MTR Corporation and ASTRI Co-creates Award Winning Escalator Inspection Device

Co-creation takes the prize! The stellar team from MTR Corporation’s Hong Kong Transport Services Business Unit (HKTS BU) co-created with ASTRI - Hong Kong Applied Science and Technology Research Institute to bring to us the award-winning Escalator Clearance Inspection Device. The innovation clinched a Silver Award at the International Exhibition of Inventions Geneva 2023 for fusing MTR’s domain knowledge with ASTRI’s R&D expertise!

HKTS BU’s Shera Lai, Cyrus Lau, Berlin Ip, and Lam Antony partnered up with ASTRI to develop the Escalator Clearance Inspection Device, which leverages computer vision to assist inspection of gaps between escalator steps.

There are currently over 1,200 escalators across MTR stations in Hong Kong. To ensure their smooth operation, distance of gaps between escalator steps are regularly inspected to reduce the chances of small items from being trapped. Maintenance staff had to manually inspect each and every gap between escalator steps regularly to ensure they were up to code.
 
With this emerging Escalator Clearance Inspection Device:
 
✅ Measurements can be made while the escalator is in motion, mirroring conditions in operation.
✅ Measurements from manual inspection greatly rely on the skills of individual workers. With computer vision technology, measurements are standardised, ensuring accuracy and inspection quality.
✅ All the gaps between escalator steps can be measured automatically – a powerful tool packed in a small box!
✅ Enable data analytics for Escalator Health prediction.

This device is also now patented - a testament to the teams’ ingenuity and dedication in pursuing transformation solutions for the industry through innovation!

At MTR Lab, our mission is to co-create smart solutions that shape smarter, greener futures for all of us. Learn more about MTR Lab’s mission and pitch your own solutions at www.mtrlab.com.hk