Hong Kong’s Smart Government Innovation Lab has announced that it is looking for start-ups, SMEs or other companies to apply to acquire and use one of its ventures’ LiDAR and Optical sensing applications for smart city.
The technology is described as a customizable LiDAR solution for 3D geometric structure acquisition that can be deployed in different public service applications including but not limited to digital archiving, object monitoring, smart city development, and management.
Areas of application include City Management, Climate and Weather, Development, environment initiatives, Housing and Infrastructure development, Law and Security, Population monitoring, Transport, as well as in Heritage Conservation.
The technologies used by the venture are Artificial Intelligence (AI), Cloud Computing, Data Analytics, Deep Learning, Internet of Things (IoT), Machine Learning, Mobile Technologies, Predictive Analytics, Robotic Process Automation, Virtual Reality and Drones.
The use cases include in Construction and Building Management.
In particular, the tech solution was used to develop Smart City technologies in the following areas:
- Development of Driverless Vehicles
- Tree Management
- Highway Monitoring
- Electrical Cable
- Traffic or Pedestrian Flow Monitoring
- Infrastructure Monitoring
- within a Power Plant
- to monitor Sewage Pipe Quality
- Risk Detection in Suburban / Urban Region
- Outdoor / Indoor Security
- Remote Wind Speed Monitoring
- Monitor Illegal Dumping
The technology was also used to help create a Digital Archive of Environment to enable Heritage Conservation, City Mapping and Outdoor Terrain Digitization.
In 2018, the Government established the Smart Government Innovation Lab to explore hi-tech products such as AI and relevant technologies, including machine learning, big data analytics, cognitive systems and intelligent agent, as well as blockchain and robotics from firms, especially local start-ups.
The Lab is always on the lookout for innovation and technology (I&T) solutions that are conducive to enhancing public services or their operational effectiveness.
I&T suppliers are encouraged to regularly visit the Lab’s website to check on the current business and operational needs in public service delivery, and propose innovative solutions or product suggestions to address them.
In addition, a “city dashboard” presenting open data in the form of interactive charts and maps for the general public, expected to go live later this year, is available.
At the Lab’s launch in 2019, various technologies were showcased including virtual reality technologies for assisting the design of construction sites, the monitoring of construction processes and urban development planning, as well as innovations related to the Internet of Things, blockchain, artificial intelligence, cloud technologies and big data.
The government’s chief information officer has stated that innovative technologies never cease to emerge. They can bring revolutionary changes in different fields. The government needs to follow these trends closely.
The government is working to build Hong Kong into a world-class smart city, through adopting the measures set out in its Smart City Blueprint for Hong Kong.
The government’s policy objectives to pursue smart city development are to:
- make use of innovation and technology (I&T) to address urban challenges, enhance the effectiveness of city management and improve people’s quality of living as well as Hong Kong’s sustainability, efficiency and safety;
- enhance Hong Kong’s attractiveness to global businesses and talents; and
- inspire continuous city innovation and sustainable economic development.
Keeping in mind the city’s city challenges, unique local situation and strengths and opportunities ahead, the government has mapped out in this document the smart city development plans for the next five years (roughly 2018 to 2023), and beyond.
A smart city is people-centric and should be built upon the needs of the people and the benefits should be seen and felt by residents and visitors.
The government has vowed to continuously review the effectiveness of its work, and introduce new measures to bring in more I&T applications to Hong Kong.
