor will measure humidity, temperature and other changes in the environment.
They will be able to collect data on the growth pattern of plants, as well as valuable information such as chlorophyll content, flowering time, harvest time, fresh biomass, the rate at which carbon dioxide enters and leaves the leaves, and leaf health. This solar greenhouse facility is the world's first. Everything is new, and we don’t know the impact of plant growth in this facility.
Interestingly, we can see that compared to standard greenhouses, some crops in the company's greenhouse grow faster, while others grow slower. Need to understand the reasons, obtain data, and then in the future, researchers may be able to build customized solar greenhouses to provide the best growing conditions for different crops.
A research assistant pointed out that as part of the research project, the company and the standard greenhouse will be set up the same and will be monitored for six months. He said that the location and rotation of the benches, the amount of soil, water and fertilizer used, and the temperature will be exactly the same. The robot will do exactly the same job at exactly the same time. This project is an example of the great collaboration between Murdoch's two research institutions, Harry Butler and Food Futures.
The team hopes to apply their theoretical research to the field of practice, which is a very promising field. They also believe that the technology can be further extended to many other industries, including real-time livestock monitoring, bush fire monitoring, mining inspections, and autonomous agriculture. The research is one of 21 projects funded through Murdoch’s Early to Mid-career Research and Innovation Seed Fund, with a total grant of US$302,000.
Artificial intelligence (AI) is already making decisions in the areas of business, healthcare, and manufacturing. But artificial intelligence algorithms usually still get help from those who apply for inspection and make the final decision. However, when artificial intelligence systems must make independent decisions that may be vital to human life and death, the issue of trust escalates.
Unlike humans, robots lack a moral conscience and follow the "ethics" programmed into it. At the same time, human morality is highly variable. The "right" thing to do in any situation depends on the person. In order for machines to help us reach their full potential, humans need to ensure that their behavior is ethical. The question then becomes: How does the ethics of AI developers and engineers affect AI decision-making?
In the future of fully self-driving self-driving cars, if everything goes as expected, the morning commute will be an opportunity to prepare for a day’s meeting, catch the news, or sit back and relax. However, when something goes wrong, for example, a car is approaching a traffic light, but suddenly the brakes fail, the computer must make a decision immediately. It can suddenly turn to a nearby pole and kill passengers, or move on and kill pedestrians ahead.
The computer controlling the car can only access the limited information collected through the car's sensors, and must make a decision based on this. Self-driving cars usually provide safer driving, but accidents will be inevitable-especially in the foreseeable future, these cars will share the road with human drivers and other road users.
A large automobile company has not yet produced fully automatic cars, although it plans to do so. In the event of a collision, if a human driver is in control, the car will not automatically operate or deactivate the automatic emergency braking (AEB) system. In other words, the driver's behavior will not be disturbed-even if they themselves caused the collision. Conversely, if the car detects a potential collision, it will send an alert to the driver to take action.
However, in "autonomous driving" mode, the car should automatically brake for pedestrians. It has been argued that if the car can prevent collisions, then it has a moral obligation to override the driver's behavior in every situation. But would we want self-driving cars to make this decision?
The car's computer can assess the relative "value" of passengers and pedestrians in the car. If its decision takes this value into account, technically speaking, it is only a cost-benefit analysis. There are already technologies under development that can allow this to happen.
Through ethical machine experiments, the researchers proposed a variety of self-driving car scenarios, forcing participants to decide whether to kill homeless pedestrians or pedestrians. The results show that the choice of participants depends on the degree of economic inequality in their country/region, where the greater the degree of economic inequality, the more likely they are to sacrifice the homeless.
There are many philosophical debates about the moral decisions that artificial intelligence must make. The classic example is the tram problem. It is often difficult for people to make decisions that may change the outcome of their lives. In evaluating how to deal with such situations, a study reported that choices may vary based on a range of factors, including the age, gender and culture of the respondent.
AI has no distinction between good and evil. Its impact on people will depend on the ethics of its developers. Therefore, in order to make the most of it, humans need to reach a consensus on what we think of as "morality." Although private companies, public organizations, and research institutions have their own artificial intelligence ethics, the United Nations recommends the development of what they call a "comprehensive global standard-setting tool" to provide a global ethical artificial intelligence framework and ensure that human rights are protected.
