Photo by HKXRA
Photo by HKXRA
We collaborated with the Hong Kong Extended Reality Association (HKXRA), proudly co-hosted the “HKXRA x PolyU MScMT Best Project Awards cum XR Dialogue” on 17 November 2025. The event celebrated outstanding student innovation in extended reality (XR) and fostered dialogue on the future of immersive technologies.
A highlight of the event was the panel discussion, “Powering the Future of Cultural Tourism Through XR,” featuring distinguished speakers:
- Mr Lawrence CHEUNG, Director, BD & Services, HTC (GBA/HK),
- Mr Terry DAO, Chairman, HKXRA,
- Prof. Peter NG, Assistant Professor and MScMT Programme Leader, PolyU COMP, and
- Mr Jonathan WONG, Curator and Exhibition Manager, HKDI Gallery.
The panel explored how XR technologies are transforming cultural tourism and creating new opportunities for engagement and storytelling.
The MScMT Best Project Awards recognised exceptional student projects in XR, with a total prize pool of HK$100,000 generously supported by HKXRA. The winners are as follows:
Champion (HK$50,000)
Project Title: Immersive Hangzhou River Experience: A VR Journey Through 3D Scanning and Digital Interaction
Awardees: CUI Yilin, LI Junde, LIAO Caijun, ZENG Xiangyue
Supervisor: Prof. Peter NG (Assistant Professor and MScMT Programme Leader, PolyU COMP)
Project Summary: This project uses large-scale 3D scanning to create a high-fidelity digital twin of an urban environment, allowing for immersive historical exploration and new applications in virtual tourism.
1st Runner Up (HK$30,000)
Project Title: Clinical Conversation Training System
Awardees: CHEN Jiahan, LIANG Haopeng, LIAO Binyu, SHI Yufei
Supervisor: Prof LIU Yan Fiona (Associate Professor, PolyU COMP)
Project Summary: A virtual reality training platform for medical interns that uses conversational AI to simulate high-stakes patient interactions. This scalable solution creates a safe environment for developing the critical communication and empathy skills required for clinical practice.
2nd Runner Up (HK$20,000)
Project Title: A Creative System of Chinese Shadow Puppetry in the Metaverse of Intangible Cultural Heritage
Awardees: BAO Tianyi, JIANG Shaobo, SHI Zhikang, ZHAN Zhuoyuan
Supervisors: Dr Jeff TANG (Lecturer, PolyU COMP) , Prof Anthony KONG (Assistant Professor, PolyU School of Design)
Project Summary: This virtual reality system digitizes the intangible heritage of shadow puppetry by utilizing motion controls within a metaverse platform to enable new forms of cultural transmission and creative expression.
