News

LSGI Impact Case Study: Seamless Positioning and Navigation

In the fourth episode of PolyU FCE Impact Case Studies 2023 video series - “Seamless positioning and navigation in a confined urban environment”, Prof. Wu CHEN, Professor and Head of the Department of Land Surveying and Geo-Informatics (LSGI), featured various technologies developed by LSGI in improving positioning accuracy and availabilities suited for highly dense urban areas.  Although Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) is the cornerstone for Positioning, Navigation, and Timing (PNT) service in modern society, this technology was adversely affected by the multipath effects in dense urban areas like Hong Kong. Therefore, LSGI has developed a range of new technologies and innovative solutions in tackling the multipath effects and contributing to the development of smart city. Let’s check out the video and explore these fabulous technologies!

LSGI Empowers Secondary School Students to Build a Smart City

What does it take to build a smart city? The Department of Land Surveying and Geo-Informatics (LSGI) at The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) has been partnering with local secondary schools to answer this question through an Innovation for Smart City Competition. Launched in late 2022, the competition aimed to foster students’ knowledge and creativity in building a smart city. The crux of the competition is to formulate any smart city initiatives or deliverables based on the 6 areas of Smart City Blue Print 2.0 of Hong Kong: Smart Mobility, Smart Living, Smart Environment, Smart People, Smart Government as well as Smart Economy. The competition has attracted over 80 students from different local secondary schools. To support students' understanding of smart city applications and development in Hong Kong, LSGI organized a public seminar on “Smart City Development in Hong Kong” in December 2022, featuring government representatives and PolyU professor. On July 7th, 2023, the programme culminated with a final round competition and presentation held in PolyU's Chiang Cheng Studio Theatre. Five finalist groups presented their projects and answered questions from the judging panel. While their supervising teachers and some of the school principals also came to learn their creative ideas and share the happiness in award presentation. In additional to Prof. Wu CHEN, Head of PolyU LSGI, the Judging Panel comprises three officials from the Government units: Ms Cari WU, Chief Systems Manager (Smart City) from Office of the Government Chief Information Officer, Mr Season CHAN, Senior Engineer (Smart Mobility) from Transport Department and Mr Alvin CHEUNG, Senior Land Surveyor, Survey and Mapping Office, Lands Department, HKSAR Government. To reward the best team, the Overall Champion team and Teacher Supervisor are awarded an overseas smart city visit to Singapore in this summer while two groups of second runner-up and first runner-up winning teams each received prizes. Six groups of students also received merit awards, and all awardees will receive individual certificates. Additionally, students who choose PolyU's relevant BSc programme in the Department of Land Surveying and Geo-Informatics as their first choice and record the award properly in the "Other Experiences and Achievements" section of the application form for the Joint University Programmes Admissions System (JUPAS) will be invited for interviews. The event marks a successful initiative to promote smart city education among secondary school students. In the meantime, participants and Government representatives can learn innovative ideas from students. Announcement of Award Teams: Award Type  School Name   Team Members Project Topic   Overall Champion    Ying Wa Girls' School MAK Cheuk Hei Emily, SHIH Maan Chi Gigi, KO Man Yee Sonia and LIU Ue Tung Heather 綠色煮易 1st Runner Up Diocesan Girls' School LAU Yan Yu, SO Hei Tung, AU Cheuk Yi and CHAN Hoi Chi Galie Smart Medical System 1st Runner Up QESOSA Tong Kwok Wah Secondary School YIP Tsz Yeung, KENG Kam Ying, CHAU Cheuk Yin and LAU Kin Yuen   iStop for Minibuses 智能小巴站 2nd Runner Up Sheng Kung Hui Chan Young Secondary School CHAN Tsz San, YU Lap King and CHEN Yan Tai  Way to Goal (奇·跡) 2nd Runner Up Ying Wa Girls' School LEUNG Tsoi Lam Phoebe, LAM Hiu Ching and CHUNG Janice We Are Trailblazers - hiking app using3D mapping technology Merit CNEC Lau Wing Sang Secondary School WONG Ching Pong, CHEUNG Hoi Ching and LAM Ho Lun 預訂快線巴士服務 Merit Lok Sin Tong Ku Chiu Man Secondary School ZHEN Ching Ho, FONG Yu Ki, SIT Sing Kit and CHAN Yu On  智慧環境探測器 Merit Maryknoll Convent School (Secondary Section) CHENG Nga Lam Claudia, CHAN Wing Lam Alice and LAW Sum Yu Cloris App that promotes healthy lifestyle Merit Queen's College Old Boys' Association Secondary School   鍾曜蔚, 李汝森, 劉憲滔, 鄭耀宗 利用人工智能 及 大數據分析及預測未來急症室的輪候情況 Merit Ying Wa Girls' School WONG Tsz Wing, WONG Sum Yi Frances, CAO Yan Tung and YIM Yan Tsai Promoting Healthy Food Merit Wong Shiu Chi Secondary School CHEUNG Kin Lam, CHENG Paak Ting, CHEN Chui Mei, and HO Ka Leong  Plastic Bottle Recycling for 3D Printing Usage  

