Silver linings
Kicking off tomorrow, the 20th edition of the Hong Kong Trade Development Council’s (HKTDC) Hong Kong Electronics Fair (Spring Edition) – billed as “the world’s leading electronics marketplace” – is set to showcase international brands with cutting-edge technological solutions.
As noted by the HKTDC, many electronics companies are catering to the “silver market” – a reference to older consumers – by incorporating health management features into their products. Such items’ inclusion marks a first for the fair, but it is a topic that has been on the council’s radar since the beginning of the year.
On January 15, China released a guideline to strengthen the “silver economy” to address the country’s rapidly ageing population – the aim being to tweak products and services across an array of economic sectors such as technology, finance, telecommunications, housing, transport and energy to suit the needs of the elderly.
According to a government statement, the country must “focus on nurturing new business models … as exemplified by the development of nursing and housekeeping robots, along with biotechnologies that help alleviate age-related illnesses”.
Fairgoers interested in the topic should head for Hall 3C of the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre at 11am tomorrow for “Capture the Opportunities of the Silver Economy”, a programme in which two of the three speakers have directly developed products designed to assist with elderly living.
Euromonitor International senior research analyst Clifton Chiu will speak on consumer electronics and understanding the potential of the ageing market. Megastek Technologies managing director Alex Kong will introduce his company’s medical GPS monitoring systems. Lastly, Kenqing Technology CEO Yu Yunbo will talk about his firm’s walking assistance lightweight exoskeleton, which leverages robotics to make walking easier.