SMU welcomed Mr Teo Chee Hean, Deputy Prime Minister and Chairman of the National Research Foundation (NRF) for a visit to Fujitsu-SMU Urban Computing & Engineering Corp Lab (UNiCEN) in the afternoon of 21 June 2016.

The delegation was greeted by SMU President Prof Arnoud De Meyer, NRF CEO Prof Low Teck Seng, SMU Vice Provost Research and Dean of School of Information System Prof Steven Miller, Fujitsu Corporate Executive Officer, Head of Innovation Planning & Promotion Unit Mr Akihisa Kamata, and Executive Director of A*STAR Science and Engineering Research Council Prof Tan Sze Wee.

UNiCEN is a synergistic industry-university partnership jointly funded by Fujitsu Limited and the National Research Foundation under the Corp Lab @ University Scheme. UNiCEN’s mission is to conduct industry-relevant R&D by combining computing, behavioural economics and management science approaches to create intelligent systems to address local urban challenges and conduct test-bedding in Singapore. UNiCEN is also the SMU-arm of the Urban Computing & Engineering Centre of Excellence (CoE) – a Public-Private Partnership between Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), Fujitsu Limited (Fujitsu) and Singapore Management University (SMU) established on 15 Oct 2014. The lab’s current research focus are Dynamic Mobility & Flow Management and Maritime, Port & Logistics Optimisation.

For the visit, the UNiCEN team showcased prototype agent-based simulators and mobile app to be used for test-bed with industry partners.

Prof Lau Hoong Chuin, Director of UNiCEN, kicked off the series of presentations by providing an overview of the lab, including its genesis, mission and vision, research methodologies and research areas. Prof Lau, together with Dr Teng Teck Hou, then presented their research project “People Flow Simulation and Management in High Density Venues”.

Assistant Prof Akshat Kumar of SMU School of Information Systems then presented his research project “Maritime Traffic Prediction and Optimisation”, followed by Associate Prof Cheng Shih-Fen, Deputy Director (Research) of UNiCEN who presented on “Mobility on Demand for Future Cities”. Mr Ryoichi Yamaura and Dr Eiji Kitagawa, Co-Director and Research Manager of UNiCEN respectively, shared Fujitsu’s research activities on “Incentive-based Crowd Management” and vision on commercialization. Dr Hazel Khoo, Deputy Executive Director of A*STAR Science and Engineering Research Council, rounded off by the presentations by sharing the benefits of CoE and leveraging on the public-private partnership to solve industry partners’ challenges.

The presentations inspired searching questions and further discussions on converting crowds, queues and congestion to consumers, convenience and consumption.

[Photos: Prof Lau Hoong Chuin provided an overview of UNiCEN and his research project, while Mr Ryoichi Yamaura spoke about Fujitsu’s research activities and vision.] (Photos: Mr Wong Foo Lam, UNiCEN)

[Photo: Fujitsu Corporate Executive Officer, Head of Innovation Planning & Promotion Unit Mr Akihisa Kamata sharing his views on UNiCEN.] (Photo: Mr Wong Foo Lam, UNiCEN)

[Photo: After the presentations and discussion, DPM Teo met and interacted with several UNiCEN researchers and students.] 

[Photo: DPM Teo rounded off his 2-hour visit with a short tour of SMU Labs which comprises a variety of learning spaces for individual study and group work. He is seen here interacting with several SMU students.] 

[Featured photo: (L-R) UNiCEN Director Prof Lau Hoong Chuin; Mr Wong Heng Chew, Country President, Fujitsu Singapore; Executive Director of A*STAR Science and Engineering Research Council Prof Tan Sze Wee; NRF CEO Prof Low Teck Seng; Deputy Prime Minister and Chairman of NRF Mr Teo Chee Hean; SMU President Prof Arnoud De Meyer; Fujitsu Corporate Executive Officer, Head of Innovation Planning & Promotion Unit Mr Akihisa Kamata; SMU Vice Provost Research and Dean of School of Information System Prof Steven Miller.] (Photo: Mr Wong Foo Lam, UNiCEN)