HKPC Anti-Epidemic Invention “kNOw Touch” Honoured Again Striking Gold at Hong Kong ICT Awards 2021: Smart Living (Smart Home) Award

(Hong Kong, 29 November 2021) The “kNOw Touch – Contactless Elevator Control Panel” developed by the Hong Kong Productivity Council (HKPC) to fight the COVID-19 epidemic has once again been recognised by the technology research community, winning the Gold Award in the “Smart Home” category of “Hong Kong ICT Awards 2021: Smart Living Award”. The awards presentation ceremony was held at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre today.

Mr Mohamed Butt, Executive Director of HKPC, said, “The receipt of another honour for the kNOw Touch solution, developed to reduce the risk of viral transmission, is once again an acknowledgement of the creativity, enthusiasm and professional ability of HKPC in scientific research and technology development and application, leveraging new technologies to help enhance the public’s capabilities in the protection and combat against the pandemic. HKPC will continue to apply cross-disciplinary technical knowledge to actively develop more application research and development solutions that benefit all sectors of the society, promote the development of smart city in Hong Kong, heed to the support of the National 14th Five-Year Plan for Hong Kong to develop into an international innovation and technology hub, and fully assist Hong Kong enterprises in expanding to new markets with new technologies under the new normal.”

As one of the approved projects in the special call under the Public Sector Trial Scheme of the Innovation and Technology Commission of the HKSAR Government to combat the COVID-19 epidemic, “kNOw Touch” has already found its presence in elevators at many indoor locations across Hong Kong such as government departments, office buildings of public organisations, Hong Kong International Airport, shopping centres, municipal buildings, places of worship, private housing estates and private organisations, etc. The technology has also been patented locally and in several other regions. Furthermore, HKPC signed two technology licensing agreements in March this year to promote the solution not only in Hong Kong but also to the Mainland, One Belt One Road countries and the rest of the Asia-Pacific region.

Affordable and easy to install, “kNOw Touch” can be applied without the need to perform vast mechanical alterations. By adding a set of infrared distance sensors near the control panel and calibrating according to the distance and layout of the elevator buttons, the users can just select the corresponding floor by pointing their fingers at close range without touching the panel. Since its launch, the solution has won a string of honours in local and international science and technology circles, including the highest accolade of Gold Medal with Congratulations of Jury at the “2021 Geneva International Exhibition of Inventions”; Winner (IT/Electrical) of “2021 R&D 100 Awards”, a renowned worldwide competition organised by R&D World Magazine and one of the most prestigious annual events of the US science and technology sector; “Innovation Award” at “TechConnect World Innovation Conference and Expo 2021”; And the Hong Kong Computer Society’s “Pandemic Innovative Digital Solution Awards 2020 – Outstanding Healthcare Award”.

Steered by the Office of the Government Chief Information Officer and organised by the Hong Kong Information Technology Federation, the Hong Kong ICT Awards 2021: Smart Living Award aims to recognise outstanding products and solutions that promote and facilitate a smart mode of enjoyable and convenient living through capitalising on ICT advancements. It comprises three award streams, namely “Smart Healthcare”, “Smart Home”, and “Smart Lifestyle”.

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“kNOw Touch – Contactless Elevator Control Panel” won the Gold Award in the “Smart Home” category of “Hong Kong ICT Awards 2021: Smart Living Award”. Dr Lawrence Poon, General Manager (Smart City) of HKPC (third from left), led the solution’s R&D team on stage to accept the award from Mr Rico Chan, Chief Assessor and Deputy Chairman of “Smart Living Award Final Judging Panel” (third from right).

“kNOw Touch – Contactless Elevator Control Panel”