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PAIR Newsletter · Issue 18 · June 2026 is now available

What can nature teach us about solving humanity’s most complex challenges?  In Issue 18 of the PAIR Newsletter, biomimicry takes centre stage, revealing how insights from living systems can spark innovation and help address pressing global challenges in health, sustainability, and human wellbeing. Discover how sea urchin spines inspire next‑generation biomimetic sensors, and how an AI co‑pilot system is advancing clinical‑grade decision‑making.  You will also find stories that reflect PAIR’s commitment to sustainability, deep‑space exploration and improving people’s wellbeing through innovations in mobility, comfort, and mental health. We also spotlight two complementary perspectives on building a resilient, future‑ready society, shared by leading materials science experts.  PAIR Senior Fellow Prof. Nemkumar BANTHIA highlights how carbon‑neutral materials, smart monitoring, and predictive design can strengthen urban resilience, while PAIR International Advisory Committee (IAC) Member Prof. Alexander HARTMAIER explores how multiscale materials science—from atoms to full‑scale structures—enables low‑carbon, high‑performance, and ethically sourced materials for industry. This spring, PAIR welcomed IAC members from the Chinese Mainland, Singapore, the UK, Germany, and the US to its 5th annual IAC Meeting, an important forum for gathering expert advice to guide PAIR’s future development.  We also marked the launch of the “Cambridge NeuroWorks and PolyU PAIR Joint Seminar Series” and the “PAIR Seed Funding Scheme for Joint Research Projects with Leading Universities”, alongside many other cross‑disciplinary and cross‑sectoral partnerships across PAIR research units.   Read PAIR Newsletter ž Issue 18: https://www.polyu.edu.hk/pair/publications/issue-18/  

Four PAIR members awarded RGC Overseas Research Fellowship Scheme

Four PAIR members have been awarded the Research Grants Council (RGC) Overseas Research Fellowship Scheme, which supports their pursuit of immersive research at leading overseas institutions, enhancing insights into the latest global trends in scientific research and innovation. The awarded PolyU scholars bring wide-ranging expertise across Web3, digital finance, language sciences, physiotherapy and AI management.  Their research efforts exemplify PolyU’s robust research capabilities and unwavering commitment to driving innovation with global impact.  Each of them will be supported with a HK$368,000 grant for their overseas research trip. The four awardees are: Principal Investigators Research Plan Overseas Host Institution(s) Prof. LUO Xiapu Member of Research Institute for Artificial Intelligence of Things (RIAIoT) and Otto Poon Charitable Foundation Smart Cities Research Institute (SCRI), Associate Dean (Research) of Faculty of Computer and Mathematical Sciences, and Professor of Department of Computing Bridging Hong Kong and Europe for Secure Web3: DeFi Risk Detection and Blockchain Infrastructure Hardening University College London (UK) ETH Zurich (Switzerland) University of Luxembourg (Luxembourg) Prof. CHAN Wing Shan Angel Member of Research Centre for SHARP Vision (RCSV) and Associate Professor of Department of Language Science and Technology Advancing Culturally-Responsive Speech Therapy Practice for Children: From Technology Innovation to Person-Centred Care Griffith University (Australia) Leibniz-Centre General Linguistics (Germany) The University of Sydney (Australia) City St George’s University of London (UK) Prof. Arnold WONG Associate Director of Research Institute for Smart Ageing (RISA), Member of Research Institute for Intelligent Wearable Systems (RI-IWEAR) and Research Institute for Sports Science and Technology (RISports), and Professor of Department of Rehabilitation Sciences The Application of Co-Design and Non-inferiority Trial Design to Evaluate Effectiveness and Cost- Effectiveness of Direct Access Physiotherapy Services The University of Sydney (Australia) Prof. Crystal SHI Member of Research Centre for Digital Transformation of Tourism (RCDTT) and Associate Professor of School of Hotel and Tourism Management Cross-Cultural Insights on Human-AI Collaboration in Hospitality: Supporting Digital Transformation and Service Innovation in Multicultural Workforces Purdue University (USA)   The RGC Overseas Research Fellowship Scheme aims to encourage university faculty to visit overseas institutions/units for immersive international collaboration, thereby broadening their international perspective and deepening the Hong Kong research community’s exposure to trends elsewhere.  Selected fellows will be supported in visiting overseas institutional laboratories/research units/clinical set-ups to work on research projects or undergo research-related professional development.  

