Projects
Current Projects
Tools for Story-Reading / Telling for students with Special Needs
This cross-cluster, collaborative project aims to develop a mobile prototype application that performs storytelling in an interactive and gamified manner for children with special needs. Unlike commercially available storytelling apps for children, the narratives in this storytelling app reference familiar sights and scenarios in the Singapore context. Backdrops for these scenarios include kopitiams, mom-and-pop shops, and void decks; while story plots include local festivals and visiting grandparents to pay respect to them on these special days, living in Housing and Development Board (HDB) flats, or playing at the void deck. A total of 11 stories of varying levels of difficulty were created, with two selected for the prototype.
The storytelling app will be designed with these needs in mind to facilitate both teacher-directed and learner-directed vocabulary learning and assessment. Additionally, the personalised and intelligent app will record and track the learner’s responses to vocabulary questions, as well as diagnose his receptive vocabulary via a digitalised Peabody Picture Vocabulary test
Faculty from the Centre for Professional Communication (CPC), namely, Assoc Prof Radhika Jaidev, Asst Prof Kenneth Ong, Asst Prof Lee Hwee Hoon and Senior Lecturer Erick Tan as well as faculty from the ICT cluster, namely, Asst Prof Muhammad Fauzi Abbas and Asst Prof Alex Qiang have collaborated with speech therapists / interventionists from AWWA School to identify the needs of such children and to design and develop the story plots.
Interactive Carbon Footprint Calculator Prototype for Visitors’ Journey to Mandai Wildlife Reserve (MWR) Parks
In Singapore, Mandai Wildlife Reserves (MWR) is a popular destination for both domestic and international leisure visitors. It is home to wildlife parks including the Singapore Zoo, River Wonders, Night Safari, and Bird Paradise. Given the popularity of MWR parks and the completion of the Mandai Rejuvenation Project, the number of local and international visitors to this destination is expected to grow. While welcoming and offering a satisfactory experience for visitors is important, promoting sustainability in MWR parks is essential.
The project team, led by Assoc Prof Michael Alexander Kruesi (from the Business, Communication and Design Cluster) comprising three SIT faculty and seven SIT students, will investigate a specific current sustainable development effort in MWR parks. This project seeks to design and test-run an interactive carbon footprint calculator prototype to document and examine visitors’ carbon footprint and relevant travel behaviours to and within MWR parks.
Developing Digital Reminder for the Management of Community-Dwelling Individuals at Risk of Pressure Injuries
Pressure injuries (PI) are largely preventable by maintaining the quality and standard of key evidence-based practices such as risk assessment, repositioning, or turning, using pressure-relief devices; maintaining adequate nutrition and moisture; and education on PI prevention. Currently, there are no digital reminders in the market targeting the management of PI prevention.
The project team, led by Assoc Prof Elaine Siow from the Health and Social Sciences Cluster, comprising three SIT faculty and four SIT students, will develop an application software that will remind the caregivers via a tablet device at home. The application software may potentially include other functions to support caregivers at home, e.g., reminders to administer medication. The project will obtain user inputs from key stakeholders, such as caregivers and community nurses on the interface and function of this application before fabricating the first prototype.
Developing and Setting Up an Interactive Health Zone in St Luke's ElderCare’s New Centre at Anchorvale
PSt Luke’s ElderCare (SLEC) is a healthcare provider committed to meeting the evolving needs of their patients, clients and caregivers. SLEC delivers a full range of integrated services such as maintenance day care, day rehabilitation programme and dementia care.
The project team, led by Senior Professional Officer Seah Jianxing, comprising four SIT Professional Officers and 50 SIT students, collaborated with SLEC to develop and set up an Interactive Health Zone in the new senior activities centre at Anchorvale, to benefit Active Agers (60 years old and above) through interactive activities. These interactive activities help in guiding residents on self-assessment of key medical vitals (BP, O2, height weight etc.) using the equipment at SLEC, usage of exercise machines, and addressing prevention or management of medical conditions common in older adults.
Completed Projects
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Improving accessibility at Kwong Wai Shiu Hospital
Improving accessibility at Kwong Wai Shiu Hospital
Kwong Wai Shiu Hospital (KWSH) is collaborating with NACE@SIT in the planning, design, and development of its new nursing home.
Scope of the collaboration between KWSH and NACE@SIT
- Facilitating the design and planning of the new nursing home in Potong Pasir
- Understanding the needs and expectations of users (e.g. residents, staff)
- Designing a workplace training programme for KWSH staff
KWSH highlighted two important design requirements: access to assistance and access to information. Both requirements should factor in the need for limited social interactions and social distancing in a post-COVID-19 environment. In addition, plans related to overall operations of the nursing home operations must ensure smooth service provision and delivery in spite of manpower constraints.
This project is led by Assoc Professor Intan Azura Mokhtar and Asst Prof Nicholas Teo Boon How from the Business, Communication and Design cluster in partnership with NACE@SIT and CLASIC.
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Redesigning a Seniors’ Corner
Redesigning a Seniors’ Corner
SIT was commissioned to redesign a communal space for seniors that would facilitate community bonding and socialisation. SIT’s research and design team needed to gain a precise understanding of the basic and aspirational needs of users. The team observed user behaviour throughout the day and studied the surrounding area. They hoped to discover insights on potential gathering spots and identify areas adjacent to the site that would augment the design.
