News

Two PAIR projects receive Smart Traffic Fund to enhance bridge monitoring and parking management

Two innovative projects led by PAIR researchers were awarded a total funding of around HK$17.36 million from the Smart Traffic Fund of the HKSAR government. The project “Digital Twin-based Long-span Bridge Health Monitoring”, led by Prof. XIA Yong, Management Committee Member of the Research Institute for Artificial Intelligence of Things (RIAIoT), Member of the Research Institute for Sustainable Urban Development (RISUD) and Professor in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, aims to develop a digital twin-based long-span bridge health monitoring platform, which will be applied to the Tsing Ma Bridge. Another project “Blockchain-enabled Cyber Physical System for City-wide Parking Management”, led by Dr TSANG Yung-po, Member of the Research Institute for Advanced Manufacturing (RIAM) and Research Assistant Professor in the Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering, aims to utilise Web 3.0 and blockchain technology in enabling intelligent access control to car parks, as well as AI to evaluate the supply of and demand for parking spaces. Press release: https://polyu.me/3RI3E2Q   Online coverage: Oriental Daily News - https://polyu.me/3GGaQpJ Yahoo HK - https://polyu.me/3RFbaLB

Ten PAIR academics recognised amongst world’s most highly cited researchers

The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) has achieved the third highest number of the world’s most highly cited researchers in Hong Kong in the list of “Highly Cited Researchers 2023” by Clarivate Analytics. A total of 15 PolyU academics (including two former PolyU scholars) have been named on the list, and ten of them are PAIR members. This year, a total of 6,849 researchers from 67 countries and regions across a diverse range of research fields have received the designations. The list identifies the most influential scholars from around the world, determined by their production of multiple highly cited papers that rank in the top 1% by citations for their field(s) and publication year in the Web of Science citation index over the past decade. The named PAIR researchers are as follows: Name Title and Affiliated PAIR Constituent Research Unit Prof. Daniel S.P. LAU Associate Director of Photonics Research Institute (PRI) Management Committee Member of Otto Poon Charitable Foundation Research Institute for Smart Energy (RISE) Prof. LI Gang Associate Director of Otto Poon Charitable Foundation Research Institute for Smart Energy (RISE) Management Committee Member of Photonics Research Institute (PRI) Member of Research Institute for Intelligent Wearable Systems (RI-IWEAR) Member of Research Institute for Sustainable Urban Development (RISUD) Prof. LOH Kian Ping Member of Photonics Research Institute (PRI) Prof. Geoffrey Q. P. SHEN Management Committee Member of Research Institute for Sustainable Urban Development (RISUD) Member of Research Institute for Land and Space (RILS) Member of Otto Poon Charitable Foundation Smart Cities Research Institute (SCRI) Prof. WANG Zuankai Member of Research Institute for Sports Science and Technology (RISports) Member of Research Institute for Intelligent Wearable Systems (RI-IWEAR) Prof. WU Tao, Tom Member Photonics Research Institute (PRI) Member of Otto Poon Charitable Foundation Research Institute for Smart Energy (RISE) Prof. YAN Feng Associate Director of Research Institute for Intelligent Wearable Systems (RI-IWEAR) Member of Photonics Research Institute (PRI) Member of Otto Poon Charitable Foundation Research Institute for Smart Energy (RISE) Member of Research Institute for Sustainable Urban Development (RISUD) Member of Research Institute for Sports Science and Technology (RISports) Dr ZHANG Xiao Member of Research Institute for Advanced Manufacturing (RIAM) Member of Otto Poon Charitable Foundation Research Institute for Smart Energy (RISE) Prof. YAN Jinyue Jerry Management Committee Member of Research Institute for Sustainable Urban Development Member of Otto Poon Charitable Foundation Research Institute for Smart Energy (RISE) Dr HUANG Bolong Member of Research Institute for Intelligent Wearable Systems (RI-IWEAR) Member of Otto Poon Charitable Foundation Research Institute for Smart Energy (RISE)   Further reading: https://www.polyu.edu.hk/en/media/media-releases/2023/1121_15-polyu-academics-recognised-amongst-worlds-most-highly-cited-researchers/

SCRI MC Member receives best paper award at international conference

Congratulation to Prof. LU Haitian, Management Committee Member of the Otto Poon Charitable Foundation Smart Cities Research Institute (SCRI), for receiving the Best Paper Award for his paper titled “Extracting Scenarios from Autonomous-Vehicle-Involved Crashes” at the 18th International Conference on Intelligent Systems and Knowledge Engineering held in Fuzhou, China on 17–19 November 2023.

