As the comeback of Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) clouded the city in the second half of 2020, the Electrical and Mechanical Services Department (EMSD) stayed alert, stood firm on its mission and continued to render full support to client departments. We left no stone unturned in overcoming obstacles from planning to deployment of innovation and technology (I&T) solutions to put them in service as soon as possible, thereby enabling our clients to focus on the delivery of public services during these uncertain times.
The EMSD team has been working with its I&T partners to keep abreast of the latest technology. At the beginning of the epidemic, we observed that mobile fever screening robots were used in housing estates and high-speed railway stations in the Mainland of China (Mainland). These robots could perform regular patrols automatically free from location constraints, with some even suitable for outdoor use. Not only do they save manpower resources, they also reduce the risk of spreading the virus and could be used to track close contacts of confirmed cases.
In order to provide more options to clients, the team adopted local products and liaised with Mainland suppliers directly for the introduction of robot technology to Hong Kong. As of today, clients such as the Hong Kong Fire Services Department, the Transport Department, the Correctional Services Department, the Hongkong Post and the Construction Industry Council (CIC) have adopted the fever screening robots on a trial basis. With fever screening robots deployed to the CIC’s headquarters, the Hong Kong Institute of Construction (HKIC) - Kowloon Bay Campus and the CIC Training Academy Tai Po Training Ground, the CIC was highly satisfied with the results.
Through the EMSD, clients can try out new technologies, such as the robot system originally designed for the Mainland’s 5G network but later modified for the 4G transmission speed in Hong Kong. To ensure the imported technology complies with the stringent local standards of information security, the team also requested the Mainland suppliers to port the cloud systems to Hong Kong. In view of the severe epidemic situation, it was crucial to quickly execute the proposed ideas and allow clients to gain first-hand experience. To this end, the EMSD team swiftly arranged for professional evaluation, selection and set-up of the proposals to ensure that the complex fever screening robot equipment is ready for trial by clients in a timely manner.
Besides, in order to carry out comprehensive evaluation, each fever screening robot proposal was tested and verified by an independent third-party robot professional organisation for assessment of its technical performance, enabling clients to have a better grasp of the performance of different proposals and the appropriate application scenarios.
The CIC has introduced two fever screening robots, one of which is stationed at the Multifunction Room of the HKIC - Kowloon Bay Campus, which is used for worker registration and student admission, as the second line of defence for temperature measurement. Dr. Cheng Tak-ming, Eric, Principal of the HKIC - Kowloon Bay Campus, who was responsible for project co-ordination, commended the EMSD team for their comprehensive, accurate and efficient support. The team visited the campus together with the contractor long before robot delivery, offered professional advice on the robot routes and adjusted the software settings accordingly. The planning work for outdoor fever screening robot for the CIC Training Academy Tai Po Training Ground commenced in August 2020. Speaking of the close follow-up by the EMSD staff on the set-up of the waterproof charging unit, Principal Cheng said, “Sophisticated technology requires engineering personnel to exercise great care in the setting up. The professional colleagues from the EMSD did a great job in this respect.”
Following our collaboration with a contractor in introducing the contactless lift solution with QR code technology for floor selection, we have provided two more contactless button technologies for our clients’ consideration recently. The first one is the floating floor button solution with the application of holographic technology, which features a projection box installed in the lift that projects virtual buttons in the air to allow users to select the floor by tapping the buttons. Titled “kNOw Touch”, the other one is a contactless lift control panel solution jointly developed by the EMSD and the Hong Kong Productivity Council. It features a set of infrared distance sensors installed near the control panel of the lift and calibrated according to the distance and layout of the lift buttons. Users can select the corresponding floor by pointing their fingers at the floor buttons at close range. These two solutions are currently installed at the lifts of the EMSD Headquarters Building on a trial basis.
For video demonstration on how “kNOw Touch” works, please visit https://bit.ly/33QRElh.
Located on the fourth floor of the EMSD Headquarters Building, the E&M InnoZone showcases the collaborations between the EMSD and local universities, start-ups and research institutions, covering applications of Internet of Things, automation technology and artificial intelligence. In mid-2020, we enriched and updated the collection of exhibits at the InnoZone, and added some of the above solutions and a number of I&T anti-epidemic solutions for different scenarios under the epidemic.
You may visit http://bit.ly/emsd_innozone to view the I&T solutions displayed at the E&M InnoZone through a 360° panoramic tour anytime and anywhere.
If clients are interested in visiting the E&M InnoZone or would like to learn more about the solutions therein, please contact Mr. Lam Kam-chun, Tommy, Senior Engineer, at 2808 3879.