************************************************************
Following is the speech by the Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development, Mr Gregory So, at the Internet of Things (IoT) Symposium 2015 today (April 16):
Fanny (Chairperson of Hong Kong Science and Technology Parks Corporation, Mrs Fanny Law), distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen,
Good morning. It gives me great pleasure to join you at this Internet of Things Symposium 2015. First and foremost, my warmest welcome to you all to the Symposium. This Symposium is a major event under this year's IT Fest, and it provides an excellent opportunity for industry and business leaders, engineers and researchers from the region to exchange insights on the latest development and applications of IoT technology. Today's theme, "Embracing Big Data Analytics and Cloud Computing with IoT Applications", is most timely.
Why? IoT is a powerful force for business transformation and has opened up many new opportunities. According to Gartner, 4.9 billion connected things will be in use in 2015, and the number will reach 25 billion by 2020. IoT is a disruptive and transformational technology, and its impact will certainly be felt across all industries and all areas of society, including business and government.
IoT brings together many different technologies, including RFID (radio-frequency identification), GPS (global positioning systems), sensors, networks, big data analytics, cloud computing and security, which interact and synergise in real time to enable efficient data collection, transport, storage and analysis, leading to more responsive actions and informed decisions. This eclectic technology is best used in monitoring efficiency, enhancing risk management and providing personalised services. Let me illustrate with some local examples.
For monitoring efficiency, our Water Supplies Department will implement a Water Intelligent Network (WIN) strategy. Local water supply networks will be installed with sensors and generate data for prompt actions to curtail water leakage. They will be continuously monitored, managed, operated and maintained on a district metering area basis. With this WIN strategy, effective leakage control, pressure management, quality and speedy repair, pipeline and asset management can be implemented.
Another example is a trial scheme by our Drainage Service Department to install intelligent ultrasonic sensors to detect the water level in manholes of selected storm-water drains and sewers, and log the data continuously onto its computer system. The collected data will be analysed to provide timely information that helps monitor the condition of the drains or sewers. With such information in hand, the Department can prioritise the maintenance and cleaning work effectively to minimise the risk of flooding or overflowing of sewerage.
On risk management, the "Enjoy Hiking" mobile application developed by our Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department can help locate lost hikers with GPS-tracking. Once a hiker opens the app and activates its tracking service, it will automatically send the hiker's location to a designated service agency through mobile networks. In case of emergency, the hiker's family or friends can report to the Police and the service agency will provide the location information to the Police for rescue or other timely actions.
IoT applications can also provide more personalised services to users. Take the mobile app of the Kowloon Motor Bus as an example, with just one click, users can know the estimated arrival times of the upcoming three buses of 21 routes, enabling users to plan their routes for better time management. Besides, with GPS, its "Nearby Bus Stop" function will automatically list all available bus routes and the locations of bus-stops within 200 metres, providing greater convenience for commuters.
IoT brings smarter living with higher efficiency, more convenience and better services. Before I close, I would like to thank the Science Park and the co-organisers, the ASTRI (Hong Kong Applied Science and Technology Research Institute), GS1 Hong Kong, the Hong Kong Computer Society and the LSCM (Hong Kong R&D Centre for Logistics and Supply Chain Management Enabling Technologies) for organising this Symposium to enable sharing among practitioners and shed light on how best to achieve our vision of a smarter Hong Kong. I wish you all a fruitful exchange. For participants from the Mainland and overseas, I wish you an enjoyable stay in Hong Kong.
Thank you.
Ends/Thursday, April 16, 2015
Issued at HKT 14:49
NNNN