News

“PAIR Research Impact 2024” video is now online

The PolyU Academy for Interdisciplinary Research (PAIR) is pleased to present the “PAIR Research Impact 2024” video which was premiered at the Opening Ceremony of the “PolyU InnoTech Open Day x Alumni Homecoming 2024” held last Saturday (19 October 2024)! The video introduces PAIR and its 19 constituent research units, as well as PAIR’s latest research achievements and solutions in three major research themes including “Advanced Technologies and Manufacturing“, “Good Health and Well-being”, and “Smart and Sustainable Cities”. Watch the video now and learn how PAIR brings impactful solutions for the greater good of society and for the benefit of mankind. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nak7IeJp4WE&t=9s

Prof. WU Bo to serve as associate director of new InnoHK R&D centre and participate in Chang’e-8 lunar robot development

The Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region announced in the 2024 Policy Address that it will establish a research centre under the InnoHK research cluster to participate in the Nation’s Chang’e-8 mission. According to sources, the centre will develop multi-functional robots for operations on the lunar surface and mobile charging piles for supporting different devices.  The centre will be joined by scholars from HKUST, PolyU, HKU, CUHK and CityU, and will involve collaborations with mainland and overseas institutions including the Shanghai Academy of Spaceflight Technology, for inter-institutional, interdisciplinary projects to contribute to national aerospace development. The research centre is expected to be officially launched and commence operations within this year. The director of the centre will be Prof. SUN Qingping, Professor of the Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering at HKUST, while Prof. YU Hongyu, Associate Professor of the same department will be the co-director. Prof. WU Bo, Associate Director of the Research Centre for Deep Space Explorations (RCDSE) of PolyU, will be the associate director of the new centre.   Online coverage: Ming Pao Daily News - https://polyu.me/4f39Db9 / https://polyu.me/3BS3WP2 Ta Kung Pao - https://polyu.me/3zQSLFP /  https://polyu.me/3C3WYGw Wen Wei Po - https://polyu.me/3NuaAgX / https://polyu.me/3Y9rCWF HK01 - https://polyu.me/4dP4DWt

PAIR InnoTech Forum successfully held

The PAIR InnoTech Forum was successfully held on 19 October 2024, as one of the highlights of the PolyU InnoTech Open Day x Alumni Homecoming 2024. At the Forum, representatives of 18 PAIR constituents research units, including directors and associate directors of research institutes and research centres, introduced their units and research achievements. The Forum attracted over 200 in-person participants and captured an online viewing audience of over 28,800 from various countries and regions, who watched the live broadcast on multiple social media platforms, including Bilibili, WeChat, Weibo, and YouTube. The first session “Driving Innovation in Good Health and Well-being“ was moderated by Prof. CHEN Qingyan, Director of PAIR. Representatives of seven PAIR constituent units shared their innovative technologies and solutions to health challenges. They included Prof. ZHENG Yongping, Director of the Research Institute for Smart Ageing (RISA); Dr Amber CHIOU, Associate Director of the Research Institute for Future Food (RiFood); Prof. ZHANG Ming, Director of the Research Institute for Sports Science and Technology (RISports); Prof. Sylvia CHAN, Interim Director of the Mental Health Research Centre (MHRC); Prof. WONG Man-sau, Director of the Research Centre for Chinese Medicine Innovation (RCMI); Prof. HE Mingguang, Director of the Research Centre for SHARP Vision (RCSV); and Prof. SONG Haiyan, Director of the Research Centre for Digital Transformation of Tourism (RCDTT). The second session “Technologies in AI and Modern Era” was moderated by Prof. MAN Hau-chung, Founding Director of the Research Institute for Advanced Manufacturing (RIAM). Representatives of seven other research units presented their latest research achievements and explained how artificial intelligence was used in their research solutions to bring positive benefits to the society. They included Prof. George HUANG, Director of RIAM; Prof. CAO Jiannong, Director of the Research Institute for Artificial Intelligence of Things (RIAIoT); Prof. TAO Xiaoming, Director of the Research Institute for Intelligent Wearable Systems (RI-IWEAR); Prof. LU Chao, Director of the Photonics Research Institute (PRI); Prof. LIU Aiqun, Director of the Research Institute for Quantum Technology (RIQT); Prof. WU Bo, Associate Director of the Research Centre for Deep Space Explorations (RCDSE); and Dr Tracy MOK, Associate Director of the Research Centre of Textile for Future Fashion (RCTFF). The third session “Resilient Urban Infrastructure under Climate Change” was moderated by Prof. LI Xiangdong, Director of the Research Institute for Sustainable Urban Development (RISUD). He kickstarted the session by welcoming and introducing the honourable guest Ir Dr Otto POON Lok-to, BBS, OBE. The generous donation from the Otto Poon Charitable Foundation supported the establishment of two PAIR constituent research units. Next, representatives of four PAIR constituent units shared their research solutions that support sustainable urban development. They included Prof. NIU Jianlei, Associate Director of the Otto Poon Charitable Foundation Smart Cities Research Institute (SCRI); Prof. WANG Shengwei, Director of the Otto Poon Charitable Foundation Research Institute for Smart Energy (RISE); Prof. DING Xiaoli, Director of the Research Institute for Land and Space (RILS); and Prof. POON Chi-sun, Director of the Research Centre for Resources Engineering towards Carbon Neutrality (RCRE). A moderated question-and-answer session was held after each session. The audience engaged in a productive discussion with the speakers and enjoyed an inspiring afternoon with PAIR.   Please click here for an online review.    

