PolyU Science in the News

PolyU receives donation from Suga International Holdings Limited to support sustainable urban green agriculture

The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) received a generous donation from Suga International Holdings Limited (SUGA) for the establishment of Hong Kong's first research platform focusing on Urban Agriculture. The laboratory has been named as "Suga Research Laboratory for Sustainable Urban Green Agriculture" in recognition of the company's contribution to the University. Officiating the naming ceremony were Professor Sophia CHAN, the Secretary for Food and Health of the HKSAR Government, Dr NG Chi-ho, Chairman and Managing Director of SUGA, and Professor Jin-Guang TENG, PolyU President. The mission of the Laboratory is to develop the next generation of Urban Agriculture model to cultivate high quality and safe fruits and vegetables in a small indoor space, with hydroponics as a focus. Two research directions include the investigation of the optimal correlation between major environmental factors and the growth of hydroponics vegetables, as well as the systematical assessment of food safety risk, harmful chemicals and food-borne bacteria in vegetables grown from hydroponics and traditional farming. Professor Teng expressed sincere gratitude to Dr Ng for supporting PolyU's sustainable urban green agriculture research. "The Laboratory is the first of its kind in Hong Kong. With the use of innovative technologies, Urban Agriculture contributes to food safety and enables sustainable food production in modern cities. It matches with one of PolyU's strategic research areas, that is, food safety and technology," added Professor Teng. In 2011, PolyU established the first university-based Food Safety and Technology Research Centre in Hong Kong and had successfully developed the first Food Hygiene Standard Certification System for local catering establishments, which had then been licensed to three major certification bodies in Hong Kong. At the naming ceremony, Professor Sophia Chan said the Government has put in a lot of efforts and resources to promote the sustainable development of agriculture in Hong Kong. This includes the setting up of an Agricultural Park to encourage the adoption of modern farming methods and offering funding through the $500 million Sustainable Agricultural Development Fund to foster the research and application of new technologies as well as to encourage farmers upgrade and modernise their equipment. She welcomes the establishment of the Suga Research Laboratory in PolyU to complement the Government's efforts on this front. Dr Ng said, "SUGA has been actively applying new technology in improving food quality and safety, both for the health of human and people's best friend, pets. I am very delighted to endorse and support this research laboratory, an exemplary cooperation among enterprise, academia and research. I am tremendously eager to see the inventive solutions that will arise from this laboratory, and how they will bring meaningful contributions to the advancement of hydroponic business and pet food business in Hong Kong." The Suga Research Laboratory for Sustainable Urban Green Agriculture is operated by PolyU's Food Safety and Technology Research Centre (FSTRC). Dr WONG Ka Hing, Executive Director of FSTRC, shared that the development of indoor hydroponic technology is demand-driven and customer focused to ensure that the products could fulfill the needs of Hong Kong people. Besides food safety and technology for humankind, the Laboratory has an ambition to do more and the next research focus will be on pet food. The Laboratory will also establish a Core Technology Exchange Platform for promoting knowledge transfer in Urban Agriculture and enhancing the competitiveness of the industry. Aspiring to serve as an information hub to make greater contributions in Urban Agriculture development in Hong Kong, the Greater Bay Area and the Mainland, the Laboratory will help foster a "Healthy Eating" culture and safeguard public health. 理大獲信佳國際集團有限公司捐贈支持可持續城市綠色耕種研究 (Chinese) Photo Gallery: Naming Ceremony - Suga Research Laboratory for Sustainable Urban Green Agriculture (2019-08-20) Scienmag PolyU Receives Donation From SUGA To Support Sustainable Urban Green Agriculture 23 Aug 2019 EurekAlert PolyU receives donation from SUGA to support sustainable urban green agriculture 23 Aug 2019 MarketScreener Suga International : Donates HK$8 Million to PolyU for Establishing Research Laboratory 23 Aug 2019 明報 A06 理大新實驗室 專研城市耕種 23 Aug 2019

