Visitors will be greeted by a 2.7m-tall globe enveloped in animation, documenting the opportunities Changi Airport T5 can capture from rising air travel demand in Asia – and why it needs to be built. - ST
SINGAPORE: At the tap of a button on a mobile app, an autonomous mobility device or wheelchair can be summoned to seniors or passengers with reduced mobility to ferry them across the upcoming Changi Airport Terminal 5 (T5) after they cross immigration.
And away from the bustle of passengers catching their flights, robotic arms can lift and move oversized baggage weighing up to 35kg, reducing the back-breaking work done by workers in baggage-handling areas.
These are among the new technologies being explored for T5 that will be showcased at the T5 In The Making exhibition at Terminal 3’s arrival hall from Jan 6 to March.
The exhibition is divided into five zones, which take visitors on a journey through the airport’s past and offer a glance at T5’s design, scale and possible innovations.
After being issued a personalised “boarding pass” with their name, visitors will be greeted by a 2.7m-tall globe enveloped in animation, documenting the opportunities T5 can capture from rising air travel demand in Asia – and why it needs to be built.
They are then given a quick overview of the evolution of land reclamation efforts over the decades, which eventually laid the ground for the airport today, while learning about the contributions of airport veterans.
Following that, an immersive curved-screen video experience allows viewers to step into imagined versions of what the new terminal could look like – with natural elements, emerging innovations or opportunities for the community to bond, for example.
Robotic arms could potentially be used for baggage handling in the upcoming T5. - ST
With the T5 building alone spanning the area from Chinatown to Raffles Place, the mega terminal “could truly be an extension of Singapore” as a “series of neighbourhoods” takes shape under a canopy, according to the introductory video.
Visitors can then step forward to catch a glimpse of the future through the cutting-edge technologies on display, such as autonomous wheelchairs, robotic arms for baggage handling, and smart systems capable of predicting and planning around flight delays, as well as self-driving baggage vehicles.
Currently being tested at Terminals 2 and 3, smart system Airport 360 uses artificial intelligence and computer vision to monitor flights undergoing refuelling, catering and baggage unloading, among other activities.
The system makes it easier for operations teams to detect potential flight delays and redeploy resources.
Having studied three years’ worth of historical data, Airport 360 has helped improve the timeliness of ground activities and on-time performance of up to 200 flights.
Also on display at the exhibition are autonomous wheelchairs that can transport passengers with mobility issues around the terminal. They are undergoing small-scale trials.
These innovations are meant to address challenges that Singapore could face in future: extreme weather, an ageing population and labour constraints.
Lastly, visitors can imagine what they hope to see in T5 through interactive digital murals by selecting three features they prefer from a list of suggestions on a digital screen, and take a closer look at a detailed scale model of the upcoming mega terminal.
Throughout the entire exhibition journey, they can collect five embossed stamp designs of one of Changi Airport’s mascots – the Buddy Bear – on their personalised passes from five stations across the exhibition.
Prime Minister Lawrence Wong broke ground on T5 in May.
Once completed in the mid-2030s, the new terminal and the wider Changi East development will nearly double the size of the airport. T5 will increase Changi Airport’s annual passenger capacity by more than 55 per cent, from 90 million to 140 million.
Speaking to the media during a tour of the exhibition on Jan 2, Mr Ong Chee Chiau, managing director of Changi East at operator Changi Airport Group, said T5 In The Making aims to give visitors a deeper understanding of the terminal’s significance and a glimpse into the extensive planning behind it.
“Coming at a time when construction is in full swing, we hope that it will excite the public about the progress on the ground, and at the same time, spark imagination about the new terminal – how T5 will shape Singapore’s future and how different the future travel experience will be,” he added.
Comprising five different zones, the exhibition will allow visitors to interact with displays and take a closer look at scale models, while understanding the vision and design of T5.
Registration is open on the exhibition’s official website, www.changiairport.com/t5-in-the-making, and each person can book a slot for up to five visitors. Walk-in visits will be accepted subject to availability.
Since registration opened on Dec 15, 15,000 people have registered for tickets to the exhibition as at Jan 5.
Each visit takes about an hour.
The exhibition will be open daily from 10am to 8pm, with the last entry at 7.15pm. Admission is free. - The Straits Times/ANN
