Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) is collaborating with four others on a 5G project to enhance the operational readiness of its frontliners through automating equipment inspection process and facilitating remote assistance using smart glasses, AI and AR technologies.
It will be test-bedding the project on its latest-generation fire emergency vehicles in Punggol Fire Station, SCDF’s Smart Fire Station, in partnership with Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA), HTX (Home Team Science and Technology Agency), StarHub, and IBM.
“The 5G-enabled fire engine makes secure, real-time transmission of high-quality videos and images achievable. Working closely with IMDA, HTX, StarHub, and IBM is pivotal in pushing the boundaries of data connectivity to enhance our operational readiness,” said DC Ling, Young Ern, Deputy Commissioner for Future Technology and Public Safety at SCDF.
Firefighters can save time on inspecting their equipment and enhancing the monitoring of equipment inventory using AI-powered visual inspection, voice-activated commands, step-by-step on-screen procedures, and dynamic content display on 5G-connected smart glasses. Data from the inspections will flow into a centralised dashboard to capture defects and provide status updates of equipment in real-time. This will raise SCDF’s operational readiness to respond to emergencies.
The ultra-low latency and high bandwidth that standalone 5G empower SCDF to conduct AR remote assistance. During a post-fire investigation, ground commanders will have live access to fire investigation specialists through real-time augmented annotations video interactions to assist in thorough scene processing and analysis in a timely manner.
The next phase of this two-year project will see full integration of solutions with backend services and ongoing field testing. IMDA and IBM will support SCDF in integrating data governance and cybersecurity to the operations.
Supported by IMDA’s 5G Innovation Programme, the project involves HTX offering technical capabilities and guidance, IBM deliving the end-to-end solutions leveraging AI technology, automation and AR, and StarHub providing secured 5G connectivity and hardware.
“StarHub 5G delivers ultra-low latency and greater bandwidth, which is crucial in data-intensive industries and mission critical operations where each millisecond counts,” said Tan Kit Yong, Head of Enterprise Business Group, StarHub.
“With our StarHub 5G technology, we are proud to play a pivotal role in this game-changing project and help SCDF enhance their operations through real-time information management, operations synchronisation, and AR remote assist. Leveraging our capabilities in 5G, AI, Cloud, and Green Tech solutions, we are committed to delivering enduring value to enterprise and government clients in the region, co-creating our digital transformation journeys together,” he added.
Photo: Kristian Thomas
Entelechy Asia 