With an aim to be at the forefront of innovation, MTR Corporation strives to continue to lead the way in smart railway solutions.
Entering its 45th year, MTR Corporation is continuing to push the development of technology to improve the rail sector.
MTR’s latest innovation, AI (Artificial Intelligence) Station Cityline, exemplifies its dedication to enhancing customer service through technology.
Pilot-launched at selected MTR stations in Hong Kong in 2024, this AI-powered service allows customers to connect with a virtual service ambassador through a regular phone call, providing instant assistance for a variety of general inquiries.
MTR Corporation executive general manager Peter Munro said the system is powered by cutting-edge large language model, natural language processing, and dynamic knowledge retrieval technologies. The AI assistant ensures real-time engagement and delivers a human interaction experience.
“With an emphasis on smart mobility and value-added customer services, the integration of AI in customer experience marks a step towards the vision of advancing customer service excellence through leveraging on innovative communication,” he said.
Geneva Awards
The mission statement of ‘safety first, quality always’ at MTR encompasses not only continuous innovation, but also the delivery of a safe, comprehensive journey experience for its customers.
MTR Corporation earned prestigious recognition at the 49th International Exhibition of Inventions of Geneva (Geneva Awards) earlier this year by winning a total of 21 awards, comprising seven gold medals, 10 silver medals, and four bronze medals.
These achievements underscore MTR Corporation’s unwavering commitment to building a ‘smart railway’ and delivering exceptional service, leveraging on the latest technologies to communities worldwide, including in Australia.
Effectiveness and Innovation
With thousands of trains travelling across MTR’s Hong Kong network daily, the optimisation of the condition monitoring of rollingstock has been one of the major focuses of the railway operations team.
“The train bogie maintenance project utilises MTR’s pioneering AI sensors fusion technique, which leverages machine learning algorithms, to analyse railway points vibration data and environmental factors,” Munro said.
“4G sensors installed on point machines capture vibration data from passing trains which is subsequently analysed by the trained AI model. By establishing a health data profile for each bogie, the AI model facilitates early warnings about train operation risks and prioritisation of corrective maintenance needs by identifying vibration pattern deviations.”
This advanced algorithm accurately predicts vibration anomalies in train bogies, enhancing maintenance efficiency and ensuring smoother, safer rides for passengers.
During trials on the Tsuen Wan Line in 2024, the AI model successfully detected 17 high-risk bogies, leading to timely maintenance and significantly improved vibration patterns.
Revolutionising Emergency Communication
Leveraging AI also goes beyond preventive measures. The AI-driven natural language processing (NLP) translation for immediate incident attention revolutionises railway emergency communication.
Developed in collaboration with the Hong Kong Applied Science and Technology Research Institute (ASTRI), the NLP system provides real-time speech-to-text services on tetra radio communication with multi-lingual transcriptions available.
Equipped with conversation accuracy monitoring measures, such as radio signal quality, confidence level of transcription and discrepancy checking, the translation mechanism ensures immediate and accurate communication across different languages without risk of verbal ambiguity.
To better support decision making on incident handling, the enabling of incident and keywork detection and notification function assists operators to locate the relevant procedure manuals instantly, which may be critical for the implementation of immediate measures.
While timely and effective communication is achieved, the use of big data can also capture valuable insights in each crisis management scenario. The augmented message keyword statistic analytics allows an overview of the notification trends and areas of focus by collating messages across daily operation.
By providing real-time analytics and data-driven insights, the function can aid operation controllers in more informed decision making under different scenarios, minimising response times, and enhancing co-ordination and resource allocation in similar contingencies going forward.
Safety and Beyond
Apart from customer safety, upholding workplace safety and Environmental Social Governance (ESG) best practices are also integral aspects of MTR Corporation’s technology initiatives.
The green energy milliwatt wireless sensor fusion for railway safety alert detects the location of trains in the depot and signs of the signal light, and then issues alerts to the forthcoming train, further enhancing the safety and reliability of railway services.
Capable of being charged from renewable sources such as solar or vibration, the energy efficient sensor enables reliable operation for a minimum of seven years.
Furthermore, the design allows the sensors to be installed on any existing railway infrastructure, providing immediate safety assurance to the depot workers. The system’s simplicity and effectiveness make it a valuable addition to railway safety measures.
MTR Corporation’s achievements at the Geneva Awards and the launch of AI Station Cityline highlight its role as a global pioneer in smart railway solutions.
The company’s ongoing commitment to innovation and excellence continues to set new standards in the railway industry, benefiting communities worldwide. In MTR’s DNA, the pursuit of operational excellence fosters technological advancement, motivating staff to explore up-to-date smart mobility solutions for better customer experience and railway safety.
These innovative efforts extend globally, including a strong presence in Australia. Munro said that by revolutionising universal smart railway technologies and customer services, MTR Corporation is dedicated in delivering excellent railway services to the local communities it serves in Australia.
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