PolyU garners Four Awards at Silicon Valley International Invention Festival

The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) garnered four prizes with two outstanding innovations at theSilicon Valley International Invention Festival (SVIIF) 2019. Its Smart Indoor Farming System won aGrand Award and a Gold Medal with the Congratulations of the Jury, while its Flexible Scoliotic Brace with Shape Memory Alloy Struts won a Gold Medal and a Special Merit Award, at SVIIF held in Santa Clara, California, the United States from 24 to 26 June. SVIIF attracted inventors from research institutions, academic bodies and business enterprises from about 30 countries/regions to showcase their inventions this year. It was also the first time that Hong Kong institutions participated in this global annual event. Well attended by multi-national companies, investors, entrepreneurs and financiers, SVIIF offers a platform for inventors, industries and businesses to explore opportunities for collaboration and commercialisation of innovations. The award-winning innovations of PolyU: (1) Smart Indoor Farming System Grand Award and Gold Medal with the Congratulations of the Jury Principal Investigator: Dr LOO Ka-hong, Department of Electronic and Information Engineering Applying Artificial Intelligence-based and data-driven technologies, the system can generate photosynthetic-active-radiation lighting, watering and nutrient supply programmes which are optimised for the growth of individual plant types. The system adopts advanced sensing technologies to collect real-time data for the plant growth and environmental data from growth chambers and farms using the system. By comparing the data collected with the growth profiles of different plant types, optimal sets of growth control parameters can be constructed and fed back to the user's system. The system will then automatically supply the optimal tailor-made essentials, such as light, water, temperature, nutrients, to enhance the growth performance of individual plants.Study shows that the growth cycle of Italian lettuce has been shortened by about 50% with the support of this system. Water consumption can also be substantially reduced to only 5% of that in conventional farming. The system can be set up in urban buildings to provide sustainable and stable sources of edible plants, such as salad greens, potatoes, beets, herbs, etc. (2) Flexible Scoliotic Brace with Shape Memory Alloy Struts Gold Medal and Special Merit Award Principal Investigator: Dr Joanne YIP Yiu-wan, Institute of Textiles and Clothing The innovative brace, designed for adolescents with scoliosis, is made of shape memory alloy, artificial hinges and soft light-weight materials. The design can apply strategic corrective forces to the spine and offer adequate support to the user. Users are more willing to wear this Scoliotic Brace for a longer period because of its enhanced level of comfort and mobility, thus making it more effective in treating spinal deformity. SVIIF is hosted by International Federation of Inventors' Association (IFIA), supported by the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), Santa Clara City and the Santa Clara University, in collaboration with the US Patent and Trade Mark Office. For details, please visit the organiser's official website:https://www.sviif.com/. 理大科研項目於美國矽谷國際發明展奪四獎項 (Chinese) 進修生活 理大研記形合金腰背架 助矯正輕度脊柱側彎 22 Aug 2019 經濟通 新矯形腰背架如著內衣，望四年內推出市場！ 22 Aug 2019 香港01 理大研發新型腰背架　助青少年矯正脊柱側彎　物料較輕巧便宜 22 Aug 2019 星島日報 F01 理大研記形合金腰背架 助矯正輕度脊柱側彎 22 Aug 2019 星島日報 A04 理大夥皇家藝院合建AI實驗室 22 Aug 2019 經濟日報 A12 新矯形腰背架 舒適成本低 22 Aug 2019 晴報 P20 新支架矯正脊柱 貌似內衣穿戴舒適 22 Aug 2019

PolyU stages Intimate Fashion Show 2019

The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) showcased the creativity and talents of 12 graduating students at the PolyU Intimate Fashion Show held earlier at the Kai Tak Cruise Terminal, Kowloon Bay. The 12 collections of three outfits put on show on 20 March were designed and produced by the students majoring in Intimate Apparel and Activewear under the University's Institute of Textiles and Clothing (ITC), with raw materials sponsored by intimate apparel manufacturers and suppliers. The venue of the Show was also provided free by the Interfiliere Hong Kong. Four renowned figures in the design and fashion industry also formed a panel of judges to shortlist six finalists who were awarded the opportunity to showcase the full set of their design collections at the PolyU Fashion Show scheduled in June this year. The panel of judges includes: Ms Jos Berry, Founder and Creative Director of Concept Paris; Ms Mon Leung, Head of Creation of Pioneer Elastic; Mr Walter Ma, renowned fashion designer and Vice Chairman of Hong Kong Fashion Designer Association; and Ms Anne Mok, President of Luen Thai Holdings. Prof. Wing-tak Wong, Dean of Faculty of Applied Science and Textiles, PolyU, expressed his gratitude to the industry for its generous support to the Show which enhanced the diversity of students' learning experience. Prof. Jintu Fan, Chair Professor and Head of ITC, remarked that the students' innovation, talent and passion for intimate apparel and activewear design were manifested in the fashion show. Ms Angie Lau, Chairman of Hong Kong Intimate Apparel Industries' Association and the CEO of Clover Group International Limited, stressed that HKIAIA would continue to support and nurture the younger generation for the continuous development of the industry. 理大舉辦2019年「理大內衣時裝展」 (Chinese)

PolyU collaborates with RCA, the world’s top institute in Art and Design, To establish an AI powered Design Laboratory