The Minister of Communications Ashwini Vaishnaw recently announced that India will develop its own 6G technology, with the goal of launching it at the end of 2023 or early 2024. A new India? "This is the fourth in a series of online agenda setting webinars organized by two news media. The minister said that scientists and engineers working on this technology have obtained the necessary permits.
According to the Indian Express report, the minister claimed that the government will design and manufacture telecommunications software and equipment on its own to run 6G networks. The technology will also be exported to other countries. In addition to 6G, the government also plans to launch its own 5G technology, the core software development of which will be completed in the third quarter of next year. He said that the auction of 5G spectrum may also take place in the second quarter of 2022.
According to reports, the Telecommunications Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) has begun the consultation process for the 5G spectrum auction, which is expected to be completed in February or March 2022. TRAI has granted telecom companies an extension of the 5G trial, with the deadline for the transfer to March 31, 2022. Earlier this year, the Cabinet approved nine structural and procedural reforms to address the short-term liquidity needs and long-term problems of telecommunications companies. As part of these reforms, the government gave telecommunications companies an option to suspend payment of deferred spectrum and adjusted total revenue membership fees for four years.
When announcing the reforms in September, the minister said that the telecommunications industry will carry out another set of reforms to resolve long-standing issues. The reforms approved by the government in September were well received. The industry is adapting to these reforms. “Due to these reforms, many pressures in the industry have now been eased. There is still a lot to be done. We are already undertaking another set of reforms, which should be completed within 3-4 months,” he told.
The report added that, as part of the reforms announced in September, in addition to the 4-year moratorium, the government also announced some changes, such as simplifying the auction calendar and removing spectrum usage fees (SUC) from auctions that private telecommunications companies have long pending. need. The telecommunications sector will also be able to obtain 100% of foreign direct investment through automatic channels, which is higher than the previously allowed 49%. In addition, for all future auctions, the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) will not require bank guarantees to ensure payment in installments, and the usage period of the spectrum has been increased from 20 to 30 years. The 0.5% additional SUC levied on spectrum sharing has been removed.
A recent study showed that 5G smartphone shipments in emerging markets have surged due to the launch of affordable smartphone models and growing 5G infrastructure. In the second quarter of 2021, shipments in emerging markets increased to 22.9 million units, an increase of 6.5% over the previous quarter. By the end of 2026, about 26% of mobile users in India will use 5G. 4G users are expected to grow at a compound annual growth rate of 3%, from 680 million in 2020 to 830 million in 2026. Currently, India ranks second in the world's average data usage. By 2019, India’s average data usage will be 13 GB per month, which will increase to 14.6 GB by 2020. By 2026, India’s average data consumption is expected to be 40 GB per month.
China launched an upgraded 2 Gbps home broadband service in Shanghai on Friday, making the city the fastest broadband network in the country. The new broadband is twice the current highest bandwidth, providing consumers with services such as whole-house connectivity, remote and artificial intelligence (AI)-based healthcare and high-definition digital entertainment content. It also promotes the city's digital transformation strategy and is Shanghai's latest move to speed up the construction of digital infrastructure.
China will provide free upgrade services for some loyal consumers. By the end of 2022, more than 40% of users will have broadband networks of 1Gbps and above. The upgraded network services help Shanghai to promote digital transformation, covering the city's smart home, digital medical and intelligent transportation systems.
A Chinese telecommunications company and an artificial intelligence company signed a digital medical cooperation agreement to promote the application of artificial intelligence in Shanghai and across the country. The partnership not only covers top hospitals, but also many grassroots hospitals in communities and rural areas. It enables more people to access digital medical services. More than 6000 hospitals and medical institutions are using cloud services in China. Cooperation will bring them more innovation and artificial intelligence capabilities.
In addition, in order to improve the use and management of data in Shanghai, data exchange will be officially unveiled throughout the city. Government-authorized data exchange is a key part of Shanghai's blueprint for becoming a global digital center. Participants include traders, technology providers and lawyers to make data transactions reliable and efficient. The exchange is mainly aimed at corporate and organizational users.
Industry regulators stated that all data use and transactions will be subject to strict rules, such as "used but invisible data" to protect personal data security and personal privacy. The first batch of participants included utilities, banks, e-commerce companies and law firms.
Banks can now easily access data from utilities and mobile operators when deciding to provide loans to businesses—reducing their risk exposure. The official data exchange makes data sources "clear and reliable" by regulating transactions. This is after China has strengthened the protection of data and personal information and the country has issued a number of laws such as the "Personal Information Protection Law".
