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A team of scientists at Nanyang Technological University, Singapore (NTU Singapore) has developed grain-sized soft robots that can be controlled using magnetic fields for targeted drug delivery, paving the way to possible improved therapies in the future.   The new soft robot developed by engineers at NTU’s School of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering (MAE) was reported in a paper published in the scientific journal Advanced Materials.   The study is believed to be the first reported instance of miniature robots that can transport up to four different drugs and release them in reprogrammable orders and doses.   Compared to earlier small-scale robots which can only carry up to three types of drugs and cannot be programmed for release in order, the newly developed miniature robots offer precision functions that have the potential to significantly improve therapeutic outcomes while minimizing side effects, said the research team.   The NTU team had previously developed magnetically controlled miniature robots capable of complex maneuvers such as ‘swimming’ through tight spaces and gripping tiny objects.   Building on their earlier work, lead investigator, Assistant Professor Lum Guo Zhan from the School of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering (MAE), said the team was inspired by the 1960s film ‘Fantastic Voyage’, in which a submarine crew was shrunk to the size of a cell to repair damage in an injured scientist's brain.   “What was a scenario in a sci-fi movie is now becoming closer to reality with our lab’s innovation. Traditional methods of drug delivery like oral administration and injections will seem comparatively inefficient when stacked up against sending a tiny robot through the body to deliver the drug exactly where it is needed,” Asst Prof Lum said. All credit to NTU Singapore.   https://lnkd.in/gNMSBJax

One of the most persistent challenges for managers is keeping employees passionate and motivated over time. New research from the Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK) Business School reveals that passion for work can be cultivated and sustained by encouraging employees to proactively shape their own work or “job crafting”. This insight offers practical solutions for managers aiming to maintain long-term enthusiasm and commitment within their teams.   Key findings:   - Passion for work can be developed on the job and sustained over time through proactive “job crafting.” - Job crafting means employees shape their tasks and goals to align with their interests and values, creating a feedback loop that reinforces their passion for work. - Employees who engage in job crafting are more likely to exhibit “harmonious passion,” leading to higher satisfaction and performance.   The study, co-authored by Professor Li Wendong, Associate Professor in the Department of Management at CUHK Business School, garnered responses from more than 3,500 participants at a German company about their work experiences and behaviors over a period of 15 months.   How Job Crafting Fuels Passion Job crafting refers to employees' proactive efforts to shape their work to better fit their strengths, values, and interests. The research found that job crafting not only sustains passion but also reinforces it, creating a positive feedback loop. Employees who take control of their work environment and shape it to suit their preferences can sustain their passion over time, resulting in improved performance and job satisfaction.   Harmonious vs. Obsessive Passion The study distinguishes between two types of passion: "harmonious" and "obsessive." Employees with harmonious passion are driven by intrinsic motivations, aligning their work with their genuine interests and values. They are more likely to engage in meaningful job crafting, experience greater satisfaction, and achieve personal growth. These employees integrate their work into their lives in a balanced way, allowing them to thrive in their roles.   On the other hand, employees with obsessive passion feel compelled to work due to external pressures, such as the need for social acceptance or meeting others' expectations. While these employees may still engage in job crafting, it is less effective, and they are prone to negative emotions like anxiety and burnout.   Practical Implications for Managers The study findings offer actionable insights for managers looking to sustain employees’ passion and engagement at work. Encouraging job crafting and providing employees with the flexibility to align their work with their values can help maintain passion over time. By fostering an environment where employees can shape their work to match their strengths and interests, companies can help sustain motivation, leading to higher performance and long-term success. #workforce #perfomance #engagement All credit to CUHK Business School.

A well-known saying in the security industry goes: "There are two types of companies: those that have been hacked, and those who don't yet know they have been hacked." Despite this stark reality, the problem still persists — countless businesses in Singapore and Malaysia are forced to pay ransoms due to weak data recovery systems and operational disruptions. Most even give in to hackers willingly, fueling a vicious cycle that puts even more organizations at risk. Even the 'world’s best airport' isn’t immune. One of the biggest challenges is maintaining a skilled workforce with specialized skills needed to counter sophisticated malware, ransomware, and phishing attacks. Using VPNs on unsecured networks and regularly updating antivirus and anti-malware software are critical security measures. Without them, organizations leave a backdoor open for cybercriminals to exploit. As remote work remains prevalent, companies must actively assist employees in implementing these essential protections. Governments need to step up too — by imposing strict penalties on Black hats and launching educational campaigns to raise awareness of preventive measures among all age groups. Plus, forming bilateral agreements with high-risk countries could help target cybercrime syndicates and carry out raids on sites linked to cybersecurity attacks. #cyberattacks #cybersecurity #ransomware #security #malware https://lnkd.in/gbKmQGbz

