Canadian real-time event-driven data streaming firm Solace has developed an IoT platform for Hong Kong International Airport (HKIA) that can use real-time data to enhance airport operations efficiency and the passenger experience.
 
The adoption of Solace’s event broker technology has enabled critical real-time data flow between the airport’s connected devices and vehicles, preparing the airport for the full integration of its physical and digital operations.
 
“Transforming legacy software into individual microservices is a mammoth task that is extremely resource-intensive,” said David Fung, co-founder of E Tag, the systems integrator overseeing the implementation of the IoT platform. “The ease and speed with which Solace’s technology can be deployed made it ideal to fulfil HKIA’s real-time IoT data movement needs.”
 
With Solace’s technology, the airport will optimise data from IoT devices to support initiatives such as real-time equipment location tracking and predictive maintenance on assets and buildings for different airport business units. By enabling the collection, filtration and flow of real-time information between IoT devices and back-end systems, Solace aims to help HKIA manage assets more effectively, improving airport operation efficiency and enhancing passenger services.
 
“A secure, scalable messaging backbone will play a critical role in revolutionising our operations and the overall passenger services, reinforcing our commitment to provide a pleasant and unique airport experience to our passengers as a world-class airport,” said Andy Bien, chief information officer of Airport Authority Hong Kong.
 
HKIA is an international and regional aviation hub connecting to 220 destinations around the world, including 50 mainland cities. In 2019, HKIA handled 71.5 million passengers.
 
“Solace is all about driving business value for our customers,” said Sumeet Puri, chief technology officer at Solace. “We are delighted to support HKIA’s real-time digital transformation goals at a time when customers are increasingly demanding real-time responsiveness and hyper-personalised services. Connected devices can expand the possibilities for new experiences and business models, but only if complemented with an event-driven approach that ensures low-latency and high-volume IoT message brokering.”