News

MHRC receives donation from Bright Future Charitable Foundation to develop mobile app for enhancing adolescent mental health

Prof. Hector TSANG, Chair Professor of Rehabilitation Sciences and Co-Founder of the Mental Health Research Centre (MHRC) of PolyU, has received a generous donation from the Bright Future Charitable Foundation for the project “E-Breathing to Reduce Psychological Distress in Adolescents”. The two-year project aims to develop a mobile-based intervention for the early detection of Hong Kong adolescents at risk of psychological distress. The app “E-Breathing” uses Ecological Momentary Assessment (EMA) to capture the psychological symptoms and support needs of adolescents and prompts users to engage in slow-paced breathing exercises when they score high on negative affect. The study will conduct a randomised controlled trial (RCT) with 148 participants and evaluate the app’s effectiveness in improving users’ mood.

MHRC Member awarded HMRF grant to evaluate mobile app for early detection and intervention for postpartum depression

Prof. Jessie LIN, Assistant Professor in the Department of Rehabilitation Sciences, has been awarded a grant of about HK$500K from the Health and Medical Research Fund of the Health Bureau, HKSAR, for the project “Enhancing clinical care for postpartum depression using ecological momentary assessment and intervention: a feasibility randomized controlled trial with “MotherCare” mobile app”. Designed by the PolyU research team, the app provides personalised, real-time and mindfulness-based ecological momentary interventions (EMI) for postpartum women with depression according to their emotional states. The evaluative study includes a three-month randomised controlled trial (RCT) involving 40 participants, assessing the mobile app’s usability and acceptability, as well as participants’ adherence to the intervention and their improvements in mood and emotional regulation. The research has significant clinical implications for the early detection and management of postpartum depression in Hong Kong and beyond.

Nine PolyU projects awarded Environment and Conservation Fund

Nine projects led by scholars at The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) have been supported by the Environment and Conservation Fund, with a total grant of approximately HK$6.99 million. The awarded projects aim to advance environmental protection and conservation efforts through cutting-edge technologies and innovative research. They cover various pressing environmental issues, including carbon reduction, noise problem, ozone formation, sea water treatment and more. The Environment and Conservation Fund provides funding support for educational initiatives, community waste reduction and recovery, research, technology demonstration, and other projects related to environmental and conservation matters. The awarded project must help enhance the overall environmental quality of Hong Kong, raise environmental awareness of the local community, and promote public participation in green and low-carbon living. Projects led by PAIR members: Principal Investigator PAIR Research Unit Project Title Awarded Amount Prof. DU Liangfen, Assistant Professor of the Department of Building Environment and Energy Engineering Otto Poon Charitable Foundation Smart Cities Research Institute (SCRI) and Research Institute for Sustainable Urban Development (RISUD); A Novel Acoustic Metagrating Barrier for Traffic Noise Reduction HK$760,592 Prof. WANG Tao, Chair Professor of Atmospheric Environment of the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering Research Institute for Land and Space (RILS) and Research Institute for Sustainable Urban Development (RISUD)   Investigating Atmospheric Oxidation Capacity of Hong Kong: Measurement and Modelling of Hydroxyl Radicals, Hydroperoxyl Radicals, and Hydroxyl Radicals Reactivity HK$1,469,500 Prof. CHOY Yat-sze, Associate Professor of the Department of Mechanical Engineering Research Institute for Sustainable Urban Development (RISUD)   Sonic Metagrating Barrier for Broadband Sound Absorption and Wave Manipulation HK$472,000 Prof. Randolph LEUNG Chi Kin, Associate Professor of the Department of Mechanical Engineering Research Institute for Advanced Manufacturing (RIAM) and Research Institute for Sustainable Urban Development (RISUD)   Integrating Close-Proximity Sound Power Measurement and Numerical Propagator Technologies for Realistic Prediction and Assessment of Tyre/Road Noise Nuisance in Hong Kong Urban Environment HK$1,060,140 Prof. TSANG Yuen-hong, Professor of the Department of Applied Physics Research Institute for Advanced Manufacturing (RIAM), Photonics Research Institute (PRI) and Otto Poon Charitable Foundation Research Institute for Smart Energy (RISE) Designing a Prototype for Simultaneous Solar Desalination and Hydrogen Production HK$500,000   Further reading: https://polyu.hk/krYMP  