Bringing the Overlooked into Focus: Prof. Manuela FERREIRA on How Big Data Reveals the Global Burden of Musculoskeletal Conditions

On 28 May 2026, Prof. Manuela FERREIRA, Professor of Musculoskeletal Health at the University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia, delivered a PAIR seminar titled “High-Impact Research Using Big Data Analysis – The Global Burden of Disease Study”. The lecture attracted over 70 scholars and students onsite, alongside 15,000 plus online viewers streaming via various social media platforms. Prof. Ferreira’s engaging and lively presentation style resonated with the audience, as she posed relatable questions rooted in everyday experiences and effectively translated complex epidemiological concepts into clear and accessible insights. At the outset, Prof. Ferreira highlighted a key public health issue: “Without data, there is no disease; without global big data, we cannot truly understand the existence of disease”. She further emphasised that “data is the foundation of the entire health ecosystem”. She noted that, historically, major musculoskeletal (MSK) conditions such as osteoarthritis (OA) and low back pain (LBP) have been underestimated or overlooked by global health organisations due to insufficient documentation and data. To enhance awareness and advocate for greater healthcare resources, Prof. Ferreira compared traditional “cost-of-illness” studies with composite metrics such as Disability-Adjusted Life Years (DALYs). She explained that DALYs provide a more standardised and equitable framework for comparing diseases, thereby strengthening the scientific basis and equity of health policy decision-making. In her discussion of the Global Burden of Disease (GBD) Study—a large-scale international collaboration—Prof. Ferreira pointed out that LBP remains the leading cause of Years Lived with Disability (YLDs) globally. Data show that approximately 619 million people were affected by LBP in 2020, with projections indicating that this number may rise to nearly 800 million by 2050. The findings also reveal a marked gender disparity, with women experiencing a significantly higher prevalence of LBP than men across almost all age groups. This pattern is closely associated with global risk factors such as smoking, high body mass index (BMI), and occupational ergonomic hazards. The seminar also addressed the growing challenge of OA, which is projected to affect nearly 1 billion people by 2050, driven by population growth, ageing, and obesity. Currently, more than 1.5 billion people are living with MSK conditions globally—a figure set to rise by 70% to over 3 billion by 2050. In light of this pressing global health challenge, Prof. Ferreira underscored the importance of preventive care, early diagnosis, and promoting healthier lifestyles. The seminar concluded with a Q&A session, during which Prof. Ferreira called for greater efforts to collect high-quality national-level data to further refine disease models and advance global health policy. Please click here for an online review.

PolyU research reveals snow droughts continue to threaten global food security and calls for climate-resilient agriculture practices to promote sustainable development

