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Over 300 delegates across different sectors of the Indonesian government attended the Indonesia OpenGov Leadership Forum 2017 held at Shangrila Hotel Jakarta on March 22. OpenGov Asia Editor-in-chief, Mr. Mohit Sagar, kicked off the day with a call to the floor to embrace innovation as a state of mind, to rethink about thinking on how things were done and ultimately to start believing in change in order to create change within government.
The opening keynote speech by Mr. Sebastian Foo, eGovernment Advisor & Senior Consultant, The World Bank focused on creating value for businesses and citizens – in order for integrated services to happen, governments need to understand their needs, talk to them and understand their pain points. Another important factor is identify key outcomes to work towards, such as making application forms which are shorter and easier to understand.


Mr. Foo (above photo) emphasised while factors such as having a central agency, a good plan that is actionable, sufficient funding and strong political are important in working towards creating good integrated government services, the key factor is still heartware- taking time and effort to understand citizens and businesses and creating humanised services. In the end, less is more and less is smart.
Invited government speaker, Mr. Richard Vines, Knowledge Management Specialist, Department of Economic Development, Jobs, Transport and Resources (DEDJTR), Victoria State Government, spoke about smart collaboration in the context of building a knowledge-based service culture in the Victorian Public Sector. Examples in the farming industry were cited , such as working in agile ways to leverage data outputs to improve dairy feed inventory management and personalised information services steps for navigating types of permits for agriculture use.


Mr. Vines (above photo) summed up by saying that a pressing challenge is the need to address the gap in developing data and informatics capabilities and skills of people for the future of the economy. For government, the challenge is integrating records management to data management and it is critical in skilling the next generation to be able to pass on knowledge both within and across countries.
OpenGov also conducted the Recognition of Excellence (RoE) Awards Ceremony (below photo) at the event to recognise the progress and hard work of the Mayors of 5 Indonesian cities: Bandung, Bekasi, Bogor, Makassar and Tangerang. The Mayors individually received the awards in person from Mr. Sagar and individually gave a thank you speech, promising to do even better for their respective cities.


Above photo (from left): Mayor Arief Rachadiono Wismansyah (City of Tangerang) Mayor Bima Arya Sugiarto (City of Bogor), Mayor Ridwan Kamil (City of Bandung), Mr. Mohit Sagar, Group MD & Editor In Chief, OpenGov Asia, Vice Mayor H. Ahmad Syaikhu (City of Bekasi) and Mayor Ir. H. Mohammad Ramdhan Pomanto (City of Makassar).
A series of panel discussions and subject-matter expert talks followed after lunch with the first focusing on The Next Generation Data Centre.
The panelists were:
Mr. Iwan Djuniardi, Director of ICT Transformation, Directorate General of Taxes, Government of Indonesia
Mr. Richard Vines, Knowledge Management Specialist, Department of Economic Development, Jobs, Transport and Resources (DEDJTR), Victoria State Government
Dr. Mingu Jumaan, Director & CIO, Sabah State Computer Services, Malaysia
Mr. Kiran Babu Inala, Business Development Manager, Rack Systems & Edge Computing, International Operations, Schneider Electric
Mr. Mohit Sagar, Group MD & Editor in Chief, OpenGov Asia (moderator)


Mr. Sagar started the panel saying that the management of data centres are challenging as most government departments/agencies usually want to hold on to their data. When asked on their thoughts on how the future of data centres will be like, Mr. Djunardi said that data centres will be built in collaboration aross departments, Mr. Vines replied that data centres will be of mixed government use and Dr. Jumaan explained that data centres will be ‘green’ and there will be cloud deployment.
A question frrom the floor was asked on whether cloud or on-premise data centres would be preferrable – Mr. Djuniardi replied that due to limited budgets, it is difficult to have on-premise full-capacity data centres, so going onto cloud is one of the options. Another delegate asked about an overview on some of the best practices for the next generation data centres and Mr. Vines responded that a legal foundation needs to be bulit by the government on the ownership of data and under which circumstances it can be shared.
