News

MHRC Interim Director appointed as General Editor of Culture and Psychology Series by Cambridge University Press

Prof. Sylvia CHEN Xiaohua, Associate Dean of the Faculty of Health and Social Sciences, Chair Professor of the Department of Applied Social Sciences, Interim Director of the Mental Health Research Centre (MHRC), and Director of the Yan Oi Tong Au Suet Ming Child Development Centre, has been appointed as the General Editor of the Culture and Psychology Series by Cambridge University Press. The series includes books that cover top academic and research works in emerging interdisciplinary areas of culture that relate to emotion, cognition and behaviour. The published books are widely used by students, teachers and researchers in various fields of psychology as important reference books.

Prof. YUNG Kai-leung and Prof. WU Bo on China’s space missions

Prof. YUNG Kai-leung, Director of the Research Centre for Deep Space Explorations (RCDSE), Sir Sze-yuen Chung Professor in Precision Engineering, Chair Professor of Precision Engineering and Associate Head of the Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering, Prof. WU Bo, RCDSE Associate Director, Fiona Cheung Professor in Spatial Science, and Associate Head (Research) of the Department of Land Surveying & Geo-Informatics, and Mr CHEN Long, Project Associate, were interviewed by RTHK on Chang’e-6 mission’s challenges and Hong Kong’s contributions to the country’s space industry. Prof. Yung said that the front side of the Moon has less exposure to solar wind due to the influence of the Earth’s magnetic field. The far side of the Moon is not protected by the Earth. Hence, it is subject to huge impacts, and the soil quality there is very different, making the sampling task even more challenging. He explained that there is only one chance to take sample from the far side of the Moon, and Chang’e-6 is a historic success. Prof. Wu shared that his team used artificial intelligence methods to significantly reduce the time required for identifying the landing site for the probe. The team spent more than half a year on related work for Chang’e-3. After adopting new technologies, it took the team less than two months to identify the landing site for the probe in the Tianwen-1 Mars exploration mission.   Online coverage: RTHK - https://polyu.me/3ZD0ykZ (video: 00:52 - 01:59; 05:12 - 05:41) (audio: 02:55 - 05:20; 08:13 - 09:33) am730 - https://polyu.me/3Y0tMsI Bastille Post - https://polyu.me/3XJyQjH Yahoo HK - https://polyu.me/3N0Zqjp Line Today - https://polyu.me/3XArNtK

PAIR to showcase at PolyU InnoTech Open Day x Alumni Homecoming 2024

You are cordially invited to join the PolyU InnoTech Open Day x Alumni Homecoming on 19 October 2024 on PolyU campus. The I&T community, researchers, industry partners, entrepreneurs, as well as PolyU alumni, staff and students, family and friends are all welcome! This year’s Open Day features a series of thought-provoking events, including the Power of Innovation: PAIR Research Impact at the Jockey Club Auditorium. You will be inspired by some exhibits including some novel food waste-derived 3D-printed materials, energy saving batteries, advanced optical fibre sensor, smart companion doll, interactive treadmill, cutting-edge foot scanner, space explorations equipment, multi-purposed robot, low-carbon construction materials, innovative AI camera, smart watch, and many more. Register now!   Another highlight of the day would be the PAIR InnoTech Forum in the afternoon. At the Forum, you will be able to learn from some keynote speakers regarding our ground-breaking innovations and technologies in good health and well-being, artificial intelligence, as well as resilient urban infrastructure. Register now!

Dr Roey TZEZANA of Tel Aviv University unmasks AI myths at PAIR seminar

Dr Roey TZEZANA, Fellow in Yuval Ne’eman Workshop for Science, Technology and Security, and Researcher at Blavatnik Interdisciplinary Cyber Research Center of Tel Aviv University, Israel, delivered the PAIR Seminar titled “What myths have been disrupted about AI in the last two years?” on 24 September 2024 at PolyU. The seminar attracted nearly 120 in-person participants and captivated an online audience of over 15,700 from various countries and regions, who watched the live broadcast on multiple social media platforms, including Bilibili, WeChat, Weibo, YouTube, etc. The seminar began with a warm welcome by Prof. CHEN Qingyan, Director of PAIR, followed by a brief introduction of the speaker by Mr Gavin NGAI, Deputy Director of the Global Engagement Office. Dr Tzezana commenced his presentation by identifying the common myths about AI and discussing how these myths hinder public awareness of AI’s rapid development in various fields. He then projected AI’s capabilities towards the end of the decade, suggesting that AI would soon outperform humans in many areas. Dr Tzezanna also examined the broader implications of these advancements, particularly their impact on the future of work, and offered insights into the skills and knowledge areas essential for staying competitive and successful in this rapidly evolving landscape. The presentation was followed by a lively and insightful question-and-answer session moderated by Prof. Chen. The audience engaged in a productive discussion with Dr Tzezana. At the end of the seminar, Prof. Chen presented Dr. Tzezanna with a souvenir as a token of appreciation for his inspiring talk and support for PAIR. Please click here for an online review.

