The last few decades have seen emerging technology used to change our lives in various ways, yet it’s easy to make the mistake of focusing our attention solely on Europe and North America. By looking further afield, we can see how interesting new uses are being found for technology so that it truly makes a difference in people’s daily lives.
Smart Cities Are Planned for Vietnam
The concept of smart cities is something we’ve heard a lot about lately, but you might not be aware that Vietnam is one of the countries leading the way when it comes to putting the theory into practice. The national government recently reported that it’s come to an agreement with the Vietnam Posts and Telecommunications Group to carry out a number of digital transformation projects across the country.
The timeframe for doing this is from 2023 through to 2025, with the overall goal of making the capital, Ho Chi Minh City, smart and sustainable. While the exact details are fairly scarce at the time of writing, it’s believed to involve the strengthening of the city’s digital infrastructure. Currently, the list of the world’s smartest cities includes Singapore, Helsinki, and Zurich, according to the report titled the 2020 Smart City Index.
The official announcement mentioned the creation of data systems that cover various areas and lead to a big data source available for the city. This is being done with an eye on speeding up the digital economy of the capital in sectors such as transport, commerce, and logistics. One of the first steps in doing this will be the introduction of fast broadband service.
As for the current situation in Vietnam, the number of people switching to online activities reveals that the digital transformation is already well underway and that the majority go online using mobile devices, making the mobile phone accessories market in this country a significant size. According to Statista, 69 million of the total population of 96 million are internet users, making it one of Asia’s groups of biggest internet users.
An example of popular online activities can be seen on the Asiabet website in the Vietnamese language. Described as the leading online gambling site for users from this country, it lists a selection of internet casinos where Vietnamese residents can play slots and table games, or place sports bets for money, they also provide details of issues such as the local laws and acceptable payment methods, to allow newcomers to fully understand the industry. Happy Luke and BK8 are among the sites listed that offer welcome bonuses going up to $US 5,000 for new members.
Virtual Avatars for Clothes Fitting in Thailand
The use of virtual reality and augmented reality to help customers try on clothes has been growing across the planet, but recent developments in Thailand make it one of the world leaders in respect. This is due to NeXR teaming up with H&M Thailand to produce a fascinating new way for people to find out which garments are perfect for them.
While this project isn’t due to be officially presented until the end of the year, at an event to be held at the Mall Central World in Bangkok, some of the key details have already been released. The idea is that H&M customers have their precise body measurements taken using the technology, which will allow the store to recommend clothing that fits them perfectly.
The technology will be put in place for the start of 2023 and customers will begin by getting their measurements taken using scanner technology that’s been tested in German stores, before creating a virtual avatar to represent them. They store their avatar in a mobile app that they use to find the clothes that are right for them.
Initially, the project will be rolled out offline. What this means is that customers can scan garments at the H&M store to find what they need, reducing the need to go to a fitting room to try things on. It’s then going to go online, at which point they won’t even need to visit the shop. Since the retailer expects to reduce the number of returns, they deal with, this should also make their business more sustainable.
In general terms, close to 78% of the population of Thailand are internet users. This number has been growing steadily but with over 22% of Thais not going online, there is still scope for further growth. According to Ookla, both mobile and fixed internet speeds have increased in recent years, which should encourage more people to go online. The idea of learning English to boost their career prospects is one of the many reasons for Thai internet users to go online.
Making Water Easier to Manage in India
Water shortage is one of the key environmental issues in India right now, particularly in rural areas. Indeed, according to numbers from the government, close to 50% of families living in rural locations don’t have a tap water connection in their homes, while farmers and factories also struggle to get the water that they need.
Part of the solution to this massive problem could be to use the right technology to manage the resource more effectively. The Ministry of Jal Shakti is the area of the government in charge of water management, and they believe that the use of better data is the best way forward. They’re currently working through the third major National Hydrology Project, which should be completed by early 2024.
This involves the use of sensors to collect data, cutting out the issues seen in the past when this information was collected manually. Another problem was that the data was only available to certain people and wasn’t as useful as it should have been.
A total of 6,000 sensors are going to be located across the country, placed in rivers, lakes and reservoirs. In addition, there will be an extra 1,600 sensors that will be used to track the levels of India’s underground water supplies. These sensors will transmit real-time data over a mobile phone network so that anyone can see the current water levels at any time.
All of these different projects show us different ways that cutting-edge technology is used to improve the life of people in Asia. They’re just a sample of the many projects being carried out across the continent that will change numerous aspects of life for the populations of these countries and others.