Mr. Bala explained consolidation as a best practice with an example of a government agency which reduced 43 data centres to just 4 through an assessment service while at the same time, increasing capacity and reducing power usage and space.
Finally, Dr. Jumaan shared from his own experience in Sabah that ministries and departments used to have their own data centres while operations is still doing the same thing. A new ruling was set that no government would have their own data centres but consolidate it to the state data centre. As a result, individual ministries and departments did not have to worry about their own data centres and the Ministry of Finance can monitor costs easier.
Moving on to a presentation about the local Indonesian context, Mr. Eddi Danusaputro, CEO of Mandiri Capital Indonesia, talked about the fintech startup scene in Indonesia. Mandiri Capital Indonesia is the venture capital (VC) arm of Bank Mandiri, the 12th and youngest subsidary. Mandiri’s Capital mandate is to invest in digital startups in Southeast Asia and only in the area of fintech.


Mr. Danusaputro (above photo) mentioned that fintech is a growing sector, and there are many active VC players in Indonesia. Additionally, there are no successful IPO of startups based in Indonesia as the regulations and requirements are very stringent – he lamented that there are many Indonesian startups listed overseas in places such as Singapore or Australia but not within Indonesia.
The reason Bank Mandiri has a VC arm is that banks in general are slowing down- Internet and mobile banking is the future. In fact, the cost to maintain an ATM machine is 16million Rupiah, which is a losing proposition- therefore ATMs are not making money and there needs to be a shift to Internet and mobile banking. In terms of fintech startup development in Indonesia, there are 6 sub sections:
a) Financial Product Marketplace
b) Payments
c) Lending
d) Asset Management & Trading
e) Insurance Technology
f) Enterprise & Operations Solutions
The areas of payments, lending and enterprise solutions are the 3 areas in which Mandiri thinks are growing but investments will only be made if there’s agreement from other business units within the bank. Mandiri Capital has currently invested in 7 Indonesia-centric startups in their portfolio, out of the original 95 proposals that were presented.
The second panel topic, Cyber Security as an Enterprise Risk Management Strategy: Best Practice in Mitigating Reputational and Financial Risk, consisted of the following panelists:
Mr. Yohannes Glen, Head of Information Security Services, ID Management and IT Architecture, Development Bank of Singapore (DBS)
Mr. Fandhy H. Siregar, Secretary, Institute of Internal Auditors (IIA)
Lt. Col. Sazali Sukardi, Senior Vice President- Strategic Research, Cyber Security Malaysia
Altona Widjaja, Vice President, Fintech & Innovation Group, OCBC Bank
Mr. Mohit Sagar, Group MD & Editor in Chief, OpenGov Asia (moderator)


The panel began with each of the panelists sharing about the cybersecurity approach in their respective organisations – Mr. Glen said that at DBS, it is to provide safe e-channels for customers and teaching them to be aware of cyber risks and threats. Lt. Sukardi explained that Cyber Security Malaysia’s role is to support the government to achieve the national agenda of moving to the digital economy, which is a complex combination of different technologies and various risks that come with it. The only way to manage the risks is to understand the issues related to the risks and threats- risks cannot be completely eliminated, they can only be managed.
Mr. Siregar responded that it was about both educating employees and customers. The panel agreed that mor often than not, it is about managing the weakest link, which is the human factor and unsurprisingly, Mr. Siregar also mentioned that more than 60% of the threats come from inside. In his own organisation, Mr. Siregar said that internal phishing emails were simulated to test employees. For the customers themselves, the digital banking/products are consumed by millennials, which are described as “Generation Leaky”, leaking out things for the sake of faster speeds and connections, compromising security.
The final subject matter expert talk was given by Mr. Stuart Smith (below photo), Chief of Service Innovation and Design, Institute of Systems Science, National University of Singapore on the topic of Digital Transformation in Government: How does Desing & Innovation Fit in.


