Singapore Airlines (SIA) and the National University of Singapore (NUS) launched the SIA-NUS Digital Aviation Corporate Laboratory in January this year.
The $45 million research facility was jointly set up by SIA and NUS and supported by the NRF, the seventh corporate laboratory to be established at the university and the 19th in the country.
The Corporate Laboratory comes at an opportune time as the global aviation industry faces challenges from the Covid-19 pandemic. This is envisioned to help keep SIA vibrant and nimble and contribute to the development of a digital aviation and travel tech community in Singapore.
NUS President, Professor Tan Eng Chye said, “This significant collaboration will tap into NUS’ deep-tech and multi-disciplinary research expertise across artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning, data science, operations research and analytics, optimisation, sleep studies and industrial design, to deliver high value and productivity improvements for SIA, our country’s flagship carrier. The innovative technologies developed from the research will redefine the air travel experience for passengers worldwide, while accelerating the digital transformation of Singapore’s aviation sector.”
Singapore Airlines Chief Executive Officer Mr Goh Choon Phong adds, “By bringing together NUS’ wealth of research expertise and SIA’s knowledge and experience in the aviation sector, this Corporate Laboratory will strengthen our position at the forefront of digital innovation in the airline industry. It will lead to even more innovative solutions that can enhance the customer experience and travel journey, optimise revenue generation, and increase operational efficiency. Our collaboration with NUS will also reinforce Singapore’s position as a global aviation hub, with world-class research and cutting-edge technologies at the heart of our future development.”
According to NRF Chief Executive Officer Professor Low Teck Seng, “The partnership between SIA and NUS supports Singapore’s ongoing digital transformation as it adopts a data-driven research approach to develop rich insights and deployable technologies. With the strong industry experience from SIA and the multi-disciplinary capabilities from NUS, the Corporate Laboratory is primed to develop innovative and exciting solutions for the aviation sector, and take them to greater heights of excellence.”
The SIA-NUS Digital Aviation Corporate Laboratory is jointly headed by Professor Teo Chung Piaw, NUS Executive Director of the Institute of Operations Research and Analytics, and Mr Chan Mun Chung, Senior Manager at SIA’s Digital Innovation Lab. The Corporate Laboratory seeks to drive traveller-centric digital services, ensure security and safety in air travel, and enhance organisational effectiveness and workplace productivity for SIA and Singapore’s aviation sector.
Featuring state-of-the-art equipment such as a cabin simulator and a cockpit simulator with Augmented Reality (AR) and Virtual Reality (VR) technologies, the Corporate Laboratory will leverage NUS’ research expertise across its faculties and research institutes. The Lab will spur technological advancements in revenue management, skill development for pilots and cabin crew, employee wellness and passenger comfort via improved sleep and cabin services.