Two PAIR scholars win BOCHK Science and Technology Innovation Prize

Two PAIR scholars have been awarded the BOCHK Science and Technology Innovation Prize (STIP) for their outstanding contributions to the scientific and technological innovation and transformation in Hong Kong. The two PAIR awardees are: Prof. Benny CHEUNG Chi-fai, Associate Director of the Research Centre for SHARP Vision (RCSV), Management Committee Member of the Research Centre for Resources Engineering towards Carbon Neutrality (RCRE) and Chair Professor of Ultra-precision Machining and Metrology—prize winner in the “Advanced Manufacturing” field; and Dr Daniel LUO Xiapu, Leading Member of the Research Institute for Artificial Intelligence of Things (RIAIoT) and Member of the Otto Poon Charitable Foundation Smart Cities Research Institute (SCRI)—prize winner in the “Fintech” field.   PolyU press release: https://polyu.hk/Prext   Online coverage: Sing Tao Daily - https://polyu.me/3MrOXOe Headline Daily - https://polyu.me/40iqvEI Wen Wei Po - https://polyu.me/3sfLICy Hong Kong Commercial Daily - https://polyu.me/3sg4mdz Economic Digest - https://polyu.me/47iK5mF Dot Dot News - https://polyu.me/40iQfAE Hong Kong China News Agency - https://polyu.me/46VlkwM RTHK - https://polyu.me/3SkwZ3Z Bastille Post - https://polyu.me/3MoG3AQ

Prof FAN Jintu appointed as Visiting Chief Scientist of Donghua University

Prof FAN Jintu, Director of the Research Centre of Textiles for Future Fashion (RCTFF) and Chair Professor of Fiber Science and Apparel Engineering, was appointed as Visiting Chief Scientist of the Shanghai International Fashion Innovation Centre (SIFIC), Donghua University for a period of three years, from 1 June 2023 to 31 May 2026.  Prof. Fan will provide professional advice and strategic inputs to the Center in relation to disciplinary development, scientific research, talent development, international collaboration and other matters. These include but not limited to: formulating development plans and goals, identifying frontier research directions, building high-level research teams, nurturing leading fashion innovators, steering independent innovative research, promoting collaborations with world-renowned universities and research institutions, and driving the commercialisation of the Centre’s research achievements.

Dr Daphne Cheung receives 2023 Claudia J. Beverly Innovation Award

Dr Daphne CHEUNG, Member of the Research Institute for Smart Ageing (RISA) and the Mental Health Research Centre (MHRC), received the 2023 Claudia J. Beverly Innovation Award by the National Hartford Center of Gerontological Nursing Excellence (NHCGNE). The Award recognises outstanding innovative programmes and projects that have significant positive impact on the nursing care for older adults. Since 2008, Dr Cheung and her team have been developing and testing music interventions for older adults with cognitive impairment. The team worked with engineers, music therapists and users to develop the Standalone Therapeutic Music-with-Movement System, which integrates technology with conventional psychosocial intervention. The system is now being used in more than 50 care institutions in Hong Kong.

One hundred and ten PAIR scholars ranked among world’s top 2% most-cited scientists

