I&T Brings Better Future To HK

Secretary for Innovation & Technology Alfred Sit

The theme today is Innovate & Revitalise to win over COVID-19. Under the new normal, all of us have been experiencing a new way of life enabled by innovation and technology (I&T). And the Logistics & Supply Chain MultiTech R&D Centre (LSCM), right from the beginning in our fight against the COVID-19 epidemic, has been one of the Government's closest partners to make things happen in such unprecedented circumstances.

In last February, LSCM created the first prototype of the home quarantine electronic wristband in less than a week's time. It was an extremely urgent task at that time to help implement compulsory quarantine to minimise the risk of imported cases brought by inbound travellers. In the subsequent months, a number of enhanced versions were developed. LSCM has also collaborated with the Government, university and local tech startup to develop the StayHomeSafe mobile app system. Working together with the electronic wristbands, it analyses in real time the wireless signals at the confinee's dwelling place. This has enabled the monitoring of compulsory quarantine requirement and has addressed the confinees' privacy concern at the same time. So far, the electronic wristbands have been used by around 560,000 confinees. I am also very glad that Hong Kong's research and development (R&D) outcome has received international attention and recognition. Over 40 overseas economies have inquired about the technologies and experience in respect of the StayHomeSafe mobile app and the electronic wristband. A renowned communications museum in Germany has also showcased relevant equipment and technologies. In the Special Edition 2021 Inventions Geneva Evaluation Days, the electronic wristband and StayHomeSafe Home Quarantine Support Solution has won LSCM a gold medal.

In last September, the Government launched the Universal Community Testing Programme. Under an extremely tight schedule, LSCM worked closely with the Government to develop an IT‑enabled logistics support system, covering the process of collecting specimen bottles with check in and check out control. The system has ensured that all specimen bottles were collected timely from 148 community testing centres across the city, and delivered securely to the testing laboratories.

In the past half a year or so, LSCM has made dedicated efforts in ensuring real-time tracking and scheduled dissemination of the two types of vaccines to the community vaccination centres.

All these anti-epidemic measures have been realised with the great efforts and commitment of our LSCM colleagues. I would like to take this opportunity to invite you all, to join me, in giving LSCM a round of applause for all its contribution and achievements!

May I also remind all of us here today, that all these could not be realised without the hard work, experience and resources that we have invested in I&T throughout the years. The above systems have embedded the R&D results relating to lots of projects funded by the Innovation & Technology Fund, including the BLE (Bluetooth Low Energy), geo-fencing, e-lock and many more. I am so proud that technologies developed right here in Hong Kong have been put into very practical and important uses to ride over this difficult period of time.

Indeed, I can go on and on to name many other examples that could showcase how technology is making our lives easier during the epidemic. Just to name a few more, we have collaborated with the I&T industry and launched an Interactive Map Dashboard in February 2020. It presents useful information like details of probable and confirmed cases, buildings in which such cases have visited, the transportation taken by confirmed cases, and so on. This interactive map has so far recorded over 55 million views.

In addition, following the launch of the LeaveHomeSafe mobile app last November, we introduced the version 2.0 in this June to enable the storage of user's vaccination record. Last month, we released a new version 2.1 which adopted a solution developed by a university using artificial intelligence to facilitate auto recording of the getting-out time of taxi riders. Separately, we enhanced the COVID-19 Electronic Vaccination & Testing Record System in February, allowing citizens to download the electronic vaccination record through the iAM Smart mobile app. Both electronic vaccination and testing records bear a QR code embedded with digital signature technology to ensure that information in the code is tamper-proof, thereby facilitating effective verification of the authenticity of these electronic records. I am sure all of you are already enjoying the convenience brought by these smart initiatives.

In our smart city development, our vision is to embrace the potential of I&T to build a smart Hong Kong characterised by a strong economy and high quality of living. To take this vision forward, we released the Smart City Blueprint for Hong Kong 2.0 last December which sets out over 130 smart city initiatives under six smart areas, and put forward some ideas of smart village pilots aiming to address daily life issues faced by residents living in rural and more remote areas by technology application.

I am glad that LSCM has all along been dedicated to supporting our smart city development. For instance, its Smart Traffic Control System has alleviated traffic congestion in Tai Tam (Dam Section). By using 5G, its Tele-Control Warehouse Stackers are enhancing warehouse efficiency and reducing manpower need and potential risks of injury. Its Robo-9 is enhancing the mobility of the visually impaired, by having functions such as obstacle avoidance, direction guidance, navigation and locationing.

We are making good use of technology to fight against the epidemic, and there is so much potential ahead that we could make further use of it to facilitate digital transformation, revitalise our economy and leapfrog to a more efficient way of doing business and a better way of living. I hope that with the insight shared by many I&T leaders at this summit, and in collaboration with various stakeholders in the I&T community, there would be more and more ideas being generated and realised. I am excited about all this and would invite you to join our journey in building a better, smarter and cleaner Hong Kong.

Secretary for Innovation & Technology Alfred Sit gave these remarks at the Logistics & Supply Chain MultiTech R&D Centre Logistics Summit 2021 on September 10.