【An overwhelming success! PolyU InnoTech Open Day x Alumni Homecoming 2024】

What a great success for our flagship event “PolyU InnoTech Open Day x Alumni Homecoming 2024”, and thank you all for your tremendous support. The event was graced by the presence of the Hon. Duncan Chiu, Legislative Council Member (Technology and Innovation Constituency) of HKSAR, and Ms Wu Cheng, Deputy Director General of Education and Technology Department in the Liaison Office of the Central People’s Government in the HKSAR, as the officiating guests. This year’s InnoTech Open Day, themed “Vision through Innovation, Connecting Intelligence”, showcased PolyU’s achievements in interdisciplinary research, knowledge transfer and entrepreneurship, which contribute to the development of Hong Kong into an international I&T hub. Among the many exciting activities, our innovation showcases highlighted the power of PolyU-industry collaboration in driving cutting-edge innovations to accelerate new quality productive forces, as well as outcomes of research led by award-winning young and outstanding PolyU scholars. The showcased innovations spanned advanced manufacturing, AI and data sciences, life sciences and healthcare, new energy and materials, sustainability, and novel EV charging technologies, deeply impressing participants. Meanwhile, the PolyU Academy for Interdisciplinary Research (PAIR) showcased inspiring inventions of its constituent research units. Visitors marvelled at the food waste-derived 3D-printed materials, smart companion doll, cutting-edge foot scanner, novel 3D model depicting the topography and landscape of the lunar south pole, and low-carbon construction materials. Directors of PAIR’s research units also presented groundbreaking technologies in health and well-being, AI, and resilient urban infrastructure at the PAIR InnoTech Forum, which gave us a glimpse into the future. To further drive entrepreneurship development, PolyU penned strategic partnership agreements with companies and organisations from Hong Kong and Mainland China at the event. In addition, 3 collaborating incubation and investment platforms in Mainland China and 18 start-ups nurtured in the PolyVentures ecosystem were featured. Participants got the chance to experience advanced technologies developed by some of these start-ups. Moreover, outstanding alumnus Dr Shen Peng, founder and CEO of Waterdrop Inc., shared his entrepreneurial journey, providing valuable insights for aspiring entrepreneurs. The InnoTech Day brought together PolyU academics, students, alumni, I&T entrepreneurs, industry partners, researchers, students, and technology enthusiasts to explore and experience the benefits of innovation and technology. PolyU will continue to strive to contribute to I&T development for Hong Kong, the Nation, and the world!

