5G technology is characterised by high-speed connections and low latency, and has applications in everything from smart homes to remote healthcare and virtual shopping. Many young students are curious about what the technology means and how it can be effectively utilised.

Students from Nam Wah Catholic Secondary School recently designed a vehicle surveillance buzzer that deploys 5G technology to alert pedestrians to road conditions.

Team leader Gary Wong explained how it works. First, the system’s camera can identify an approaching vehicle as either a car or someone riding a bicycle. When a car is recognised, the server sends a signal to the buzzer, which then emits an alarm.

The project took first prize in the recent 5G Campus Application Competition, organised by the Office of the Communications Authority (OFCA) and the Hong Kong Productivity Council.

Team member Alfred Lee said the team had gained a lot of knowledge and familiarised themselves with innovative technologies, especially the advantages and applications of 5G, by taking part in the competition.

Vice Principal Shum Ho-yin explained that the school attaches great importance to STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics) education. He said the students involved had improved not only their knowledge of innovation and technology but also their collaboration, problem-solving and communication skills.

Teacher Ng Wai-hin, who led the students’ participation, stated that he would continue to assist them with research and improvements to their project, adding that he was hopeful that the vehicle surveillance buzzer might be applied on campus in the future.

Inspiring innovation

The competition took “5G Campus for Smart Life” as its theme. Aimed at increasing students’ understanding of 5G technology and its applications, it attracted 33 entries from 29 secondary schools.

OFCA provided training for participants, teaching them skills related to augmented reality, virtual reality, 3D design and basic programming as well as effective presentation, and helped them to build out their initial concepts.

Kingsley Yeung, Assistant Director (Support) at OFCA, said the competition gave students hands-on experience in using 5G applications, allowing them to explore how the technology can have social and environmental benefits and make a difference in everyday life. He added that he hopes they can take their interest in innovative technology further through ongoing learning and practice.

The second-placed team in the competition, from Christian & Missionary Alliance Sun Kei Secondary School, designed a 5G health-monitoring wristband to help the school track the health conditions of students in real-time.

Meanwhile, the third-placed team, from Cumberland Presbyterian Church Yao Dao Secondary School, presented a smart greenhouse controller that uses 5G technology to monitor small greenhouses, facilitating observation of plant growth and the development of small creatures such as butterflies.

OFCA said it will continue to promote 5G technology and its applications through public education and promotional activities. It will also enhance students’ understanding of and interest in 5G technology through initiatives such as school talks and drama performances.