Staff Promotion 2023

We are delighted to share the news that Dr. Shuo Wang have been promoted to Associate Professor effective from 1 July 2023. Dr. Wang joined LSGI as Assistant Professor in 2017. Congratulations to Dr. Wang!

LSGI Scholars Recognized for Outstanding Research Achievements and Funding Success

Congratulations to the following LSGI scholars who achieved excellence in research and have been awarded The Dean's Award for Outstanding Achievement in Research Funding in 2023! These scholars have secured at least two major external grants in the past 3 calendar years. LSGI received 4 out of 15 Dean’s awards in research funding category this year. Their remarkable contributions to research are a testament to their hard work and dedication. Below is a list of their awarded projects. Awardee in LSGI Allocation Date Project Title (Funding Scheme) Prof. Wu CHEN 1 Jul 2018 A New Approach for UAV Auto-pilot System in Underground Tunnel Inspection Based on RGB-D Sensors (RGC General Research Fund) 15 Feb 2019 Trial: Integrated Navigation System with Advanced BLE IoT Network (Innovation Technology Fund – LSCM) 8 Oct 2020 Enhance Performance of HK GNSS positioning infrastructure with Beidou III and other GNSS constellations (Innovation Technology Fund – LSCM) 29 Dec 2021 Reliable Multi-Agent Collaborative GNSS Positioning for Intelligent Transportation Systems (LSGI-1) (RGC Research Impact Fund – sub-project) 29 Jun 2022 Hong Kong GNSS signal quality monitoring and interference detection system (Innovation Technology Fund – LSCM) Prof. Charles WONG 1 Jul 2021 Assessing the Impact of Urban Spatial Context on NO2 Concentrations: A New Perspective under Variable Socioeconomic Activity Restrictions (RGC General Research Fund) 4 Jan 2022 Study of Carbon Sequestration in Hong Kong’s Vegetation: from Present to Future Prediction under Climate Change (RGC Collaborative Research Fund) Dr. Wallace LAI 1 Jul 2020 Time-lapse Imaging and Diagnosis of Urban Subsurface Hazards by Ground Penetrating Radar (RGC General Research Fund) 1 Jul 2021 Multi-scale and Multi-array Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR) Diagnosis of Underground Hazards (RGC General Research Fund) 30 Nov 2022 Next-generation Imaging Technologies of Rapid Leakage Diagnosis of Underground High-Pressure and Large Water Mains in Carriageway (Innovation Technology Fund – LSCM) Dr. Xiaolin ZHU 18 Sept 2020 Remote sensing: time series image processing (NSFC Excellent Young Scientist Fund (HK & Macau)) 1 Jul 2022 Reducing uncertainty in daily nighttime light remote sensing due to angular and cloud effects (RGC General Research Fund) .telerik-reTable-4 { border-collapse: collapse; border: solid 0px; font-family: Tahoma; } .telerik-reTable-4 tr.telerik-reTableHeaderRow-4 { border-width: 1.0pt 1.0pt 3.0pt 1.0pt; margin-top: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; margin-left: 0in; line-height: 115%; font-size: 11.0pt; font-family: "Calibri", "sans-serif"; width: 119.7pt; background: #4F81BD; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; color: #FFFFFF; } .telerik-reTable-4 td.telerik-reTableHeaderFirstCol-4 { padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; } .telerik-reTable-4 td.telerik-reTableHeaderLastCol-4 { padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; } .telerik-reTable-4 td.telerik-reTableHeaderOddCol-4 { padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; } .telerik-reTable-4 td.telerik-reTableHeaderEvenCol-4 { padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; } .telerik-reTable-4 tr.telerik-reTableOddRow-4 { border-width: 1pt; color: #666666; font-size: 10pt; vertical-align: top; border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-color: #4F81BD; } .telerik-reTable-4 tr.telerik-reTableEvenRow-4 { color: #666666; font-size: 10pt; vertical-align: top; } .telerik-reTable-4 td.telerik-reTableFirstCol-4 { border-width: 1pt; border-color: #4F81BD; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; border-bottom-style: solid; border-left-style: solid; } .telerik-reTable-4 td.telerik-reTableLastCol-4 { border-width: 1pt; border-color: #4F81BD; border-bottom-style: solid; border-right-style: solid; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; } .telerik-reTable-4 td.telerik-reTableOddCol-4 { border-width: 1pt; border-color: #4F81BD; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; border-bottom-style: solid; } .telerik-reTable-4 td.telerik-reTableEvenCol-4 { border-width: 1pt; border-color: #4F81BD; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; border-bottom-style: solid; } .telerik-reTable-4 tr.telerik-reTableFooterRow-4 { color: #355C8C; background-color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 10pt; vertical-align: top; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; } .telerik-reTable-4 td.telerik-reTableFooterFirstCol-4 { border-width: 1pt; border-color: #4F81BD; border-bottom-style: solid; border-left-style: solid; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; } .telerik-reTable-4 td.telerik-reTableFooterLastCol-4 { border-width: 1pt; border-color: #4F81BD; border-bottom-style: solid; border-right-style: solid; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; } .telerik-reTable-4 td.telerik-reTableFooterOddCol-4 { border-width: 1pt; border-color: #4F81BD; border-bottom-style: solid; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; } .telerik-reTable-4 td.telerik-reTableFooterEvenCol-4 { border-width: 1pt; border-color: #4F81BD; border-bottom-style: solid; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; } Congratulations to the LSGI scholars for their outstanding contributions to research excellence! We are proud of their achievements and look forward to seeing more groundbreaking research from LSGI in the future.

