As a modern metropolis, Singapore embraces innovation and the vast potential of the future.
In our battle against COVID-19, we’ve employed a whole range of high-tech solutions to make our city safer, streamline various amenities and enhance existing attractions with augmented and virtual reality.
From A.I. detection tools and virtual tours to cleaning robots, here are some ways that Singapore is embracing the future of technology.
Changi Airport: Robot cleaners and contact-free technology
At one of the world’s most decorated airports, new self-check-in kiosks boast advanced infrared sensors that allow you to input your travel options just by hovering your finger close to the electronic screen.
This contactless experience continues at the automated immigration lanes. Instead of traditional fingerprint scans, a state-of-the-art biometric system scans faces and irises for identity verification.
As you make your way from the arrival gate, don’t be surprised to see roaming robot cleaners diligently disinfecting the carpets. They are among the many enhanced measures by Changi Airport to create a safe and seamless journey for visitors.
Mandai Wildlife Reserve: virtual walks on the wild side
Fancy hanging out with capybaras or taking a stroll with African penguins from the comfort of your own home?
Now you can meet these adorable creatures without stepping outside your front door. The Wildlife Reserves Singapore—which manages Singapore Zoo, Jurong Bird Park, Night Safari and River Wonders—has launched a family-friendly virtual tour, conducted via Zoom video call.
This interactive medium allows participants to watch their favourite animals up close in action and even chat with the zookeepers.
These online sessions have been such a hit that they will continue to be offered even as the wildlife parks reopen to visitors.
SG’s world-class hotels: Chatbots and A.I. concierges
When it comes to checking into your accommodation, waiting in queues and unnecessary face-to-face interactions may soon be a thing of the past.
Singapore’s hospitality sector is turning to automation and AI to ramp up its game. Many of our island’s finest hotels have implemented a slew of services like mobile check-in, chatbots and contactless payments.
For instance, the Singapore Tourism Board and the Singapore Hotel Association recently introduced the E-Visitor Authentication System (EVA). Hotels like Swissotel The Stamford and Grand Park City Hall are among the first to adopt this facial recognition technology, facilitating faster and more fluid check-ins.
Over at Andaz Singapore and Pan Pacific, AI-enabled digital concierges are in place to answer guest enquiries, manage crowd size at shared facilities, and take room service orders. Such app-less innovations are set to radically transform the hotel guest experience in the near future.
Marina Bay Sands®: Holograms and hybrid broadcasts
Modern innovation takes centre stage at the Sands Expo and Convention Centre’s hybrid broadcast studio.
This state-of-the-art setup can create 3D holographic avatars of speakers from overseas, and beam them “live” onto a physical stage for a truly immersive presentation.
As long as the remote presenters stays within their camera frames, they can gesture, point and pace the stage just like they would in real life.
The venue accommodates an audience of 50 and is equipped with broadcast-quality livestreaming capabilities to reach additional viewers far beyond the studio.
Given the current season of travel restrictions, this cutting-edge invention is undoubtedly a game changer for the business events sector and the future of conferences across the world.
ArtScience Museum™: Culture and conversations online
In Singapore, art can be experienced beyond galleries, and inspiration can be found beyond the halls of our museums.
Case in point, Singapore’s ArtScience Museum’s online programme—ArtScience At Home—allows culture lovers to broaden their horizons and gain new knowledge from the comforts of their home.
Tapping on the power of the Internet, the museum’s programme boasts a range of online talks, screenings, performances and workshops from some of our city’s most esteemed creators and curators.
The current line-up includes spoken word performance by acclaimed poets like Tania de Rozario, in-depth discussions of global warming and films like Prophecy, which plumb the depths of the universe’s intricacies.
Restaurants and eateries: Futuristic F&B solutions
Singapore’s status as a food paradise may soon be seeing a futuristic evolution, as F&B operators and restaurateurs embrace the potential of modern technology.
At its Marina Square outlet, Chinese hotpot restaurant Haidilao boasts automated machines that churn out soups and robot servers, while Crown Coffee employs a robot that can brew a cuppa at four times the speed of a human barista.
Many restaurants have also began exploring the concept of cloud kitchens—shared facilities that allow them to create virtual brands focused solely on takeaway and delivery, and an expanded presence across the island.
Popular eateries that have embraced this new technology include beloved dim sum (bite-sized portions of food) eatery Swee Choon Tim Sum and Wolf Burgers, which serves up gourmet hamburgers.