Mr Smith first explained the context of the rise of digitally enabled service providers in the context of government:
-eGov 1.0 Basic website
-eGov 2.0 Interactive website (where most nations are currently at)
-eGov 3.0 Total digital services (e.g. GovTech Singapore, e-Estonia, Government Digital Service UK)
There are 7 trends in digital government:
-Think Digital First
-Mobile Now
-Omni-Channel
-Leveraging Data
-Tracking & Transparency
-Cybersecurity
-Efficiency & Effectiveness
There are 3 pillars of “digital”: a good human-centred digital service is an intersection of service design, data and technology. Design is core to the success of digital government – which is why governments need to understand citizen journeys – knowing citizens’ needs and pain points, ultimately to design services they want to use. It is therefore crucial to design the service first then work on the technology part of it. Summing up, Mr. Smith reminded the floor that people always remember feeling good (and bad) about experiences and services, thus it is critical to make services a memorable and relevant experience.
The third and final panel session of the day was on the topic, The Digitalisation of Government Services with the following panelists:
Mr. Setiaji Setiaji, Head of Jakarta Smart Management Unit, DKI Jakarta Regional Planning Board
Mr. Nirarta Samadhi, Country Director, World Resources Institute (WRI)
Mr. Ben Dornier, Director- Corporate & Community Services, City of Palmerston
Ms. Susie Dorai Raj, Government Consultant – ICT Strategy, MAMPU
Mr. Daniel Ng, Senior Director, APAC, Cloudera
Mr. Mohit Sagar, Group MD & Editor in Chief, OpenGov Asia (moderator)


The moderator began with what the definition of digitalisation of government services really mean for the respective panelists. Mr. Setiaji said it was about improving government services, Mr. Dornier replied that it was moving from a physical place of transactions to a digital one and Mr. Ng said that it was the concept of service as primary, how to make citizens feel that they are being served by the digital economy and enjoy the services. For Ms. Raj, digitalisation of government services is about providing services 24/7, looking at the pain point of the citizens, what citizens want and how do they want to interact with the government. Mr. Samadhi simply said that in the context of Indonesia, there is a need for transparency for the digitalisation of government services. Mr. Sagar posed a final question about why government agencies are not talking to each other to provide better services to citizens, which was rejected by the panelists – Ms. Raj said that the notion is the past as government agencies are increasingly working with each other, and Mr. Nirata explained that the government is using the One Map Movement in Indonesia to come up with one data, one standardised system to regulate business operations so agencies can share the data but it is a journey that is going to take a long time.


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Singapore will spend about S$3.3 billion on information and communications technology (ICT) this year. This is on top of the money it has spent in previous years to improve its digital infrastructure and make services better for people, companies, and government workers.
Over the last five years, the government has spent about S$16 billion on ICT. In both FY 2021 and FY 2022, it was expected that S$3.8 billion would be spent on ICT. In the past, attempts to combine the demand for ICT services through bulk tenders and to update the back-end ICT infrastructure of the government through the cloud have saved money.
“Our ICT investments in the past five years have laid a firm foundation for the next bound of digital government,” said Kok Ping Soon, Chief Executive, GovTech.
He added that the Government will maintain a high level of ICT spending in 2023, as they continue to push ahead with the cloud strategy and find more ways to work closely with the industry through co-developed projects and bulk tenders. Providing opportunities for SMEs to take on government projects is also important, as SMEs form a key pillar of our Smart Nation efforts, he continued.
More than 30% (S$1 billion) of what the government plans to spend on ICT in FY 2023 will go towards developing apps for the Government Commercial Cloud (GCC).
Since the “Cloud First” Strategy was announced in October 2018, about 66% of qualified government systems have been moved to the Government Commercial Cloud (GCC). This makes it possible to reach the goal of 70% by the end of 2023.
In FY 2023, co-developed projects with industry are projected to be worth about 45% (S$1.49 billion) of all spending, up from 27% in FY 2022 and 20% in FY 2021.
