IoT could bring ambient intelligence to improve life in Hong Kong

HONG KONG is taking significant steps to embrace the Internet of Things (IoT), with many businesses in the Asian country starting to implement the emerging technology in their operations. With IoT, businesses in Hong Kong are steadily becoming smarter, safer and even far more comfortable than before.

During the recent Cisco Next Intelligence IoT Generation Conference, executives from the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Center (HKCEC) and the Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK) showcased their latest projects.

In a statement to Enterprise Innovation, HKCEC director of facilities planning and operations Stewart Wan stated that the HK firm is exploring the benefits of IoT and how it can usher in an era of ambient technology.

According to Wan, ambient intelligence is a great way to improve employees’ work conditions. By making the office itself smarter, daily tasks and activities can be conducted in an easy, natural way.

“We use IoT in managing our facilities to attain our visionary goal of ambient intelligence,” he said to Enterprise Innovation.

“By utilizing IoT sensors we can fine tune accuracy in control decisions and enhance proactive response for preventive maintenance planning, thereby achieving our ambient intelligence vision.” 

So far, HKCEC has utilized IoT for several of their ambient technology projects. One of these is a smart air conditioning system that automatically adjusts itself depending on temperature changes.

HKCEC was able to accomplish this by utilizing a low-power WAN (LoRaWAN) IoT network, which was provided by HK-based IoT network provider Pixel Networks. Cisco’s IoT gateways and management system were also used by the HKCEC for their ambient intelligence technology.

It’s not just smart air conditioning that HKCEC was able to accomplish, too. Using the LoRaWAN network, he HK-based firm was also able to use IoT technology to detect water leakages in offices, as well as monitor temperature, humidity, and indoor air quality.

CUHK, for its part, showcased two IoT projects during its exhibition last October — one that detects landslides in Sham Tseng and another one specifically designed to monitor artifacts in the Hong Kong Museum of Natural History.

In a statement to Enterprise Innovation, Chun-hung Cheng, a CUHK associate professor from the department of systems engineering and engineering management, described the IoT technology in place for the HK Museum of Natural History.

“The Hong Kong Museum of History has conservation and aesthetic considerations for placing sensors to monitor the conditions for exhibiting and storing artifacts in sealed or open environments,” he said.

With Hong Kong’s utilization of IoT, it would probably not be long before SMEs across the nation can fully enjoy the advantages brought about by the Internet of Things. IoT, after all, offers many benefits for small and medium-sized enterprises.

As stated in an Entrepreneur report, IOT can give SMEs several benefits, including reduced operating costs, powerful automation systems, and better communication between employees.

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