DSO building up SAF's technological edge

Fifty years since it was formed by the late Dr Goh Keng Swee to provide the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) with an edge in electronic warfare, DSO National Laboratories has become indispensable to the SAF and helped overcome many of its strategic vulnerabilities through science and technology, Defence Minister Ng Eng Hen said yesterday.

The national defence research and development organisation has steadily built up the SAF's technological edge to help the SAF exceed what it is naturally able to do given Singapore's small size and limited manpower, Dr Ng said at an exhibition to celebrate DSO's golden jubilee.

The exhibition, which is open only to staff and select guests, demonstrates DSO's innovations in fields such as cryptography, cyber security, miniaturised electronics, artificial intelligence (AI) and unmanned systems.

For instance, DSO has since last year been using AI to automatically detect digitally altered videos of people, or deepfakes, by picking up poorly rendered fine details such as hair, or unnatural lip movements.

It is also developing tools to overcome potential weaknesses in AI systems - for example, when an autonomous vehicle is fooled by markings on the ground and takes a wrong turn.

DSO also showcased its home-grown technologies that are embedded within systems to make them smarter and more robust.

These include a cryptography chip five times smaller and less power-intensive than commercial products.

It can be customised to provide enhanced security for a wide range of devices.

Dr Ng said DSO will also play a crucial role in the new Digital and Intelligence Service - the SAF's fourth arm - slated to be inaugurated by the end of the year.