Co-developed projects save time and money by using the SG Tech Stack and other government platforms for security compliance and interoperability, as well as reusing well-tested software components to build apps quickly.
Currently, 27 companies are qualified to work with the government on projects using the SG Tech Stack. When the S$0.62 billion Agile Co-Development and ICT Professional Services bulk tender is called in FY 2023, this list of providers will be updated.
In co-developed projects, engineers and developers from the government may oversee building one part while their peers from the private sector build another. This is different from the usual outsourced approach, in which a vendor builds the whole project based on what the government agency wants.
As a result of the Government’s planned ICT spending for FY 2023, a lot more projects will be given out through bulk bids. About 76%, or S$2.5 billion, of the planned spending will go to these projects. In FY 2022, only 27% of the spending went to these projects. By putting together all the requests for the same ICT goods and services, bulk tenders have helped public agencies save money, time, and effort.
This year, there are three important bulk contracts worth a total of S$1.85 billion: Enterprise Software-as-a-Service (SaaS), Hosting Support Services (HSS), and Personal Computers & Printer.
Small and medium-sized businesses (SMEs) still have a lot of chances, as nearly 80% of all procurement opportunities for FY 2023 will be open to SMEs, which is the same as the previous year.
The Ministry of Sustainability and Environment previously indicated that starting in 2024, government ICT contracts will include environmental sustainability criteria.
Suppliers who participate in the forthcoming PC and Printer bulk tender must follow energy and environmental regulations and reuse packaging and materials.
Additionally, GovTech is trying to optimise code reuse for cloud projects in FY 2023 and reduce the carbon footprint of the cloud infrastructure in GCC and government data centres to satisfy BCA-IMDA Green Mark criteria.
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Experts from Flinders University have secured a funding grant of nearly AU$ 1.4 million to enhance specialised satellite surveillance software and drone technology for a ground-breaking forestry research initiative. Over the course of two years, the College of Science and Engineering will conduct the project titled ‘Assessment of remote sensing techniques for monitoring the health of plantations.’ The research is financially supported by both federal and state governments through the Mount Gambier Centre of the National Institute for Forest Products Innovation (NIFPI).
Flinders University’s Associate Professor in Geospatial Information Systems (GIS), David Bruce, has outlined the objectives of the project aimed at enhancing plantation forestry surveillance. The research will involve the utilization of advanced ‘supercomputers’ to process satellite imagery, enabling early detection of underperforming trees for plantation foresters across Australia.
The project aims to identify various issues such as disease, waterlogging, inadequate management, drought, or storm damage by statistically comparing specific clusters of trees within the same age-class and species against the broader population.
In addition, the team plans to incorporate high-resolution satellite data collection to assess poorly performing tree patches and validate their analysis through low-altitude aerial observations using aircraft and drones in specific locations. This comprehensive approach will aid in developing a more effective early warning system for plantation health monitoring.
The Flinders University team comprises Associate Professor Bruce, an expert in remote sensing, and Marcio DaSilva, a PhD candidate who has previously been involved in satellite data collection related to the Kangaroo Island bushfires. Collaborating with computer programmer Michael Hillman, the team has dedicated over 18 months to testing algorithms on desktop computers.
Subsequently, they have progressed to experimenting with cloud computing environments in collaboration with experts from CSIRO. This iterative process has allowed them to refine and scale up their research methodologies effectively.
The AU$1.38 million research project involves collaboration with several key partners. These include experts from the Green Triangle Forest Health Group, NIFPI (National Institute for Forest Products Innovation), the Growers Research Advisory Committee, Forest Corporation NSW, the NSW Department of Primary Industries, UniSA (University of South Australia), as well as numerous forest companies in Australia. The project benefits from the diverse expertise and contributions of these partners.
Furthermore, it is worth noting that the latest round of grants has allocated a total of AU$ 6 million to support eight research projects. This underscores the significant investment being made in advancing research initiatives across various domains.
