Highlights - Leveraging I&T Solutions to Promote the Development of Smart Prison Systems 2023-04-19

The EMSD actively promotes electrical and mechanical (E&M) digitalisation and offers appropriate smart innovation and technology (I&T) solutions to client departments. In recent years, the Correctional Services Department (CSD) has collaborated closely with the EMSD to develop multiple smart prison systems for application in various correctional institutions. In particular, Hong Kong's first smart prison was established in the Tai Tam Gap Correctional Institution. Our smart prison I&T projects, including the Health Signs Monitoring and Movement and Location Monitoring Systems, the Video Analytic Monitoring System and the Contactless Vital Sign Monitoring System, have yielded encouraging results and won awards at the International Exhibition of Inventions of Geneva.

The Contactless Vital Sign Monitoring System, which has won the Silver Medal at the International Exhibition of Inventions of Geneva, adopts ultra-wideband wireless technology to continuously detect the heart rate and breathing rate of persons in custody (PICs). Once abnormalities in their vital signs are detected, the system will alert correctional officers to take immediate action. The system is currently employed in the Siu Lam Psychiatric Centre of the CSD and its application will gradually be extended to other correctional institutions.

Another I&T project, the PICs Integrated Intelligent Communication System (IICS), is a self-service telephone communication system equipped with self-service telephone kiosks, display screens, voice recognition technology and keyword analysis function tailor-made for PICs. PICs may make phone calls in a self-service manner after obtaining approval from the institutional management, such that correctional officers are no longer required to escort PICs to designated locations for making calls, thereby enhancing the operational efficiency of institutions and facilitating the development of self-discipline of PICs. The system has been successfully implemented in the Lo Wu Correctional Institution and the Tai Tam Gap Correctional Institution, and its application will be extended to other correctional institutions in the future.

Our smart prison I&T solutions have not only achieved international recognition, but also effectively assisted the CSD in enhancing the efficiency of institutional management and level of security. The EMSD will continue to collaborate with our client departments and further develop engineering solutions to suit their needs most.