The Airbitat Oasis Smart Bus Stop is being tested in Singapore for a period of one year to see if it can address the problems of problems of urban heat and air pollution faced by commuters. The smart bus stop delivers energy-efficient, sustainable cooling with no waste heat generation, using water to cool air to as low as 24°C (74F). Air purification technology removes harmful airborne particles such as PM2.5 – atmospheric particulate matter (PM) that have a diameter of less than 2.5 micrometers.
Sensors in the bus stop detect conditions such as temperature, humidity, and commuter traffic and then adjust the modes in which the air should be cooled. The system powers down to standby mode when not required. The sensors are also used to track data for analyzing average waiting time by commuters, commuter flow and the number of people at a bus stop at any one time. It also has a camera with inbuilt computer vision and advanced analytics that allows it to detect suspicious activities such as loitering and unattended bags. A digital panel displays temperature, air quality, and bus routes.
“Designers of Smart Cities need to re-imagine infrastructure and design solutions that improve their live-ability for citizens. With this world’s first Airbitat Oasis Smart Bus Stop, ST Engineering is trialing an approach of harnessing technology and innovation to transform land transport infrastructure so that even simple daily activities such as waiting for a bus can be greatly improved through data analytics, air cooling and purification technologies,” said Mr Gareth Tang, head, lnnosparks, an ST Engineering Open Lab – the company running the project.
“We are pleased to provide a platform for innovative ideas to be test bedded to improve land transport. ST Engineering has offered to fund and test bed their concept of the Airbitat Bus Stop, and showcase its innovative air cooling technology which have other applications as well. We welcome more local companies to test bed ideas that could help make commuting more pleasant,” said Yeo Teck Guan, group director for public transport at the Land Transport Authority (LTA).