Artificial intelligence will continue to drive the technology sector in 2025, but firms will be under pressure to show returns. • Next year will be the year of realism for artificial intelligence (AI), as users struggle to deliver returns on their investment. Most companies will still be at the proof-of-concept stage for implementation. • Semiconductor demand will be driven by AI rather than by traditional devices, but geopolitics and the tense relationship between China and the West will continue to trump economics when it comes to production decisions. • Regulation of online content will start to converge, rebalancing the relationship between internet companies and states. However, governments will still diverge over the values driving regulation. • More countries will turn on satellite internet services, but use cases will be limited to enterprise clients: military and maritime. Amazon’s Kuiper will disrupt the market duopoly of Starlink and EutelSat OneWeb. EIU called 2023 the year of experimentation for artificial intelligence (AI), and 2024 the year of implementation as companies started using the technology across multiple business processes. Although 2025 could be the year of monetization, it will rather be the year of realism, as we do not expect these investments to start creating returns on investment as hoped. Many companies will continue trialing the technology, but further scaling up will be necessary, especially for generative AI, before it becomes profitable for its users. #telco #tech #EIU #geopolitics #chipmaker #semiconductor #uselections #china Continue reading here: https://lnkd.in/emJSqgcn

On October 8, 2024, LinkedIn officially retired its gold Top Contributor Voice badge, due to it becoming less meaningful over time due to various issues. The badge, which was awarded to users contributing to collaborative articles, was given out automatically based on activity rather than the quality of contributions. This led to a decline in its perceived value as even repetitive or low-quality content could earn the badge. Many users felt the badge no longer represented true thought leadership, as it became associated with shallow or AI-generated content. Additionally, the badge’s temporary nature (expiring after 60 days) encouraged users to chase badges rather than focus on providing valuable insights. To restore credibility and quality on the platform, LinkedIn decided to discontinue the badge, with the goal of potentially introducing a more curated and meaningful recognition system in the future. One lesson that can be drawn from this situation is that, in the age of AI, it is becoming almost impossible to control quality of content in real-time and so, all social media content becomes problematic by extension. A second lesson is that, for those contributors who shared their knowledge in earnest, the path forward to establishing themselves as experts in their field has to extend past the social media realm. And as far as this publication is concerned, any expertise has to be based on a foundation of truth, pragmatism and output, rather than regurgitated content and curated self-presentations. #linkedin #impressionmanagement #selfpresentation #expert #collaborator #socialmediacontent https://lnkd.in/grsDfiA9

Kearney’s 2024 Global Cities Report highlights that a new form of globalization is emerging, one that is more diversified, increasingly digital, and vastly uncertain in the near term.   Global Cities Index   The GCI measures the connectivity of cities across five dimensions including business activity, human capital, information exchange, cultural experience, and political engagement, underpinned by 31 metrics. This year’s GCI introduced new metrics to reflect the macro changes in the global operating environment, including measures of digital readiness and human mobility. Global cities have showcased remarkable resilience, with average scores rising across every dimension.   Singapore overtook Beijing to take the fifth position this year, jumping from seventh place in last year’s GCI, due to a boost in the business activity dimension, its success in the human capital dimension, a near perfect score in the ease of entry metric, and strong digital capabilities. Meanwhile, Shanghai’s leap to eighth place was attributed to the inclusion of the new information exchange metrics, with the Chinese tech center ranked second globally for internet speed and eighth globally for data center presence.   Top 10 cities in the 2024 Global Cities Index are: New York London Paris Tokyo Singapore Beijing Los Angeles Shanghai Hong Kong Chicago   Within APAC, Southeast Asian cities also recorded remarkable progress in the wider ranking, with Kuala Lumpur jumping 17 places to claim the 55th spot, while Bangkok took the 34th spot, a jump from 45th place last year. Notably, Kuala Lumpur’s position was shaped by increases in nearly all dimensions, with significant rises in business activity and human capital, including strong performance in the new ease of entry metric. Additionally, Bangkok’s performance was attributed to improvements in dimensions such as business activity, cultural experience, and information exchange.   Global Cities Outlook   While the GCI captures the current state of global city leadership, the Global Cities Outlook (GCO) aims to identify those cities most likely to achieve global prominence in the future. This year, the outlook exhibited significant dynamism with emerging hubs continuing to rise in hopes of rivaling the dominance of established leaders. San Francisco, Munich, Copenhagen, Luxembourg, and Seoul topped the list.   European cities continue to perform strongly on the GCO, but like the GCI, APAC cities have also recorded improvements, with Seoul, Tokyo, Osaka, and Perth jumping in places, solidifying their future status as global hubs. Meanwhile, Asian cities such as Mumbai, Ahmedabad, Kolkata, Surabaya, Kuala Lumpur, Ho Chi Minh City, Seoul, Osaka, and Yokohama, have seen elevated Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) rankings, a key metric of the GCO, as companies look to diversify their business as part of the China Plus One strategy. #kearney #cities #newyork #tokyo #singapore #london #paris