PAIR research projects featured in the latest issue of PolyU’s magazine “Excel X Impact”

Edge AI: The Smart Way to Build Smarter Cities (RIAIoT) https://polyu.hk/UIgTb   Travelling with AI (RCTFF) https://polyu.hk/KoaWq   Uncovering Mysteries of the Moon (RCDSE) https://polyu.hk/zvNfL   Combating Corrosion (RISUD) https://polyu.hk/estpx   Cooling Hot Cities (RILS and RISUD) https://polyu.hk/WsTxp   From Lab to Life-saving Screening: PolyU Startup’s Battle Against Liver Disease (RISA) https://polyu.hk/wXMJE

Prof. CHEN Jianli elected as American Geophysical Union Fellow

Prof. CHEN Jianli, Member of the Research Institute for Land and Space (RILS) and Professor in the Department of Land Surveying and Geo-Informatics, has been elected to the 2024 Class of American Geophysical Union (AGU) Fellows, in recognition of his outstanding leadership and scientific achievements in the field of space geodesy and climate change.  The AGU is the world’s largest earth and space science association. The AGU fellowship is bestowed annually to recognise a select number of individuals who have made exceptional contributions to their fields. Since its inception in 1962, less than 0.1% of AGU members have been selected as Fellows every year. This year, a total of 53 outstanding individuals were selected.

Prof. LIU Dikai from the University of Technology Sydney presented human-centred intelligent robotics in a seminar

Prof. LIU Dikai, Distinguished Professor and Strategic Research Director in the School of Mechanical and Mechatronic Engineering, University of Technology Sydney, Australia, delivered a PAIR seminar titled “Human-Centred Intelligent Robotics: Case Studies, Lessons Learnt, and Opportunities” on 10 October 2024 at PolyU. The seminar attracted over 120 in-person participants and captivated an online audience of over 13,100 from various countries and regions, who watched the live broadcast on multiple social media platforms, including Bilibili, Weixin, Weibo, YouTube, etc. The seminar began with a warm welcome by Prof. ZHANG Weixiong, Associate Director of PAIR, followed by a brief introduction of the speaker by Prof. ZHANG Chengqi, Chair Professor of Artificial Intelligence. Prof. Liu kick-started his presentation by outlining the key milestones in the evolution of robotics, and pointed out that human-centred intelligent robots should be able to co-exist, cooperate and collaborate with humans. He stated that robotics is a truly interdisciplinary field that combines engineering, science and humanities. Next, through a series of case studies, Prof. Liu examined how intelligent robots have been designed to work alongside humans in various applications, including civil infrastructure maintenance, construction, and manufacturing. He then discussed the dynamics of collaboration between humans and robots, and examined issues such as trust, computational modelling, physical and cognitive workload, brain-robot interface and human-centred design. By reflecting on the lessons learnt from these case studies, Prof. Liu highlighted both successes and challenges. At the end of his presentation, Prof. Liu emphasised that human-robot teaming is an interdisciplinary field. He also pointed out some areas for further development in the field, highlighting the many opportunities in robotics. The presentation was followed by a lively and insightful question-and-answer session moderated by Prof. Zhang Chenggi. The audience engaged in a productive discussion with Prof. Liu.  Please click here for an online review.

