Two tech companies operating under the Hong Kong Smart Government Innovation Lab have launched new solutions that are now ready to be acquired by companies and institutions.
Solution I – AI-Powered Building Façade Inspection Tech
Description
Like most cities across the globe, Hong Kong has many ageing buildings that require regular inspection and maintenance to ensure they are up to safety codes. The conventional manual approach to the inspection of tall buildings is unsafe, time-consuming and costly.
Thus, the tech firm has developed a novel automated drone-based inspection solution using AI. In this approach which is quantitative as opposed to the qualitative traditional method, a large number of high-resolution visual images are used to map the building envelope in detail. To store, process and analyse such data cloud computing and big data analytics tools are deployed. Custom-built AI models are used for defect detection and the generation of inspection reports. The solution reduces the complexity, time and cost associated with the traditional building inspection process drastically.
Application Areas
The solution was developed to be applied across the areas of City Management, Housing, Infrastructure, Building Inspection as well as Drone Survey methods.
Technologies Used
The solution employs the latest in Artificial Intelligence (AI), Cloud Computing, Data Analytics, Deep Learning, Machine Learning, Predictive Analytics, Video Analytics, Big Data as well as Infrared Analytics.
Use Case
The proposed solution has been designed to help in the management of a city like Hong Kong. Approximately one-third of the over 42,000 buildings in Hong Kong are estimated to be more than 65 years by the year 2040. As these buildings continue to age, the need for continual inspection and maintenance heightens. However, this means that the risks increase as well (e.g., incidents of falling objects and other safety-related incidents).
The company’s inspection solution provides an efficient and lower-cost way of monitoring the condition of the building and taking necessary preventive maintenance action. For example, once the inspection of a building establishes the baseline of its condition, the same can be used to compare with subsequent inspection results automatically and diagnose changes in defects, addition/alterations, repair works, etc. This can be included as part of the Mandatory Building Inspection Scheme implemented by the Government of Hong Kong in 2012 which calls for periodic inspection of buildings to ensure safety.
The system can also help in mapping any city to locate the ageing buildings and classify them into safety-deficient, functionally deficient, aesthetically-deficient or not-deficient categories. The timely inspection, identification of defects and overall condition of buildings can lead to predictive and preventive repair and maintenance. It is expected that with growing urbanisation worldwide, implementation of such AI-powered digital technology will make built infrastructure safer, greener and smarter.
Solution II – Urban Traffic Management Solutions
Description
This tech firm presents two solutions – the Smart Intersection system and the Intelligent Corridor system.
The Smart Intersection, which is currently operational on the corner of Victoria Parade and Brunswick Street, Carlton, Melbourne, is equipped with the tech firm’s latest ANPR sensor configured as a ‘Yellow Box’ detector to provide traffic detection of vehicles blocking busy ‘yellow box’ intersections to prevent incursions into a yellow box and blocking oncoming traffic.
This technology enables the City of Melbourne to test new mobility strategies in a real-world environment – with a special focus on improving safety standards and the latest congestion reducing technologies to reduce time spent in stopped traffic.
Any third-party CCTV camera can be integrated with the firm’s Deep Learning Versatile Platform (DLVP), which annotates video streams in providing ‘traffic insights’ to operators on a variety of very valuable datasets to provide an accurate picture of what’s going on in real-time at busy intersections.
The Intelligent Corridor utilises the firm’s Mobility suite including its Deep Learning Versatile Platform (DLVP), EcoTrafiX – Urban Mobility Management, and its Mobility Data Platform (MDP) a data fusion platform for advanced analytics. These elements combine with existing and new roadside technology to provide any transport operator with the change levers needed to create an effective and efficient multi-model ecosystem.
Application Areas
The solution was developed to be applied across City Management, Development, Infrastructure as well as Transport.
Technologies Used
The solution employs the latest in Artificial Intelligence (AI), Augmented Reality, Cloud Computing, Data Analytics, Internet of Things (IoT), Robotic Process Automation as well as Video Analytics.
Use Case
Currently, the majority of the above challenges can arise due to a lack of enforcement, particularly via an automated solution. The tech company’s Deep Learning Versatile Platform (DLVP) is a comprehensive ecosystem enabling complex traffic monitoring and traffic management applications driven by artificial intelligence.
The system has been built in a highly flexible way; its deep learning component can be trained quickly and efficiently to customer-specific needs. The platform translates visual input into digital data – this data is analysed and processed in real-time to trigger manifold actions and generate dynamic reports.
