InspireCon 2025 – Opening address by SUTD President Professor Phoon Kok Kwong

President Tharman Shanmugaratnam, Chancellor, SUTD

Mr Lee Tzu Yang, Chairman, SUTD

Board of Trustees, faculty, students and staff,

Distinguished industry partners and guests,

Ladies and gentlemen,

A very good morning to everyone and a very warm welcome to SUTD’s very first InspireCon showcase!

As the name implies, InspireCon is a gathering of – creative and inquisitive minds, of innovative spirits eager to explore new frontiers of the unknown, and of enlightened professionals, keen to nurture new talent and always on the lookout for the Next Big Thing.

Indeed, InspireCon is a perfect platform for us to showcase SUTD and its Design AI innovations. As the world’s first Design AI university, SUTD doesn’t treat AI as a mere tool. AI, with its infinite possibilities, is viewed as a partner, a team player, a tool and sometimes, neither. With Design AI, human and machine are able to ideate, bounce ideas off each other to come up with innovative solutions that are several notches higher as compared to when a human instructs an AI to solve a problem. Team intelligence increases with diversity. Would diversity include a group of AI agents?

This, is what we call “Innovation Beyond Imagination.”

InspireCon 2025 marks a bold evolution from our past Capstone Showcase, which features solutions that have been developed by our final-year students working in interdisciplinary teams, and in collaboration with industry partners to solve real-world problems. While Capstone projects remain a cornerstone of this exhibition, we have expanded the platform to feature other promising student-driven innovations such as:

• Baby Shark Fund-supported projects—these are “micro-innovation” ideas supported by the Baby Shark Fund, a unique initiative that empowers our students to start their innovation journey with friends including those outside of SUTD; and

• Engineering Product Development (EPD) Term 5 and Term 7 projects that showcased exceptional creativity and technical ingenuity.

Altogether, 73 Capstone projects, 9 Baby Shark projects, and 6 EPD projects are on display today. These projects are not just academic exercises—they represent real solutions to real-world challenges. Many were developed in close collaboration with industry partners, addressing pressing issues in various sectors. Some are even sophisticated enough that industry partners are keen to continue working with our students to refine and develop them further. Some include the application of AI. All exhibit a strong awareness that serving human needs precedes technological solutions. Let me quickly highlight a few projects that embody the spirit of innovation at SUTD.

EmpathIQ is an AI-powered communication coach designed for Tan Tock Seng Hospital. By utilising an interactive avatar and data-driven insights, it helps future healthcare professionals refine their patient communication skills in a structured and consistent manner, replacing the need for traditional role-playing training.

Another interesting project is Fitback, an AI-powered sizing solution that extracts accurate body measurements and maps them to retailer-specific size charts, reducing returns and promoting sustainability within the fashion e-commerce industry.

ObstaX is a Baby Shark Fund-supported micro-innovation, designed as a hands-free navigational system for the visually impaired. Worn like a pair of goggles, this assistive technology leverages AI for real-time navigation, sign recognition, and hand guidance, enhancing accessibility and independence.

And then there is Voller, an innovative project by our EPD students that takes innovation beyond technology through product design. Voller is a modular, wrist-mounted multi-tool that integrates a tape dispenser, wrench, pliers, measuring tool, and screwdriver into a compact wearable device, demonstrating how creative thinking can bring practical solutions into everyday life.

I have singled out but a few of the many amazing projects we have on display today. Please do go around to look at each and every one of them if you can – I assure you, you would have fun interacting with our students and their innovations.

Thank you, and I wish you all a fruitful and inspiring visit!