Prof. MA Wei receives Smart Traffic Fund to develop AI-enabled parking garage vacancy prediction service

Prof. MA Wei, Member of Otto Poon Charitable Foundation Smart Cities Research Institute (SCRI), Research Institute for Sustainable Urban Development (RISUD) and Research Centre for Digital Transformation of Tourism (RCDTT), Assistant Professor of Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering of PolyU, has been awarded a funding of about HK$2.9 million from the Smart Traffic Fund for a period of 18 months, for his project titled “Parking Garage Vacancy Prediction Services in Hong Kong: AI-enabled Solutions for Enhanced Reliability and Extensibility”. This project aims to develop a deep learning-based parking garage vacancy prediction service for off street carparks in Hong Kong. By leveraging artificial intelligence (AI) technology and combining big data with real time data, the service will predict parking vacancy and estimate queuing times for fully occupied garages, helping to reduce motorists’ cruising time and enhance road efficiency. Read more: https://www.polyu.edu.hk/rio/news/2025/20250127---smart-traffic-fund/

Ir Prof. ZHENG Pai receives Smart Traffic Fund to develop smart driving assistant

Congratulations to Ir Prof. ZHENG Pai, Member of the Research Institute for Advanced Manufacturing (RIAM), Wong Tit Shing Young Scholar in Smart Robotics and Associate Professor in the Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering, and his team, on receiving over HK$5 million in funding from the Smart Traffic Fund under the Transport Department of the HKSAR Government for the two-year project titled “Develop a Vision-Language Model-based Smart Driving Assistant for Enhancing Safety and Convenience of Motorists”. The project aims to develop a smart driving assistant for vehicle cockpits leveraging vision-language models, which can analyse the environment in real time and drivers’ needs to offer appropriate interactive strategy for improving driver safety and convenience. This innovative approach promises to unlock new possibilities for enhancing driver-assistance technologies, reinforcing advancements in road safety and intelligent transport solutions.

Sixteen PolyU projects receive support from Health and Medical Research Fund, recognising the University’s interdisciplinary research achievements

Sixteen PolyU projects have received support from the Health and Medical Research Fund (HMRF) in its latest funding exercise, with a total funding amount of HK$14.3 million.  These projects cover various research areas related to health technology and biomedical engineering, showcasing PolyU’s interdisciplinary proficiency in medical and healthcare research.  Among them, ten projects are led by PAIR researchers: *In alphabetical order of faculty names and surnames of researchers Principal Investigator Affiliation with PAIR Project Title Amount Faculty of Engineering Dr James CHEUNG Chung-wai Research Assistant Professor of the Department of Biomedical Engineering Member of Research Institute for Sports Science and Technology (RISports) and Research Institute for Smart Ageing (RISA) Integrated acoustic and carbon nanotube biosensors with deep-learning algorithms for dysphagia screening: a pilot study $495,900 Faculty of Health and Social Sciences Prof. CHENG King-yip Associate Professor of the Department of Health Technology and Informatics Member of Research Institute for Future Food (RiFood) and Research Centre for Chinese Medicine Innovation (RCMI) Circulating plasmalogens and their metabolism as biomarkers and therapeutic targets for pancreatic β-cell dysfunction in type 2 diabetes $1,499,000 Prof. Justina LIU Yat-wa Associate Head (Postgraduate Education) and Professor of the School of Nursing Member of Research Institute for Smart Ageing (RISA) The effects of music-with-movement (simultaneous cognitive-motor dual-task training) on cognitive and physical performance of people with potentially reversible cognitive frailty: a randomized controlled trial $1,478,766 Dr REN Ge Research Assistant Professor of the Department of Health Technology and Informatics Member of Research Institute for Intelligent Wearable Systems (RI-IWEAR) Investigation of a novel AI-empowered pulmonary perfusion imaging technique based on cone beam computed tomography for functional image-guided adaptive radiotherapy of lung cancer $1,500,000 Prof. Gilman SIU Kit-hang Professor of the Department of Health Technology and Informatics Member of Otto Poon Charitable Foundation Smart Cities Research Institute (SCRI) Risk assessment and surveillance of the transmission of foodborne antimicrobial resistance in Hong Kong $1,499,500 Prof. Arnold WONG Yu-lok Associate Professor of the Department of Rehabilitation Sciences 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) Feasibility, effectiveness, and patient experience of an online acceptance and commitment therapy plus exercises versus online education plus exercises for older people with chronic low back pain: a pilot randomized controlled trial $499,530 Prof. Thomson WONG Wai-lung Associate Professor of the Department of Rehabilitation Sciences Member of Research Centre for Chinese Medicine Innovation (RCMI) The efficacy of a specific dance intervention to improve the balance and reduce the risks of falls (SDIIBRF) in older adults: a randomised controlled trial $892,214 Prof. XIN Meiqi Assistant Professor of the Department of Rehabilitation Sciences Member of Mental Health Research Centre (MHRC) Understanding professional help-seeking behaviors for insomnia and the associated factors in the community-dwelling older population having insomnia symptoms $499,512 Prof. Ivy ZHAO Yan Assistant Professor of the School of Nursing Member of Research Institute for Smart Ageing (RISA) Supporting current home care services with a robot-mediated interactive intervention (RMII) to reduce loneliness in older adults: a feasibility and pilot randomized controlled trial $500,000 Faculty of Science Prof. CHUA Song-lin Assistant Professor of the Department of Applied Biology and Chemical Technology Management Committee Member of Research Centre for Deep Space Explorations (RCDSE) and Member of Research Institute for Future Food (RiFood) Developing Juglone as a novel antivirulence agent to eliminate biofilm infections $500,000 Press release: https://polyu.me/4gUVdeF   Online coverage: Ta Kung Pao - https://polyu.me/42gGlCF Dot Dot News - https://polyu.me/40j0DsP  