A research team led by Prof. WANG Shuo, Member of Research Institute for Land and Space (RILS), Otto Poon Charitable Foundation Smart Cities Research Institute (SCRI) and Research Institute for Sustainable Urban Development (RISUD), and Associate Professor of Department of Land Surveying and Geo-Informatics, has utilised innovative explainable machine learning to uncover the persistent and significant negative impact of snow droughts on winter wheat yields, highlighting that global food security is facing unprecedented challenges. This breakthrough study provides key scientific evidence for building climate-resilient agriculture, ensuring food security and promoting sustainable development. The study was conducted in collaboration with scholars from The University of Hong Kong and the University of California, Irvine. The findings have been published in the international journal Nature Food. Over the past 60 years, the frequency of snow droughts across the Northern Hemisphere’s winter wheat croplands has increased significantly. The proportion of croplands affected by snow drought surged from 46–54% in 1960–1970 to 70–99% in 2010–2020, reflecting the fact that snow droughts have evolved from a localised risk into a widespread phenomenon. The research team developed the XGB-SHAP model framework to accurately identify the direct impact of snow drought on crop yields. The framework combines Extreme Gradient Boosting (XGBoost) with Shapley Additive exPlanations (SHAP) to effectively exclude interference from other climate factors such as high temperature and rainfall, enabling a quantitative analysis of the direct impact of snow drought on winter wheat yields. This study also systematically analysed snow–crop–water interactions, providing a robust empirical basis for developing climate-resilient agricultural systems. Using the XGB-SHAP framework, the study found that approximately 45% of croplands in the Northern Hemisphere experienced significant adverse impacts from snow droughts, with Europe, Central Asia and the United States being the most severely affected regions. Meanwhile, in East Asia, the yield benefits of longer growing seasons due to warmer winters are gradually diminishing and the regional hydrothermal balance is becoming increasingly unstable. The study also identifies increased fertiliser use, intensified freezing stress and reduced precipitation as the three primary factors contributing to winter wheat’s increased sensitivity to snow drought. While enhanced soil nutrient levels can promote crop growth, they also make crops more dependent on the water supply and thermal insulation provided by snow cover. When snow drought occurs, these factors can amplify the risk of yield loss. Looking ahead, the research team recommends strengthening the climate resilience of agricultural systems by enhancing crop varieties, improving agricultural management and monitoring risks. Alongside intensifying efforts to develop crop varieties with both cold and drought tolerance, agricultural management models have to shift from traditional, input-intensive production to more precise and sustainable nutrient management systems. Furthermore, snow cover monitoring should be incorporated into agricultural risk assessment and early warning systems. Identifying snow drought risks at an early stage and enhancing the resilience of agricultural systems will ensure that stable food production is maintained in the face of climate change, steering global agriculture towards a more sustainable future. Press release: https://polyu.me/4nOZhRH   Online coverage: The National Tribune - https://polyu.me/4dNTZ4t Mirage - https://polyu.me/42YLSx2 Ta Kung Pao - https://polyu.me/4e8weVZ Wen Wei Po - https://polyu.me/3RKk4dd

Envisioning the Future: Academician PENG Shou on How Glass is Shaping the World of Tomorrow

On 27 May 2026, Prof. PENG Shou, Academician of Chinese Academy of Engineering and Chief Scientist of China National Building Material Group Co., Ltd. delivered a PAIR Distinguished Lecture titled “The Transparent Revolution that is Remoulding the Future” at the PolyU campus. The lecture attracted an audience of nearly 100 scholars, researchers and students onsite, and over 14,700 online viewers across various social media platforms. Prof. Peng opened the lecture by highlighting the historical and strategic significance of glass—from the invention of telescopes and microscopes to the widespread application of modern fibre-optic communication technologies, glass has always been a key driver of scientific progress. In the context of the digital age, glass has further emerged as a critical strategic resource, playing an essential role in industrial autonomy and national security across fields such as high-end displays, aerospace, and deep-sea exploration. During the lecture, Prof. Peng highlighted the extensive applications of advanced glass in modern industry, demonstrating its critical role across multiple strategic sectors. He noted that the mass production of 30-micron ultra-thin flexible glass represents a key breakthrough, enabling the development of next-generation foldable and rollable electronic devices. He further elaborated on the central role of glass in the global “Dual Carbon” strategy, particularly in building-integrated photovoltaics (BIPV). By transforming building façades into power-generating systems, such as in projects like Xiamen Xiang’an International Airport, advanced glass is driving urban energy transformation. Beyond the electronics and energy sectors, Prof. Peng also introduced the vital role of specialised glass in major engineering projects, including high-speed rail, the C919 large passenger aircraft, the Tiangong space station, and the “Fendouzhe” deep-sea submersible, where high-performance glass ensures the safety and reliability of these heavy machinery. The lecture further explored the frontier of “embodied intelligence” and biotechnology. Prof. Peng explained how bioactive glass and flexible sensor glass transform healthcare models through implantable devices and brain–computer interface (BCI) technologies. At the same time, by leveraging “AI-driven materials research”, his team is accelerating the development of new glass materials with topological properties and ultra-high strength, while moving toward a new paradigm of precise, model-driven materials design. The lecture concluded with an interactive Q&A session moderated by Prof. ZHENG Guangping, Professor of the Department of Mechanical Engineering at PolyU. Prof. Peng shared his forward-looking insights into the field of materials science, noting that its future will focus on “redefining limits,” “deep interdisciplinary integration,” and “openness and collaboration”. He concluded the lecture by stating, “We are building a better future with materials!” Please click here for an online review.