The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) and the Royal College of Art (RCA), United Kingdom, today signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to confirm their intention to establish the PolyU"RCA Artificial Intelligence Design Laboratory (AIDL). The Laboratory will be the world's first and leading research facility to advance the integration of Artificial Intelligence (AI) into the design of products and service. Targeted to uncover knowledge and techniques related to design and scientific principles, new design process and innovative products, AIDL will address industry demands for efficiency, automation and customising products and services in the innovation and technology era. Its research deliverables will support industries including healthcare, manufacturing, hospitality and retail services. The Hon Mrs Carrie LAM CHENG Yuet-ngor, the Chief Executive of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) attended the ceremony and witnessed the signing of MOU by Prof Philip C. H. CHAN, Interim President and Provost of PolyU and Dr Paul THOMPSON, Vice-Chancellor of RCA. Also joining the ceremony as witnesses were Dr LAM Tai-fai, Council Chairman of PolyU; Ir Prof Alex WAI, Vice President (Research Development); Dr Miranda Lou, Executive Vice President; Prof Naren BARFIELD, Deputy Vice-Chancellor and Provost of the RCA; Prof Juan Cruz, Dean of the School of Arts and Humanities and Ms. Helen PROTHEROE, Director of Development & Alumni Relations of RCA. Addressing in the ceremony, The Hon Mrs Carrie Lam, said, "The opportunity to witness this marriage of design and AI which belongs to the technology portfolio is extremely gratifying. I am sure that the collaborated team of PolyU and RCA will find in Hong Kong the appeal of time-tested legal system, robust intellectual property protection, strong financial sector, and the support for commercialisation of R and D results, as well as the distinctive east meets west culture which sparks creative inspiration." Prof Philip C. H. Chan said, "I am confident that this Laboratory will bring together the strengths of both institutions to lead the world in this new design paradigm, contributing to the innovation and technology development in Hong Kong and the Greater Bay Area." "Founded 182 years ago, in response to the first industrial revolution, the Royal College of Art (RCA) today stands at the turn of the fourth revolution. The world will witness breakthroughs across design and technology including artificial intelligence – where art and design will meet. As the world's number one art and design university, we have built our capacity to work across disciplines, combining our art and design research expertise with insights from science, technology and engineering. We are delighted to collaborate with The Hong Kong Polytechnic University to bring together unrivalled capabilities," said Dr Paul Thompson Vice-Chancellor of RCA. PolyU will engage researchers and resources from various disciplines including Department of Applied Mathematics, Department of Computing, Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering, Institute of Textiles and Clothing, Department of Mechanical Engineering and School of Design to work together with RCA on a number of theme-based research. Among them, there will be empirical research in Affective Computing and Social Robots that could recognise and analyse human emotions. Other studies will include Intelligent Fashion Design; Intelligent Textile and Apparel Design and Manufacturing; innovating materials of the future that are extremely light, robust and able to detect human bio-metrics for fashion and wearables; creating automatic systems for ergonomic design and human modelling, and using regenerative approach in product design and material development for sustainability in the circular economy, etc. Committed to supporting the HKSAR Government's InnoHK initiative in developing Hong Kong as the hub for global research collaborations, the two institutions has just submitted a proposal to the HKSAR Government under the AIR@InnoHK research cluster initiative. 理大與皇家藝術學院合作 成立人工智能設計實驗室 (Chinese) 明報 A07 理大伙英院校建AI設計實驗室 主攻智能服裝 「隨心跳變色」新衣料 監測長者健康 27 Feb 2019 星島日報 F01 理大夥英院校 申款六億研AI機械人 27 Feb 2019 香港仔 P9 理大夥英校辦AI設計實驗室 27 Feb 2019 文匯報 A25 理大夥皇家藝院合建AI實驗室 27 Feb 2019 東方日報 A18 理大成立人工智能設計實驗室 27 Feb 2019 on.cc 理大與英皇家藝術學院合建人工智能設計實驗室 26 Feb 2019

PolyU Innovates Nano-encapsulation Technology to Enhance DHA Absorption for Early Brain Development