Multi-Billion-Yuan National Project's First Space Weather Station Installed in Hong Kong

On June 6, 2023, the Chinese Meridian Project, a multi-billion-yuan National Major Science and Technology Infrastructure Project funded by the National Development and Reform Commission, China, installed its first instrument in Hong Kong, in partnership with Prof. George Zhizhao Liu from the Department of Land Surveying & Geo-Informatics (LSGI), Faculty of Construction and Environment (FCE), The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU). This instrument, named Ionospheric High-Frequency Doppler Monitor (IHFDM), is the first instrument ever installed in Hong Kong by the Chinese Meridian Project. Ionospheric high-frequency Doppler monitor is a classic technique to use continuous and stable short-wave standard frequency signals to observe and estimate the vertical movement of the ionosphere. The ionosphere, located approximately 60 km to 2,000 km above the Earth surface, has a crucially important impact on satellite navigation such as GPS and Beidou, ground- and space-based communication, and space programs. The IHFDM can be used to study the disturbances and irregularities in the ionosphere, ionospheric response to solar flares, ionospheric disturbances caused by magnetic storms and typhoons in China. Investigating the ionosphere on satellite navigations such as the Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) is one of the major research areas in relation with the Micro-Laboratory of Atmospheric Research and Geomatics Engineering (Micro-LARGE), led by Prof. Liu at the PolyU. His group has been working on the ionosphere scintillation characteristics and the impact on GNSS positioning and navigation for more than one decade. His Lab was the first one in the world to use satellite signals from all the four GNSS constellations to study ionosphere scintillation. The Chinese Meridian Project is a major national project for space weather science and infrastructure development in China. This project aims to explore the propagation, evolution, and impact of space weather events on China’s space by monitoring the space from the solar atmosphere to near-Earth over the whole China with a high spatiotemporal resolution. As the southernmost station, the Hong Kong observation station will play a significant role in realizing the scientific and application goals of this project.

LSGI hosted the 2023 Croucher Foundation Summer Course on GPS/Beidou/GNSS Satellite Positioning and Navigation and Earth Observation at PolyU