Chinese President meets with Prof. YUNG Kai-leung and scientists involved in Chang’e-6 mission

Chinese President XI Jinping met with the representatives of space scientists and engineers who participated in the research and development of the Chang’e-6 lunar mission at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing on 23 September 2024. Among the attendees was Prof. YUNG Kai-leung, Director of the Research Centre for Deep Space Explorations (RCDSE), Sir Sze-yuen Chung Professor in Precision Engineering, Chair Professor of Precision Engineering and Associate Head of the Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering. In his important address, President Xi pointed out that the outer space is a domain shared by humanity and space exploration is humanity’s common endeavor; and we must continue to keep an open mind to further promote various forms of international exchanges and collaborations in aerospace, share development achievements with other countries, improve the governance of outer space, enabling achievements of aerospace science and technology to bring better benefits to mankind.   Online coverage: TVB - https://polyu.me/4eAto9G RTHK - https://polyu.me/3XujNdy Wen Wei Po - https://polyu.me/4ev9DAm

Prof. Charles WONG receives Smart Traffic Fund for research on enhancing traffic efficiency

Prof. Charles Man-sing WONG, Associate Dean of the Faculty of Construction and Environment, Management Committee Member of the Research Institute for Land and Space (RILS) and Associate Director of the Research Institute for Sustainable Urban Development (RISUD), has been awarded HK$5.3 million for his project titled “A study on public transport re-routing, with a healthy ‘Wait-to-Ride’ trip mode for optimizing public transportation routes and improving traffic congestion”. The project aims to analyse the routes and stops of road public transportation. A spatio-temporal environmental database will be developed for providing suggestions on reorganising public transport routes in over-served areas with duplicated routes, with the aim of easing road traffic congestion and enhancing the efficiency of the road network. Further reading: https://www.polyu.edu.hk/en/media/media-releases/2024/0923_three-polyu-projects-supported-by-smart-traffic-fund/   Online coverage: Mirage News - https://polyu.me/47JRrB2

Prof. CHAI Yang wins Falling Walls Science Breakthroughs of the Year Award 2024

Congratulations to Prof. CHAI Yang, Associate Dean (Research) of the Faculty of Science and Professor in the Department of Applied Physics, for winning “The Falling Walls Science Breakthroughs of the Year Award 2024” for “breaking the wall of efficient sensory AI systems”. Prof. Chai has conducted groundbreaking research on sensory (AI), paving the way for more energy-efficient, low-latency and memory-optimised AI systems, and bringing significant enhancement to diverse applications such as mobile devices, IoT sensors and edge computing. He has developed novel hardware architectures and optimisation techniques, which enable the deployment of advanced sensory AI systems in mobile devices, IoT sensors and edge computing, transforming applications in smart cities, autonomous vehicles and industrial automation. The Falling Walls Science Breakthroughs of the Year Award was initiated by the Berlin-based Falling Walls Foundation, to recognise the latest breakthroughs and outstanding science projects worldwide. This year’s Falling Walls Global Call received over 1,000 entries from 52 countries. Prof. Chai is one of the top ten winners in the Engineering & Technology category. Prof. Chai is currently a Management Committee Member of the Research Institute for Intelligent Wearable Systems (RI-IWEAR), and a Member of the Photonics Research Institute (PRI), the Otto Poon Charitable Foundation Research Institute for Smart Energy (RISE) and the Research Institute for Artificial Intelligence of Internet of Things (RIAIoT). Press release: https://polyu.me/3zquNAR   Online coverage: Dimsum Daily - https://polyu.me/3XwQCGR Eurek Alert - https://polyu.me/4etCgOv Hong Kong Economic Times - https://polyu.me/4evdkpF GBA Biz Tech Magazine - https://polyu.me/47CyZKg

Prof. WONG Ka-hing appointed as Vice-Chairman of Expert Committee on Food Safety

Prof. WONG Ka-hing, Management Committee Member of PAIR, Director of the Research Institute for Future Food (RiFood) and Professor in the Department of Food Science and Nutrition, has been appointed as the Vice-Chairman of the Expert Committee on Food Safety by the HKSAR Government for a term of two years with effect from 15 September 2024. The expert committee is responsible for providing advice to the Director of Food and Environmental Hygiene on matters relating to food safety.    Online coverage: HKSAR Press Release - https://www.info.gov.hk/gia/general/202409/13/P2024091200228.htm?fontSize=1 Bastille Post - https://polyu.me/4ei7uZn Sina HK - https://polyu.me/3B4CVaE

Prof. David PUI of University of Minnesota delivers lecture on “Green Technologies Development for Sustainable Environment”