The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) today announced the findings on its novel nano-encapsulation technology for optimising the maternal and fetal absorption of docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). The research, conducted by PolyU's Department of Applied Biology and Chemical Technology (ABCT), aimed to address the delivery and absorption issues of DHA that affect its potency and efficacy. DHA, a type of Omega-3 fatty acid naturally found in breast milk and fish oil, is an important nutrient for the development and function of brain. It is primarily obtained from diet, and preferentially transferred from mother to fetus across the placenta during fetal life. However, for people with problem in getting sufficient DHA from normal dietary sources, particularly those in late pregnancy, early childhood, or with cancer or declining cognitive abilities, DHA supplementation is recommended. Given DHA is highly unsaturated and is vulnerable to oxidation and degradation under acid conditions, it is uncertain that the intake of DHA through supplementation will be effectively delivered and absorbed in vivo. Led by Dr Wang Yi, Assistant Professor of ABCT, and Professor Wong Man-sau, Professor of ABCT, the research team innovated a nano-encapsulation technology to protect DHA from oxidation. The team used Zein, an edible corn protein, as the encapsulation material to mimic milk fat globule membrane. The nano-encapsulation forms a core-shell structure to protect DHA in fish oil throughout gastric digestion and facilitate DHA absorption in brain, intestine and placenta. "Our team innovated the nano-encapsulation technology, which is proven to be an effective technology to protect DHA from oxidation in vivo, thus enhancing the absorption and efficacy of DHA. Our findings also indicated that the technology can help overcome blood-brain barrier in DHA delivery. We therefore believe that the technology could be further applied to enhance the efficiency of drug delivery for the brain, such as those for patients with dementia or Alzheimer's disease," said Dr Wang Yi. DHA in maternal tissues To test the effectiveness of nano-encapsulation technology in enhancing DHA absorption, PolyU's team conducted some experiments on maternal mice and their offsprings. In two groups of maternal mice, each of six, fed with normal fish oil (Normal FO) and nano-encapsulated fish oil (Nano FO) respectively, it was found that the DHA concentration in the duodenum and jejunum of the Nano FO group is significantly higher than the Normal FO group (see Figure 1). The result implies that DHA, being protected by the encapsulation structure from oxidation and degradation under stomach's acidic conditions, is successfully released in the upper two parts of the small intestine of the Nano FO group. Also, the DHA contents in the brain of the Nano FO maternal mice were significantly higher (see Figure 2). This indicates that DHA was delivered to the brain of the Nano FO group more effectively as the challenge of the blood-brain barrier was overcome. DHA in the offsprings The team also conducted tracer studies on the offsprings of the maternal mice. The mice were divided into six groups, each with 10, and were fed with different diets including: 1) no DHA meal; 2) Zein; 3) normal low dose fish oil (Normal FO-low); 4) normal high dose fish oil (Normal FO-high); 5) Nano-encapsulated low dose fish oil (Nano FO-low); and 6) Nano-encapsulated high dose fish oil (Nano FO-high). The findings showed that the three groups, namely: Normal FO-high, Nano FO-low and Nano FO-high spent more time on novel objects rather than on familiar objects (see Figure 3), implying that they were more curious about new things and demonstrated better memory and learning capabilities. For the Nano FO-high group, they had higher amount of Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor (BDNF) in hippocampus (see Figure 4). BDNF, a protein activated by DHA, plays an important role in supporting the survival of existing brain neurons and encouraging the growth and differentiation of new neurons and synapses. They also demonstrated a significant difference to other groups in terms of better spatial learning and memory abilities in the Y-maze experiment (see Figure 5). The research project was funded by the Health and Medical Research Fund (HMRF) of the Food and Health Bureau of the Hong Kong SAR Government and the Shenzhen Basic Research (Layout of Disciplines) Project Fund. 理大研發創新納米包膜技術提高人體攝取DHA、促進幼兒腦部發育 (Chinese)

