Issue 1

Developments in Space Exploration by Professor KL Yung

A research team led by Prof. KL Yung has collaborated with the China Academy of Space Technology (CAST) to successfully develop the “Mars Landing Surveillance Camera” (“Mars Camera”), one of the key instruments onboard the Mars spacecraft, for participating in the Nation’s first Mars mission Tianwen-1. The spacecraft for the Mars probe aims to complete orbiting, landing and roving in one single mission, an unprecedented attempt globally, as well as to obtain scientific exploration data on the Red Planet. There will be more proposals for China’s future Key State Deep Space Exploration Programmes, such as the Mars Sample Return Mission and Asteroid Sample Return Mission.

Developments of the State Key Laboratory of Ultra-precision Machining Technology

The research team of the State Key Laboratory of Ultra-precision Machining Technology developed a curvature-adaptive multi-jet polishing system that changes the pressure of each jet according to the changing curvature of the workpiece. It tremendously enhances the efficiency and accuracy of freeform surface polishing and the team is further developing and disseminating this novel technology to the industry.

The research team has also participated in a European research collaboration project entitled “High-Precision Process Chains for the Mass Production of Functional Structured Surfaces” with a grant of approximately EURO 5 million funded by Horizon 2020 from the European Commission (EC), and have further successfully obtained a European Commission (EC) / Research Grants Council (RGC) collaboration project entitled “Virtual Spindle-based Trans-scale Tool Servo Diamond Cutting of Hierarchical Optical Surfaces”.

Establishment of the Centre for Advances in Reliability and Safety (CAiRS)

With $254.4 million (HK$254,400,000) funding by the Innovation and Technology Commission of the Hong Kong SAR Government, CAiRS was established to improve the reliability and safety of products and systems designed, commissioned, and made in Hong Kong. CAiRS adopts novel approaches such as fusion of industrial big data analytics, artificial intelligence, machine learning algorithms and reliability modelling for the diagnostics and prognostics of products and systems.

The Centre is supported by two renowned industrial associations (HK Electronics Industry Association, HK Electronics Industry Council) and numerous companies. At the moment, we have over 20 industrial partners including Hong Kong Electric, China Light and Power, Hong Kong Telecom, Bravo Bus, Hong Kong Ferry, HAECO, ASM, Gold Peak, Nvidia.

The Centre has reliability and testing laboratories in the HK Science and Technology Parks and Big Data Computation facilities in-house including the latest Super-Computer model. We have a consortium of 20 academics from PolyU and USA working together to help local enterprises in Product Reliability and System Safety.

Developments of Research in Industry 4.0

In collaboration with CASICloud, which is a leading company in the Industrial Internet of China, our department participated in the establishment of one of the first nine Industry Alliance Laboratories of the Industrial Internet in China, entitled Laboratory for Industrial Internet Platform Technologies and Application Innovations. It is planned to establish the Greater Bay Joint Laboratory of the Industrial Internet this year.

In the past few years, different virtual reality (VR) applications have been developed for local hospitals and the healthcare industry. Two VR training programmes, blood culture training, and type and screen training, were developed to support the training of medical interns in the Queen Elizabeth Hospital. We are planning to develop other VR simulation training programmes for safety prevention and fire drills.