The Federal Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries, and Forestry emphasised that the funding provided for the third round of projects, amounting to AU$6 million, will not only support ongoing research careers in the forest and wood products sectors but also contribute to the development of future forestry jobs.
These projects are expected to play a crucial role in promoting innovation across various areas, including forest management, worker safety, advanced remote sensing, forest water use, tree breeding genetics, and optimising resource utilisation. The aim is to explore these domains and facilitate advancements that will have a positive impact on the forestry industry and its stakeholders.
In the October Federal Budget of 2022-2023, a significant commitment of AU$ 100 million over a span of five years was made to enhance and expand the National Institute for Forest Products Innovation (NIFPI) throughout Australia. The allocated funds are intended to support research and development endeavours aimed at addressing the national challenges faced by the forest and wood products industries. This substantial investment reflects the government’s recognition of the importance of these sectors and their potential to contribute to the country’s economic growth and sustainability.
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The Minister of State of Electronics and Information Technology, Rajeev Chandrasekhar, recently held the Digital India Dialogues outlining the principles of the Digital India Act (DIA). This forthcoming legislation is designed to replace the current IT Act and establish a robust legal structure that safeguards the rights of digital nagriks (citizens). The first draft of the Act will be released in early June.
According to Chandrasekhar, with India soon expected to have 1.3 billion people accessing the internet, it is crucial for digital citizens to approach the online realm without fear or mistrust, particularly as numerous government services transition to digital platforms. The Act has placed significant emphasis on the principles of safety and trust, which have “a huge section in the DIA”. The Minister also expressed concerns regarding the weaponisation of misinformation and disinformation, particularly with the added challenge of AI-driven deep fakes and stressed the need to address these issues effectively.
During discussions with stakeholders, the Minister addressed various concerns and provided clarifications on several issues. Regarding intersecting regulation by sectoral regulators, the DIA will enable sectoral regulators like the Reserve Bank of India (RBI), the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI), and other ministries to establish additional safeguards. The aim is to harmonise different laws, and the input of sectoral regulators will be sought in this process.
In terms of regulating emerging technologies, the focus will be on assessing potential user harm caused by AI. The objective is to ensure that emerging technologies do not pose any harm to digital citizens. For blockchain and Web 3.0, the industry will be encouraged to propose guardrails. The intention is not to impose bans on innovations unless they are linked to user harm. The goal is to lead in the fields of Web 3.0 and AI while defining appropriate guardrails. The Minister expressed a preference to avoid creating additional compliance layers through excessive regulation.
Regarding compliance for startups, the Minister explained that in all recent laws, such as the CERT-In directions released in April 2022 or the upcoming Digital Personal Data Protection Bill, 2023, startups have either been provided exemptions or an extended period for compliance.
The proposed law will be an important pillar of the Global Standard Cyber law framework that the government is formulating to catalyse India’s digital economy goals. The Digital Personal Data Protection Bill, National Data Governance Framework policy, the recent amendments to the IT Rules, CERT-In guidelines will form the other elements of this framework.
The Digital India Dialogue session witnessed the participation of a wide array of stakeholders from the technology ecosystem, including industry associations, startups, IT professionals, think tanks, and legal experts. The session brought together approximately 300 stakeholders, with 125 individuals attending in person and 175 participating virtually. A similar dialogue was held in Bengaluru in March this year. These consultations are in line with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s consultative approach to law and policy-making. This is the first time that the government held consultations on the principles of the Bill.
Digital India is an ambitious initiative launched by the government with the vision of transforming the country into a digitally empowered society and knowledge economy. It aims to leverage the power of technology to bridge the digital divide, empower citizens, and enhance the efficiency and transparency of government services.
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Indonesia’s National Consumer Protection Agency (BPKN) is committed to protecting consumers’ interests and ensuring Indonesia’s banking sector’s integrity. In light of the increasing threats posed by cyber-attacks, BPKN recognises the significance of robust security measures, particularly for financial institutions like BSI operating in the realm of Islamic banking.