Prof. David Y. H. PUI, Regents Professor and LM Fingerson/TSI Inc. Chair in Mechanical Engineering, University of Minnesota, USA, delivered the 29th PAIR Distinguished Lecture titled “Green Technologies Development for Sustainable Environment” on 13 September 2024 at PolyU. The lecture attracted nearly 100 participants to join in person and captivated an online viewing audience of over 11,200 from different countries and regions to watch the live broadcast on multiple social media platforms, including Bilibili, WeChat, Weibo, YouTube, etc. The lecture commenced with a warm welcome and brief speaker introduction by Prof. CHEN Qingyan, Director of PAIR. Prof. Pui kickstarted his presentation by highlighting the severity of pollution nowadays. He shared that his research in the field of green technologies and environmental sustainability aims to mitigate PM2.5, volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and ozone (O3) in urban environment; reduce carbon dioxide (CO2) to mitigate global climate change; and provide clean water to achieve water sustainability. Next, he introduced the current research projects by the Center for Filtration Research (CFR) at the University of Minnesota, covering indoor air cleaning and COVID-19 prevention, bioaerosols sensor development and evaluation, nanofiber production and modelling, nanotechnology and instrumentation developments, etc. Prof. Pui also shared some real case examples of large-scale air cleaning towers, including the Solar Assisted Large Scale Cleaning System (SALACS) in Xian and Yancheng in China, as well as the air cleaning towers in Delhi, India. He shared with the audience some recent developments on the second generation of the cleaning system, and explained how it can collect PM2.5 and remove CO2 effectively. To conclude, Prof. Pui pointed out that academia, government and industry play important roles and the three parties must work together closely in the same direction and at the same pace towards developing clean cities. Following the presentation was a lively and insightful question-and-answer session moderated by Prof. Chen. The audience engaged in a productive discussion with Prof. Pui. As a token of appreciation for his inspiring talk and support for PAIR, Prof. WANG Zuankai, Associate Vice President (Research and Innovation), presented a souvenir to Prof. Pui.   Please click here for an online review.

PAIR collaborates with the STEM College of RMIT University to jointly establish PolyU–RMIT FutureLab

The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) is so proud to collaborate with the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology (RMIT) to set up the PolyU–RMIT FutureLab (FutureLab). A launching ceremony was held on the PolyU campus on 12 September 2024. The ceremony was graced by the presence of esteemed guests, including Mr Gareth WILLIAMS, Australian Consul-General to Hong Kong and Macau, Ms LIU Bing, Deputy Consul-General, and Mr Patrick ORCHARD, Consul Trade and Investment Commissioner. FutureLab is a new initiative to support and connect members from PolyU and RMIT University to undertake collaborative, interdisciplinary research projects in strategic areas, such as energy, smart cities, carbon neutrality, artificial intelligence, Internet of Things, etc., that contribute to the advancements and applications of cutting-edge technologies while promoting urban and environmental sustainability at the same time. At the Lab, in addition to conducting joint projects, the two universities will also collaborate to provide exchange opportunities for academic and research staff, prepare applications for joint research grants, and organise activities such as international conferences. The ceremony commenced with a warm welcome by Prof. Christopher CHAO, Vice President (Research and Innovation) of PolyU. “FutureLab is a platform on which PAIR and RMIT scholars leverage complementary research strengths, including expertise, resources and networks, to co-design and conduct projects and activities that not only benefit the research and development (R&D) of both universities, but also the sustainable development of two regions,” said Prof. Chao. During the opening remarks, Mr Layton PIKE, Executive Director, International at RMIT University said, “RMIT and PolyU’s collaboration to create FutureLab reflects the joint vision of our institutions to work together for a sustainable future, through the advancement of technologies and research”. He also introduced three joint projects to be conducted by researchers from the two universities: The Smart City Lens: Geospatial technologies and digital twins for action on urban sustainability It aims to create a new approach and technology for capturing, analysing, and visualising dynamic information and actionable insights about the impacts of smart city precincts. Advanced Grid Support Services from Smart Buildings and Building Microgrids It involves experiments on load flexibility, building data analytics and developing machine learning models to identify load flexibility in smart buildings, and building microgrids to provide grid support services. AI-based Drone Assistant for Automated Coastline Rescue and Cleanup It aims to establish an integrated system for sustainable coastline safety and environmentally friendly waste management by aligning with human safety and global sustainability targets. To conclude the ceremony, Prof. Charlie XUE, Distinguished Professor and Associate Deputy Vice Chancellor (International) of STEM College at RMIT University, shared that RMIT University has had multiple meetings and connections with PolyU since July 2023. The launch of FutureLab is a significant investment, and the two institutions look forward to seeing increased collaboration, joint outputs and impact, pathways for continuous collaboration, and opportunities to connect with industry and other end users for commercialisation.