One hundred and thirty-eight PAIR scholars ranked among World’s Top 2% Most-cited Scientists 2024

A total of 138 scholars from PAIR and its 19 constituent research units were ranked among the “World’s Top 2% Most-cited Scientists 2024” in the latest list released by Stanford University, and five of them were among the top 20 scholars in the world in their own areas of specialty. The named PAIR scholars were included in the “Career-long Impact” list based on their career-long citation impact. The latest ranking reflects the influential research of PAIR researchers and PolyU’s leading position in multiple research areas. The 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. The list was based on indicators including citations, scientific research output and a composite indicator for citation impact, up to the end of 2023.   The number of PAIR scholars listed in the ranking and their corresponding research fields are as below*: Acoustics (4) Aerospace & Aeronautics (1) Analytical Chemistry (2) Applied Physics (2) Artificial Intelligence & Image Processing (6) Biomedical Engineering (3) Biotechnology (1) Building and Construction (12) Civil Engineering (10) Energy (11) Environmental Engineering (1) Environmental Sciences (2) Experimental Psychology (1) Food Science (1) Geological & Geomatics Engineering (5) Industrial Engineering & Automation (3) Information Systems (1) Inorganic & Nuclear Chemistry (1) Logistics & Transportation (3) Materials (12) Mechanical Engineering & Transports (3) Meteorology & Atmospheric Sciences (4) Nanoscience & Nanotechnology (14) Networking & Telecommunications (5) Neurology & Neurosurgery (1) Operations Research (5) Ophthalmology & Optometry (3) Optics (1) Optoelectronics and Photonics (7) Organic Chemistry (1) Polymers (3) Psychiatry (1) Rehabilitation (2) Sport, Leisure & Tourism (2) Urban & Regional Planning (1)   *As per the data published by Elsevier on 16 September 2024 (version 7): https://elsevier.digitalcommonsdata.com/datasets/btchxktzyw/7   Read more: World's Top 2% Scientists (2024) | PolyU Academy for Interdisciplinary Research (PAIR)

MHRC Interim Director appointed as General Editor of Culture and Psychology Series by Cambridge University Press

Prof. Sylvia CHEN Xiaohua, Associate Dean of the Faculty of Health and Social Sciences, Chair Professor of the Department of Applied Social Sciences, Interim Director of the Mental Health Research Centre (MHRC), and Director of the Yan Oi Tong Au Suet Ming Child Development Centre, has been appointed as the General Editor of the Culture and Psychology Series by Cambridge University Press. The series includes books that cover top academic and research works in emerging interdisciplinary areas of culture that relate to emotion, cognition and behaviour. The published books are widely used by students, teachers and researchers in various fields of psychology as important reference books.

Prof. YUNG Kai-leung and Prof. WU Bo on China’s space missions

Prof. YUNG Kai-leung, Director of the Research Centre for Deep Space Explorations (RCDSE), Sir Sze-yuen Chung Professor in Precision Engineering, Chair Professor of Precision Engineering and Associate Head of the Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering, Prof. WU Bo, RCDSE Associate Director, Fiona Cheung Professor in Spatial Science, and Associate Head (Research) of the Department of Land Surveying & Geo-Informatics, and Mr CHEN Long, Project Associate, were interviewed by RTHK on Chang’e-6 mission’s challenges and Hong Kong’s contributions to the country’s space industry. Prof. Yung said that the front side of the Moon has less exposure to solar wind due to the influence of the Earth’s magnetic field. The far side of the Moon is not protected by the Earth. Hence, it is subject to huge impacts, and the soil quality there is very different, making the sampling task even more challenging. He explained that there is only one chance to take sample from the far side of the Moon, and Chang’e-6 is a historic success. Prof. Wu shared that his team used artificial intelligence methods to significantly reduce the time required for identifying the landing site for the probe. The team spent more than half a year on related work for Chang’e-3. After adopting new technologies, it took the team less than two months to identify the landing site for the probe in the Tianwen-1 Mars exploration mission.   Online coverage: RTHK - https://polyu.me/3ZD0ykZ (video: 00:52 - 01:59; 05:12 - 05:41) (audio: 02:55 - 05:20; 08:13 - 09:33) am730 - https://polyu.me/3Y0tMsI Bastille Post - https://polyu.me/3XJyQjH Yahoo HK - https://polyu.me/3N0Zqjp Line Today - https://polyu.me/3XArNtK