A total of 110 scholars from PAIR and its 17 constituent research units were ranked among the world’s top 2% most-cited scientists in the newly released metrics compiled by Stanford University, and four of them were among the top 20 scholars in the world in their own areas of specialty. The latest ranking reflects the influential research of PAIR researchers and PolyU’s leading position in multiple research areas. The latest ranking compiled by Stanford University covers over 100,000 top scientists across the globe. The database grouped scientists under 22 subject fields and 174 sub-fields, and the ranking was compiled based on indicators of research publications, including information on citations, individual’s scientific research output, co-authorship and a composite indicator for career-long citation impact up to the end of 2022. The number of PAIR scholars listed in the ranking and their corresponding research fields are as below*: Acoustics (3) Aerospace & Aeronautics (1) Analytical Chemistry (1) Applied Physics (2) Artificial Intelligence & Image Processing (2) Biomedical Engineering (2) Biotechnology (1) Building and Construction (12) Civil Engineering (10) Energy (11) Environmental Engineering (1) Environmental Sciences (2) Experimental Psychology (1) Geological & Geomatics Engineering (4) Industrial Engineering & Automation (1) Information Systems (1) Inorganic & Nuclear Chemistry (1) Logistics & Transportation (3) Materials (9) Mechanical Engineering & Transports (1) Meteorology & Atmospheric Sciences (3) Nanoscience & Nanotechnology (9) Networking & Telecommunications (4) Neurology & Neurosurgery (1) Operations Research (5) Ophthalmology & Optometry (2) Optics (1) Optoelectronics and Photonics (6) Organic Chemistry (1) Polymers (3) Psychiatry (1) Rehabilitation (3) Urban & Regional Planning (2) *As per the data published by Elsevier on 4 October 2023 (version 6):  https://elsevier.digitalcommonsdata.com/datasets/btchxktzyw/6   Read more: Top 2% Scientists in PAIR (2023)

Prof. TO Chi-ho conferred with Outstanding PolyU Alumni Award

Congratulations to Prof. TO Chi-ho, Member of the Research Centre for SHARP Vision (RCSV) and Visiting Chair Professor of Experimental Optometry in the School of Optometry (SO), for being conferred with the Outstanding PolyU Alumni Award 2023! Prof. To is a globally recognised scholar in the fields of myopia and glaucoma research. His research has been widely published in top journals and presented at international conferences. As a pioneering researcher, he led his team to successfully develop the Defocus Incorporated Soft Contact (DISC) Lens and the Defocus Incorporated Multiple Segments (DIMS) Spectacle Lens, which have been proven to slow the progression of short-sightedness among children by up to 60%. The two inventions bring significant breakthroughs in vision health, and have received multiple awards, including Grand Prizes at the International Exhibition of Inventions Geneva. Prof. To served as the Head of SO during 2013–2022 and the Director of RCSV during 2021–2022. Under his leadership, 88% of SO’s research outputs were rated as “internationally excellent” or above in the Research Assessment Exercise (RAE) 2020. Prof. To has also been actively promoting interdisciplinary research collaboration between the School and research laboratories and scholars worldwide.    Further reading: https://polyu.hk/Kkwvn Online coverage: Hong Kong Economic Times - https://polyu.me/3QyFh7b (subscription required)

Dr Wayne Chan receives Outstanding Poster Presentation Award at IAGG Asia/Oceania Regional Congress 2023

The study led by Dr Wayne CHAN, Member of the Mental Health Research Centre (MHRC) and Assistant Professor in the Department of Rehabilitation Sciences (RS), “The effects of Nintendo Ring Fit-based exercise training to improve balance and muscle strength of community-dwelling older adults with an increased risk of falls – a randomised controlled feasibility trial”, received the Outstanding Poster Presentation Award at the International Association of Gerontology and Geriatrics (IAGG) Asia/Oceania Regional Congress 2023. The study examined the effectiveness of the Nintendo Ring Fit-based exercise programme in improving the balance and muscle strength of community-dwelling older adults with a history of falling. Participants were randomly assigned to the Nintendo Ring Fit-based exercise (NRE) group or control (CON) group. The NRE group received an 8-week balance and resistance training using the Nintendo Ring Fit, while the CON group received the usual care. Results indicated that the NRE group showed significantly better improvement in mobility and balance than CON group, providing empirical evidence for the use of motion-sensing exergames in improving balance and muscle strength and preventing falls in older adults.

Prof. TAO Xiaoming elected as Full Foreign Member of European Academy of Natural Sciences

Congratulations to Prof. TAO Xiaoming, Director of the Research Institute for Intelligent Wearable Systems, for being elected as a Full Foreign Member of the European Academy of Natural Sciences. Headquartered in Hannover, Germany, the Academy promotes contacts and exchange of information between its members. Currently, a total of 50 scientists from China have been appointed as full members.