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Straits Times
2 days ago
- Business
- Straits Times
Firm behind wireless alert buzzer for seniors wins DBS award; device coming to more rental flats
The button lets seniors – particularly those living alone or without family support – reach emergency services with a single press. ST PHOTO: JASON QUAH Firm behind wireless alert buzzer for seniors wins DBS award; device coming to more rental flats SINGAPORE – A local firm has clinched a contract potentially worth more than $50 million to extend its emergency buzzer system for seniors to 170 additional rental blocks over the next five years, after a successful pilot since 2019. The wall-mounted, wireless red button lets seniors – particularly those living alone or without family support – reach emergency services with a single push. The expanded roll-out is part of a second contract awarded to Singapore-based tech firm iWow Technology in early 2025 by the Government Technology Agency (GovTech) to procure wireless alert devices for more seniors in Housing Board rental flats over the next five years. The devices are developed by Buddy of Parents (BOP) – a subsidiary company of iWow – which on May 29 received a $1 million grant under DBS Foundation's Impact Beyond Award for its efforts to support seniors and caregivers through smart technology. The award will support the development of new products and the firm's outreach to vulnerable seniors and international growth, said BOP executive director Chen Jer Yaw. Mr Chen said: 'As part of the grant, there are milestones that we will have to hit, such as the number of people (who will benefit from) our products and services... We are committed to fulfilling these milestones and to support more seniors.' The company will focus on the distribution of emergency buzzers for HDB, which is expanding its initiative to provide wireless alert devices to seniors. Some 36,800 seniors aged 60 and above are expected to have the devices installed for free by 2030, according to a spokesperson in a joint statement by HDB and GovTech. As at February, at least 10,000 seniors living in 50 public rental blocks have had the wireless devices installed, the spokesperson added. Seniors with older models will soon receive a new device, which has improved durability and performance. Each BOP button is connected to a 24-hour hotline, giving vulnerable seniors, especially those who live alone or lack family support, a way to seek help in life-and-death situations. (From left) BOP executive director and iWow senior vice-president Chen Jer Yaw, iWow CEO and executive director Raymond Bo and iWow chief marketing officer Ashokan Ramakrishnan with the new wireless alarm system for seniors. ST PHOTO: JASON QUAH The alert alarm devices have been triggered around 20,200 times since the system's roll-out to rental flats in November 2019, according to HDB and GovTech. Roughly 1,600 required emergency help, while the rest were non-urgent calls or accidental presses , they said . The button is an upgrade of an older pull-cord system, which seniors use to activate an alarm at their block's void deck to alert people in the vicinity or an active ageing centre during working hours. The new devices come with better batteries that exceed five years, and two-way voice calling for users to speak to operators over the phone. They are also resistant to water and dust – a requirement under GovTech's tender – so the devices can be placed reliably in bathrooms, where the risk of falls is higher. Announced by iWow in February, the contract with GovTech includes the option to purchase its fall detector module and portable alert device over the next 10 years. BOP's catalogue of devices includes a wall-mounted infrared scanner with image-recognition software to tell when someone has fallen and is in need of assistance. The DBS Foundation also gave the Impact Beyond Award to three other businesses, which are tackling urgent needs among ageing residents, from nearly 100 submissions worldwide. One of them is Hong Kong's Evercare Health – a health tech platform which developed a mobile app for patients and caregivers to schedule appointments, contact staff members and make payment. The award will support the firm's development of artificial intelligence-powered medical notes to improve the efficiency of healthcare services. Another award recipient is India's Life Circle Health Services, which operates a mobile app that connects families with trained caregivers based on their needs. DBS has disbursed $21.5 million in grant funding to more than 160 social enterprises and recipients since 2015. Join ST's WhatsApp Channel and get the latest news and must-reads.