During 28 May to 3 June 2023, the Croucher Summer Course 2023 on GPS/Beidou/GNSS Satellite Positioning and Navigation and Earth Observation was successfully held at the Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU). This Croucher Summer Course, funded by the Croucher Foundation, is the third and last one of the Summer Course series generously funded by the Croucher Foundation. This 6-day Croucher Summer Course was lectured by 5 internationally distinguished lecturers invited from Canada, Germany, Mainland China, and UK. About 30 MSc and PhD students including PolyU volunteers from various universities and research institutes were attracted to this premium Summer Course on modern satellite positioning and navigation technologies. The Croucher Foundation generously provided financial supports to the one-week accommodations for the lecturers and students’ stay in Hong Kong.  The Director of the Croucher Summer Course, Prof. George Zhizhao Liu from the Department of Land Surveying & Geo-Informatics (LSGI), said “The satellite-based positioning and navigation is one of the key technologies in 21st century that change people’s lifestyle. The Croucher Summer Course offered an excellent opportunity for all the students to gain the state-of-the-art knowledge about GPS/Beidou/GNSS Satellite Positioning and Navigation and Earth Observation. At the same time, it is also a unique opportunity for the students to conduct social networking and get to know the Hong Kong Polytechnic University.” The opening ceremony was officiated by the Course Director Prof. Liu, with welcome speeches delivered by the then Faculty Dean Prof. Xiangdong Li and LSGI Department Acting Head Prof. Bo Wu in the morning of 28 May 2023.

FCE Staff Corner – LSGI Session

On June 2, 2023, the Department of Land Surveying & Geo-Informatics (LSGI) hosted the 2nd FCE Staff Corner on the 6th floor of Block Z. This initiative, supported by the Faculty of Construction and Environment (FCE), aimed to strengthen connections and encourage academic and personal interactions within the Faculty. Prof. George Liu, Associate Head (Partnership), welcomed all participants on behalf of LSGI. Prof. Xiangdong Li, Dean of FCE, and Prof. Linda Xiao, Associate Dean (Partnership) of FCE, also joined the event and interacted with different staff members.  About 40 staff members from FCE joined the event and gathered for an enjoyable and relaxing afternoon filled with snacks and refreshing beverages.

LSGI held the International Conference on Geomatics Education – Challenges and Prospects (ICGE) on 10-12 May 2023

The International Conference on Geomatics Education – Challenges and Prospects (ICGE) was successfully held at The Hong Kong Polytechnic University during 10 – 12 May 2023. The ICGE is organized by the Department of Land Surveying and Geo-Informatics (LSGI), co-organized by the Research Institute for Land and Space (RILS), The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, sponsored by International Society for Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing (ISPRS); co-sponsored by International Federation of Surveyors (FIG) and International Cartographic Association (ICA); supported by Hong Kong Institute of Surveyors (HKIS), Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS), and The Hong Kong Institution of Engineering Surveyors (HKIES). Near 100 participants from local and other 13 countries attended while 34 of participants gave presentations in Geomatics education. There were diverse and knowledgeable group of individuals came together to share their insights on Geomatics education. Every sharing, engagement, and contribution made this conference a great success. During the opening ceremony, Prof. Xiangdong LI, Dean of Faculty of Construction and Environment gave welcome remarks, followed by the opening addresses by Sr CHANG Kwok Fai, Deputy Director of SMO, Lands Department of HKSAR Government; Prof. Derek Lichti from ISPRS and Prof. Tao WANG from ICA. There were total of 9 sessions throughout the Conference, including Session 1: Web-based Tools for Surveying Education, Session 2: Curricula Development, Session 3: Promotion of Young Professional, Session 4: Multi‐level Education, Session 5/6: Promotion of Materials on Geomatics & Emerging Techniques in Surveying, Session 7/8: Multi‐level Surveying Education & Cost-effective Surveying Education and Session 9: Innovation for Asset Management. Below are keynote presentations of ICGE. Keynote Speech 1: Sailing Through Radical Changes in the Geomatics Education by Prof. Liqiu MENG, Technical University of Munich Keynote Speech 2: Integrating New and Emerging Concepts into a Geomatics Engineering Curriculum by Prof. Derek LICHTI, The University of Calgary Keynote Speech 3: Experiences from several Erasmus+ Education Projects by Prof. Georg GARTNER, Vienna University of Technology Their contributions helped us explore new ideas and perspectives on Geomatics education. We are delighted to see much fruitful sharing and discussions that took place during these 3 days. The connections and relationships formed during the conference will undoubtedly continue to benefit our community and discipline for years to come. For more conference photos and materials, please visit our photo gallery, highlights video, or social media channels of LSGI (links provided below). LSGI Website: https://www.polyu.edu.hk/lsgi/ WeChat: PolyU-LSGI Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LSGI.PolyU Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lsgi.polyu/

