PolyU Science in the News

RGC honours outstanding research academics in Hong Kong

The Research Grants Council (RGC) organised an award presentation ceremony on 24 November 2020 to honour academics from University Grants Committee (UGC)-funded universities for their distinguished research achievements and significant contributions to the higher education sector. Prof. WONG Wai-yeung, Raymond, Clarea Au Professor in Energy, Chair Professor of Chemical Technology and Interim Dean of Faculty of Applied Science and Textiles, and Dr QIAO Zhonghua, Associate Professor of the Department of Applied Mathematics are among the inaugural cohorts of the RGC Senior Research Fellow Scheme and RGC Research Fellow Scheme respectively. The Schemes provide funding to awardees to cover relief from teaching and administrative duties as well as support for research projects. The 10 RGC Senior Research Fellows including Prof. WONG received the awards in person at the UGC Secretariat's office. The recipients of the awards were selected through a rigorous process and keen competition overseen by RGC selection panels. Their award citations are displayed on the RGC website. Details: https://www.ugc.edu.hk/eng/ugc/about/press_speech_other/press/2020/pr24112020.html 研資局表揚香港優秀研究學者 (Chinese)  

PolyU wins three TechConnect Global Innovation Awards

PolyU won three "Global Innovation Awards" at the TechConnect Business Virtual Summit and Showcase 2020 (TechConnect). It is the fourth year that PolyU research teams snatched the prestigious awards at the world's largest multi-sector event for fostering development and commercialisation of innovations. The TechConnect Global Innovation Awards identify the top 15% of submitted technologies based on their potential positive impact on a specific industry sector. Over 400 submissions were received this year including those from global top-notch universities and technology enterprises, and only 13 were presented with the global awards designated for non-US-funded innovations across the world. The three award-winning innovation PolyU presented include the "Water Dispersible Autofluorescent Polymer Dots Comprising of Non-Conjugated Polymers" by Professor Pei Li, Department of Applied Biology and Chemical Technology, "PolyUStimulator – Ultrasound Driven Piezoelectric Stimulator for Neuromusculoskeletal Rehabilitation" by Professor Yong-ping Zheng and Dr Monzurul Alam, Department of Biomedical Engineering, and "A Time-dependent Machine-Learning-based Prediction System for Progression of Knee Osteoarthritis" by Mr Toby Li and Mr Justin Chan, MPhil students under the supervision of Dr Chunyi Wen, Department of Biomedical Engineering (submission made under CLAIRE Clinical AI Research). Dr Terence Lau, Interim Associate Vice President (Innovation and Technology Development) remarked these award-winning technologies span from benefiting human health to various industrial applications. These awards reassure PolyU about the strategic direction of its research and innovation and the goal of being a world-class research university. 理大三項科研成果勇奪「TechConnect全球創新獎」(Chinese)   星島日報 F01 理大三科研成果 獲全球創新獎 18 Nov 2020 巴士的報 理大三科研成果 獲全球創新獎 18 Nov 2020 大公報 A14 理大三科研成果夺"Connect全球创新奖" 18 Nov 2020 Hong Kong Commercial Daily 理大3項科研成果勇奪「TechConnect全球創新獎」 18 Nov 2020  