Professor CHEN Qingyan elected Fellow of the Royal Society

Prof. CHEN Qingyan, Director of PolyU Academy for Interdisciplinary Research (PAIR) and Chair Professor of Building Thermal Science, has been elected a Fellow of the Royal Society, the UK’s national academy of science. Election to the Fellowship of the Royal Society is one of the highest scientific honours in the world. Founded in 1660, the Royal Society is the world’s oldest scientific academy in continuous existence, and its fellowship includes some of the most renowned scientists and thinkers in modern history. A globally recognised thought leader, Prof. Chen is renowned for his pioneering work in indoor air quality (IAQ), aircraft cabin environments, and Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD), and is among the very few scholars from the institution to receive this distinguished honour. His significant contributions have earned him recognition among the world’s leading scientists in the “Building and Construction” field, according to Stanford University’s World’s Top 2% Most-cited Scientists list. His models for simulating indoor environments have been instrumental in shaping public policy and driving innovation in ventilation systems. He has also developed design guidelines and strategies that have become industry benchmarks, prioritising occupant well-being and fostering healthier, more energy-efficient environments. Prof. Jin-Guang TENG, PolyU President said, “We are proud of Prof. Chen’s contributions to the scientific community. His work has played an important role in advancing human well-being and safety. His research has also helped inform safety standards for public transportation, including efforts to reduce infectious disease transmission on airplanes and cruise ships.” Prof. Chen expressed his gratitude for the honour, saying, “I am deeply humbled to receive this recognition, which is truly one of the highest accolades a scientist can achieve. I would like to extend my sincerest thanks to my research team and collaborators at PolyU, as well as my family, for their unwavering support over the years.” Throughout his career, Prof. Chen has received numerous awards and recognitions for his groundbreaking works, including the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating, and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE); the Institute of Environmental Sciences and Technology; the International Building Performance Simulation Association, the Scandinavian Federation of Heating, Ventilation and Sanitary Engineering Associations (SCANVAC); the Society of Heating, Air-Conditioning and Sanitary Engineers of Japan and the U.S. National Science Foundation. Press release:https://polyu.me/4wJ0jCS   Online coverage: Fooshya - https://polyu.me/4f6ybTZ Bastille Post - https://polyu.me/4wQ5TDs HK01 - https://polyu.me/4edlNk0

Empowering Tomorrow: Academician GUO Wanlin on the Evolution Toward Hydrovoltaic Intelligence

