From 10 August 2020, the Immigration & Checkpoints Authority (ICA), supported by the Home Team Science and Technology Agency (HTX), will be issuing electronic devices to all returning Singapore Citizens, Singapore Permanent Residents and Long-Term Pass holders who will be serving their Stay-Home Notices (SHNs) at their residences or self-paid accommodation.
In preparation for the progressive opening up of our borders in the months ahead, the electronic devices will help ICA enforce strict compliance with SHN requirements more effectively, and mitigate the risk of imported COVID-19 cases contributing to local transmission.
Ease of Use
Persons serving SHN (PSHNs) will be issued an electronic wristband, a gateway device and a user guide after their arrival at immigration clearance[1].
Components of the handy self-service solution (Photo: HTX)
The device needs to be activated once the PSHNs reach their place of residence/accommodation. Activation is straightforward and easy. First, PSHNs need to download the StayHome@SG application onto their mobile phone. Next, they should register their profiles by providing the required information through the mobile application, in order to activate the wristband and gateway device. They can then proceed to plug the gateway device into a power supply source and don the wristband for the entire 14-day SHN period.
During the SHN period, users are required to check their mobile application periodically for notifications from ICA, and acknowledge the notifications in a timely manner through the mobile application. Upon completion of the SHN, users will be informed either by ICA or via the StayHome@SG application to cut the wristband and uninstall the application from their mobile phone.
(Source: ICA)
“We wanted a solution that offers ease of use to PSHNs, but also ensures users’ compliance to SHN. After weighing multiple technical and practical considerations for reliable, efficient and secure operations, we found this e-wristband, paired with an IoT gateway device, to be an effective, self-service solution,” said Deputy Director Seah Swee Leng from HTX’s Sense-making & Surveillance Centre of Expertise (S&S CoE). He is part of the cross-departmental team, made up of officers from ICA and HTX (its Immigration & Checkpoints PMC and S&S CoE) that were tasked to source for and customise the solution.
(L to R) Engineer Ong Si Ci (Sense-Making & Surveillance Centre of Expertise, HTX); Deputy Director of ICA’s Intelligence Division DAC Tan Hoe Koon; Engineer Jiang ZhengJie (Immigration & Checkpoints Programme Management Centre, HTX) at the ICA media engagement session on 3 August 2020. They were part of the team who had worked together on this electronic wristband solution. (Photo: HTX)
Effective Monitoring
This electronic wristband solution enables ICA to ensure that PSHNs comply with the SHN requirements. It comes equipped with sufficient battery life to last the entire 14-day SHN duration.
Electronic monitoring to ensure the PSHNs do not leave their place of residence/accommodation during the SHN period is done in the following ways:
- Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) communication between the gateway device and the wristband will enable ICA to determine if the person is within acceptable range of the gateway device.
- The gateway device establishes its own connection to ICA, which is not dependent on external network access.
When the wristband is detected to be out of range of the gateway device, tampered with, cut or loosened; or when the gateway device is removed from the power supply – ICA will be alerted and will conduct follow-up investigations.
(Source: ICA)
Safeguarding Data Security
All information sent from the wristband to the ICA’s servers is encrypted. At the end of the SHN period, all data collection pertaining to the PSHN will cease and the mobile application will be locked from further usage. Information collected will be stored and secured in the government database. Data protection measures are in place to prevent data loss or theft, unauthorised access and undue disclosure.
Helplines
PSHNs who have problems with their device or do not have access to a smartphone with internet connection may call the StayHome@SG helpline at 6962 2516 for technical assistance. Those who require other types of assistance, such as updating the address where they are to serve their SHN, may call the SHN helpline at 6812 5555. They will not need to visit the ICA Building. For more information, please visit the ICA website at ica.gov.sg.
[1] Work Pass holders will be monitored by the Ministry of Manpower using a different monitoring device.