UBPA Exhibition
Shanghai Expo 2010 will include a new concept - the Urban Best Practices Area (UBPA) - that will underscore the Expo theme of 'Better City, Better Life'.
UBPA exhibits have been chosen on a competitive basis, with applications screened by a committee that included members from United Nations agencies, international organisations and Mainland authorities.
Of 106 applications, 55 were approved for the UBPA Area, including Hong Kong's proposal to highlight the extensive use of smart card technology in the city. Here we will highlight ways this technology has improved efficiency in everyday city life and enhanced our connectivity both within Hong Kong and further afield.
On October 20, 2008, Hong Kong signed an agreement with the Shanghai Expo Bureau confirming participation in the UBPA exhibition. Hong Kong was allocated an area of 530 square metres at the exhibition, which is located at Expo Zone E in Puxi. The site was handed over to Hong Kong on November 20, 2009. All works, including the interior fitting and installation of exhibits is due to finished by March 2010.
Theme
Smart Card．Smart City．Smart Life
UBPA Pavilion Section
Livable Cities
Content
Hong Kong's exhibition will feature the smartcard systems which have been widely adopted in the community to demonstrate how we extensively use innovative ways and technology to improve efficiency in our daily city life, promote connectivity within the city and other parts of the world and make life easier and more efficient for millions of people in the city – a perfect example of "Better City, Better Life". Through showcasing the everyday city life of Hong Kong citizens, the exhibition will demonstrate various smart card applications in payment and non-payment transactions to enable the visitors to experience the fabulous cosmopolitan life of Hong Kong.
In addition to the existing applications of smart card including Octopus card, Smart Identity (ID) Card and the Autotoll System, etc., we will explore further use of smartcard applications in new community areas such as education, medical and conservation of environment. The new applications of smart cards include the use of smart card to enhance school administration, school's communication with parents and students' learning; the use of Smart ID Card to facilitate the rollout of elderly health care voucher as well as the reliable access to electronic health records of patients; and the use of smart card to encourage green citizen lifestyle. Moreover, we will also demonstrate the new applications of the Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) technology, for example, the Hong Kong International Airport is one of the only two airports in the world using RFID technology to handle the passenger baggage.
Award winning technology
The innovative use of smart cards in Hong Kong has won a number of international awards - further recognition of Hong Kong's drive for a "Better City, Better Life" through the use of technology.
Octopus Card
- "Thirteen small steps to a significantly better world", Design Council Magazine, United Kingdom, 2006
- Titled 'The most versatile card ever?', the Design Council Magazine said Octopus had "revolutionised lives, inspiring London's Oyster card."
- Chairman's Award, World Information Technology and Services Alliance Global IT Excellence Award, 2006
- "The world's leading complex automatic fare collection and contactless smart card payment system"
Smart ID Card
- Top Prize, e-Government and Service Category, Asia Pacific Information and Communications Technology Awards, 2004 (Smart Card) and 2006 (e-Channels)
- Implementation Award, Card Technology Breakthrough Awards, United States' Card Technology and Security Technology Conference and Exhibition, 2004
Presentation
The sleek surface of the six-metre height exhibition structure is animated with interactive video graphics that are sensitive to the patterns of visitor flow. Each pixel represents an individual entering the pavilion, or visiting the online exhibition (Picture 1). On entering the exhibition, visitors are immersed in an impressionistic interpretation of Hong Kong's contrasts through dynamic video graphics that react to the number and movement of visitors (Pictures 2 and 3). On the reverse side of the videographic panels, visitors will discover digital silhouettes representing the diversity and energy of Hong Kong people. When a visitor comes closer, the silhouette transforms into a virtual host who will introduce Hong Kong's smart cards. The virtual host will invite the visitor to learn about smart cards usage in an interactive manner. The visitor can choose to follow the host through a typical day to discover how smart cards are used every day life (Picture 4). Visitors can further experience Hong Kong's unique connectivity through interactive portals. These will be connected to portals at the Hong Kong Pavilion, or perhaps even portals at other locations in Shanghai and Hong Kong, to provide real-time connections with other people. Hong Kong looks forward to expanding its reach, and connecting with more people around the world.
(Picture 1): The surface of the exhibition structure is animated with interactive video graphics that are sensitive to the patterns of visitor flow.
(Picture 2): Dynamic video graphics - Hong Kong's contrasts
(Picture 3): Dynamic video graphics - Hong Kong's contrasts
(Picture 4): The virtual host will invite the visitor to learn about smart cards usage in an interactive manner.
