RTSDF: Generating Signed Distance Fields in Real Time for Soft Shadow Rendering

Signed Distance Fields (SDFs) for surface representation are commonly generated offline and subsequently loaded into interactive applications like games. Since they are not updated every frame, they only provide a rigid surface representation. While there are methods to generate them quickly on GPU, the efficiency of these approaches is limited at high resolutions. This paper showcases a novel technique that combines jump flooding and ray tracing to generate approximate SDFs in real-time for soft shadow approximation, achieving prominent shadow penumbras while maintaining interactive frame rates

Analysis of the data monitored on a ship in operation

The preparation, conduct, and analysis of sea trial have been going through many developments over recent years because of the introduction of the Energy Efficiency Design Index (EEDI). As international standards get more stringent, requirements for a ship's performance prediction accuracy must follow suit. This presents the prospect of developing new correction methods and improving present methods. In-house capabilities to perform sea trial analysis is needed for this purpose. This project aims to develop and validate a Python program that performs Sea Trial Analysis with a selected set of correction methods. This project also aims to create a user interface that collects essential data from the Sea Trial for the program to analyze. The program shows a reasonable degree of accuracy compared to a sample analysis report generated by the publicly available STAIMO software when provided the same inputs. Outputs from the individual correction method faced some degree of deviation. Wind Correction Method produced outliers during intermediate steps but was able to achieve similar values when comparing Final Wind Resistance Correction (RWIND). Wave Correction Method yielded consistent percentage error when comparing to STAIMO. This occurrence was attributed to the different approach to apply of Direct Power Method. The results generated for both Current Correction Method, “Iterative” and “Mean of Means” methods, produced small degree of deviation. It was also observed that the deviation encountered in the final contract evaluation were due to differences in the calculation process between the ITTC 2021 edition and the ITTC 2014 edition. In Chapter 4, it was shown that the Python program was able to reproduce STAIMO's output with an acceptable degree of deviations when following the ITTC 2014 edition.Bachelor of Engineering (Mechanical Engineering

Effects of price information on physician decision making

This study investigates whether the provision of price information would significantly affect physicians' decision-making process.In particular, we look at the effects of providing price information for four cost drivers of the haemorrhoids condition to physicians treating haemorrhoids patients.We then propose to profile and make public information on the cost drivers in which price information has a significant impact on physicians' decisions

Parental mediation of the internet in Singapore.

The study examined how parental mediation of adolescents’ Internet use can be affected by key antecedents such as family communication patterns (FCPs), parents’ perceived online literacy, parents’ perception of the Internet and socio-demographic factors such as parental income, parental education level, ethnicity and the child’s gender. A survey consisting of items measuring these variables was administered to a sample of 205 parents. An analysis of the results indicated that patterns of parental mediation patterns online were far more unpredictable than we had expected and predicted based on our review of literature. In particular, the directions of correlations of parental mediation with FCP and demographic predictors sometimes ran in contrary to what has been documented in previous studies, such as how parental income levels was found to be linked to restrictive mediation methods. It should be noted, however, that previous studies were largely based on television mediation, and as such, perhaps there is a need to develop new models of mediation which would apply better to the unique medium of the Internet. Such differences also suggest the need for a country and culture-specific investigation in order to help policy-makers better devise appropriate Internet-use regulations, as most prior research has been conducted in the West.Bachelor of Communication Studie

Burden and cost of hospitalization for respiratory syncytial virus in young children, Singapore

Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is the most common cause of pediatric acute lower respiratory tract infection worldwide. Detailed data on the health and economic burden of RSV disease are lacking from tropical settings with year-round RSV transmission. We developed a statistical and economic model to estimate the annual incidence and healthcare cost of medically attended RSV disease among young children in Singapore, using Monte Carlo simulation to account for uncertainty in model parameters. RSV accounted for 708 hospitalizations in children <6 months of age (33.5/1,000 child-years) and 1,096 in children 6-29 months of age (13.2/1,000 child-years). The cost of hospitalization was SGD 5.7 million (US $4.3 million) at 2014 prices; patients bore 60% of the cost. RSV-associated disease burden in tropical settings in Asia is high and comparable to other settings. Further work incorporating efficacy data from ongoing vaccine trials will help to determine the potential cost-effectiveness of different vaccination strategies.Published versio

Comparative policy analysis of national rare disease funding policies in Australia, Singapore, South Korea, the United Kingdom and the United States: a scoping review

Abstract Background Rare diseases pose immense challenges for healthcare systems due to their low prevalence, associated disabilities, and attendant treatment costs. Advancements in gene therapy, such as treatments for Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA), have introduced novel therapeutic options, but the high costs, exemplified by Zolgensma® at US$2.1 million, present significant financial barriers. This scoping review aimed to compare the funding approaches for rare disease treatments across high-performing health systems in Australia, Singapore, South Korea, the United Kingdom (UK), and the United States (US), aiming to identify best practices and areas for future research. Methods In accordance with the PRISMA-ScR guidelines and the methodological framework by Arksey and O’Malley and ensuing recommendations, a comprehensive search of electronic databases (Medline, EMBASE, and Cochrane) and grey literature from health department websites and leading national organizations dedicated to rare diseases in these countries was conducted. Countries selected for comparison were high-income countries with advanced economies and high-performing health systems: Australia, Singapore, South Korea, the UK, and the US. The inclusion criteria focused on studies detailing drug approval processes, reimbursement decisions and funding mechanisms, and published from 2010 to 2024. Results Based on a thorough review of 18 published papers and grey literature, various strategies are employed by countries to balance budgetary constraints and access to rare disease treatments. Australia utilizes the Life Saving Drugs Program and risk-sharing agreements. Singapore depends on the Rare Disease Fund, which matches public donations. South Korea’s National Health Insurance Service covers specific orphan drugs through risk-sharing agreements. The UK relies on the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) to evaluate treatments for cost-effectiveness, supported by the Innovative Medicines Fund. In the US, a combination of federal and state programs, private insurance and non-profit support is used. Conclusion Outcome-based risk-sharing agreements present a practical solution for managing the financial strain of costly treatments. These agreements tie payment to actual treatment efficacy, thereby distributing financial risk and promoting ongoing data collection. Countries should consider adopting and expanding these agreements to balance immediate expenses with long-term benefits, ultimately ensuring equitable access to crucial treatments for patients afflicted by rare diseases

Rapid assessment Zika virus knowledge among clinical specialists in Singapore: A cross-sectional survey

This archive contains the data and description for an online survey of medical specialists’ knowledge of Zika virus disease clinical presentation and management recommendations. The survey was conducted in Singapore between 6 June 2016 and 19 June 2016 among specialists in Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Paediatrics and Neonatology