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| Source: SMRT. The winning teams at the NUS-SMRT Commuthon. |
One hundred and twenty people participated in the NUS-SMRT Commuthon, which resulted in five winning prototypes. Winning teams receive S$500 each and are given the opportunity to qualify for further funding to develop their solutions for implementation.
Lee Ling Wee, Managing Director, SMRT Trains said, “The hallmark of service excellence does not stop with strong service delivery but in working with engaged commuters to enhance the overall travel experience. This is a first for the transport industry in Singapore, and we are excited to work with NUS Enterprise to provide a new and meaningful platform for public engagement.
Lee Ling Wee, Managing Director, SMRT Trains said, “The hallmark of service excellence does not stop with strong service delivery but in working with engaged commuters to enhance the overall travel experience. This is a first for the transport industry in Singapore, and we are excited to work with NUS Enterprise to provide a new and meaningful platform for public engagement.
"SMRT will be funding some of these innovations and we look forward to launching these in our network in the near future. Technology is a key enabler in raising operational performance and customer experience standards, and we are confident these new solutions will work very well alongside our own initiatives to improve customer service touch-points and enhance the overall travel experience for all our commuters.”
Dr Lily Chan, Chief Executive Officer, NUS Enterprise said, “The NUS-SMRT Commuthon saw a great turn out from entrepreneurs and developers who are keen to create a more positive travel experience. Hackathons are conducive environments that encourage talented individuals to convene, discuss and develop new prototypes and solutions by leveraging upon technology and innovation. NUS Enterprise will continue to support the winning teams, as they bring their ideas closer to implementation.”
Selected winners will be able to tap on a S$120,000 fund provided by SMRT. Details will be made known once evaluations are completed over the coming weeks. NUS Enterprise will support the winning teams by offering mentorship guidance, access to validation workshops and hot-desking support.
The winning solutions are:
In the Trains category, teams had to find a way to encourage positive commuter behaviour through smart decision-making applications that result in effective crowd distribution and better commuter flow.
Team Your Move recommended a mobile app that uses rewards and gamification to positively influence commuters to move within the train carriages and avoid standing too close to the train doors, which prevents other commuters from boarding. The app will leverage upon the latest iBeacon technology which can detect the proximity of nearby mobile devices using Bluetooth signals.
Dr Lily Chan, Chief Executive Officer, NUS Enterprise said, “The NUS-SMRT Commuthon saw a great turn out from entrepreneurs and developers who are keen to create a more positive travel experience. Hackathons are conducive environments that encourage talented individuals to convene, discuss and develop new prototypes and solutions by leveraging upon technology and innovation. NUS Enterprise will continue to support the winning teams, as they bring their ideas closer to implementation.”
Selected winners will be able to tap on a S$120,000 fund provided by SMRT. Details will be made known once evaluations are completed over the coming weeks. NUS Enterprise will support the winning teams by offering mentorship guidance, access to validation workshops and hot-desking support.
The winning solutions are:
In the Trains category, teams had to find a way to encourage positive commuter behaviour through smart decision-making applications that result in effective crowd distribution and better commuter flow.
Team Your Move recommended a mobile app that uses rewards and gamification to positively influence commuters to move within the train carriages and avoid standing too close to the train doors, which prevents other commuters from boarding. The app will leverage upon the latest iBeacon technology which can detect the proximity of nearby mobile devices using Bluetooth signals.
When commuters connect to the app, they will be able to earn rewards points, based on their location within the cabin. These rewards can be redeemed at retail outlets at the stations. The team is a group of six alumni from the NUS Overseas Colleges programme, an initiative that immerses students in entrepreneurial hubs locally and around the world.
Team Urbanite suggested a decision-making mobile app that aims to address train service disruptions by providing commuters with real-time, travel-related data that allows them to better plan their routes. Users will have easy access to information on the capacities of incoming trains and receive indications of the corresponding waiting and travelling times.
Team Urbanite suggested a decision-making mobile app that aims to address train service disruptions by providing commuters with real-time, travel-related data that allows them to better plan their routes. Users will have easy access to information on the capacities of incoming trains and receive indications of the corresponding waiting and travelling times.
In event of a train disruption, the app automatically suggests several alternative routes. In this way, the app empowers commuters to make informed decisions for better journey planning.
For the Buses category, teams were asked to position Bukit Batok and Chua Chu Kang Interchanges as smart interchanges of the future, with better information accessibility and innovative and commuter-centric services.
Team RideWithMe conceptualised an efficient bus dispatch scheduler that aims to solve problems such as long waiting times for commuters, over-crowding, inaccurate bus arrival times and navigation difficulties. The system crowd-sources information such as commuter location data, real-time traffic data and historical feeds, and can provide a virtual reality guide to offer commuters directions and pinpoint prominent landmarks. This system can also potentially generate advertising income.
In the Taxis category, teams explored enhancing the commuter travel experience during peak hours through solutions that provide supply and demand matching to improve real-time taxi availability.
Team BetterUs came up with a mobile app that provides real-time supply and demand matching by getting taxi commuters to indicate their location on a map. This allows taxi drivers to go directly to where their customers are instead of picking up passengers at random. This reduces waiting time for commuters, and does not disrupt the current taxi booking model. The team anticipates that the solution could be operational in six months.
For the Buses category, teams were asked to position Bukit Batok and Chua Chu Kang Interchanges as smart interchanges of the future, with better information accessibility and innovative and commuter-centric services.
Team RideWithMe conceptualised an efficient bus dispatch scheduler that aims to solve problems such as long waiting times for commuters, over-crowding, inaccurate bus arrival times and navigation difficulties. The system crowd-sources information such as commuter location data, real-time traffic data and historical feeds, and can provide a virtual reality guide to offer commuters directions and pinpoint prominent landmarks. This system can also potentially generate advertising income.
In the Taxis category, teams explored enhancing the commuter travel experience during peak hours through solutions that provide supply and demand matching to improve real-time taxi availability.
Team BetterUs came up with a mobile app that provides real-time supply and demand matching by getting taxi commuters to indicate their location on a map. This allows taxi drivers to go directly to where their customers are instead of picking up passengers at random. This reduces waiting time for commuters, and does not disrupt the current taxi booking model. The team anticipates that the solution could be operational in six months.
Team Tapidata won in the Open category for making a case for digital e-receipts that can be stored on their mobile phones. At the end of their trip, commuters tap their NFC-enabled smartphone or Ez-Link card (travel card) on an NFC reader in the taxi. The e-receipt is automatically provided to commuters who can then forward it to supervisors for endorsement through an online web portal. Embedded security features ensure the integrity of these e-receipts. The system is environmentally friendly and also benefits employers, as e-receipts are easier to manage. Another advantage is that it establishes a connection between the taxi hirer and commuters, in situations where valuable items are accidentally left behind. This system is incubated by NUS Enterprise.
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