Speech by Dr Aline Wong, Senior Minister of State for Education, at the Young Innovators' Fair (21 July 2001)

SPEECH BY DR ALINE WONG, SENIOR MINISTER OF STATE FOR EDUCATION,　AT THE YOUNG INNOVATORS' FAIR ON SATURDAY, 21 JULY 2001 AT 9.30 A.M.　AT THE AUDITORIUM, NANYANG TECHNOLOGICAL UNIVERSITY

2. Throughout human history, people have come up with inventions to make life easier and better. These inventions have impacted significant aspects of our lives, including the way we go about our daily tasks and communicate with each other. For example, the invention of the printing press a few hundred years ago has made communication faster and easier. In the last few years, the invention of the SMS function in mobile phones has contributed much in the area of communication. For some of us, it is an alternative means of communication that is inexpensive and efficient, especially when we need to keep in touch with friends and relatives. For the deaf and mute, it has become a life-changing tool for communication. Now they can send messages to each other wherever they are, without any constraints. Recently, the SMS function has also been used by a job placement company to send alerts to users on job openings. The SMS has thus impacted our work life as well as our social interactions.

3. What do these examples tell us about innovation? Why do we need to innovate? Very clearly, the innovations mentioned above have made our lives better, easier and more comfortable. It is also inspiring to know that small innovations can have far-reaching and long-lasting implications. For example, zippers were invented in the 1800s to save time in dressing, while band-aids, what we call plasters now, were invented to enable us to dress our own wounds without help.

4. What then does it take to be an innovator? What is the process that you need to go through before you can successfully invent something? Let's take a look at some famous inventors of the past.

5. Thomas Edison, the famous inventor of the light bulb, was an avid reader. He devoured books on electricity, mechanics, chemical analysis, manufacturing, technology and more. He learned that reading was essential to gather knowledge, and he learned from watching others and from experimenting.

6. Knowledge, therefore, is of utmost importance to an innovator. Our initial sources of knowledge may come from textbooks, experts of specific subjects, the Internet and our own accumulated experiences. We then adapt and use the knowledge acquired to transform ideas and create solutions.

7. How can we do that? We need to cultivate an innovative spirit, which begins with curiosity. Edison was a curious learner who asked a lot of questions. He would become excited about things he did not understand and seek answers. For example, on his daily walk around the lab grounds, he discovered a bug emitting an unusual odour. Edison was so curious about it that he wrote to the famous scientist, Charles Darwin, to ask about it. To be curious means to cultivate an inquiring mind through asking questions.

8. We should take every opportunity to discover and define real problems of daily life and seek out practical and feasible solutions to them. Inventors and innovators are very observant about the things around them. They will actively seek ways to improve the way things are. This was exactly what another famous inventor, Benjamin Franklin, did. Franklin had poor vision and needed glasses to read. He got tired of constantly taking them off and putting them on, so he decided to figure out a way to make his glasses such that he would be able to see both near and far. He had two pairs of spectacles cut in half and put half of each lens in a single frame. Today we call them bifocals.

9. All you need to do is to ask the fundamental question, "Can it be better?" If so, "How?" The answers to these two questions lead to the first steps in innovation. An innovative spirit also does not involve coming up with totally new ideas but can flourish by building or improving on existing ideas. Let me give you an example of how an idea could be extended.

10. Many of us here know about Alexander Graham Bell who invented the telephone. What is not so well known is the person by the name of Philip Rice who actually challenged Bell to his claim as the inventor of the telephone. Bell was accused of studying whatever Rice had discovered up to that time, which was to transmit musical notes and tones through wire. Bell improved on this technology to transmit voices. Rice therefore claimed that he should be the rightful inventor of the telephone. However, after many debates that went through the Supreme Court of the United States, Rice's claim was rejected. It was concluded that Rice's invention could only transmit musical notes and tones but not voices. "Something" more had to be added in order for it to be able to transmit voices - and Alexander Graham Bell did exactly that. The difference was only a screw which converted the tone into voices. Thus, Rice actually didn't fail; he stopped! Bell did not invent the telephone from scratch, but he improved on Rice's invention.

11. From the examples mentioned, we have learnt the importance of acquiring knowledge and developing an innovative spirit, which basically means seeking out practical solutions to improve the way things are. There is yet another important quality that these inventors possessed - good habits of mind. Two of the most essential habits of mind are perseverance, and not fearing failure.

12. Edison failed 10,000 times in his storage battery experiments. But instead of succumbing to defeat, Edison said, "Why, I have not failed. I've just found 10,000 ways that won't work." He persevered and finally succeeded. With the same zeal, he tested over 6,000 vegetable growths as filament material in one of his most famous inventions - the light bulb. After 1,200 experiments, he succeeded and the success of this invention has greatly changed our lives ever since.

13. The fear of failure can be the major downfall of any potentially great idea. If you have all the knowledge that you can acquire and the skills to apply them but lack the good habits of mind, you are like a wonderfully created car, equipped with all the necessary functions, but without petrol to run. As such, an innovative spirit, riding on the wheels of knowledge will thrive only when fuelled by good habits of mind.

14. Today I am encouraged to know that this innovative spirit is very much alive in young Singaporeans. One very recent invention would be the 'FollowMe PC', developed by Kent Ridge Digital Labs, a local technology Institute. It allows you to access your data file and the Microsoft Word programme needed to read the document from a remote computer wherever you are. All you need to do is to install a computer programme into any Windows-based computer with Internet connections. What does that mean? It means that if you should forget to bring an assignment to school, all you need to do is to retrieve it from your database back home using the school computer. Hence, no more excuses about having left your homework at home! Successful innovations do take place locally where you are. It is not just a remote phenomenon that can only take place elsewhere in the world.

15. This Young Innovators' Fair shows that our local young people have caught the impulse to innovate and invent. You have taken your first steps on an exciting journey of discovery and invention. Here I would like to commend the teacher-mentors and expert-mentors from the different educational institutions who have invested their time in guiding the participants. I believe that the participants have benefited immensely from your expert knowledge and advice.

16. I thank 3M and Postkid.com for being valuable partners of the Innovation Programme. I would also like to acknowledge the steady support and contributions of the Association of Technopreneurs.

17. To the Young participants, may the spark of curiosity and creativity that is lit in you be further developed as you continue to ask questions, seek solutions, and invent and innovate. I congratulate you on your achievements and wish you tenacity and inspiration.