Data has become a new production factor, a basic and strategic resource, which will be better shared among bureaus and regions. Shanghai will take measures to solve the challenges of data silos and repeated investment.
Shanghai's digital hub blueprint covers three key areas of digital transformation and innovation: economy, daily life, and management. Data exchange is expected to improve city management and promote digital transformation.
As reported by OpenGov Asia, Shanghai's goal is to make the city a global digital center by 2035, while advancing its digital city construction plan. These plans include information technology upgrades for industry and city management, online economic development, and data use innovation.
Shanghai will lead the nation's digital infrastructure and data usage, and will be upgraded and digitally transformed by 2025. By 2035, Shanghai will become a global digital center. Shanghai can promote digital transformation through its advantages in industry, talent, and data volume. It will also address the challenges of a large population, transportation and network security.
The new blueprint covers tasks and goals by 2025, such as 200 smart factories and 50 digital hospitals. It covers three areas of digital transformation and innovation: economy, daily life and management.
Shanghai has built 5G and industrial Internet networks throughout the city, boosting the development of the digital economy and improving people's daily lives. Support the development of key industries such as artificial intelligence and integrated circuits.
The State Administration of Taxation recently launched the first phase of electronic invoices (e-invoice) in 6 provinces and cities. The number of enterprises accounted for 60% of the total number of operating enterprises in Vietnam and 70% of the national invoices. These include Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, Haiphong, Quang Ninh, Phu Tho and Binh Dinh. This is an important step taken by the Ministry of Finance in saving costs, creating an open and transparent business environment, and accelerating the country's digital transformation process.
Electronic invoices were launched in 2010 and are popular with the business community because they help save time and costs. They also enable departments to modernize management systems and increase time efficiency. A news report stated that information technology (IT), digitization, and automation have been at the core of the department’s reform efforts since the National Tax Agency introduced a centralized tax management system in 2015.
The department stated that the deployment of electronic invoices in the six provinces and cities will play a pivotal role in providing electronic invoices across the country. The head of the State Administration of Taxation, Cao Yingtuan, said that the system will solve the questions and problems that individuals and businesses have about electronic invoices. The system will help the department organize and guide electronic invoice applications from six taxation departments, and then expand to the taxation departments of 57 other provinces and cities. The department has set a goal to launch electronic invoices in all cities and provinces across the country no later than the end of June 2022.
It is said that the shift to electronic invoices has played a key role in the digitalization of the financial sector and will help reduce the cost of printing, storing and transporting traditional paper invoices. The department pointed out that this will help establish the country's digital tax database and improve the accuracy, security and consistency of national tax administration. The central government has urged all local governments to make the implementation of the system their top priority and work closely with the Ministry of Finance and this department to ensure a smooth transition to electronic invoices.
As of the end of October this year, nearly 850,000 companies have registered for electronic filing. The department processed 16 million documents in 2021 alone. Since 2014, more than 837,000 companies or 99% of companies nationwide have used the department's electronic system to pay taxes. Since its implementation in 2017, the government's electronic tax filing program has paid more than 8,000 companies out of 8,200 eligible companies.
Last month, OpenGov Asia reported that by 2030, digital technology may bring more than 74 billion U.S. dollars in revenue to Vietnam, with the most favorable sectors including manufacturing, agriculture and food, and education and training. The country has many opportunities because its young, educated and tech-savvy population accounts for 70% of its citizens under 35. The literacy rate in the 15-35 age group is over 98%, which is higher than the global average of 91%. Approximately 70% of the population uses smartphones. Vietnam also has the second fastest growing internet economy in Southeast Asia after Indonesia. The country's goal is to enter the top 50 countries in the ICT Development Index as early as 2025, and hopes that its digital economy will account for one-third of the country's GDP by the end of the decade, instead of only 5%.
Ultraviolet-C (UV-C) radiation has been widely used as a disinfectant for more than 40 years. The latest UV-C lighting technology has been installed in Dunedin Hospital, which is said to be the first in New Zealand, and previous studies have confirmed that the technology can effectively inactivate the COVID-19 virus.
COVID-19 patients from the southern region will be treated at Dunedin Hospital, where an infectious disease doctor supervised the installation of the hospital’s first set of 20 UV-C “high-altitude disinfection equipment”. These have been placed in emergency rooms and respiratory wards to assist hospitals in preparing for COVID-positive patients. According to needs, more units will be deployed in other Southern District Health Bureau facilities.
