Ericsson has committed an investment of S$10 million over two years in
setting up a CyberLab in Singapore to provide R&D in
Asia-centric data applications, and Internet applications for emerging
third generation (3G) telecommunications networks such as EDGE and WCDMA.
This is Ericsson’s third CyberLab in the world, after Silicon Valley and
New York, and will serve as a hub for coordinating research projects in
Asia, said Frank Reichert, director of Ericsson Research, CyberLab
Singapore.
CyberLab Singapore will be working with the local industry on developing
future wireless data terminals and applications, Chinese language-based
applications for information access and retrieval, and handwriting and
speech-based navigation.
“In Singapore, we have established close and very successful working
relationships with our partners. The effective knowledge transfer is a key
component of our decision to set up the CyberLab here,” Reichert said.
Ericsson started working with the Center for Wireless Communications
(CWC), which is a research arm of the National University of Singapore, and
Kent Ridge Digital Labs (KRDL) two years ago.
DelphiPad, a terminal prototype for demonstrating wireless multimedia
applications, is the result of CyberLabs Singapore’s collaborative efforts
with CWC. To be designed by a local product design firm Lawton & Yeo Design
Associates Pte Ltd, the prototype will be ready by end this year.
Besides developing future data terminals such as DelphiPad, CyberLab
Singapore will also focus on developing Chinese language-based applications.
“This is the first time Ericsson has a group dedicated to look into Chinese
[language] technology,” said Tng Tai Hou, program manager for
multi-lingual information access and retrieval at CyberLab Singapore.
He said CyberLab Singapore will be using existing technologies from Apple
Computer such as its SpeechPen products which include the Chinese Dictation
Kit and the Apple Chinese Integrated Suite.
CyberLab Singapore will also be using KRDL’s multi-lingual processing and
translation technologies.
These technologies will also contribute to the development of “knowledge
navigation” which is defined by Gareth Loudon, program manager for
knowledge navigation at CyberLab Singapore, as “how you search the Web
using your handwriting and voice on a mobile device [without the use of a
keyboard].”
“Everybody knows the paradigm of accessing information on the Web [using]
desktops with large screens and keyboards. We need to look at new ways that
we can interact with people and information from small devices. You
naturally want to do so with your mobile,” Loudon said.