Straits Times
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Straits Times
MHA to conduct social experiments in June to test public's response to terror threats
MHA said the authorities will be around to ensure public safety. ST PHOTO: JASON QUAH MHA to conduct social experiments in June to test public's response to terror threats SINGAPORE – Several social experiments will be conducted in the heartland from early to mid-June to test how the public responds to terror incidents. These planned scenarios will involve actors and realistic props, said the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) on May 29. Declining to publicise details about the experiments, it said precautions will be taken to ensure that they cause minimal disruption to the public. MHA said the authorities will be around to ensure public safety. Reactions from members of the public will be recorded, and the footage will be used to create an educational web series to raise awareness about key SGSecure advisories, such as 'Run, Hide, Tell' and 'Press, Tie, Tell'. The first episode will premiere on July 30. SGSecure is a national movement launched in 2016 to prepare Singaporeans to deal with terrorist attacks and equip them with skills to handle a crisis. Run, Hide, Tell involves moving away from danger, staying out of sight, and informing the authorities. When dealing with casualties during emergency situations, members of the public can stop a victim from bleeding by applying pressure to the wound (press), securing it with a strip of cloth (tie), and calling 995 for help (tell). In its statement, MHA advised members of the public to remain vigilant and report any suspicious activities to the authorities. During an SGSecure roadshow at Suntec City in July 2024, Minister for Home Affairs K. Shanmugam had said: 'We have kept Singapore safe and secure so far. So as a result, people don't think that there will be a terror attack. 'It's not in people's minds. But that doesn't mean an attack won't happen here.' In 2024, the Internal Security Department (ISD) said in its annual report that terrorism threats here have increased since the Gaza war began. Said ISD: 'While there is no indication of an imminent attack, the terrorism threat to Singapore remains high. Global developments and conflicts have generated emotive responses worldwide, including acts of violence, and terrorist elements have leveraged such conflicts to call for attacks. These developments have impacted Singapore's internal security.' A 2023 report by the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies (RSIS) found that lone wolves were the main terror threat to Singapore. In October 2024, a 17-year-old boy was arrested before he could carry out an attack on non-Muslims in Tampines during the September school holidays. Lone wolves have also been responsible for violent incidents abroad, using everyday objects as weapons. On May 23, a German woman was arrested after stabbing 18 people at a train station in Hamburg. In October 2023, a 14-year-old boy with a handgun opened fire at Siam Paragon in Bangkok, killing a Chinese tourist and a Myanmar national. Five others were injured. And in the latest incident involving a public security threat on May 26, a 53-year-old British man drove his vehicle into a crowd of Liverpool fans during a parade celebrating the football club's Premier League title, injuring around 50 people. Claudia Tan is a journalist at The Straits Times covering the crime and court beat. Join ST's WhatsApp Channel and get the latest news and must-reads.
Straits Times
3 days ago
- Business
- Straits Times
Award-winning wireless alert device for seniors to be installed in more rental flats
The button lets seniors – particularly those living alone or without family support – reach emergency services with a single press. ST PHOTO: JASON QUAH Award-winning wireless alert device for seniors to be installed in more rental flats SINGAPORE - A local firm has clinched a contract potentially worth more than $50 million to extend its emergency buzzer system for seniors to 170 additional rental blocks over the next five years after a successful pilot since 2019. The wall-mounted, wireless red button lets seniors – particularly those living alone or without family support – reach emergency services with a single press. The expanded roll-out is part of a second contract awarded to local tech firm Buddy of Parents (BOP) in early 2025 by the Government Technology Agency (GovTech) to procure wireless alert devices for more seniors in Housing Board rental flats over the next five years. Specialising in wireless devices and seniorcare tech, BOP is owned by Singapore-based iWow Technology, which made a name for itself developing the TraceTogether contact-tracing tokens used here during the Covid-19 pandemic. On May 29, BOP received a $1 million grant under DBS Foundation's Impact Beyond Award for its efforts to support seniors and caregivers through smart technology. The award will support the development of new products and the firm's outreach to vulnerable seniors and international growth, said BOP executive director Chen Jer Yaw. Mr Chen said: 'As part of the grant, there are milestones that we will have to hit, such as the number of people that will be benefited by our products and services... We are committed to fulfilling these milestones and to support more seniors.' The company will focus on the distribution of emergency buzzers for HDB, which is expanding its initiative to provide wireless alert devices to seniors. A total of some 36,800 seniors aged 60 and above are expected to have the devices installed free of charge by 2030, according to a spokesperson for HDB. As at February, at least 10,000 seniors living in 50 public rental blocks have had the wireless devices installed, HDB's spokesperson added. Seniors with older models will soon receive a new device, which has improved durability