HTX-Factor: The Home Team's Force Multiplier

Launched by Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong on 2 December, the 1,300-strong Home Team Science and Technology Agency (HTX) breaks new ground by integrating a range of leading-edge S&T capabilities in homeland security.

As the newest member of the Home Team, HTX will augment the One Home Team concept and empower Home Team Departments to support one another in our mission to keep Singapore safe and secure.



HTX will build on the Home Team’s partnerships to foster new areas of collaboration with industry, research institutions, academia and start-ups. HTX will also facilitate cooperation across the homeland security ecosystem and support the Home Team in working together even more effectively.

Here are three things you should know about HTX, the newest member of the Home Team family.

1. HTX is a Force Multiplier
By integrating the Home Team’s S&T capabilities and delivering solutions that meet our unique operational needs, HTX is a vital force multiplier for the Home Team.



HTX projects that demonstrate this vital force multiplier effect include:
 
XENTINEL In the past, identifying the flight patterns of drones required a team of officers to be deployed. As a first-of-its-kind system designed to counter such threats, XENTINEL requires one officer to operate, can be deployed in minutes and is able to detect drones up to 1km away, allowing for faster threat assessments and responses.

Drone Box Concept HTX is exploring the use of a Drone Box concept that lets pilots operate from a Command and Control Centre and to fly drones beyond their visual line of sight. This allows drones to be deployed for complex, longer-range operations such as those involving public safety, search-and-rescue and the delivery of lifesaving equipment.

2. HTX Delivers S&T Capabilities that are Customised and Proven in the Field
HTX scientists and engineers work hand-in-hand with Home Team officers on the ground to understand their challenges and needs. This allows HTX to deliver solutions that are uniquely suited to the Home Team’s operational requirements. These include:

Latent Fingerprinting System Latent fingerprint examination is a vital crimefighting tool that lets investigators identify suspects and victims. HTX has worked with Nanyang Technological University to develop a groundbreaking system that can obtain leads from smudged or low-quality prints.



Digital Forensic Kiosk and DIGEST (Digital Evidence Search Tool) HTX will be introducing the Digital Forensic Kiosk and DIGEST to help frontline officers who aren’t trained in forensics to conduct evidence reviews and generate leads faster. The Digital Forensic Kiosk is a self-service platform that extracts data from mobile phones, storage media and other devices while DIGEST automates the forensic processing of large volumes of collected data.

3. HTX Integrates the Home Team’s S&T Capabilities
Solving crimes, saving lives, securing our borders and safeguarding public spaces – these are central to the work of the Home Team. To support this mission, HTX brings together the Home Team’s S&T capabilities and takes them to the next level. This effort has resulted in a range of leading-edge projects. They include:

DNA Phenotyping Lab-On-Chip Technology HTX is developing technology that can analyse DNA and identify unique forensic markers such as gender, blood type and blood group. The Lab-On-Chip process takes less than three hours (compared to conventional processes that can take up to a day) and can generate better leads.

Bio-inspired Robots for Lifesaving Missions Disaster rescue scenarios can be dangerous, especially when lifesavers need to enter buildings with little information about what awaits them inside. That’s why HTX is exploring the use of bio-inspired robots for rescue operations.



One such platform is the Rover-X. Equipped with sensors and thermal cameras, Rover-X can climb stairs and traverse uneven terrain. Another mobile robotic platform that’s currently undergoing trials is a life-detection robot that can crawl through tightly-packed debris and rubble, allowing it to be deployed at hazardous incident sites.

These are just some of the leading-edge projects by HTX, the newest member of the Home Team family. Look out for other X-citing S&T innovations to come!

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The Home Team Science and Technology Agency (HTX)
HTX is the world’s first S&T agency that integrates a diverse range of scientific and engineering capabilities to innovate and deliver operationally-ready solutions for homeland security. As a Statutory Board of the Ministry of Home Affairs, HTX works at the forefront of S&T to empower Singapore’s frontline of security.



HTX was launched on 2 December 2019 by Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong. Read the speeches by Prime Minister Lee and Mr Chan Tsan, Chief Executive of HTX, at the launch.

Want to learn more about a career with HTX? Check out this page.