With pragmatic innovation in mind for years, the EMSD has been providing ardent support to the Government’s efforts in enhancing public services by actively exploring different innovative E&M solutions and promoting the development of smart applications. Adding to a long list of awards garnered by our technological applications, the EMSD won a total of 19 awards, including five gold, 13 silver and one bronze in the International Exhibition of Inventions of Geneva 2022, shining once again across the globe.
These award-winning E&M innovations cover several aspects including anti-epidemic technology, smart devices for enhancing public services and renewable energy management, etc. The gold awards go to the Robotic Lift Examiner, Intelligent Elevator Movement Surveillance Device (i-EMSD), Intelligent Digital Escalator Monitoring System (i-DEMS), Smart Boiler Servicing Robot and Smart Driver Assistant for Automated People Mover.
Our gold-winning project, the Robotic Lift Examiner, can travel between floors to collect data all on its own, as it communicates with the lifts via a universal protocol. Equipped with intelligent sensors simulating human senses, it converts simulated sensations into scientific data for artificial intelligence (AI) analysis and examines the operational condition of the lift cars from the perspective of passengers. The data collected by the robot can be used for big data analysis of the condition of the facilities, with a view to enhancing service quality and user experience.
The i-EMSD is an advanced Internet of Things device which employs real-time imaging, physical and mechanical data computing and analytic technologies. Slim in design, simple to install and low-cost, this device can ensure the safety of passengers by sending alerts to them when abnormal car door operation, poor levelling or unintended car movement is detected.
The i-DEMS is a revolutionary digital system comprised of optical fibre bragg grating sensors and other high-precision sensors. It monitors the different components of an escalator through machine learning and cloud computing technologies for early identification and prevention of potential issues, thereby effectively reducing the burden of escalator maintenance staff.
The first all-in-one automatic Smart Boiler Servicing Robot leverages computer vision for fire tube positioning and cleaning, as well as AI for defect identification and condition assessment along the tubes. This innovation not only enhances maintenance efficiency and safety, but also facilitates the formulation of predictive maintenance strategies.
The Smart Driver Assistant for Automated People Mover is the first all-in-one portable and versatile device which can further enhance the safety of automated people movers and other railway systems by providing real-time monitoring of the driver’s behaviour and the track condition at the same time through AI and edge computing technologies. Equipped with high-performance cameras and designed with advanced AI technologies, the Smart Driver Assistant can enhance driving safety through effective monitoring of the condition of trackside equipment and other related equipment, and sending timely alerts to the driver for any potential risk detected.
Recognising that our services are closely related to the daily lives of people and the operations of other government departments, we strive to cultivate an I&T culture and promote I&T applications in the department for the provision of ever higher quality engineering services for client departments. To further facilitate the development of Hong Kong into a smart city, the EMSD will continue its best endeavours to expand our diverse range of innovative solutions and seize every opportunity to enhance the public services of client departments for the betterment of society.
We will introduce the award-winning projects in the International Exhibition of Inventions of Geneva one by one on the EMSD’s YouTube channel (https://www.youtube.com/user/EMSDGOVHK). Stay tuned!