and performance. Each BOP button is connected to a 24-hour hotline, giving vulnerable seniors, especially those who live alone or lack family support, a way to seek help in life-and-death situations. (From left) IOT Solutions EVP Chen Jer Yaw, CEO and executive director Raymond Bo and chief marketing officer Ashokan Ramakrishnan with iWow's new wireless alarm system for seniors. ST PHOTO: JASON QUAH The alert systems have been triggered around 20,200 times, ince the system's roll-out to rental flats in November 2019, according to HDB. Roughly 1,600 required emergency help, while the rest were non-urgent calls or accidental presses, it said. The button is an upgrade of an older pull-cord system, which seniors can use to activate an alarm at their block's void deck to alert people in the vicinity or to an active ageing centre during working hours. The new devices come with better batteries that exceed five years, and two-way voice calling for users to speak to operators over the phone. They are also resistant to water and dust – a requirement under GovTech's tender – so the devices can be placed reliably in bathrooms, where the risk of falls is higher. Announced by iWow in February, the contract with GovTech includes the option to purchase its fall detector module and portable alert device over the next 10 years. BOP's catalogue of devices includes a wall-mounted infrared scanner with image-recognition software to tell when someone has fallen and is in need of assistance. The DBS Foundation awarded three other businesses, which are tackling urgent needs among ageing residents, from nearly 100 submissions worldwide. One of them is Hong Kong's Evercare Health – a health tech platform which developed a mobile app for patients and caregivers to schedule appointments, contact staff members and make payment. The award will support the firm's development of AI-powered medical notes to improve the efficiency of healthcare services. DBS also awarded India's Life Circle Health Services, which operates a mobile app that connects families with trained caregivers based on their needs. DBS Bank has disbursed $21.5 million in grant funding for more than 160 social enterprises and recipients since 2015. Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
Straits Times
4 days ago
- Business
- Straits Times
Real wages in Singapore up 3.2% in 2024 but fewer firms plan increases this year: MOM
Real wages grew 3.2 per cent in 2024, up from 0.4 per cent in 2023 as inflation eased, said MOM. ST PHOTO: JASON QUAH Real wages in Singapore up 3.2% in 2024 but fewer firms plan increases this year: MOM SINGAPORE - Real wage growth in Singapore picked up in 2024 as inflation eased, but could slow down this year due to ongoing geopolitical tensions and global trade uncertainties, said the Ministry of Manpower (MOM). Nominal total wages grew by 5.6 per cent in 2024 on the back of continued economic growth, which was comparable to the growth at 5.2 per cent in 2023. After accounting for inflation, which eased from 2023, r eal wages grew 3.2 per cent in 2024, up from 0.4 per cent in 2023, said MOM in its annual wage practices report released on May 28. MOM's forward-looking survey conducted in the first quarter of 2025 indicated a decline in the share of firms planning wage increases. The proportion of firms intending to do so dropped to 22 per cent in March 2025 from 32 per cent in December 2024. 'These trends point to a potential moderation in nominal wage growth in 2025 compared to 2024, especially in trade-reliant sectors such as manufacturing and wholesale trade,' MOM said. The ministry said eight in ten establishments remained profitable in 2024, just slightly lower than 82.1 per cent in 2023. The manufacturing sector saw an increase in profitable firms, while real estate services, construction and wholesale trade did not fare as well. The ministry noted that while more firms raised their employees' salaries in 2024, they did so to reward past organisational performance, rather than to signal forward-looking confidence. Only 3.2 per cent of the firms surveyed cut wages in 2024, down from 6.5 per cent in 2023. MOM said there is continued demand for skilled workers in sectors like the administrative and support services, financial services, as well as community, social and personal services. The administrative and support services reported the highest wage growth at 8.7 per cent i n 2024, largely due to the Progressive Wage Model. This was followed by the financial services at 6.7 per cent, and the community, social and personal services at 5.7 per cent. But wage growth in the manufacturing and wholesale trade industries were below average, coming in at 5.1 per cent and 4.2 per cent respectively, due to the ongoing geopolitical and trade tensions. These two trade-reliant sectors are expected to further moderate in 2025. Rank-and-file workers and junior management employees experienced slightly higher wage growth at 5.8 per cent and 5.6 per cent respectively, as compared to senior management at 5.1 per cent. 'Policy factors, such as increases in the local qualifying salary and the implementation of Progressive Wage Model initiatives have also contributed to higher wage increases among lower-income employees,' the ministry said. Meanwhile, 76 per cent of firms have adopted some form of flexible wage system, said MOM. This means they have either included a monthly variable component (MVC) or an annual variable component (AVC) into their wage structure. However, the share of firms which have fully adopted the flexible wage system remained low at 8.5 per cent. Firms that adopted at least one FWS component reported higher wage growth than those that did not. 'They were able to adjust the variable components to offer bonuses to employees during periods of good economic growth,' MOM said. Check out the Headstart chatbot for answers to your questions on careers and work trends.
