Dr Crystal Fok, Associate Director, Robotics, HKSTP

Dubai, UAE, 8 November 2018: Robotics will soon find its place across industries, said Dr Crystal Fok, Associate Director, Robotics, HKSTP, during a conversation at the International Conference for Sustainable Materials, in Dubai. Industry professionals are not hesitant to take up robotics in Hong Kong; however, if you analyse the situation, we do not have a strong labour force that is large enough to serve the whole industry, she said. “The average age of people working in Hong Kong is 55 years old and hence, robotics seems to be the solution to the problem,” Fok said. Because of the lack of young people in the workforce, she added, the lifecycles of construction projects have to be extended.

Robotics has also led to the evolution of job roles, Dr Fok said. “We keep saying that we are not replacing people, but the nature of jobs will definitely undergo change with robotics.” With reference to how robotics can benefit Facilities Management in building operations and maintenance, she said, “The use of sensors in building systems is the beginning of a new phase. It has revolutionised the way we operate and manage buildings.” Soon, she added, we will be able to connect these sensors to a robot, which will then interpret the signals and regulate the building systems. In addition, she said that robotics can also be used effectively in MEP work. Pointing to installations as a key factor, she said that today, most installations are done in 3D, after referring to 2D designs that are on paper. She added, “With the help of AR and VR, installations can be carried out efficiently; a robot can be guided to perform the task efficiently.”