PolyU scholar receives Guanghua Engineering Science and Technology Award

Professor Xiao-ming TAO, Chair Professor of Textile Technology and Director of the Research Centre for Smart Wearable Technology, Institute of Textiles and Clothing, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU), was honoured with the 13th Guanghua Engineering Science and Technology Award by the Chinese Academy of Engineering (CAE). The award presentation ceremony was held in Beijing today (8 November). The biennial award is China's most prestigious award for Chinese engineers and scientists who have made significant contributions to engineering technology and engineering management. Since the establishment of the award in 1996, more than 250 individuals from across the spectrum of engineering disciplines have been recognised for their outstanding achievements. This year, 41 awardees were selected from 296 candidates and Professor TAO is one of the three award recipients from Hong Kong. All the three Hong Kong awardees were nominated by the Hong Kong Academy of Engineering Sciences (HKAES). Professor TAO is internationally recognised for her leading research work on intelligent fibrous materials, nanotechnology, photonic fibres and fabrics, flexible electronic and photonic devices, smart washable technology, yarn manufacturing and textile composites. She has conducted numerous research projects and published more than 800 scientific publications including over 300 international journal papers and seven research monographs. "I feel proud and deeply honoured to receive the national award. We extend our heartfelt thanks to CAE for recognising our research efforts and to HKAES for its nomination; this is, indeed, a great encouragement to us. Alongside rapid technological development, we are also seeing artificial intelligence, industrial automation, and digitalisation as major trends which are enormously transforming the mode of operation of traditional manufacturing industries," said Professor TAO. "We, as scientists and a close partner of the industry, will continue to leverage our strengths in research and development as well as the world's leading technologies to develop innovative solutions and help foster the development of the industry for the benefit of the community as a whole," she added. Professor TAO has led a team of prolific inventors of new technologies and obtained 34 international and national patents. Over ten of the invented technologies have been licensed to companies worldwide for industrial applications. One of them is the Nu-torque single spun yarn technology that has been used by 11 yarn manufacturing companies for producing new textile and apparel products. Professor TAO was the Head of the Institute of Textiles and Clothing of PolyU from 2003 to 2011. Under her guidance, the Institute became one of the leading fashion and textile departments in the world. Working closely with industry, Professor TAO successfully led the PolyU team to win a grant of over HK$330 million to host The Hong Kong Research Institute of Textiles and Apparel. She also founded the Nanotechnology Centre for Functional and Intelligent Textiles and Apparel in 2004 and the Research Centre for Smart Wearable Technology in 2018. 理大學者榮獲「光華工程科技獎」(Chinese)   mystarjob.com PolyU scholar receives Guanghua Engineering Science and Technology Award 9 Nov 2020 PRN Asia 理大学者荣获“光华工程科技奖” 9 Nov 2020 Sina 理大学者荣获“光华工程科技奖” 9 Nov 2020 聚焦北京網 理大学者荣获“光华工程科技奖” 9 Nov 2020 hc360.com 理大学者荣获“光华工程科技奖” 9 Nov 2020 Toutiao 光华奖榜单公布：12所大学共15名教授入榜，清华南农成赢家 9 Nov 2020 Yidianzixun 光华奖榜单公布：12所大学共15名教授入榜，清华南农成赢家 9 Nov 2020 Sohu 工程界“诺贝尔奖”开榜：首设团体奖，12所大学中多名校长入选 9 Nov 2020 NetEase 工程界“诺贝尔奖”开榜：首设团体奖，12所大学中多名校长入选 9 Nov 2020 文匯報 A07 港院校三學者奪光華工程科枝獎 8 Nov 2020 香港商報 A09 理工大學學者陶肖明榮獲「光華工程科技獎」 8 Nov 2020 Ticker Technologies PolyU scholar receives Guanghua Engineering Science and Technology Award 8 Nov 2020 Merrill Edge PolyU scholar receives Guanghua Engineering Science and Technology Award 8 Nov 2020 PR Newswire PolyU scholar receives Guanghua Engineering Science and Technology Award 8 Nov 2020 Manhattanweek.com PolyU scholar receives Guanghua Engineering Science and Technology Award 8 Nov 2020 Beezinga PolyU scholar receives Guanghua Engineering Science and Technology Award 8 Nov 2020 Thepaper.cn 19位高校教授，“中国工程界最高奖”揭晓 8 Nov 2020  

PolyU and CityU research finds 70% of horseshoe crabs can’t survive in microplastic environment

A research jointly conducted by PolyU and the City University of Hong Kong (CityU) found that the death rate of young horseshoe crabs reaches 70% when living in an environment full of microplastics. The research secured around HK$850,000 from the funds set up by the Airport Authority in accordance with the Environmental Impact Assessment Ordinance for the third runway, with an aim of surveying the impacts of microplastics on the horseshoe crabs in the western waters in Hong Kong. The team placed the horseshoe crabs in an environment of three various PET microplastics, and found that the death rate was up to 70%, much higher than the norm of 20%. Dr. S. G. Cheung, Assistant Professor of Department of Chemistry at CityU, explained the microplastics obstructed the intestines of the horseshoe crabs, resulting in malnutrition and slow in motion. Dr James Fang Kar-hei, Assistant Professor of Department of Applied Biology and Chemical Technology at PolyU, added that they also found Shui Hau at Lantau Island has the most microplastics compared to other places in the western waters in Hong Kong. Dr Fang explained that plastic garbage from the mainland China are always found during the rainy seasons in the western waters. He urged the Hong Kong Government to co-operate with the mainland to reduce the amount of plastic garbage entering the ocean, and to prohibit the trading of horseshoe crabs by law.   東方日報 A15 幼年馬蹄蟹 誤吞微膠粒 死亡率達70% 2 Nov 2020 經濟日報 A19 三跑馬蹄蟹保育 揭微塑膠增死亡率 2 Nov 2020  

