PENANG, 6 DECEMBER 2020 – In U Mobile’s drive to gain further insights into the role of 5G in industries, the telco has partnered with leading contract manufacturer Hotayi Electronic (M) Sdn Bhd to implement mass workforce management solutions via two use cases at its facility in Penang. The use cases, which are 5G-enabled Smart AI Facial Recognition and 5G-enabled Thermal Recognition is part of MCMC’s 5G Demonstration Projects (5GDP) and were recently featured as part of Techfest’s 5G Tech Forward program, which was organised by the National Tech Association of Malaysia (PIKOM).

In terms of use case benefits, U Mobile’s 5G-enabled Smart AI Facial Recognition solution offers Hotayi Electronic high speed and accuracy in facial recognition and detection. The system is also able to capture structural features in real-time as employees are entering the premise, and they include age range, expression, gender and it can even discern if accessories like glasses or face masks are used. Another key benefit for this real-time solution is in the area of security as Hotayi Electronic is able to program a white list/blacklist of personnel. Any breach will be detected immediately, and the security team will be able to be alerted to act straight away.

As for U Mobile’s 5G Thermal Recognition solution, it enables Hotayi Electonic to detect any abnormalities in temperature reading when employees are entering the premise and any abnormality will immediately trigger the security team to take action. The Smart AI Facial Recognition system will retrieve the identity of the affected staff and security team may ask him or her to leave the facility immediately, thus reducing the risk of cross infection. This is especially important for Hotayi Electronic as they have a huge production workforce.

Currently, both solutions are able to capture up to 10 employees’ faces and temperatures at one time, hence, leading to reduced lead time and improved effectiveness for Hotayi Electronic’s safety and security functions.

Woon Ooi Yuen, U Mobile’s Chief Technology Officer, highlighted that these 5G use cases provided the telco insights into the potential of 5G applications in the manufacturing industry. “U Mobile is always about unleashing the unlimited potential of technology for the benefit of the end user. The company is constantly innovating and conducting various tests to find new ways to enhance our customers' experience. In this scenario, we are delighted to have been able to collaborate with Hotayi Electronic, as well as our technology partner Huawei, to conduct use cases that improve the operational efficiencies of a large firm like Hotayi Electronic through our 5G connectivity. The learnings obtained will be valuable as we plan for 5G’s commercial rollout in the second phase of the Government’s National Digital Network (JENDELA) plan”.

About U Mobile’s 5G Use Cases

The telco has over the past year participated in various 5G use cases as part of MCMC’s 5G Demonstration Projects. U Mobile has conducted several use cases in verticals such as healthcare, virtual gaming and virtual tourism. For healthcare, U Mobile partnered with MEDCOM and DoctorOnCall to demonstrate how 5G enabled seamless remote consultation. To demonstrate virtual gaming and virtual tourism, U Mobile partnered with HTC Vive. Apart from 5GDP use cases, U Mobile was also recently the first telco in the country to conduct a 5G consumer live trial by provisioning all its SIMs ready for 5G, so that customers may get a taste of 5G when using select 5G phones. U Mobile intends to conduct more 5G use cases in the coming months in preparation for the eventual 5G commercial roll out in the second phase of JENDELA. As a company that leverages innovation and technology to enable customers to unleash their unlimited potential, the JENDELA initiative strongly complements the company’s vision. U Mobile is committed to working closely with the government towards making seamless digital connectivity and consistent quality of experience available to all Malaysians.