Smart lamppost system clarified

August 23, 2019

Secretary for Innovation & Technology Nicholas Yang:

First of all, the raw data collected is analysed immediately by something called the edge computer in the smart lamppost. In other words, for example if you try to count the number of cars in a picture, that edge computer would just count the number of cars. As soon as that process is analysed, the raw data is deleted immediately. That’s done within one second because the computer is so powerful. So basically, what remains is the analysed data by the edge computer and that data by definition is open data, it’s accessible, it’s presentable to every citizen to share. And it’s shared through technology like 5G, 4G or 4.5G so that people can get it very quickly for information. 

To answer you very simply, the data you are worried about that Police may have access to no longer exists after one second. And after that second, the data turns into analysed open data which is made available to every person, every citizen.

(To watch the video with sign language interpretation, click here.)

Raw data collected by smart lampposts will be deleted after analysis, Secretary for Innovation & Technology Nicholas Yang said today.

Mr Yang told reporters that an edge computer in the lamppost takes only one second to analyse the raw data.

“For example if you try to count the number of cars in a picture, that edge computer would just count the number of cars.

“As soon as that process is analysed, the raw data is deleted immediately. That’s done within one second because the computer is so powerful.

“So basically, what remains is the analysed data by the edge computer and that data by definition is open data, it’s accessible, it’s presentable to every citizen to share.”