PU R S U IT O F E XC E L L E NC E
Human
Dr Teh being ‘hugged’ by the T.Jacket.
TOUCH Count Dr James Teh ( Engineering ’05), founder and CEO of local start-up T.Ware, as a proponent of the humanising power of technology. BY WANDA TAN
THE ADVENT OF WEARABLE
technology — sensor-laden clothing and accessories embedded with wireless connectivity — has heralded all manner of applications. From wrist-worn fitness trackers to virtual-reality gaming headsets, the possibilities are endless. And now there is even a locally-developed Bluetooth-enabled vest that is controlled by a smartphone or tablet; at the press of a button, deep touch pressure is activated to envelop the wearer in a comforting hug. Called the T.Jacket, it looks like a typical sleeveless hoodie — except it is designed for people with autism, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and other sensory-processing problems. Launched in 2011, the T.Jacket is the brainchild of researcher-turnedentrepreneur Dr James Teh, 34. It was not an overnight creation, but rather the culmination of a decade-long period at the National University of Singapore (NUS).
that allows humans to touch their pets remotely [with the aid of a specially-constructed pet jacket],” he recalls. After graduating in 2005 with a Bachelor of Engineering (Honours) in Computer Engineering, he went on to obtain a PhD in Electrical and Computer Engineering. Those postgraduate years saw him delve into human-computer interaction, which Dr Teh describes as “a blend of computer science, psychology and industrial design”. Based on the premise that children are more responsive to touch than voice recognition, he built on the work done for Pet Internet to develop the Huggy Pajama, a system that
HOW THE T.JACKET WORKS 5
Dr Teh’s interest in touch technology was piqued while conducting his final-year undergraduate project. “I was involved in research on the Pet Internet, a system 26
• Using an iOS or Android app, airbags inside the garment are inflated to apply pressure to the body. This simulates a hug, reducing the wearer’s anxiety and improving his or her attentiveness during seated activities like reading.
• The app interface features five different pressure levels for enhanced flexibility. The user can either choose from a range of automated pressure programmes or customise the intensity and duration of pressure applied.
• Built-in sensors monitor the wearer’s T.Jacket usage and movement activity. The data is recorded and stored in the cloud, enabling long-term tracking of the user’s progress and sharing of information with parents and therapists.
Main Photo Wilson Pang Others Courtesy Of T.Ware
PETS TO PEOPLE
military personnel suffering from posttraumatic stress disorder. 2016 looks set to be a big year enables parents to hug their kids for T.Ware. In January, it will launch remotely via wearable pyjamas. From a brand-new product called the Aira there, it was simply a matter of using jacket; aimed at the mass market, the the technology to help people with Aira provides targeted point pressure autism and attentional difficulties. on the upper and lower back to Bringing the novel technology to produce the sensation of a massage. market was another matter altogether The company also plans to roll out a — especially for Dr Teh who had no lighter, more breathable version of the prior business experience. But he was T.Jacket later in the year. In time, undaunted. “Anything you take on as component costs fall and the is a risk, be it becoming an academic volume of production rises, the price or starting a business,” he says of his of the T.Jacket — now US$599 decision to pursue the latter route. (about S$840) — will fall as well. “I wanted to impact more people, not Ever the optimist, Dr Teh believes just the academic community, with that growth in remote communication my invention.” technologies will bring people closer In 2010, Dr Teh was selected as a together rather than drive them apart. recipient for the inaugural NUS Extra “The wearable-tech industry enables Chapter Challenge, a six-month scientists and healthcare professionals fellowship for PhD students who to understand humans beyond the intend to commercialise their thesis clinical setting, resulting in better inventions. While developing his provision of care,” he says. “And that’s business plan, he received monthly what you want to do as an inventor: stipends and sat in on MBA classes. to impact and improve lives.” Indeed, the programme would serve Interacting with the as a crucial springboard for the special-needs community establishment of T.Ware in has also put his own life 2011 — just one month after into perspective. “The completing his PhD. challenges and obstacles faced by entrepreneurs IMPACTING LIVES are nothing compared Like most startups, to what parents of T.Ware began with a small autistic children go team of three people. through,” says the father Dr Teh credits NUS of two. “As long as you have Enterprise for providing tenacity, grit and belief in much-needed help during AIRA JACKET what you are doing, no problem those early days, especially with is too difficult to overcome.” public-relations issues such as engaging with the media and revising press releases. Today the T.Jacket is purchased by parents of autistic children, occupational therapists and early-intervention centres not only in Singapore but also in Japan, Belgium, Germany and Norway. The company currently consists of eight full-time staff and a couple of interns, among whom engineering, product-design and sales/marketing responsibilities are evenly split. Manufacturing work is outsourced, while partnerships are formed with distributors in other countries to Dr James Teh reach out to the global special-needs community. It is also carrying out trials of the T.Jacket with the United States Department of Veterans Affairs, to test its effectiveness on
ANYTHING YOU TAKE ON IS A RISK, BE IT BECOMING AN ACADEMIC OR STARTING A BUSINESS. I WANTED TO IMPACT MORE PEOPLE, NOT JUST THE ACADEMIC COMMUNITY, WITH MY INVENTION.
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