"UV-C lamps provide an efficient and economical solution for improving air disinfection, especially when you use aging infrastructure," he said. Compared with the work required to enhance the mechanical ventilation system, their modification is very simple.
There are five negative pressure rooms in the respiratory ward of Dunedin Hospital, and all other rooms in the ward must be upgraded to prepare for the virus developing southward. The UV-C lamp is one of several technologies implemented by SDHB to increase air disinfection in the clinical environment, which is necessary for the management of COVID-19.
In the emergency department observation room and the five four-bed rooms in the respiratory ward of Dunedin Hospital, wall-mounted UV-C lights now directly illuminate the ceiling space, preparing the hospital for receiving COVID-positive patients.
Although the general hospital ventilation system circulates the air and exposes the virus to UV-C, UV-C light can neutralize the virus in the air at the top of the room. Under this, employees can continue to work in a safe environment. According to the doctor, the technology has been used in more than 1,500 hospitals in South Africa for tuberculosis management and has recently been proven to be particularly effective against the coronavirus.
Under most indoor conditions, high-altitude UV-C has been proven to remove pathogens from the air more effectively than natural or mechanical ventilation, such as SARS-Cov-2. This method has been tested for many years and is reported to be effective in disinfecting air, water and surfaces.
Ultimately, UV-C disinfection solutions will be installed in schools, universities, supermarkets, stadiums and hospitals in other countries, and the company is happy to help protect the people of New Zealand from COVID-19.
OpenGov Asia reported that the New Zealand Aviation Safety Agency and the COVID-19 detection company announced that they have completed the deployment of 18 new ultraviolet (UV) light tray disinfection kits to help improve public health and safety at airports across the country.
Independent laboratory tests have shown that UV disinfection kits can eliminate up to 99.9% of the microorganisms (including coronavirus) found on checkpoint trays, and they have been installed in Auckland (six), Wellington (four), Christchurch International Airport ( Six units) and Dunedin Airport (two units). UVC radiation is a known disinfectant for air, water and non-porous surfaces. For decades, UVC radiation has been effectively used to reduce the spread of bacteria (such as tuberculosis), and is even now used for COVID-19.
Ultraviolet light kits use short-wavelength ultraviolet (UVC), which are commonly used for disinfection in healthcare and industrial production to distort the structure of genetic material and prevent virus particles from multiplying or infecting. The kit uses a sturdy metal shell for shielding to ensure that passengers and staff are not exposed to ultraviolet rays.
"The New Zealand Aviation Safety Agency came to COVID-19 to respond to the challenge of the risk of COVID-19 transmission in aviation. New Zealand’s UVC technology at checkpoints helps to provide a high degree of assurance for passengers and airport staff. I hope we can Our experience has been brought to other airports in the region that are experiencing similar challenges and restored people’s confidence in travel.” said the general manager of the inspection system company.
In order to strengthen the MarineTech ecosystem, the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) and the National University of Singapore (NUS) have extended their partnership for another three years through enhanced new innovation plans and launch plans. Under this partnership, MPA and NUS will expand the scope of the PIER71™ (Reimagined Port Innovation Ecosystem @ BLOCK71) program to better support Singapore’s evolving maritime technology or MarineTech start-up ecosystem.
This joint partnership with MPA brings the maritime industry roadmap and strategic direction, and NUS brings our world-class entrepreneurial ecosystem, expertise and global network. Together, we have built a vibrant community of entrepreneurs, maritime veterans and experts, investors, researchers, etc.
-Professor Freddy Boey, Vice President (Innovation and Enterprise), National University of Singapore
The components of the new plan aim to strengthen the development of MarineTech start-ups, attract more investment, support internationalization and increase the deployment of technical solutions for the maritime industry. They include:
Solutions to address the safety and well-being of maritime personnel have attracted much attention this year, which is consistent with the industry’s increased attention to this key area. Other innovative solutions include the application of artificial intelligence, data analysis and robotics to optimize global
As Singapore Maritime emerges from the pandemic, we are looking for growth. Our ambition to become a leading marine technology center is a key driver of this growth. Through the new partnership and new initiatives of MPA and NUS, we will support MarineTech in acquiring market, technology, capital and talents, so that good ideas can become scalable solutions.