Fourteen research projects led by PAIR members awarded RGC funding

The Research Grants Council (RGC) announced the results of its 2024/25 funding schemes, and a total of 18 PolyU projects have received approximately HK$91.76 million funding in total from the Collaborative Research Fund (CRF) and Research Impact Fund (RIF), the highest amount among the UGC-funded universities. Among them, 14 are led by PAIR members: Project Title Project Coordinator Affiliation with PAIR Constituent Research Unit Collaborative Research Project Grant Unraveling the Mechanisms of Targeted Therapy Resistance as a Novel Therapeutic Strategy for Hepatocellular Carcinoma Prof. LEE Kin-wah Terence Associate Head and Professor of Department of Applied Biology and Chemical Technology (in collaboration with HKU) Member of Research Institute for Future Food (RiFood) and Research Centre for Chinese Medicine Innovation (RCMI) Seeing like Dragonflies: Optical-fiber-based Artificial Compound Eyes for 3D Vision Prof. ZHANG Xuming Associate Head and Professor of Department of Applied Physics (in collaboration with HKU) Associate Director of Research Institute for Quantum Technology (RIQT), Management Committee Member of Photonics Research Institute (PRI), Member of Research Institute for Advanced Manufacturing (RIAM) and Research Centre for Resources Engineering towards Carbon Neutrality (RCRE) Next-generation AI-XR Empowered Surgical Planning and Intraoperative Guidance System via Effective Fusion of Empirical Knowledge, Human Interaction, and Machine Inference Prof. QIN Jing Harry Professor of School of Nursing (in collaboration with CUHK and HKU) Member of Photonics Research Institute (PRI) and Mental Health Research Centre (MHRC) Optimising Spinal Curvature Corrective Outcomes in Adolescent Idiopathic Scoliosis: An Investigation into Spinal Flexibility, Biomechanical Behavior and Predictive Modeling Prof. YIP Yiu-wan Joanne Associate Dean (Industrial Partnership) and Professor of School of Fashion and Textiles (in collaboration with CUHK and HKU) Management Committee Member of Research Institute for Future Food (RiFood), Member of Photonics Research Institute (PRI), Research Institute for Sports Science and Technology (RISports) and Research Centre of Textiles for Future Fashion (RCTFF) Ultrahigh-resolution Optical Vector Analysis for Broadband Photonic Devices Prof. YU Changyuan Professor of Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering (in collaboration with CityU and CUHK) Management Committee Member of Photonics Research Institute (PRI), Member of Research Institute for Intelligent Wearable Systems (RI-IWEAR), Research Institute for Sports Science and Technology (RISports), Research Institute for Sustainable Urban Development (RISUD) and Research Centre for Deep Space Explorations (RCDSE) Advancing Compound Hazard Resilience and Adaptation for Urban Building Community in a Changing Climate Prof. DONG You Associate Professor of Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering (in collaboration with CityU, HKUST and HKU) Member of Research Institute for Land and Space (RILS), Otto Poon Charitable Foundation Research Institute for Smart Energy (RISE), Research Institute for Sustainable Urban Development (RISUD), Research Centre for Resources Engineering towards Carbon Neutrality (RCRE) and Research Centre for Digital Transformation of Tourism (RCDTT) Collaborative Research Equipment Grant A Multifunctional Time-space-energy-helicity Resolved Transient Absorption Microscopy Imaging System for Advanced Materials and Devices Research Dr LI Mingjie Assistant Professor of Department of Applied Physics (in collaboration