PolyU develops reusable isolation gowns that can sustain 30 washes

A research team of Institute of Textiles and Clothing (ITC) at PolyU has developed a reusable isolation gown that can maintain 90% of its antibacterial effect after being washed for 30 times. According to Prof. Kan Chi-wai of ITC, the leader of the team, the reusable gown can resist virus and bacteria like COVID-19, Escherichia coli., Staphylococcus aureus and H1N1. He remarks that the antibacterial effect is indeed still acceptable for the use in places like residential care homes where the risk of infection is relatively low after being washed for up to 104 times. However, he adds, the gown would be worn off after so many washes, therefore he suggests 30 washes should be the limit to replace them. The team has secured a funding of about HK$1.7 million from the Special Call for Projects for the Prevention and Control of Coronavirus Disease 2019 of the Innovation and Technology Commission for the development of reusable isolation gowns that can be used in environments such as residential care homes. Prof. Kan says that unlike disposable isolation gowns, which are highly protective but unbreathable, their novel reusable gowns are made by applying antibacterial coating on cotton fibric, so ensuring they are comfortable. The reusable gown was first developed in 2018. In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the ITC team has added a waterproof coating on the gown to bounce off droplets. Prof. Kan explains that the coronavirus is usually wrapped inside droplets, therefore the risk of infection would be increased if moisture is allowed to leave on the clothes. As to the cost, Prof. Kan says the cost of a disposable gown is about HK$10, hence HK$300 for 30 gowns. But the cost of the reusable gown is definitely lower than that.   香港仔 P4 理大可重用保護衣 彈走飛沫環保舒適 28 Sep 2020 文匯報 A06 理大製保護衣 洗30次仍抗菌 28 Sep 2020  

PolyU Intimate Fashion Show 2020

The Show has featured 12 collections of intimate apparel and activewear, designed by the graduating students from the Bachelor of Arts (Honours) Scheme in Fashion and Textiles specializing in Intimate Apparel. Photo: https://www.polyu.edu.hk/fast/en/news-events/photo-gallery/index_id_64.html 明報 學生作品：得獎bra演繹運動時尚 13 July 2020 成報 理大內衣時裝展 畢業生創意非凡 水墨畫融入運動服設計區楚盈奪總冠軍 13 July 2020  

PolyU introduces PALMS to secondary schools to promote active learning

With an aim to promoting active learning pedagogies in mathematics in secondary school, a research team of PolyU has launched a two-year Pedagogic and Active Learning Mobile Solutions (PALMS) Project, expecting to benefit over 4,000 students from at least eight secondary schools. The project is led by Dr Fridolin Ting, Teaching Fellow, Department of Applied Mathematics. Dr Ting says while traditional education are mainly led by the teachers where students have few chances to participate in, the PALMS Project aims at enhancing students' involvement in classes. The PolyU research team has secured another funding from the Quality Education Fund (QEF), which amounted to approximately HK$2 million, to launch a new project targets to junior secondary school students in the coming academic year. Another team member Dr Raymond Sze, Associate Professor, Department of Applied Mathematics, says their team shall meet with teachers of partaking schools every five to six months to gather their feedbacks and assess students' performance. 頭條日報 理大推主動學習計畫 助中學設計數學教案 22 June 2020 晴報 理大開發互動教學程式 提升中學生學習成效 22 June 2020 HK Economic Times 理大主動學習教學　提升數學科成效 22 June 2020  