CBRE just released the Asia Pacific Trends Q3 2024, featuring in-depth insights on the Investment, Office, Retail, Industrial & Logistics, and Hotel markets across major APAC markets.   Asia Pacific commercial real estate investment volume amounted to US$32.9 billion for Q3 2024 as investment sentiment improved ahead of September’s U.S. interest rate cut. This represents a significant increase of 37% year-on-year.   Mainland China and Japan are the two largest market while there is significant growth of investment interest in Australia among international capitals.   Investment Domestic capital continues to dominate in Japan; overseas buyers target offices, residential and hotels. Purchasing activity in Australia picks up from last year’s low base but most investors await interest rate cuts. Investment volume picks up in Hong Kong SAR on the back of mainland China and Singaporean inbound investment.   Office Increase in new supply in Thailand drives flight to quality and prompts landlords to rethink leasing strategies. Leasing softens in Australia amid more cautious sentiment; return-to-office continues slowly. Leasing volume in Hong Kong SAR improves year-to-date; landlords seek to retain tenants with competitive packages.   Retail   Two-tiered market in Singapore persists with robust demand downtown but slower activity in secondary areas. Demand holds firm in India despite slower retail sales, but supply remains tight. Improved return to office in Australia underpins steady leasing demand across most retail categories.   Industrial & Logistics  Leasing demand remains subdued in Hong Kong SAR but momentum set to improve amid growing deal pipeline. Weaker demand in Korea forces landlords to offer aggressive incentives to secure tenants. Take-up remains healthy in Singapore despite softer demand as landlords turn accommodative to secure tenants.   Hotel Concerts, events and MICE travel boost hotel operating performance in Singapore. Enduring tourism and business demand underpin Japan, the strongest performing market in Asia Pacific. Performance remains stable in the Maldives, with hotels conducting refurbishment and rebranding to stay relevant. #CBRE #asiapacific #realestate #investment

A new report by Schneider Electric reveals that 53% of Singapore companies plan to invest SGD700,000 or more in sustainable transitions over the next two years.   The top three areas where organizations are allocating their sustainability budgets are as listed. - Digitalization initiatives rank top (43% of organizations), which includes reporting platforms, systems optimization AI/process automation, carbon management platform - Supply chain sustainability ranks second (37% of organizations), which includes initiatives which foster collaboration with suppliers to ensure sustainable sourcing practices and reduce environmental impact throughout the supply chain - Green solutions rank third (35% of organizations), which includes R&D, product redesign/sustainable product development, product circularity, sustainable packaging   Other findings from the report include: - The carrot and the stick driving sustainability equally: Compliance and long-term business value are now equal motivators for sustainability action, with 37% of businesses citing both as top drivers - Easier sustainability reporting: 52% of leaders say reporting on sustainability has become easier over the past year, thanks to clearer corporate strategies and advancements in technology - Shorter-term targets gaining momentum: 63% of companies are focused on setting short-term sustainability targets within the next five years, up from 59% in last year’s survey - Challenges remain: Economic uncertainty, budget constraints, and inadequate incentives continue to hold back further investment in sustainability efforts - Greenwashing concerns spur action: 73% of leaders are concerned about future accusations of greenwashing, prompting 90% of companies to take proactive measures, such as risk assessments and regular audits All credit to Schneider Electric.