PolyU Outstanding Scholars win RGC Awards

The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) congratulates two of its outstanding scholars on receiving the prestigious Research Grants Council (RGC) awards in recognition of excellent achievement in their research areas. Dr Zhou Zhi, Assistant Professor of the Department of Applied Mathematics (AMA) received the RGC Early Career Award. Professor Sylvia Xiaohua Chen, Professor of the Department of Applied Social Sciences (APSS), was awarded the Humanities and Social Sciences Prestigious Fellowship. Dr Zhou Zhi Dr Zhou is awarded for his project on "Numerical Methods for Time-fractional Diffusion Equations with Non-smooth Solutions" under the RGC Early Career Scheme in 2018/19. His project is rated excellent among the 153 projects funded by the Scheme in the year, which aims to nurture junior academics. The finding of his project is expected to help understand and simulate anomalously slow diffusion (sub-diffusion) process, as well as improve its numerous applications, such as contaminant transport in groundwater, protein diffusion within cells, thermal diffusion in media with fractal geometry, and heat conduction with memory, to name just a few. The project is conducted in collaboration with Professor Qiang Du (Columbia University), Professor Bangti Jin (University College London), and Professor Raytcho Lazarov (Texas A&M University), etc "It is a great honor for me to receive the RGC Early Career Award, and I would like to express my sincere thanks to all my AMA colleagues and my collaborators for their great support. The problems to be addressed in this research project are challenging and the envisioned research outcome are expected to be of high impact for the many applications of applied mathematics and numerical analysis," said Dr Zhou. Dr Zhou joined PolyU in 2017. Before joining PolyU, he was a post-doctoral fellow at Columbia University. He obtained his Bachelor of Science (Computational Mathematics) from Nanjing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics in 2010 and Ph.D. (Mathematics) from Texas A&M University in 2015. His research mainly lies in the area of numerical modeling, simulation and analysis. He has published more than 20 papers in top international journals in the field of applied and computational mathematics. He has also obtained the Best Paper Award of PolyU's AMA in 2018. Professor Wong Wing Tak, Dean of the Faculty of Applied Science and Textiles, said, "Being a young scholar, Dr Zhou has already displayed great potential in pushing the frontier of knowledge through his dedication and enthusiasm in applied mathematics and numerical analysis. We are glad that we have established seamless research collaboration with universities in the United Kingdom and the United States through this project. We have no doubt that this early career award give positive encouragement to Dr Zhou to strive for new heights in his research endeavour for the benefit of mankind." Professor Sylvia Xiaohua Chen Professor Chen was awarded the RGC Humanities and Social Sciences Prestigious Fellowship Scheme (HSSPFS) for her project "Integrating and Extending Research on Social Axioms: A Systematic Review". The Scheme aims at granting extended time-off and supporting funds to outstanding investigators with proven track record of research and publication under the disciplines of the Humanities and Social Sciences to enable them to focus on research work and writing. Professor Chen's project receives a funding of HK$758,275 under the Scheme. She aims to conduct a systematic review of existing empirical studies related to social axioms, which refer to generalized beliefs about people, social groups, social institutions, the physical environment, or the spiritual world. So far, researchers around the world have identified and validated the factors of social axioms in over 40 cultures both at the culture level and at the individual level. Professor Chen and her collaborators also conducted many studies to examine the psychological outcomes of self-views and worldviews. Her project will extend their research on the under-investigated axiom factors and their effects on psychological functioning, so as to provide further implications for practitioners to help people reconstruct their belief frameworks. "It is a great honor for me to receive the HSSPFS award. I would like to express my gratitude to my advisors Professor Michael Bond and Professor Fanny Cheung for their unfailing guidance and encouragement. My special appreciation goes to APSS for providing a supportive and collegial environment in which I work and grow professionally. As a psychologist, I hope to further study cultural influences on individual behavior in social contexts and contribute to the advancement of psychology in Chinese societies," said Professor Chen. Professor Chen joined APSS of PolyU in 2007 as Assistant Professor. She is now Professor in APSS and Associate Dean of Faculty of Health and Social Sciences. Her research focuses on social psychology of bilingualism and biculturalism, multiculturalism and globalization, personality and social behavior in cultural contexts, cultural diversity and mental health. She has published first-authored articles in top-tier journals in the field, such as Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, and received the Early Career Award conferred by the International Association for Cross-Cultural Psychology. She received her undergraduate degree in Sun Yat-Sen University, proceeded with post-graduate studies in the United States and Hong Kong, and with PhD in Psychology. Professor David Shum, Dean of the Faculty of Health and Social Sciences, said, "The award attests to the significance of Professor Chen's research area, as well as her excellent research skills and track record. I am eager to learn the outcomes of her project, and am confident that her findings will make a positive impact to our society. " 理大兩位優秀學者獲頒研資局獎項 (Chinese)

PolyU’s researchers develop AI-powered system to automate quality control process in textile industry