with CityU, CUHK, HKUST, HKU) Member of Photonics Research Institute (PRI) State-of-the-art Dynamic Nuclear Polarisation Enhanced Solid-State NMR Spectroscopy Prof. YUNG Ka Fu Associate Dean of Faculty of Science, and Professor of Department of Applied Biology and Chemical Technology (in collaboration with CityU, HKBU, CUHK, HKUST, HKU and EdUHK) Member of Otto Poon Charitable Foundation Research Institute for Smart Energy (RISE) and Research Centre for SHARP Vision (RCSV) Development of a Colorimetric and Photometric Characterisation Platform for Binocular VR/AR Headsets Prof. WEI Minchen Tommy Professor of Department of Building Environment and Energy Engineering (in collaboration with CityU and HKUST) Management Committee Member of Photonics Research Institute (PRI), Member of Otto Poon Charitable Foundation Smart Cities Research Institute (SCRI), Research Institute for Sustainable Urban Development (RISUD), Research Centre for Digital Transformation of Tourism (RCDTT) and Research Centre for SHARP Vision (RCSV) Young Collaborative Research Grant Design of Ultrastrong, Ductile, and Thermally Stable Nanocrystalline Dual-phase Alloys via Coherent Nano-honeycomb Architectures Dr JIAO Zengbao Associate Professor of Department of Mechanical Engineering (in collaboration with CityU and HKUST) Member of Research Institute for Advanced Manufacturing (RIAM) AI-empowered Wind Field Simulation for Sustainable Urban Microclimate Design Dr YOU Ruoyu Assistant Professor of Department of Building Environment and Energy Engineering (in collaboration with HKU) Member of Otto Poon Charitable Foundation Smart Cities Research Institute (SCRI) and Research Institute for Sustainable Urban Development (RISUD) Research Impact Fund WASTESto WINGS– Constructing aHigh-throughputSustainableAviationFuelResearchPlatform toFacilitateZeroCarbonAirTravel in Hong Kong Dr Shao-Yuan LEU Associate Professor of Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering Management Committee Member of Research Centre for Resources Engineering towards Carbon Neutrality (RCRE), Member of Research Institute for Future Food (RiFood), Otto Poon Charitable Foundation Research Institute for Smart Energy (RISE) and Research Institute for Sustainable Urban Development (RISUD) Development ofModularIntegrated 3D-printedConcreteConstruction (MI3DC) Prof. POON Chi-sun Michael Anson Professor in Civil Engineering, Chair Professor and Head of Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering Director of Research Centre for Resources Engineering towards Carbon Neutrality (RCRE), Member of Research Institute for Land and Space (RILS) and Research Institute for Sustainable Urban Development (RISUD) CreatingDelightfulExperience in Virtual Reality and Augmented Reality Headset throughOptimal OpticalDesign Prof. WEI Minchen Tommy Professor ofDepartment of Building Environment and Energy Engineering   Management Committee Member of Photonics Research Institute (PRI), Member of Otto Poon Charitable Foundation Smart Cities Research Institute (SCRI), Research Institute for Sustainable Urban Development (RISUD), Research Centre for Digital Transformation of Tourism (RCDTT) and Research Centre for SHARP Vision (RCSV) Press release: https://www.polyu.edu.hk/en/media/media-releases/2025/0109_18-polyu-research-projects-awarded-rgc-collaborative-research-fund-and-research-impact-fund/   Online coverage: Sing Tao Daily - https://polyu.me/4ae85K3 (subscription required) Ta Kung Pao - https://polyu.me/4gORlvs Wen Wei Po - https://polyu.me/425YOBM  

PolyU awarded Green Tech Fund to develop low-carbon marine self-healing concrete for achieving carbon neutrality

