{
  "id": 10674416,
  "title": "AI, robotic arms power Hong Kong public hospital laundry and meal centre",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/29/ai-robotic-arms-power-hong-kong-public-hospital-laundry-and-meal",
  "topic": "ai",
  "section": "AI",
  "published": "2026-09-29T11:11:13.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "South China Morning Post - Hong Kong",
    "slug": "south-china-morning-post-hong-kong",
    "url": "https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/article/3369221/ai-robotic-arms-power-hong-kong-public-hospital-laundry-and-meal-centre"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Hong Kong's Hospital Authority has introduced artificial intelligence (AI) and robotic automation at a newly opened support services centre to streamline laundry processing and meal production for public hospitals. The six-story, 62,000-square-meter facility, situated in Tung Chung on Lantau Island, handles roughly half of the authority's laundry and meal needs, catering to 15 public hospitals in total. Inaugurated in March of the previous year, the complex employs cutting-edge technology such as X-ray sorting, robotic arms, and cook-chill kitchen systems.\n\nAt the central laundry, which spans three floors, an automatic X-ray sorting system ensures that foreign objects are detected and removed from clothing and linens gathered from the hospitals before they undergo washing. Robotic arms pick up the dirty laundry from a conveyor belt, which are then scanned by an X-ray machine for any contaminants. This automated system has significantly improved occupational safety and health by reducing manual checks and heavy lifting responsibilities for the workers.\n\nA one-way workflow connects all stages of the laundry process - from washing, drying, folding, and ironing to packaging and delivery - using a hanging-bag system and conveyor belts. For heavy linen bundles, a robotic transport and stacking system, the first of its kind in Hong Kong, efficiently handles the transfer of items to a fully automated storage rack. Automated guided vehicles then distribute the sorted cages to delivery bays, further minimizing the risk of musculoskeletal injuries among workers.\n\nThe central food production unit at the Tung Chung centre prepares meals for 15 public hospitals using automated cooking, packaging, and freezing lines, adhering to the cook-chill method. This technique rapidly cools food from 75 to below 4 degrees Celsius within two hours, preserving freshness and ensuring consistent quality while also employing X-ray machines to inspect the food for safety.\n\nAntony Lui, the chief manager of Business Support Services at the authority's headquarters, expressed the significance of the new facility in addressing the limited space within hospitals. The Tung Chung centre currently handles 33.2 million kilograms of laundry and 14.7 million meal sets annually, and plans to expand its capacity to cover nearly 70% of demand by the end of 2026. The center also accommodates an IT corporate data centre with 500 server racks and Central Emergency Stores, which store approximately 25% of the authority's required personal protective equipment.\n\nThe establishment of this support services centre aligns with the city's First Hospital Development Plan, which aims to expand and revamp public hospitals to meet growing demands.",
  "summary": "Hong Kong’s Hospital Authority has rolled out artificial intelligence (AI) and robotic automation at its new support services centre to handle laundry processing and meal production for public hospitals, aiming to boost efficiency and worker safety. The six-storey, 62,000-square-metre centre, which houses the central laundry and food production unit, opened its doors to the press for the first…",
  "key_points": [
    "Hong Kong Hospital Authority introduces AI and robotic automation at new support services centre.",
    "Six-story facility handles laundry and meal needs for 15 public hospitals.",
    "X-ray sorting, robotic arms, and cook-chill systems improve efficiency and safety."
  ],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 2,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "South China Morning Post",
        "title": "AI, robotic arms power Hong Kong public hospital laundry and meal centre",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/29/ai-robotic-arms-power-hong-kong-public-hospital-laundry-and-meal-10679334",
        "published": "2026-09-29T11:11:13.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}