The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) recently developed an intelligent fabric defect detection system, called "WiseEye", which leverages advanced technologies including Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Deep Learning in the process of quality control (QC) in textile industry. The system effectively minimises the chance of producing substandard fabric by 90%, thus substantially reducing loss and wastage in the production. It helps to save manpower as well as enhance the automation management in the textile manufacturing. Supported by AI-based machine-vision technology, the novel "WiseEye" can be installed in a weaving machine to help fabric manufacturers to detect defects instantly in the production process. Through the automatic inspection system, the production line manager can easily detect the defects, thus helping them to identify the cause of the problems and fix them immediately. "WiseEye" is developed by the Textile and Apparel Artificial Intelligence (TAAI) Research Team, which is spearheaded by Prof Calvin Wong, Cheng Yik Hung Professor in Fashion of Institute of Textiles and Clothing, PolyU. Textile manufacturers currently rely on human efforts to randomly inspect the fabric by naked eyes. Due to human factors such as negligence or physical fatigue, defect detection by human labour isusually inconsistent and unreliable. Textile manufacturers also attempted to use some other fabric inspection systems, but those systems were not able to meet the industry needs. Ensuring quality in the fabric production becomes a great challenge to the industry. Prof Calvin Wong said, " 'Wise Eye' is a unique AI-based inspection system that satisfies the requirements of textile manufacturers. It is an integrated system with a number of components that perform different functions in the inspection process. The system is embedded with a high-power LED light bar and a high-resolution charge-coupled device camera which is driven by an electronic motor and is mounted on a rail to capture images of the whole width of woven fabric during the weaving process. The captured images are pre-processed and fed into the AI-based machine vision algorithm to detect fabric defects. Real-time information gathered throughout the detection process will be sent to the computer system, and analytical statistics and alert can be generated and displayed as and when needed." The research team has applied Big Data and Deep Learning technologies in "WiseEye". By inputting data of thousands yards of fabrics into the system, the team has trained "WiseEye" to detect about 40 common fabric defects with exceptionally high accuracy resolution of up to 0.1 mm/pixel. "In view of the numerous fabric structures that give great variations in fabric texture and defect types, automatic fabric defect detection has been a challenging and unaccomplished mission in the past two decades. Our innovative introduction of AI, Big Data and Deep Learning technologies into 'WiseEye' not only is a technological breakthrough that meets the industry needs; but also marks a significant milestone in the quality control automation for the traditional textile industry," added Prof Wong. "WiseEye" has been put on trial for over six months in a real-life manufacturing environment. Results show that the system is able to reduce 90% of the loss and wastage in fabric manufacturing process when compared with traditional human visual inspection. That means the system helps cut down production cost while enhancing production efficiency at the same time. At the moment, "WiseEye" can be applied to most types of fabrics with different weaving structures and solid colours. The research team plans to further train and extend the system to detect defects in fabrics with more challenging patterns, such as complicated strip and check patterns. The ultimate target is to cover all common kinds of fabric in five years' time. Prof Wong and the TAAI research team have been conducting fundamental and applied research on AI, computer vision and machine learning, specifically for the fashion and textile industry since 2012. The team has earlier introduced the first-of-its-kind "FashionAI Dataset" which integrates fashion and machine learning for systematic analysis of fashion images through the use of AI. The Dataset helps advance the fashion industry and develop a new mode for fashion retail. Areas covered by their other projects include intelligent textile material and apparel quality inspection, large-scale fabric swatch and fashion image searching and fashion sales forecasting. The team has also collaborated with various local and international companies in a number of research projects and published research articles in world-leading journals, including IEEE Transactions on Neural Networks and Learning Systems, IEEE Transactions on Cybernetics, and IEEE Transactions on Image Processing. Some of the articles are ranked by Essential Science Indicators as the top 1% of the most cited articles in related fields. 理大研發以人工智能令纺織品質量檢測自動化 (Chinese)

PolyU – Axis Therapeutics Joint Center for Immunotherapy launched to develop Innovative Cancer Treatments