The project titled “Marine self-healing concrete with biomineralization-enhanced construction waste for long-term decarbonization” led by Prof. LI Xiangdong, Director of Research Institute for Sustainable Urban Development (RISUD), Dean of Faculty of Construction and Environment (FCE), Chair Professor of Environmental Science and Technology, and Ko Jan Ming Professor in Sustainable Urban Development, has been awarded approximately HK$ 6.03 million from the Green Tech Fund for a duration of 24 months. This project focuses on designing and developing low-carbon marine self-healing concrete by incorporating biomineralization-enhanced recycled aggregates (RAs). Marine carbon-capturing bacteria will utilise carbon dioxide (CO2) to accelerate carbonisation and improve RAs, thereby addressing the issue of scarce natural aggregates, reducing CO2 emissions, and achieving the recycling of construction waste. In addition, this microbial concrete structure possesses self-healing properties that enhance its durability, providing a significant advantage in achieving long-term decarbonization and sustainability objectives. Press release: https://polyu.me/3CctkQ2 Online coverage: Hong Kong Economic Times - https://polyu.me/4iMpJbR Hong Kong Commercial Daily - https://polyu.me/3Wh2vBd Wen Wei Po - https://polyu.me/3PDcYTy  

Prof. Charles WONG receives Smart Traffic Fund for research on enhancing traffic efficiency

Prof. Charles Man-sing WONG, Associate Dean of the Faculty of Construction and Environment, Management Committee Member of the Research Institute for Land and Space (RILS) and Associate Director of the Research Institute for Sustainable Urban Development (RISUD), has been awarded HK$5.3 million for his project titled “A study on public transport re-routing, with a healthy ‘Wait-to-Ride’ trip mode for optimizing public transportation routes and improving traffic congestion”. The project aims to analyse the routes and stops of road public transportation. A spatio-temporal environmental database will be developed for providing suggestions on reorganising public transport routes in over-served areas with duplicated routes, with the aim of easing road traffic congestion and enhancing the efficiency of the road network. Further reading: https://www.polyu.edu.hk/en/media/media-releases/2024/0923_three-polyu-projects-supported-by-smart-traffic-fund/   Online coverage: Mirage News - https://polyu.me/47JRrB2

PolyU research projects in advanced manufacturing, new materials and new energy receive funding from RAISe+ Scheme

The Innovation and Technology Commission of the HKSAR government announced the results of the first batch of approved projects under the Research, Academic and Industry Sectors One-plus (RAISe+) Scheme on 28 May 2024. Two research projects led by PAIR members have been awarded RAISe+ funding. They are: Innovation and Technology Field Project Title Person-in-charge Advanced Manufacturing Energy-Efficient Liquid Cooling System for Data Centres Prof. WANG Zuankai Associate Vice President (Research and Innovation), Kuok Group Professor in Nature-Inspired Engineering, Chair Professor of Nature-Inspired Engineering of the Department of Mechanical Engineering, and Member of the Research Institute for Intelligent Wearable Systems (RI-IWEAR) and the Research Institute for Sports Science and Technology (RISports) New Materials and New Energy Pilot and Mass Production of Next-Generation Composite Current Collectors for Mobility and Energy Storage Batteries Prof. ZHENG Zijian Chair Professor of Soft Materials and Devices,Professor in the Department of Applied Biology and Chemical Technology, Associate Director of RI-IWEAR, Management Committee Member of the Otto Poon Charitable Foundation Research Institute for Smart Energy (RISE), and Member of the Research Institute for Artificial Intelligence of Things (RIAIoT), the Photonics Research Institute (PRI) and the Research Institute for Sustainable Urban Development (RISUD).   Inaugurated in 2023, the RAISe+ Scheme aims to provide funding, on a matching basis, for at least 100 research teams from universities funded by the University Grants Committee which demonstrate strong potential to evolve into successful startups. Each approved project will receive funding support ranging from HK$10 million to HK$100 million. Press release: https://polyu.hk/qJTzK   Online coverage: Mirage - https://polyu.me/4bUkSky Ming Pao Daily News - https://polyu.me/3yLIglU Hong Kong Economic Journal - https://polyu.me/4bBXAjA (subscription required) Ta Kung Pao - https://polyu.me/4aDQKsK Wen Wei Po - https://polyu.me/3R2LFTM Yahoo HK - https://polyu.me/3UUFSkm