On 22 May 2026, Prof. GUO Wanlin, Member of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and Founder of the International Institute for Frontier Science at Nanjing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics (NUAA), delivered a PAIR Distinguished Lecture titled “From Artificial Intelligence (AI) to Hydrovoltaics Intelligence (HI)” at the PolyU campus. The lecture attracted an audience of nearly 60 scholars, researchers and students onsite, and over 15,200 online viewers across various social media platforms. Prof. Guo began the lecture by outlining the fundamental nature of intelligence, describing it as the ability of living organisms to perceive their environment, obtain energy, and sustain life. He reviewed the development of computing technologies—from Turing’s theoretical foundations and the invention of the transistor to today’s complex neural network systems. He stressed that the digital era is facing a serious energy challenge: modern AI systems, such as AlphaGo, may require megawatt-level power to operate, whereas the human brain consumes only about 20 watts. Prof. Guo argued that achieving truly sustainable intelligence requires moving beyond energy-intensive, silicon-based computing paradigms and shifting toward HI, inspired by the highly efficient characteristics of water-based natural systems. Central to the lecture was how to develop transformative energy technologies from the Earth’s water cycle. Prof. Guo explained how hydrovoltaic technology can capture energy from raindrops, waves, and evaporation, noting that these technologies have made significant advances in power density in recent years. By integrating hydrovoltaics with photovoltaics, such as using evaporative cooling to enhance solar panel performance, his team has proposed a “Hydro–Energy–Ecology” framework that offers a new pathway for sustainable energy development. The lecture also explored the material foundations of HI, with a focus on recent applications of two-dimensional (2D) materials and “sliding ferroelectricity”. Prof. Guo shared that his team has successfully controlled more than 3,000 stable, non-volatile polarisation states at room temperature in van der Waals devices composed of graphene and hexagonal boron nitride. These breakthroughs provide critical support for “computing-in-memory” architectures, offering significantly higher energy efficiency than traditional transistors. They also help overcome the “memory wall” bottleneck between computation and storage, opening new avenues for the development of low-power, bio-inspired intelligent systems. The lecture concluded with a Q&A session moderated by Prof. NI Meng, Head of the Department of Building Environment and Energy Engineering and Chair Professor of Energy Science and Technology. In his closing remarks, Prof. Guo emphasised “reverence for nature” as a core guiding principle of scientific research, and encouraged young researchers to pursue bold, unconventional innovation. He also reminded the audience that every leaf outside the window reveals the boundless wonders of nature. Please click here for an online review.

AI-empowered wearable rehabilitation device: PolyU develops closed-loop sensory wristband to enable personalised rehabilitation for stroke patients

