S for IT visits Yau Tsim Mong District (with photos)
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The visit was conducted in the presence of the Chairman of the Yau Tsim Mong District Council (YTMDC), Mr Chris Ip, and the District Officer (Yau Tsim Mong), Mrs Laura Aron. Mr Yang first made a site inspection along Nathan Road, where officers from the Office of the Government Chief Information Officer gave an on-site briefing on the proposed sites for lamppost installation and factors to be considered in the construction of the Multi-functional Smart Lampposts pilot scheme. The road sections concerned are a section of Nathan Road, a section of Canton Road and a section of Salisbury Road in Tsim Sha Tsui. The exact locations of smart lampposts are subject to detailed technical assessments and consultations with district councils.
To drive the development of a smart city, the Government will implement the Multi-functional Smart Lampposts pilot scheme in four selected districts, namely Central/Admiralty, Causeway Bay/Wan Chai, Tsim Sha Tsui and Kwun Tong/Kai Tak Development Area. About 400 new lampposts with smart devices will be installed to collect various types of data to strengthen city and traffic management. The data collected will be provided free to the public through the data.gov.hk portal for development of more innovative applications. Multi-functional Smart Lampposts are also suitable for installing cell stations of fifth generation (5G) mobile communications services and providing Wi-Fi services to the public and tourists.
Mr Yang then visited the Hong Kong Observatory (HKO) Headquarters where the Director of the HKO, Mr Shun Chi-ming, introduced the microclimate stations and HKO's applications in innovation and technology to enhance public services and communication with the public. The HKO has microclimate stations installed at its headquarters to collect weather data within a small area for analysis, and to facilitate analytics, of urban microclimate and weather change. The HKO will also launch the "Integrated Urban Weather Monitoring and Data-sharing Platform for Smart Cities" project funded by TechConnect Block Vote.
The $500 million TechConnect Block Vote set up by the Innovation and Technology Bureau supports government departments in planning and implementing technology projects with adoption of suitable technologies to enhance operational efficiency and public service delivery. Launched in mid-2017, the scheme has supported funding of over $150 million for more than 20 applied technology projects or studies.
During his meeting with district council members, Mr Yang spoke about the Smart Lampposts pilot scheme and listened to members' views on innovation and technology development. On the way to the YTMDC, Mr Yang dropped in at the local floral and horticultural hub along Flower Market Road in Prince Edward.
Ends/Monday, March 26, 2018
Issued at HKT 17:45
Issued at HKT 17:45
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