The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) will join forces with Axis Therapeutics, a newly established joint venture by two global biopharmaceutical companies – Athenex, Inc. and Xiangxue Pharmaceutical, to foster the research and development of translational medicine by setting up a Joint Center for Immunotherapy. The Center is set to conduct collaborative research on cancer immunotherapy, with an aim to develop new cancer treatments. A memorandum of understanding (MoU) signing ceremony for setting up the PolyU—Axis Therapeutics Joint Center for Immunotherapy was held today (18 July 2018). The MoU was signed by Ir Professor Ping-kong Alexander WAI, Vice President (Research Development) of PolyU; Dr Johnson LAU, Chairman and CEO of Athenex, Inc.; and Mr YongHui WANG, Chairman and CEO of Xiangxue Pharmaceutical and CEO of Xiangxue Life Sciences. The ceremony was witnessed by Mr Tze-ching CHAN, Council Chairman of PolyU; Professor Timothy W. TONG, President of PolyU; Mr ZHANG Zong Ming, Deputy Inspector, Department of Educational, Scientific and Technological Affairs, Liaison Office of the Central People's Government in the Hong Kong S.A.R.; Dr ZENG Lu, Director of Guangdong Academy of Science and Technology Service; as well as a number of industry leaders. Addressing at the MoU signing ceremony, Mr Tze-ching CHAN said this collaboration would add on PolyU's continuous efforts and achievements in biotechnology development in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macau Greater Bay Area (GBA). PolyU is committed in the innovation and technology development of translational medicine, as well as transferring pioneering research to real-life applications for the benefits of mankind. Over the years, the University has been engaging in the first three new drugs developed in Hong Kong which have succeeded in getting Investigational New Drug (IND) application approval of US Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Immunotherapy is a type of cancer treatment that harnesses the body's immune system to combat tumors. Researchers have struggled for decades to make it work and results have raised hope that immunotherapy will give new options for some types of cancer treatments. Cancer immunotherapy was chosen as "Breakthrough of the Year for 2013" in Sciencemagazine. In cancer treatment, T-cell receptor-engineered T cells (TCR-T) and Chimeric Antigen Receptor-engineered T-cells (CAR-T) are the cancer immunotherapy technologies. Since T-cells possess the ability to target specific internal tumor antigens, they play an essential role in cell-mediated immunity by defending human bodies against foreign pathogens or autologous tumor cells. Based on the novel approach on high-affinity TCR developed by Xiangxue Life Sciences, the Center will focus on the research and development, as well as commercialization, of TCR-T and CAR-T based cancer immunotherapy. Professor Ping-kong Alexander WAI remarked, "Partnerships between academia and industry have been very fruitful, leading to significant innovations in the form of medicines and better treatments. In this collaboration, PolyU will provide our full support for the research on novel technologies and genetics models to develop cancer immunotherapy technologies based on TCR-T and CAR-T." Dr Johnson LAU said the companies are particularly excited about the potential synergies created by the collaboration. "The collaboration on cancer immunotherapy technology will further complement and enhance our innovation in oncology. We look forward to working closely with PolyU in bringing this novel immunotherapy technology to patients in Hong Kong and across the globe." Mr YongHui WANG said, "We are expecting to explore a new and promising immunotherapy technology in the global scene. The new generation TCR-T, named HATac, is a breakthrough technology. The development of this technology in collaboration with our new partners holds great promise for the treatment of solid tumors. PolyU has demonstrated leadership in academia and proven to be at the forefront of collaboration with the industry to translate biotechnology research and development initiatives into products that can be developed in a commercial scale." The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) PolyU has made significant progress in contributing towards the biotechnology development in Hong Kong with various ongoing biotechnology and translational medicine projects, including the Respiratory Virus Research Foundation jointly established by PolyU and The University of Hong Kong; the Joint Institute of Translational Medicine established jointly with the government of Banan District of Chongqing City; the life sciences and engineering research and development platform with Fraunhofer Group for Life Sciences; as well as various projects on anti-cancer drug, genomics research and clinical devices. These projects involve the development of multi-potent anti-cancer drug Pegtomarginase, and the Apigenin Flavonoid Dimer which inhibits multidrug resistance (MDR) in cancer cells. This year, PolyU initiated the first Greater Bay Area Biotechnology and Translational Medicine International Collaboration in collaboration with 5 universities/institutes to jointly advance the biotechnology development at a global scale. One of the participating institutes, Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center (RPCCC), is globally leading in the areas of tumor immunology, cancer genetics and genomics, biophysical oncology, cancer prevention/epidemiology and cancer therapeutics development. They are exploring respective projects with PolyU. For more information, please visit: www.polyu.edu.hk Athenex, Inc Founded in 2003 and headquartered in New York, Athenex, Inc. is a global clinical stage biopharmaceutical company dedicated to the discovery and development of next-generation cancer drugs. It was listed in NASDAQ Stock Market in 2017 (stock code: ATNX). For more information, please visit: www.athenex.com Guangzhou Xiangxue Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd. (XPH) Founded in 1997 and located in Guangzhou Science City, Guangzhou Economic & Technical Development District, XPH is a high-tech enterprise integrating manufacturing, operation and R&D of products including pharmaceuticals, biological medicine, functional food, Chinese medicines and medical devices. XPH is recognized as one of the pharmaceutical enterprises with most development potential in China and was listed in Shenzhen Stock Exchange in 2010 (stock code: 300147). For more information, please visit www.xphcn.com 理大—Axis Therapeutics免疫治療合作研究中心 研發創新癌症療法 (Chinese) Gallery: MOU Signing Ceremony / 2018 Biotech Summit 星島日報 A07 理大與製藥公司成立研究中心 進一步研發免疫治療技術 19 Jul 2018 信報財經新聞 A04 理大夥Axis研免疫療法 19 Jul 2018 大公報 A06 夥藥廠研免疫治療 19 Jul 2018

World's first conference on the integration of fashion and artificial intelligence 05 July 2018

