Congratulations to Smart FIT Station, the winning team of the Chamber's Create Smart City in Hong Kong contest! 

The aim of the competition was to encourage students to get involved in driving Hong Kong's smart city development. At the final on 14 June, ten teams of students from the Vocational Training Council (VTC) shared their projects to improve the city's liveability at a district level. Their proposals covered a range of topics, including systems to improve traffic management and recycling, and apps that use AR to share information about facilities inside old buildings. 

The winning entry from Smart FIT Station is a fitness device to encourage elderly people to exercise – helping them keep both their brains and bodies active. The judges were impressed by the efforts that the team had made to help people in the community, and to make the project a reality. The members of Smart FIT Station are: Chan Chun Wing, Oscar; Cheung Yat Lon, Simson; Ho King Hei; Fu Wai Chun, Vincent; Li Ho Leung and Wong Tsun Yat, Wilson.

Vincent Fu, leader of the Smart FIT Station team, said they were honoured to be selected as the Grand Award winners. 

"Our group started with the idea to encourage Hong Kong people to stay active despite their age, and we hope to launch this Smart FIT Station in different districts, making it more accessible to all," he said. 

Second place went to Smart Bus Boarding Solution for their proposal to make travelling easier for people with disabilities, and third place to VisualGo for their idea to create a mobile app for visually impaired people to help them with supermarket shopping.

 "We are all impressed by these innovative projects that can push our smart city development forward, and are confident that they will become an important part of the creative class in Hong Kong," said Patrick Lee, Convenor of the Chamber's Smart City Working Group, who initiated the project.

Many of the final 10 teams developed prototypes of their solutions, to demonstrate to the judges how they would work in practice. 

"We were all impressed how the students went beyond just the theoretical process to create working models of their projects, which is not an easy task," Lee added. 

Dr Eric Liu, Deputy Executive Director of VTC, said that the Create Smart District project was a useful platform for students to gain experience of what they can expect when they start working, whether as part of an organization or as an entrepreneur. 

"Problem-based learning also helps students gain a better understanding of real-world issues in more lasting ways than classroom lectures," he added.

The Create Smart City in Hong Kong contest is an initiative from HKGCC in partnership with VTC and the Hong Kong Productivity Council, supported by the General Support Programme under the Government's Innovation and Technology Fund, and sponsored by NEC and Octopus.  

More than 90 students took part in the programme, which included a series of workshops conducted by VTC's Innovation & Technology Co-creation Centre. These workshops helped the students to understand some of the key issues facing districts in Hong Kong, and introduced some of the emerging technologies that are available. The students then worked in their projects, coming up with innovative solutions to resolve the challenges and improve life for residents. The contestants were then narrowed down to the 10 finalists after a round of preliminary judging held on 6 June.

Projects of the 10 Finalists

Minibus Service Management System

People often face a long wait for minibuses, especially at intermediate stops. This system uses headcount sensors to detect the number of people waiting as well as the number of passengers on each minibus, enabling managers to better plan services.

Smart Bus Boarding Solution

This solution enables passengers with visual impairments and physical disabilities to choose a route number at the bus stop. This will inform the driver of the next bus that passengers in need of assistance are waiting, while an audio system will also let the passenger know when the bus is approaching. 

Elderly Social Network Platform – Best Neighbour

This social media app is tailor-made for the elderly and caregivers, and aims to build a support network to reduce isolation and promote active ageing. The app is easy to use and includes community resources, caring skills tutorials and a reminder calendar.

VisualGo – Mobile App for the Visually Impaired

This app makes shopping at supermarkets easier for the visually impaired, enabling them to find the products they need and useful product information. It also provides news updates to keep users connected with the community.

AdventureReality

The AR application "AdventureReality – Kwun Tong" helps users to learn about hidden gems within the old industrial buildings in the district. Interactive ads also give users the opportunity to win shopping coupons.

PACE – Smart Medicine Management Solution

Elderly people with chronic illnesses need to take a lot of medication, but it can be difficult for them to remember to take the right dose and at the right time. PACE is a smart management tool that helps users manage their medications. 

Mong Kok x AR

There are many shops inside the old buildings in the Yau Tsim Mong district, but they are difficult for passers-by to spot. This app uses AR and GPS technology to provide real-time information about the stores and their products.

Smart FIT Station

To help elderly people exercise more, this smart fitness device is connected with a mobile app and provides a range of games to improve cognitive ability as well as physical activity. Daily and weekly targets encourage users to get active.

Smart Education Recycling Bin

Research has shown that education is a key factor in environmental awareness. To help improve Hong Kong's recycling rate, the Smart Recycling Bin uses AI technology to teach primary school students the importance of recycling and to promote community awareness.

ELVIS Elderly Video and Image Sharing Application

To help elderly people stay connected with the local community and with family overseas, ELVIS is a social media platform that can help them communicate and share information, and also includes advanced video calls.