Straits Times
5 days ago
- Politics
- Straits Times
SAF ‘constantly re-examining operations' to deal with new threats: Chan Chun Sing
(From left) Minister of State for Defence Desmond Choo, Senior Minister of State for Defence Zaqy Mohamed and Defence Minister Chan Chun Sing meeting ADF troopers at Nee Soon Camp on May 27. ST PHOTO: JASON QUAH SINGAPORE – As sirens rang, uniformed personnel sprinted across the lawns of Sembawang Country Club's golf course to a staging area, where two Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF) Apache AH-64D attack helicopters were scrambled to deal with a simulated threat. Within minutes, the helicopters also known as Apache Longbows were in the air. The operation, part of an ongoing drill known as Exercise Rover run by the RSAF's Air Power Generation Command, was witnessed on May 27 by new Defence Minister Chan Chun Sing. Also present were Senior Minister of State for Defence Zaqy Mohamed, newly-appointed Minister of State for Defence Desmond Choo, as well as Chief of Defence Force Aaron Beng and permanent secretaries for defence Chan Heng Kee and Melvyn Ong. The visit with the RSAF was one segment of Mr Chan's 'reacquainting' with the SAF on May 27, as Singapore's new defence minister also visited units involved in counter-terrorism operations in the Army, Navy and the Digital and Intelligence Service (DIS) and witnessed their training. At Nee Soon camp, Mr Chan spoke to troops from the Army Deployment Force (ADF), a 'high readiness' unit equipped with niche skills and capabilities to carry out a diverse range of operations, including responses to homeland security threats and disaster relief. Soldiers from the Army Deployment Force (ADF), a 'high readiness' unit equipped with niche skills and capabilities to carry out a diverse range of operations, including responses to homeland security threats and disaster relief. ST PHOTO: JASON QUAH He also observed the unit, all of whom are regulars, mounting equipment into armoured Peacekeeper Protected Response Vehicles as part of routine training. Before that, he observed the RSN's Maritime Security Task Force neutralising a simulated terrorist attack from the sea. He also visited the DIS's Joint Intelligence Command (JIC), where he received a briefing on its intelligence support for counter-terrorism operations. There, he interacted with personnel there who conduct round-the-clock intelligence monitoring. The DIS is the SAF's newest service and was inaugurated in October 2022, serving as its front-line force in the digital domain to detect, mitigate and repel potential aggressors. Two Republic of Singapore Air Force Apache AH-64D attack helicopters in action during Exercise Rover at Sembawang Country Club on May 27. ST PHOTO: JASON QUAH Speaking to reporters following his visits, Mr Chan, a former army chief, said he was happy to see how the SAF has progressed over the years, and that it was not resting on its laurels. Instead, the SAF knows that its role is not just about today's operations but also about planning forward. Noting that armed forces capabilities often take years to go from conceptualisation to becoming operational, Mr Chan said what he saw gave him confidence that the SAF will be able to deal with emerging threats. 'Many of the things that I saw this morning – some of them were capabilities that we were talking about many years ago, and today it's a joy to see them be operationalised,' he said. Join ST's WhatsApp Channel and get the latest news and must-reads.
