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June 2006

ST Electronics And NTU Launch Joint PhD Research Programme

Singapore, 26 June 2006 — Singapore Technologies Electronics Limited (ST Electronics) through its wholly-owned subsidiary, ST Electronics (Training & Simulation Systems) Pte Ltd (STEE-T&S), will launch a new PhD research programme on simulation model validation with the Nanyang Technological University (NTU) in August this year. This is the first time STEE-T&S is collaborating with NTU on a PhD programme.

The PhD research programme aims to develop a generic validation framework, which can be used to conduct model validation in the absence of complete test data. This can then be applied in various industries such as aviation, defence and transportation. PhD candidates for the programme will commence their thesis at the School of Civil & Environmental Engineering in August 2006.

ST Electronics will provide a comprehensive customised testing ground, which includes simulators, simulation systems and software, for the PhD students while NTU will offer their expertise in the area of assessing the accuracy of the simulators developed. The success of this programme will result improved reliability of simulation modeling and will shorten time-to-market. For an example, using an accurate model validation to calculate the cargo load of an aircraft instead of conducting actual physical tests will allow the airline to potentially see savings of thousands of dollars, and avoid unnecessary risks.

This collaboration with NTU is very exciting and significant. This is the first time that a PhD programme is offered for the simulation industry in Singapore. We will also reap the full benefits of the fruits of the research and development work that has been invested in our simulation modeling. This collaboration better utilises the engineering expertise that will result in efficient management of resources for the local industry.

SEAH Moon Ming
President, ST Electronics

“We are excited about this collaboration with ST Electronics, an industry leader in this field. The joint PhD allows us to synergise our strengths and provide our students with the opportunity to work on an exciting project which could potentially be developed and applied in various industries.”

Professor PAN Tso-Chien,
Dean, School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, NTU

NTU's 12 schools span diverse disciplines – from engineering and the sciences to art, design and media. The university has a strong engineering college focused on innovation, a business school with one of the top 100 MBA programmes in the world, an internationally-acclaimed National Institute of Education, one of the best communication and information schools in Asia, and a biological sciences school at the forefront of Singapore’s life sciences initiative. The Institute of Defence and Strategic Studies is a world authority on terrorism issues.

STEE-T&S incorporates a comprehensive range of training features into its simulation-based training systems. It has developed and delivered high-end integrated, simulation-based training solutions for air, land and sea platforms as well as offering training solutions for e-learning and in digital media and animation.

Nanyang Technological University (NTU) is a research-intensive university with globally acknowledged strengths in science and engineering. The university has a beautiful garden campus and a distinguished lineage with roots that go back to 1955.

Ranked among the top 50 universities in the world, NTU has in place multi-country programmes and initiatives, many established through its strategic alliances with 300 institutions in more than 45 countries, including Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Stanford University, California Institute of Technology, Cornell University, Cambridge University, and Beijing University. For more information, visit www.ntu.edu.sg

ST Electronics, the electronics arm of ST Engineering, delivers innovative system solutions to government, commercial, defence, and industrial customers worldwide. It specialises in the design, development and integration of advanced electronics systems, such as broadband radio frequency and satellite communication, e-government solutions, information communications technologies, rail and traffic management, real-time command & control, training and simulation, intelligent building management, and information security and mobile commerce solutions. Please visit www.stee.stengg.com

Media contact:

Jackie Yu
Asst Director, Corporate Communications Office
Nanyang Technological University
Tel: (65) 6790 5417 / 9688 4269
Fax: (65) 6791 8494
Email: jackieyu@ntu.edu.sg

Magdalen Loh
AVP / Head, Corporate Communications
Singapore Technologies Electronics Limited
Tel: (65) 6413 1788 / 9822 3321
Fax: (65) 6484 8840
Email: magloh@stee.stengg.com

FACTSHEET

About the PhD Programme

The research and development focus of the PhD programme is in realising generalisation and automation of the modeling process as well as generalisation of validation and verification of simulation model and a set of simulation models. This will not only be for the individual functional module but for the whole simulation system.

ST Electronics (Training & Simulation Systems) will focus on productisation and the modeling process, resulting in the establishment of a model repository, while NTU will focus on theoretical study and conceptual analysis, from which NTU can establish a general framework on physical and mathematical representation of real object, especially for complex and large scale system.

Goal and Objectives

It is to generalise and automate the modeling process for the simulation system. And it shall provide a platform and environment to design, implement and deploy the simulation model based on VPMM (visual platform modular model) concept, which generates the simulation model independent of platforms and applications with high reliability. It shall provide a standardised process to develop and assemble simulation application with high confident levels like the way we assemble personal computers today.

A model validation method shall be proposed to conduct model validation without complete test data. It shall cover data validity, conceptual model validity, computerised model verification, and operational validity. A process of model validation shall be proposed and implemented as part of modeling environment. In the end, a tool based on the proposed method, process and available relevant standards shall be developed to support the computer-aided automatic/semi-automatic model validations.

Possible achievements:

Shorter time-to-market cycle with platform-independent model repository and standard process of model and system assembling.
Increased productivity of simulation system development.
Improved reliability of simulation modeling.