Mufti Mubarak, the Deputy Head of BPKN, said that the agency is committed to ensuring boosting cybersecurity further. He emphasised that the agency will diligently monitor all cyber incidents until they are resolved.
By asserting its commitment to comprehensive cyber security, BSI demonstrates its dedication to protecting its customers’ confidential information, financial transactions, and the overall integrity of its banking operations. BPKN’s guarantee instils confidence in BSI’s customers and the general public, assuring them that BSI has taken significant measures to fortify its cyber defences.
As technology advances, cybercriminals continue evolving tactics, making it crucial for financial institutions to remain vigilant and proactive in countering potential threats. BPKN’s unwavering vigilance and commitment to overseeing this matter ensures that cyber-attacks targeting BSI will be swiftly addressed and resolved.
The report stated that Indonesia’s cybersecurity index score was 38.96 out of 100 in 2022. This figure places Indonesia as the third lowest among G20 countries. On a global scale, Indonesia ranks 83rd out of 160 countries on the list mentioned in the report. Enhancing cyber security requires significant support and collaboration from relevant stakeholders.
This support is evidenced by the National Cyber and Crypto Agency (BSSN) and the Indonesian ICT Association are recently actively engaged in cybersecurity initiatives. They coordinated a seminar to educate and create awareness about cyber security. The workshop’s objective is to enhance public understanding of the significance of cyber security in the digital era.
The field of cybersecurity has long been confronted with various challenges. In order to establish a strong and resilient cyber security framework, it is crucial for all stakeholders, including the private sector and the government, to collaborate and foster more effective models that can proactively anticipate and mitigate future cyber attacks, which often transpire unpredictably.
Furthermore, the government, through Presidential Regulation Number 53 of 2017 concerning the National Cyber and Crypto Agency (BSSN), and its amendment, Presidential Regulation Number 133 of 2017, established the BSSN. The agency is responsible for effectively and efficiently implementing cybersecurity by utilising, developing, and consolidating all elements related to national cybersecurity.
BPKN’s dedication to upholding the highest standards of cybersecurity is a testament to its role as a consumer protection agency, safeguarding the rights and interests of individuals who entrust their financial well-being to institutions like BSI.
BSSN formulates the Indonesian Cyber Security Strategy as a shared reference for all stakeholders involved in national cyber security. This strategy is a framework for acquiring and developing cybersecurity policies within their respective institutions.
Their commitment to diligently resolving this case demonstrates their tireless efforts and dedication to addressing the emerging challenges posed by the rapidly evolving digital landscape. By proactively tackling these challenges head-on, they strive to foster a resilient and secure banking ecosystem that safeguards the interests of all stakeholders involved.
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Vietnam’s Deputy Minister of Information and Communications, Pham Duc Long, highlighted the country’s recent focus on developing digital infrastructure, including significant investments in data centres and cloud computing. These efforts are aimed at driving national digital transformation and enabling the delivery of digital services to advance the digital economy and society.
At the 31st meeting of the Asia Pacific Telecommunity (APT) Wireless Group in Hanoi, Long emphasised that the world is currently confronted with a range of complex issues in the era of wireless devices. APT, in response, is committed to collaborating with member countries to address these problems and effectively overcome the associated challenges.
During the discussions, participants delved into various significant management-related topics. These included potential frequency bands for 6G technology, the effective management of broadband satellite beams, expanding wireless internet coverage through band extensions, and the advancements and implications of 5G technology.
The event serves as a forum for management agencies, organisations, and businesses in the fields of frequency and wireless to discuss and update research activities in the region and around the world. Among the topics discussed, Vietnam is particularly interested in the implementation of new technologies, frequency planning, and trends in the selection of appropriate bands and technologies.
The meeting was held in a hybrid format. The event saw the participation of more than 500 delegates who are leading experts in the field of wireless in the region and the world from member countries, corporations, and large domestic and international telecom enterprises.