-Chee Hong Tat, Senior Minister of State Affairs, Ministry of Transport
The impact of PIER71™ in developing the maritime innovation ecosystem to today's level demonstrates the synergy between MPA and NUS. The renewal of the partnership will bring new initiatives consistent with the strategic direction of attracting talent, technology and investment, which will strengthen the maritime sector’s ability to create new businesses and a more efficient and sustainable global supply chain.
As reported by OpenGov Asia, MPA aims to develop Singapore into a leading global hub port and international maritime center, and to promote and maintain Singapore's maritime strategic interests. MPA cooperates with industry and other institutions to strengthen the safety, security and environmental protection of our port waters, promote port operations and growth, expand maritime supporting service clusters, and promote maritime research and development and human development.
Therefore, MPA has collaborated with the International Maritime Organization (IMO) to launch the NextGEN (Green and Efficient Navigation) portal, an online collaborative global ecosystem of maritime transport decarbonization initiatives. The online portal aims to encourage information sharing, create important networking and collaboration opportunities, and promote capacity building.
The platform facilitates the sharing of information on decarbonization initiatives among stakeholders in the maritime value chain. It also identifies opportunities and gaps for decarbonization in the global shipping industry. In general, the online portal will become a focus and reference tool for public and private stakeholders by displaying the scope of maritime decarbonization projects on a single platform.
The National Economic and Development Agency (NEDA) is stepping up its efforts to look beyond the pandemic and prepare for the future as it works on the country’s economic recovery plan. At a recent business meeting, Karl Kendrick T. Chua, Minister of Social and Economic Planning, said, "We are concerned about two things: current problems and the future."
The head of NEDA urged the agency to focus on four main areas and build a better foundation for the future government to realize the country’s “Ambisyon Natin 2040”, in which no one lives in extreme poverty. "Ambisyon Natin 2040" is a 25-year long-term vision formulated by the Philippine government as a guide for development planning.
Smart infrastructure, innovation, regional equity and climate change are four key areas. Chua said that smart infrastructure will incorporate existing road infrastructure into the concept of smart cities, where the principles of urban transportation and development are the core of the infrastructure.
Transportation, digital communications, planning, land use, and the environment are all included. At the same time, innovation will stimulate the development of new ideas in all walks of life, enabling the country to compete on a global scale. In addition to technological development, innovation also includes changes in systems and processes, especially in important industries such as agriculture.
Chua also talked about the importance of regional equity. He believes that the government must pay close attention to the allocation of resources to ensure that the poorest communities with the most shortage of social services receive sufficient funds. Climate change is the fourth key theme he talked about, noting that it lays the foundation for all current and future development challenges.
When asked about the government's digital work and ongoing initiatives, Chua emphasized NEDA's knowledge management plan. Chua stated that NEDA is forming a data science team to combine all data sets and establish a "single source of truth" within the organization. "This will allow us to increase work efficiency without having to extend working hours, just search or coordinate data from different sources that are critical to decision-making."
These are just some of the initiatives implemented by NEDA to support the efforts of the next government. He said that these improvements will be included in the Philippine Development Plan (PDP) proposal. Although the establishment of a data science team within NEDA is part of the national digital transformation strategy, it does not only focus on technology, which he believes is only 10% of the strategy. He claims that governance has played a role in these efforts, including building legal and technical frameworks and system structures. This is where 30% of the effort lies.
Chua also emphasized the necessity of the Philippine identification system, which strives to provide every Filipino with a true identity certificate. This will enable the government to effectively implement its social protection measures.
NEDA is lobbying for amendments to the Public Service Act, Retail Trade Liberalization and Foreign Investment Act, as well as other economic liberalization laws. These bills will relax restrictions in order to attract all necessary innovation, investment, technology management and technical knowledge, and provide our citizens with better products and services at cheaper prices.
OpenGov Asia reported that the National Economic and Development Administration has emphasized the importance of data science, analysis and digital transformation, which will help formulate better policies and provide better services to the government.
He acknowledged to participants the importance of digitization during the pandemic at the 2021 Analysis Summit PH, because information and communication technology (ICT) must be used to effectively deliver social protection plans. "I have always believed in and advocated digital transformation within the government to strengthen policy formulation and service delivery. Both government and companies need to use data science to formulate better policies. This is becoming more urgent under the new normal," said NEDA Director General .