High Tech Singapore: Part 1

This special edition of Computer Chronicles is the first of three shows where we travel to Singapore. In this episode, we'll show you how the country is distinguishing itself in Asia to be a living-working laboratory for advanced technologies. [Episode #1939, First broadcast 6/11/2002] Singapore is a country without natural resources, so investing in its people becomes crucial in achieving a model high-tech society of the future. Canberra Secondary School is one example of how Singapore is investing technology in schools to create high quality education. Vice Principal Leon Meng Yin shows us how students use smart cards to record their attendance and order their lunches. Chowiz.com is a web-based system that provides a cashless lunchroom and allows parents to monitor their children's consumption. We also see the school's e-newspaper and radio station that students produce using iMacs. Ng See Sing, General Manager of National Computer Systems explains how SMS applications can be utilized in education situations to communicate test results to students and to inform parents of their children's progress. Then we visit an e-learning company, Ednovation, to see how this Singaporean company is going beyond CD-ROMs to provide educational programming on the Web. Richard Yen, Managing Director of Ednovation, says since 90% of the population here has access to broadband, so the essential infrastructure is in place to pipe learning materials into the home. And, the public library, located in a shopping mall in Singapore, uses technology to make learning more accessible. They use RFID cards, or Radio Frequency ID, in books to automate checking in and out. You can also use your cell phone to check out books and get a SMS when your book is available. Singapore is also a country challenged for space so technology is also being used here to relieve congestion. The ERP, or Electronic Road Pricing System, monitors and regulates traffic into the main city with a smart