In April, the Ministry of Information and Communications (MIC) announced an auction for frequencies in the 2300-2400 MHz waveband, which will enable network operators to advance their 4G and 5G technologies. The starting price for this waveband was VND 12.88 billion (US$ 548,481) per MHz per annum, and each company had the opportunity to bid for 30 MHz. The companies are allowed to use the wavebands for 15 years for 4G and 5G purposes.
Both mobile service providers and other telecommunication companies were able to participate in the auction if they met the requirements. This means that new players using 4G and 5G technologies entered the mobile market. Companies that do not currently possess licenses for telecom services were also permitted to submit applications to the MIC for consideration and evaluation of their eligibility to participate in the auction.
As OpenGov Asia reported, upon successfully winning the auction and paying the fees in full and on time, the businesses were awarded licenses to use frequencies and offer telecommunication services. Companies that participated in the auction for the right to use radio frequencies in the 2300-2400 MHz waveband were able to establish networks and provide telecommunication services that use IMT-Advanced (4G) or IMT-2020 (5G) technologies.
5G technology offers several benefits that can transform communication, work, and life overall. With its faster data transmission speeds, lower latency, and higher network capacity, 5G can provide seamless connectivity for a wide range of applications, from virtual and augmented reality to autonomous vehicles and smart cities. Digital infrastructure is among the government’s top priorities. Vietnam has set a target to be among the top 30 nations with the most advanced and robust digital infrastructure by 2025. Vietnam’s next wave of socio-economic development will come from innovation, science, and technology, driven by the digital economy.
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The Centre for Advanced 2D Materials (CA2DM) at the National University of Singapore (NUS), an innovator in the study of graphene and other 2-dimensional (2D) materials and the global leader in niobium products and technology, has created the first niobium-graphene batteries, which will solve all these problems.
Many modern gadgets, such as mobile phones, pacemakers, and electric vehicles, rely on batteries for electricity. Traditional lithium-ion batteries, on the other hand, have drawbacks such as safety issues, short life cycles, and lengthy charging periods.
Because traditional lithium-ion batteries have these limits, digital innovation has fuelled the development of novel battery technologies, such as niobium-graphene batteries, to overcome these concerns and revolutionise power solutions for modern gadgets.
The batteries are being evaluated at a new advanced battery laboratory that was recently created with a joint investment of USD 3.8 million (S$5 million) over three years, supported by the National Research Foundation of Singapore.
According to Professor Antonio Castro Neto, Director of CA2DM, the advanced battery laboratory is the most technologically advanced and well-equipped facility in Singapore for exploring new frontiers in battery technology.
The lab provides advanced equipment for researchers to generate new solid electrolytes, build diverse cell shapes, and ultimately put their inventions to the test. They have made great progress in developing niobium-graphene batteries, which are proving to be game changers in terms of safety, efficiency, and sustainability.
When compared to standard lithium-ion batteries, the pioneer niobium-graphene batteries have demonstrated superior performance and safety. Also, volatile, and flammable liquid electrolytes in lithium-ion batteries will be replaced by niobium-containing solid electrolytes, improving the safety and energy density of the innovative batteries.
Long life cycles, safety, fast charging, enhanced performance, and sustainability are all advantages of niobium-graphene batteries.
Niobium is the major active material in the negative electrode of batteries and is also used as an additive in the positive electrode. Graphene, on the other hand, is used to improve electronic conductivity and structural stability in both negative and positive electrodes.
The unique crystal structure of niobium materials in the negative electrode enables rapid charging without compromising the structure. Niobium materials in the positive electrode can increase ionic conductivity and protect the active material from degradation. In addition, the low density of graphene significantly enhances the electronic conductivity of both electrodes without diminishing the battery’s overall energy density.
In the first quarter of 2024, the final prototype of the niobium-graphene battery is anticipated to be completed.
As they have a longer lifespan than existing lithium-ion batteries, the new graphene-niobium batteries substantially reduce the total cost of ownership and have ultrafast charging capabilities. In addition, they offer a higher level of safety because even at high temperatures there is no danger of explosion.
