Students' science project may become soldiers' key defence strategy
By Evelyn Choo, Channel NewsAsia | Posted: 18 March 2007 1604 hrs

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SINGAPORE: A science project by two school students could very well become a key defence strategy used by soldiers.

Using what is called Electrochromism, the students created a soldier's uniform that can blend into any surrounding.

They achieved this by using a material that can change colours.

This is one of the many projects by secondary and JC students under the Young Defence Scientists Programme (YDSP), which has been running successfully for the last 15 years.

This year, a new scholarship has been introduced so that students can come up with even more ideas.

Foo Ming Qing, student at Raffles Junior College, said: "We were introduced to many aspects of defence such as camouflage, survivability of the soldier in the desert or in the battlefield – carrying a power pack; how to generate electricity for the soldier on the move. These are examples of new technologies that we have learnt for the soldier."

Like Ming Qing, some 200 students in this programme were exposed to research and project work that use modern technology over the past year.

It is a programme initiated by the Defence Science Technology Agency and DSO National Laboratories.

The two agencies hope to build a steady pool of defence scientists who could ensure Singapore's technical edge in defence and security, especially given the country's limited resources.

Teo Chee Hean, Defence Minister, said: "In defence, we are harnessing infocomm technologies, advance sensors, artificial intelligence, robotics and precision weapons to enable us to transform the SAF into an integrated and networked fighting force, capable of seeing first, understanding better, deciding faster and engaging more effectively."

And to promote academic excellence in Science and Technology, 30 students received the newly-launched YDSP scholarship valued at S$1,000 each.

And for 45 students who excelled in Physics and Maths, they got a S$200 book voucher each as part of the YDSP Academic Awards.



- CNA/so