It is not unusual to hear news that the misplacement of sundries blocking an emergency exit has caused deaths and injuries in a fire hazard, especially in old residential buildings in Hong Kong. Developed by students of HD in Computer and Electronic Engineering, the Smart Emergency Corridor Monitoring System (SECMS) detects sundries along a corridor or staircase based on image processing and object recognition. To achieve this, the SECMS differentiates objects by using AI computer vision. Two object-detection algorithms were used, yolov4 (You Only Look Once) and FRCNN (Faster Region-Based Convolutional Neural Network). The system can send automatic alarm signals to notify property managers for on-spot clearance rather than routine checking, saving time and the cost of manpower.
This idea demonstrated the innovative power of IVE Engineering students working together in a smart community. The students were awarded the Certificate of Merit (Tertiary School Stream) in the “Innovation & Technology Competition – Innovate for Future 2020” organised by the Hong Kong Electronics & Technologies Association.