Service Learning Program in Cambodia: Students Make a Difference

A group of students from LSGI2S03 recently embarked on a service learning program in Cambodia, where they spent a week volunteering in different communities across the country. The program, organized in partnership with local NGOs and community leaders, aimed to provide students with a unique cultural immersion experience while also making a positive impact in the lives of Cambodians. During their stay, the students participated in a range of activities, including rural area planning workshops, map making, UAV mapping, and weather & water samples collection and organizing educational and recreational programs for children. They also learned about the history, culture, and traditions of Cambodia through visits to museums, temples, and other cultural sites. One of the highlights of the program was the opportunity to work with a local organization that supports young people affected by poor living environment. The students helped to organize a workshop on disease prevention and awareness, which was attended by dozens of young Cambodians. Through interactive sessions and discussions, the students were able to share their knowledge and experiences, while also learning from the local participants. Reflecting on their experience, the students said that the program had a profound impact on their lives. "We came to Cambodia hoping to make a difference, but we ended up learning just as much from the people we met," said Kris Tsang. "We were struck by the resilience and warmth of the Cambodian people, and we feel privileged to have had the opportunity to contribute to their communities in some small way." The program also received praise from local leaders and NGOs, who expressed their appreciation for the students' efforts. "The students showed a great deal of dedication and enthusiasm during their time here, and their contributions will have a lasting impact on the communities they worked with," said Mr. Vatanak, director of Living Water Farm. Service learning programs like this one provide students with a unique opportunity to learn about other cultures and make a positive impact in the world. As the students return home, they hope to inspire others to get involved in similar initiatives and continue making a difference in the lives of people around the globe.

Result of 2023 Outstanding PolyU Alumni Award for LSGI

We are proud to announce the two awardees of 2023 Outstanding PolyU Alumni Award for Department of Land Surveying and Geo-Informatics (LSGI).   2023 Outstanding PolyU Alumni Award for LSGI - Awardee Professor Ahmed Shaker (Award Category: Scholarly Achievement) Prof. Ahmed Shaker Abdelrahman received his Ph.D. in Department of Land Surveying and Geo-Informatics (LSGI) in 2004. After having a two-year postdoctoral research in LSGI, he started his academic career first in Institute of Geomatics, Generalitat de Catalunya & Universitat Politecnica de Catalunya, Barcelona, Spain for a year, and then Department of Civil Engineering, Toronto Metropolitan University (TMU), formerly Ryerson University, in Toronto, Ontario, Canada in 2007. He is currently a full professor and Associate Dean at TMU, and was formerly an Associate Chair for Undergraduate Studies and Interim Graduate Program Director. He was formerly the Director (2014-2018) and Vice President (2018-2020) and is now the President of Canadian Remote Sensing Society (CRSS) (2020-now). He was also a Co-Chair of Toronto Branch for Canadian Institute of Geomatics, 2013-2016, Co-Chair of Working Group IV (Methods for Image Classification) in Commission VII, International Society of Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing (ISPRS), 2014-2018, and Vice-President of Commission III (Remote Sensing), ISPRS, 2016-2022. His excellence in research and teaching have been recognized by a number of academic awards; these include Marie Curie Incoming International Fellowship, European Commission, 2006, Dean's Teaching Award in 2015, Faculty Scholarly, Research and Creative Activity Award, 2011, and CRSS Bronze Medal Award, 2011.   2023 Outstanding PolyU Alumni Award for LSGI - Young Awardee Mr Chan Kit Lung, Paul (Award Category: Professional Achievement) Sr. Paul CHAN Kit Lung is currently a partner of Engineering Surveys Limited, which is a leading Geospatial Solution Provider in Hong Kong. He received his BSc(Hons) Geomatics with First Class Honour from Department of Land Surveying and Geo-Informatics in 2008. He became the member of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors in 2012, the Hong Kong Institute of Surveyors in 2013, and also currently a Registered Professional Surveyor (RPS(LS)). In the last decade, he and his team have been involved in various large-scale infrastructure projects in Hong Kong, including Hong Kong Express Rail Link Construction, Third-Runway Construction, and Common Spatial Data Infrastructure (CSDI) Development, to name a few. Apart from day-to-day professional practice, he has also participated in research and teaching activities by serving as a visiting instructor and visiting lecturer in the department in the last few years. In different courses, he shared his extensive experience over spatial data collection, utilization, and management. He also provides internship and job opportunities to PolyU students and graduates. Recently, he has actively participated in and promoted the use of advanced technology in 3D Digital Mapping for Hong Kong Smart City Development. Congratulations to our alumni!