To address the challenges of disability and slow rehabilitation progress associated with hemiparesis, a common sequela of stroke, a research team led by Prof. Kenneth FONG, Management Committee Member of Research Institute for Artificial Intelligence of Things (RIAIoT), Member of Research Institute for Smart Ageing (RISA), Associate Dean (Community and Global Engagement) of Graduate School and Associate Head (Research, Innovation, and Knowledge Transfer) of Department of Rehabilitation Sciences, has applied intelligent closed-loop mobile technology to develop a new-generation wearable rehabilitation device, the “Remind-to-Move” (RTM) sensory wristband. Complemented by a mobile application, the device delivers instant feedback to users and automatically adjusts treatment regimens, thereby enabling more personalised home-based rehabilitation training. The RTM sensory wristband is specifically designed for patients with hemiparesis due to neurological conditions such as stroke or cerebral palsy. By emitting vibration signals, it reminds patients to perform exercises as instructed by their therapists. The latest version is enhanced with a “closed-loop system” that integrates artificial intelligence (AI), neuroscience and kinematic technologies. By real-time comparison of the movement patterns of the hemiparetic limb with its non-affected counterpart, the system automatically adjusts training parameters such as frequency and intensity, thereby improving the patient’s mobility more effectively. The RTM wristband is the world’s first rehabilitation intervention specifically designed to promote use of the hemiparetic arm in adult stroke patients and children with cerebral palsy. Earlier iterations adopted an “open-loop system” with fixed, preset therapy and were proven to effectively reduce “learned non-use” of the hemiparetic upper limb. To achieve more personalised rehabilitation outcomes, the team has upgraded the new-generation wristband to a “closed-loop system”, which sends cues based on the user’s actual arm movements and provides real-time feedback. Research findings showed that both the open-loop and closed-loop RTM systems improved hand function and movement frequency. Notably, the closed-loop system exhibited more prominent advantages—compared to participants in the open-loop group, those using the closed-loop system demonstrated higher movement frequency and more marked improvements in hand function. The related study titled “Closed-loop versus open-loop ‘remind-to-move’ treatment using wearables for hemiparetic upper extremity in patients after stroke: A proof-of-concept study” has been published in Wearable Technologies. Both the open-loop and closed-loop RTM devices have been patented in the United States and the Chinese Mainland, and the previous generation of the open-loop RTM devices has been adopted for over 10 years by 16 public hospitals in Hong Kong and international institutions such as the Kessler Rehabilitation Center in the United States, while its use has been extended to Singapore and the Chinese Mainland. The research team is currently recruiting stroke patients to participate in a clinical study of the new version of the RTM wristband. Participants will wear the wristband and engage in a four-week telerehabilitation programme under the guidance of a professional occupational therapist. The study aims to gain deeper insight into upper-limb activity patterns and evaluate the effectiveness of the intervention. Press release: https://polyu.me/4uX7oxR   Online coverage: Mirage - https://polyu.me/4nzPVJr Ming Pao Daily News - https://polyu.me/3POIXUA Hong Kong Economic Journal - https://polyu.me/4uidBof (subscription required); https://polyu.me/43hVD9x Hong Kong Economic Times - https://polyu.me/3PbskCn Oriental Daily News - https://polyu.me/49dz9Kp; https://polyu.me/4tO3Woh Ta Kung Pao - https://polyu.me/4dk9Ybt Wen Wei Po - https://polyu.me/4dQYj3X Bastille Post - https://polyu.me/4udSGCO Dot Dot News - https://polyu.me/3RiFQVp IT Pro - https://polyu.me/4eXGnWE Weekend Weekly - https://polyu.me/4ftKARV Headline for HK - https://polyu.me/3Ry5WUh; https://polyu.me/4tJT3nK Bauhinia - https://polyu.me/42OIepj Lion Rock Daily - https://polyu.me/49rvg4G

Prof. ZHANG Shuowen elected IEEE Communications Society Distinguished Lecturer

Prof. ZHANG Shuowen, Member of Research Institute for Artificial Intelligence of Things (RIAIoT) and Assistant Professor of Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, has been elected as an IEEE Communications Society (IEEE ComSoc) Distinguished Lecturer for the Class of 2026–2027. Prof. ZHANG’s research focuses on next-generation wireless communications, including smart and reconfigurable 6G-and-beyond wireless networks enabled by intelligent reflecting surface, as well as integrated sensing and communication, unmanned aerial vehicles, multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO), and communication theory. The IEEE ComSoc Distinguished Lecturer Program (DLP) connects accomplished IEEE ComSoc senior members in the field of communications technology with ComSoc chapters worldwide to exchange knowledge, expertise and insights into the future of communications technology.

Ir Prof. ZHENG Pai elected Fellow of American Society of Mechanical Engineers

Ir Prof. ZHENG Pai, Member of Research Institute for Advanced Manufacturing (RIAM), Associate Professor of Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering, and Wong Tit Shing Young Scholar in Smart Robotics, has been elected a Fellow of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME), in recognition of his outstanding contributions to the engineering profession and to the Society. Prof. Zheng has long been dedicated to advancing mutual cognitive human-robot collaborative manufacturing systems (MC-HRCMS).  His Research Group of AI for Industrial Digital Servitization (RAIDS) team has co-founded CobotAI Limited and introduced a novel multimodal human-robot interaction solution called TeleX.  The system combines precise motion tracking, advanced visual sensing, and touch-sensitive “robot hands” to synchronously collect multimodal human operation data in complex operational scenarios. TeleX has already been tested across a range of typical industrial scenarios, including egocentric or teleoperation in robotic assembly, dispensing process, and wire dismantling, etc., demonstrating its broad application potential.