The Institute of Textiles and Clothing (ITC) of The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) is organising the first-of-its-kind academic conference entitled "Artificial Intelligence on Fashion and Textile Conference 2018" in partnership with the Vision and Beauty Team at Alibaba and The Textile Institute, UK. Targeted at exploring the integration of fashion and textile supply chain and artificial intelligence (AI), the four-day conference attracted over 250 researchers, engineers, practitioners and IT professionals from the AI and fashion fields. The Conference was inaugurated today (4 July 2018) by Dr Bernard Chan, Under Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development, HKSAR Government; Dr Lam Tai-fai, Deputy Chairman of PolyU Council; Professor Timothy W. Tong, President of PolyU; and Mr Zhuang Zhuo-ran, Vice President of Alibaba Group. The PolyU President, Professor Timothy W. Tong, said at his welcoming address, universities in Hong Kong have been performing well in AI technology and related fields with world-leading research and development capabilities. "The proliferation of AI in recent years is having a profound impact on society. By combining with other new technologies, AI is transforming many industries, including Fashion, with optimized production lines, improved operational efficiency as well as enhanced business processes, which will undoubtedly lead to a higher profitability. With collaborations with industry leaders like Alibaba, PolyU will be able to make even more significant contribution in the global development of AI in the years ahead." Plenary speakers of the Conference are: Professor Zowie Broach, Head of Fashion of Royal College of Art; Mr Menglei Jia, Senior Technical Expert, Taobao Technology Business Unit of Alibaba Group; Ms Kim Wong, Professor of Practice, ITC, PolyU; and Professor Dacheng Tao, Professor of Computer Science, School of Information Technologies, The University of Sydney. They would share their insight and research findings on the application of AI in fashion business. To solve the imminent issues on the application of AI in the fashion ad textile supply chain, ITC and Alibaba are also organising a global competition called "FashionAI Global Challenge 2018". More than 6,000 researchers and engineers forming over 5000 teams from 42 countries participated to compete for a prize pool of RMB1.34 million. The selected 10 best teams are now present in Hong Kong and will present their solutions at PolyU tomorrow (5 July). Concurrently, a FashionAI Concept Store opens at PolyU campus from 4 July to 7 July to demonstrate the integration of AI and fashion retail. The Store integrates novel and intelligent technology to provide the ultimate shopping experience to customers and to improve sales and customers services at the same time. The Conference and the Challenge are planned to be annual activities for academic exchange and networking with like-minded individuals who are redefining the world of AI and fashion, and advancing AI research in fashion and textile. 全球首個國際學術會議 - 理大與阿里巴巴攜手　推動時尚行業與人工智能融合 (Chinese)

PolyU wins Two “TechConnect Global Innovation Awards” — Snatching Accolades in the US Two Years in a row

The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) brings glory to Hong Kong again by winning two "Global Innovation Awards" at TechConnect World Conference and Expo 2018 staged in the United States. It is the second year in a row that PolyU research teams snatch the accolades in the world's largest multi-sector summit for accelerating development and commercialization of innovations. The two PolyU winning innovations are [please refer to Annex for project details]:- Composite multilayers capacitors with colossal permittivity for electronics and energy storage applications       — Professor HAO Jianhua, Professor & Associate Head, and Ms TSE Mei-yan, Department of Applied Physics Low cost flame retardant treatment for cotton with co-catalyst system       — Dr KAN Chi-wai, Associate Professor, The Institute of Textiles and Clothing Dr Terence LAU, Director of Innovation and Technology Development of PolyU, said the awards received over two years are "recognition of the efforts, dedication and achievements of our research faculty members". "The University will continue to push the frontiers of innovation by nurturing a culture inducive to high impact multi-disciplinary projects. Our research endeavours will continue to contribute to our society and mankind." TechConnect grants awards to the top 15% of innovations submitted, with assessment based on the potential positive impact the submitted technology will have on a specific industry sector. Around 500 submissions from about 180 organisations were received this year. Among them, 25 are presented with global awards designated for non-US-federal-funded innovations across the world. Another 55 national awards are granted to innovations with US federal funding. The award receivers include many global-renowned institutions and premier research centres, such as Stanford University, UCLA (University of California, Los Angeles), Argonne National Laboratory, IBM Research, Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory, Naval Research Laboratory, Sandia National Laboratories, etc. [For details, please refer to TechConnect official website: https://www.techconnectworld.com/World2018/participate/innovation/awards.html ] The PolyU delegation received the awards in person at the TechConnect World Conference and Expo 2018 held in Anaheim, California. At the 20th-anniversary event held from 13 to 16 May, PolyU showcased a total of 15 innovations to numerous members from the industry, government and academia sectors around the world. Besides attending various exchange sessions PolyU delegates also explored product development and cooperation opportunities with various industry end-users, multinational companies and academic institutions to strive for applying the innovations for bringing greater impacts to the world. 理大科研成果揚威國際 連續第二年獲「TechConnect全球創新獎」 (Chinese)