Anti-bacterial fibre Bioserica developed by ITC Professor Tao Xiao-ming

Prof Tao Xiao-ming, Chair Professor of Textile Technology, Institute of Textile and Clothing, PolyU, featured in an interview programme at a forum on textile material innovation (紡織新材料創新論壇) held recently to introduce the bioserica, an anti-bacterial fibre jointly developed by, among others, Tian An Group, PolyU and Institute of Microbiology under Chinese Academy of Sciences. Prof Tao introduced that bioserica is a fibre based on two biodegradable resins, namely PLA and PHBV, which is capable of destroying bacterial cell walls and hence inhibiting and killing bacteria, including escherichia coli and staphylococcus aureus. Besides, according to the latest research, bioserica can also inactivate klebsiella pneumoniae, and has a high level of anti-virus function. Bioserica is currently used by Nanjing Bioserica Era Antibacterial Material Technology Company Limited (Bioserica Era), a joint venture of Tian An Group, in products such as facial masks, wipes and other protection gears, as well as daily necessities like socks, sanitary napkins and towels. Prof Tao pointed out that bioserica is also widely used in bedding and apparel in hospitals and caring homes, which can effectively reduce cross infection. Mr Chen Jian, general manager of Bioserica Era, anticipated that the market demand for health products shall not be short-lived, and the company will further enrich its portfolio of bioserica anti-bacterial products in future.   紡織網 禾素纤维：领跑绿色抗菌新赛道，迎接大健康时代风口 15 June 2020  

PolyU develops technology for China’s space missions

With the huge amount of digital data generated and recorded during space missions, the data storage devices currently used for this purpose reveal great limitations in terms of their data storage capacity and the durability of the retained data. To meet this challenge, a team of PolyU researchers led by Dr Yao Zhong-ping, Associate Professor, Department of Applied Biology and Chemical Technology and Prof. Francis Lau, Professor and Associate Head, Department of Electronic & Information Engineering, has developed a novel technology for massive data management involving the use of peptides for the storage of digital data and tandem mass spectrometry for its retrieval. This will help optimise data storage for space exploration in China's next-generation manned spacecraft in the new Long March-5B rocket. Compared with existing commercial data storage devices and other developing technologies such as DNA data storage, peptides offer a much higher storage density and longer storage duration – with the data still viable for sequencing even after millions of years when DNA would have already degraded. As such, this new technology has very great potential for handling the enormous amount of data generated during space missions. Dr Yao considers the peptide synthesis industry to be already well-developed, allowing fast peptide synthesis at a reasonable cost. Combining proteomics and data storage technology for the first time, this innovation has the potential to transform the data storage industry. Besides its application in data management for space missions, this technology has potentially wide applications, and could benefit governmental agencies and corporations that generate and archive large volumes of big data.    Investor Place - Financialcontent.com PolyU Explores the Application of Peptides in Data Storage for Space Exploration in China's Next-Generation Manned Spacecraft 22 May 2020 Digital Conqueror PolyU Explores the Application of Peptides in Data Storage for Space Exploration in China's Next-Generation Manned Spacecraft 22 May 2020 Finanzen.at PolyU Explores the Application of Peptides in Data Storage for Space Exploration in China's Next-Generation Manned Spacecraft 22 May 2020 Tech Social Net PolyU Explores the Application of Peptides in Data Storage for Space Exploration in China's Next-Generation Manned Spacecraft 22 May 2020 Open Gov Asia PolyU explores the application of peptides in data storage 22 May 2020 星島日報 理大研發新一代數據儲存技術 21 May 2020 Hong Kong China News Agency 港理大研發新一代數據存儲技術　將透過載人飛船進行太空試驗 时间 21 May 2020 Miragenews PolyU Explores Application of Peptides in Data Storage for Space Exploration 21 May 2020  

PolyU researchers invent a “Skin-like” fabric for personal moisture management

PolyU researchers developed a novel a "skin-like" directional liquid transport fabric, which enables continuous one-way liquid flow through spatially distributed channels acting like "sweating glands" yet repels external liquid contaminants. The water transmission rate can be 15 times greater than that of best commercial breathable fabrics. The four-year research, led by Prof. Jintu Fan, Head of Institute of Textiles and Clothing and Chair Professor of Fiber Science and Apparel Engineering, received subsidies of HK$3.4 million from PolyU, Cornell University, US and Hong Kong government's Innovation and Technology Fund, and the fabric has registered a patent in US.     HK Economic Times 理大研發「仿皮膚」單向導水紡織物料技術　較巿場上的防水透氣性布料效能高出15倍 28 May 2020