ST Engineering tests pollution-filtering bus stop

It will test the bus stop for 12 months in front of Dhoby Ghaut MRT Station from March 2018.

ST Engineering announced that it is launching a “smart” bus stop that can cool riders from heat and filter air pollution called the “Airbitat Oasis Smart Bus Stop” to be located along Orchard Road.

According to a press release, it was developed within 18 months from idea to market by Innosparks, an ST Engineering Open Lab, and harnesses digitalisation and data analytics to transform its commuters' overall transit experience.

ST Engineering noted that the bus stop will deliver energy-efficient, sustainable cooling with no waste heat generation, using water to cool air to as low as 24oC to address urban heat, and air purification to remove harmful airborne particles such as PM2.5. “It is also able to detect suspicious activities such as unattended baggage and loitering to trial the use of public safety features at public spaces. Innosparks will trial the Airbitat Oasis Smart Bus Stop [B08057] for 12 months in front of Dhoby Ghaut MRT Station/ Plaza Singapura from March 2018,” the firm said.

Findings from the trial such as the average commuter wait time and commuter flow at the bus stop will be shared with LTA and other interested government agencies. “Through data collected from the bus stop technologies, and also surveys conducted of commuters, Innosparks will also explore how Airbitat Oasis technologies (such as its overhead air cooling and purification unit) can be deployed in other ways to meet citizens’ needs in various public outdoor spaces,” ST Engineering added.

Innosparks head Gareth Tang said, “Designers of Smart Cities need to reimagine infrastructure and design solutions that improve their livability for citizens. With this world’s first Airbitat Oasis Smart Bus Stop, ST Engineering is trialling 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.”