Led by Assistant Professor Mark Teo (Business, Communication and Design) and Senior Lecturer Corrine Hoo (Health and Social Sciences), the team got feedback from the residents’ committee to uncover latent needs. The redesigned Seniors’ Corner would cater to different user groups at different times of the day. It would be suitable for formal and informal gatherings as well as planned activities. One possible utilisation of the space is to include a community garden for residents.
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Enhancing control of water usage and cost with ECOSOFTT-CLASIC Smart meter
Enhancing Communities Through Water for Life Programme in Siem Reap, Cambodia with the Singapore International Foundation
The Water for Life (WFL) programme is an initiative by Singapore International Foundation (SIF) that provides rural communities with access to clean drinking water, improving their overall health and hygiene practices. This programme aligns with United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goal 6, which aims to provide universal access to clean water and sanitation by 2030. By facilitating cross-border friendships and promoting intercultural understanding, the WFL programme helps build stronger global communities.
As part of the WFL programme, the project team led by Assoc Prof Steven Tay from the Engineering Cluster and six SIT students collaborated with SIF to build and install bio-sand filters in the Siem Reap community. Our students connected with the villagers and gained insights into their water usage patterns, enabling them to identify the most suitable locations for installing bio-sand filters. The students' interactions with the community facilitated the gathering of feedback and information, developing effective water management strategies.
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Recycling Receptacle for the National Environment Agency (NEA Bloobox)
Recycling Receptacle for the National Environment Agency (NEA Bloobox)
To promote recycling right and to encourage higher recycling rates among Singaporeans, the National Environment Agency (NEA) wanted to produce a recycling receptacle for distribution to all households in Singapore. NEA invited students at Institutes of Higher Learning, including SIT, to contribute designs of a household recycling receptacle for their consideration. They wanted the receptacle to allow for different types of common recyclable items to be placed inside and to be compact, foldable, and attractive, whilst at the same time, be expandable, sturdy, waterproof and washable.SIT Professional Officers and six SIT students from various disciplines formed a team to work on receptacle designs that would meet NEA’s expectations and unit price requirements. The team successfully presented a total of six design concepts and prototypes to NEA in Sep 2021, and one was selected for refinement and development into a final prototype. The recycling receptacle was mass-produced by NEA’s authorised vendors and distributed to households across Singapore from late 2022.
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PPIS Student Care Invention Lounge
PPIS Student Care Invention Lounge
The onset of the COVID-19 pandemic posed unprecedented disruptions to many social service agencies as they encountered difficulties in providing their services to clients who were no longer able to physically visit their centres freely for consultation and other activities. The Singapore Muslim Women’s Association (PPIS) whose services include casework and counselling for clients with marital, domestic violence and parenting issues, were faced with similar challenges.
Asst Prof Muhamed Fauzi Abbas from the ICT Cluster and his project team accepted the challenge to support PPIS on their process and activity improvement journey by leading SIT students in projects that measure the effectiveness of PPIS’ online social service programmes, as well as to design a space and curate activities for a PPIS student care centre that would inspire the young in the area of Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics (STEAM).
In Phase 1, a space called the Invention Lounge was designed and created in PPIS’ student-care centre as a learning space for children to explore, tinker and in the process, pick up practical skills. The children are given the freedom and resources to develop and realise their ideas, and the opportunity to create, innovate, invent, make mistakes, and try again.
In Phase 2, the children are guided on three activities tailored to the lower and upper primary levels. These activities leverage the Invention Lounge and other facilities available in the centre and are designed to empower the children with essential skill sets and to connect them to their STEAM knowledge. The lesson plans for these activities were developed such that the educators in PPIS could continue with these activities after the initial run by the SIT student mentors.
On-going
Inspiring STEM education in secondary schools through SIT’s YES!Programme
SIT’s annual Young Engineers’ Space Programme
(YES!Programme) was first conceived in October 2016. It aims to create a positive and enriching service-learning environment for SIT’s undergraduates. The four-month programme allows SIT undergraduates to hone their mentorship skills and inspire secondary school students to learn more about STEM. YES!Programme allows secondary school students to pick up new knowledge and skills in robotics, programming, 3D printing, and food technology (chocolate making).
To date, more than 100 Secondary 3 and 4 students from Tanglin Secondary School and Yusof Ishak Secondary School have taken part and benefitted from the programme. These students are from the Normal Academic (NA)/ Normal Technical (NT) streams and are also from underprivileged families. They have been supported by close to 60 SITizen mentors.
Associate Professor (A/P) Victor Wang Peng Cheng (Engineering) in partnership with CLASIC has led the YES!Programme since 2019. The programme was conceived by SIT President Professor Tan Thiam Soon and a former SIT colleague, Dr Cheong Kang Hao in 2016. Lian Ho Lee Construction starting funding the programme in 2017 and the donation amounted to $300,000 over a period of four years.
Collaborations
Tech for Good 2022
Organised by Engineering Good and co-produced by SIT, Tech for Good is an annual innovation challenge that celebrates assistive technology and inclusivity.
Engineering Good is a not-for-profit organisation that focuses on improving the lives of Persons with Disabilities (PwDs) and low-income families through the use of infocomm technologies and engineering design.