KrASIA is a media partner of TechInnovation 2021.
Climate change is impacting cities, creating challenges in terms of infrastructure, carbon footprint, food production, and health. It is crucial that we harness technology to transform and overcome the impact of climate change for future generations, and to make cities sustainable and resilient in the face of these challenges.
As such, IPI presents TechInnovation 2021 as a showcase of today’s innovative technologies that seek to sustainably use Earth’s resources, improve food production, and secure citizens’ health.
The TechInnovation virtual exhibition will be held between September 28 and 30. Over 160 exhibitors from 20 countries will showcase more than 400 solutions that tackle key challenges that exist today—to produce clean energy and reduce environmental waste, address the issue of excessive food waste, and enable better healthcare.
Recovery of precious materials from electronic waste
Globally, electronic waste is a major issue. For instance, the batteries used in electric vehicles could become an environmental waste hazard. It is estimated that some 2 million metric tons of the lithium-ion batteries that power these vehicles end up in landfills each year.
New solutions are needed for proper battery disposal, so they do not end up as hazardous waste. There must also be cost-effective solutions for the recovery of useful materials within the batteries.
To this end, the NUS Liaison Office will showcase a solution to produce clean and sustainable lithium through recycling. Using an electrochemical process, lithium iron phosphate (LFP) batteries can be recycled into its components, iron phosphate and lithium hydroxide. The benefits will translate into cost savings, reduction of wastewater and pollution, and less waste sent to landfills.
Italian IP platform Knowledge Share – Netval will present an energy and water-efficient recycling process that recovers more than 90% of high-purity indium and glass in liquid crystal display (LCD) panels. The process may be used in existing electronic waste recycling facilities as well as a variety of industries. It is seeking industry and research partners to license their technology and co-develop solutions to enable the recycling of photovoltaic panels, such as thin film solar panels made of copper indium gallium selenide (CIGS) cells and smartphone screens.
Building sustainable food systems
According to the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), we will have to produce 60% more food to feed a global population of 9.3 billion by 2050. However, current farming practices will not be able to meet that requirement. Alternative proteins present a solution.
At the TechInnovation 2021 exhibition, visitors can discover various alternative protein solutions. Food technology company Mosa Meat, exhibiting under the Netherlands Innovation Pavilion, is pioneering technology for cultivating meat and is open to licensing their technology across the production process.Indonesia’s National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN) will demonstrate its solution to turn fish waste into protein hydrolysate, a high-value ingredient that can be made into peptone suitable for the microbial growth media industry. As a food ingredient, protein hydrolysate is suitable for consumption by toddlers and seniors as it is easily digestible.
Humans are not the only ones that will need to eat. Sustainable insect protein solutions are also explored for livestock feed and more. An exhibitor, Nutrition Technologies, is using black soldier fly larvae to convert organic waste and byproducts into protein, oil, and frass (insect manure). The proteins and oil are used as high-value animal feed ingredients. Other uses of the byproducts include purifying the insect cuticle containing chitin into chitosan, which has a range of applications in the pharmaceutical industry.
Delivering healthcare through smarter systems
According to the World Health Organization, the global economy could create 40 million new health sector jobs by 2030. The Workforce 2030 report suggests that there could be a shortfall of 9.9 million physicians, nurses, and midwives globally. Unless there is major structural and transformational change in the healthcare system, the industry will struggle to be sustainable. One solution could be the applied use of technology.
RetinaRisk will showcase a software solution that could revolutionize diabetic eye care, for instance. Centered on a clinically validated algorithm, the solution accurately calculates the risk of sight-threatening diabetic retinopathy, which is one of the leading causes of blindness in the world. The solution facilitates early detection of the eye disease and allows for personalized care to enhance patients’ clinical safety. It can be used by healthcare institutions to improve patient clinical outcomes and optimize cost of care.
Another exhibitor, AlgoDx aims to improve patient outcomes and reduce healthcare costs by providing accurate prediction, diagnosis, and treatment support through their machine learning algorithm for autonomous sepsis prediction of intensive care unit (ICU) patients. The solution predicts sepsis onset in adult ICU patients and can alert clinicians about patients at risk of sepsis development for early clinical intervention.
160 global exhibitors are open for collaboration
TechInnovation 2021 will run for 24 hours a day from September 28 to 30, enabling exhibitors and attendees across all time zones to tune in to the conference, explore technologies and network with each other.
Playing technology matchmaker, IPI, an innovation catalyst and the organizer of TechInnovation, will facilitate meetings between technology seekers and providers that are seeking open innovation collaborations.
To view the international exhibitors and technology offers available for licensing and commercialization, please visit www.techinnovation.com.sg/website/26009/exhibitors/