Remember the blade-less fans that once sounded incredulous to you? Dyson made that happen and today, Singapore is going to be at the heart of such revolutionary technology developed by the transformational British technology company.
As founder James Dyson unveils the new Technology Centre here in Singapore, alongside Minister for Trade and Industry, S. Iswaran today, we found that Dyson is investing £330m in its future in Singapore. There are big plans for the newly-minted centre with state-of-the-art development labs, and a razor-sharp focus on developing technologies for the future. This couldn’t be more fitting as the centre is situated amidst the start-up community and next to the National University of Singapore.
Singapore has become key in Dyson’s ambitious plans in developing envelope-pushing technology as the cream of the crop is currently here working on developing what’s said to be the next big thing – artificial intelligence (AI); alongside machine learning, robotics, fluid, dynamics, vision systems while integrating hardware, electronics and software. Sir James Dyson has noted that having good software would allow for better improvising of its products and provides relevant data to understand and respond to their environment.
In light of Dyson’s forward-looking vision, Dr. Beh Swan Gin, Chairman of the Singapore Economic Development Board, was hopeful that the presence of a trailblazing company like Dyson would bring about greater and more sophisticated employment in the areas of AI, machine learning and software development. He commented that it would attract young Singaporeans to the engineering industry while boding well for the country as we steer towards an innovation-led economy.
Globally, Dyson sells more than 13 million machines in 75 countries, using 4 billion components from over 500 suppliers. These figures are expected to double in the next four years based on volumes recorded in recent years. By 2020, Dyson aims to hire another 3, 000 engineers globally.
From opening its first facility at Science Park I with a small team of engineers in 2007, to expanding its headcount by 700% as it moved to a 3,000m² site at Alexandra Technopark in 2009, and now the new facility in Science Park I – Dyson has plans to grow the Singapore-based engineering team by 50%.
To date, V9 is the smallest motor Dyson has and it is able to move over 13 litres of air through the diameter of a 2p – just 27mm – every second. The impressive V9 DDM is also used in The Dyson Supersonic™ hair dryer – co-developed between Malmesbury and Singapore over 4 years – to develop a light, noise-free, fast, and smart hair dryer. The motor is up to eight times faster, yet around half the weight of conventional hair dryer motors.
These Dyson’s patented digital motors are produced at the advanced motor manufacturing facility in West Park, which is 30 minutes away from the Technology Centre. Drawing on Singapore’s expertise in advanced autonomous production, the production line relies on precision robotics to manufacture the high speed electric motors.
Found in 75 markets globally, Dyson Technology continues to see an increase in demand for its groundbreaking products as it innovates further – with Singapore lying at the crux of it all.
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