Close to 40% of Singapore's Listed Companies that have enacted some sort of climate reporting for their FY2023 Net-Zero goals have turned to greenhushing this year (intentionally underreporting or downplaying their environmental and sustainability efforts to avoid scrutiny or backlash), according to South Pole’s Net-Zero 2024 survey. The survey also mentioned that the cases of greenhushing have been increasing across the surveyed countries and is present in every sector, with 70% of listed companies finding it more difficult to communicate their Net-Zero goals. So, why is are climate reporting efforts so difficult? 1. Constantly changing regulations.  Governments, industry bodies, and regulators are constantly updating rules and standards related to environmental impact, carbon emissions, and sustainability reporting. This creates challenges for companies to stay compliant, as they must: - Keep track of multiple regulatory frameworks (e.g., local, regional, and global rules). - Update their reporting processes and data collection to meet new requirements. - Adjust their strategies in response to evolving climate goals, such as the Paris Agreement targets or sector-specific decarbonization pathways. 2. Increased Demand for Transparency. Stakeholders, including investors, customers, and NGOs, are increasingly demanding detailed information on a company’s climate impact through - More granular data on carbon emissions, especially Scope 3 emissions, which are harder to track - Third-party verifications to ensure that reported data is accurate and aligned with sustainability targets. 3. Fragmented Standards and Frameworks. There is no single, universally accepted standard for climate reporting. Companies face a myriad of frameworks like the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI), Sustainability Accounting Standards Board (SASB), CDP (formerly the Carbon Disclosure Project), and ISO standards for environmental management. Navigating these overlapping or sometimes conflicting frameworks can make it difficult for companies to decide what data to report and how to structure their reports #greenhushing #esg #scope3 #netzero https://lnkd.in/gnGfpERv

The Innovate UK Global Incubator Program, a collaboration between Singapore Deep-Tech Alliance, Innovate UK, and Better Earth Ventures, returns this year with two delegations: Advanced Manufacturing and Cleantech. Companies participating in the program include:   Data and Digital for  a Lean Revolution  - Autentica aims to revolutionize spare parts supply chains with secure 3D printing and NFT-based digital transactions, safeguarding design integrity and intellectual property    - Invisu pioneers Industry 4.0 Digital Twin solutions for manufacturing, engineering, chemical, and logistics, offering unparalleled equipment lifecycle management to minimize downtime and maximize efficiency.   - Valuechain leads Industry 4.0 with advanced supply chain software, enhancing operational efficiency and sustainability through real-time data, supplier management, and carbon footprint analysis.  Breakthrough Models and Techniques  - GMP aims to transform new pharmaceutical formulation manufacturing and patient delivery using a streamlined 3D printing platform. - Holdson's Electroform™ machines offer a breakthrough in electrochemical polishing for metal components with patent-pending dynamic electrodes   - Planet Computer’s AI-Connect integrates a 'Zero Config' self-organizing system for real-time signal processing to predict maintenance needs, prevent failures, and enhance machinists' proficiency through human-centered AI feedback.      Resilient Water Systems  - Water Offsets promotes circular water economies with smart monitoring, AI insights, and comprehensive management.   - Waterwhelm introduces a patented Forward Osmosis (FO) technology for water reuse and desalination, which cuts energy use by 80%, with 35% lower costs.   - Molymem pioneers nanofiltration ceramics using proprietary coating technology, eliminating contaminants, offering versatile water treatment solutions.     Safer & Greener Urban Environments  - FloatSync pioneers a revolutionary plastic recycling system, designed to fit within a standard 20-foot shipping container, tackling six plastic types, offering versatility and accessibility anywhere.   - Mimicrete’s self-healing concrete technology revolutionizes infrastructure sustainability by promptly repairing cracks, reducing maintenance costs, and extending concrete lifespan   - Persium offers air pollution solutions with IoT sensors, analysis platform, and global consultancy. Decarbonising Industry  - BioBright merges monitoring tech with algae cultivation for real-time environmental monitoring and efficient carbon dioxide sequestration.   - Compact Syngas Solution provides a comprehensive solution covering hydrogen production, power and heat generation, storage, dispensing, and carbon capture/credits.   - Sterling Bio Machines pioneers advanced bioreactor technology for consistent, scalable, and cost-effective manufacturing, starting with cultivated meat and cellular agriculture.  Register here: https://lu.ma/mj41jift