In addition to being the first batteries to combine niobium applications on both the cathode and the anode, they also offer higher input and output power, a broader temperature operating range, and a higher state of charge. Thus, commercial and industrial applications, including regenerative braking systems for hybrid vehicles such as rails, trucks, and passenger cars; and heavy-duty applications, intralogistics, and cordless power tools, among others, can be developed for specific markets.
The new laboratory is outfitted with state-of-the-art facilities for advanced niobium-based batteries and solid electrolytes research and production.
The versatility of niobium-graphene batteries is a result of their high-performance capabilities. In the medical sector, they can power life-saving devices such as pacemakers and defibrillators, providing dependable and durable energy sources for life-saving procedures.
In the aerospace industry, batteries can be used in satellites and spacecraft to provide reliable and efficient power solutions for space missions. Niobium-graphene batteries are suitable for environments where dependability, longevity, and safety are of the utmost importance due to their durability and performance.
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India’s artificial intelligence (AI) supercomputer AIRAWAT (AI Research Analytics and Knowledge Dissemination Platform) located at the Centre for Development of Advanced Computing (C-DAC) in Pune ranked 75 out of 500 in a global supercomputing list. This achievement positions India as a leading nation in AI supercomputing worldwide, a press release said. The installation of this system is part of the government of India’s National Programme on AI (NPAI).
Speaking about the achievement, the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), Secretary, Alkesh Sharma, highlighted the significance of AI in the digital era. He said that India possesses a robust ecosystem and competitive advantage in AI, thanks to its abundant data availability, thriving digital economy, and skilled workforce. India has been actively engaged in applied AI, focusing on various domains such as natural language processing, image processing, pattern recognition, agriculture, medical imaging, education, health care, audio assistance, and robotics. The country is dedicated to leveraging AI technology to empower its citizens and organisations in tackling the most critical challenges faced by society and the economy, with the aim of making the world a better place.
The release mentioned that the proof of concept (PoC) AIRAWAT of 200 AI Petaflops Mixed Precision peak compute capacity is currently funded by MeitY and implemented by C-DAC. The AIRAWAT PoC of 200 AI Petaflops integrated with PARAM Siddhi – AI of 210 AI Petaflops gives a total peak compute of 410 AI Petaflops Mixed Precision and sustained compute capacity of 8.5 Petaflops (Rmax) Double Precision. The peak compute capacity (Double Precision, Rpeak) is 13 Petaflops.
AIRAWAT aims to enable technology and AI for the welfare of society, contributing to the socioeconomic growth of the nation. MeitY has already envisioned a roadmap for scaling up AIRAWAT to 1,000 AI Petaflops Mixed Precision compute capacity to cater to the current AI computational needs.
In alignment with the government’s Self-Reliant Mission, AIRAWAT will empower the academia, research labs, scientific community, industry, and start-ups to develop indigenous AI-enabled products/solutions to solve India-specific challenges and complex real-life problems. This AI infrastructure will enable the country to achieve the vision envisaged under NPAI.
According to the press release, C-DAC has been a pioneer of high-performance computing (HPC) and AI right from its inception. The Ministry has always been supportive of the implementation of larger supercomputing systems to accelerate innovation in science and technology. It said that C-DAC should enable easy access to state-of-the-art infrastructure to the Indian community at a nominal cost.
An official noted that supercomputing is a core strength of C-DAC. Over the past three and half decades C-DAC has been carrying out research and development in supercomputing and AI. MeitY has entrusted C-DAC to deploy the supercomputers under the National Supercomputing Mission (NSM) for the Indian scientific and research community. The government is making consistent efforts to be at par with global standards, the official claimed.
NSM, which is spearheaded by the Department of Science and Technology and MeitY, aims to empower national academic institutions across the country by installing a supercomputing grid comprising over 70 HPC facilities. The supercomputers will also be networked on the National Supercomputing grid over the National Knowledge Network (NKN). The NKN is another programme of the government, which connects academic institutions and research and development labs over a high-speed network.