News

PolyU collaborates with HKI Biotechnology to establish joint laboratory for biotech innovation

The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) has entered into a formal collaboration with HKI Biotechnology Limited to foster biotechnology research, with the aim of driving biotech innovations to contribute to the development of drugs and treatments for ophthalmic and systemic diseases. An agreement signing cum inauguration ceremony for the establishment of the “PolyU–HuiKang Joint Laboratory for Biotech Innovation” was held on 16 July 2024. The agreement was signed by Prof. Christopher CHAO, Vice President (Research and Innovation) of PolyU, and Mr SUN Jian, Director of HKI Biotechnology Limited, under the witness of PolyU representatives including Prof. CHEN Qingyan, Director of PolyU Academy for Interdisciplinary Research; Prof. KEE Chea-su, Head and Professor of School of Optometry; Prof. He Mingguang, Director of Research Centre for SHARP Vision, and HuiKang representatives including Mr ZHANG Xiaoqi, Vice President; Mr LI Yuan, General Manager of R&D Business Department; and Ms CHENG Yunlong, Chief Financial Officer. The ceremony was also attended by Mr Victor ZHAO, Associate Director of Research Innovation Office of PolyU; Dr GE Ming, Commissioner for Industry (Innovation and Technology)of Innovation, Technology and Industry Bureau, HKSAR; and Mr ZHANG Keke, Advisor of Shenzhen–Hong Kong–Macau Science and Technology Alliance and Former Vice Chairman of Shenzhen Association for Science and Technology. At the ceremony, Prof. Christopher Chao said that this university-industry research collaboration would combine PolyU’s research strengths in life science and engineering, and HuiKang’s industrial expertise in peptide technology and drug developmentto open up new directions for target discovery and drug development. Under the agreement, the two parties will conduct collaborative research projects, share research facilities and equipment, promote knowledge exchange and develop research talents. The Joint Laboratory will be operated by the Research Centre for SHARP Vision of PolyU and HKI Biotechnology Limited. It will focus on research on “Peptide Screening and Application Solutions” with the goal of advancing peptide drug discovery and enhancing high-throughput screening technologies. It will also focus on the transformation of outcomes from projects on “Human Lysozyme Eye Drops” into novel pharmaceuticals. (English only)

Prof. WONG Ka-hing shares novel food waste-derived 3D printing materials on RTHK TV programme

Prof. WONG Ka-hing, Director of the Research Institute for Future Food (RiFood) and Professor in the Department of Food Science and Nutrition, was featured on RTHK’s TV programme “Hong Kong United” to introduce the novel food waste-derived 3D printing materials developed by his team. The materials are made from the upcycling of spent coffee grounds and tea leaves, combined with polylactic acid (PLA). The novel printing materials can be used in Fused Deposition Modelling (FDM), a commonly used 3D printing method, for the production of modular furniture and display goods. Online coverage: RTHK - https://polyu.me/4f2C89N (08:58 - 14:47) (Chinese only)

Prof. Marco PANG appointed as Non-official Member of Primary Healthcare Committee

Congratulations to Prof. Marco PANG, Member of the Research Centre for SHARP Vision, Shun Hing Education and Charity Fund Professor in Rehabilitation Sciences, Chair Professor of Neurorehabilitation, and Head of the Department of Rehabilitation Sciences, for being appointed as a Non-official Member of the Primary Healthcare Committee of the HKSAR Government for a term of two years, effective from 15 July 2024. The Committee advises the newly established Primary Health Commission on the planning of primary healthcare services and the allocation of resources through strategic purchasing, with the goal of enhancing the overall primary healthcare service.   HKSAR Government Press Release: https://www.info.gov.hk/gia/general/202407/15/P2024071500326.htm?fontSize=1

Prof. TAO Xiaoming awarded RGC Theme-based Research Scheme funding

Congratulations to Prof. TAO Xiaoming, Director of the Research Institute for Intelligent Wearable Systems (RI-IWEAR), Vincent and Lily Woo Professor in Textiles Technology, and Chair Professor of Textile Technology in the School of Fashion and Textiles, for receiving a HK$62.37 million funding under the Theme-based Research Scheme 2024/25 of the Research Grants Council (RGC) for her project “Mechanisms and Key Technologies of Multi-Sensory Emulation Wearable Devices”. The project aims to develop the first-of-its-kind emulation mechanisms based on fibrous structures and bionic actuation devices for delivering mixed scents and tactile sensations. The team will leverage AI models to link measured signals obtained by biosensors and algorithms for controlling the bionic emulation devices, with the goal to offer more immersive experiences. This research not only contributes to the development of novel wearable devices, but also fosters innovation in the fields of healthcare, IoT, smart cities, art technology, robotics, education, sports, fashion and textiles, and personal protection. Press release: https://polyu.me/3SaZ1y2   Online coverage: Ming Pao Daily News - https://polyu.me/3WnA44O Hong Kong Economic Times - https://polyu.me/461ucS9 Sing Tao Daily - https://polyu.me/3WlwVCG Headline Daily - https://polyu.me/3Y5CHts Ta Kung Pao - https://polyu.me/3zKViAP Wen Wei Po - https://polyu.me/4f6IOUc Hong Kong Commercial Daily - https://polyu.me/4cXY4Ru  

Prof. LENG Jinsong of Harbin Institute of Technology delivers a PAIR seminar on shape memory polymer composites

Prof. LENG Jinsong, Dean of the School of Future Technology, Director of the Centre for Smart Materials and Structures (CSMS), Director of the International Center for Applied Mechanics at Harbin Institute of Technology (HIT), China, and Deputy Director of the Academic Committee of HIT, delivered the PAIR Seminar titled “Shape Memory Polymer Composites: Programmability, 4D Printing and Applications” on 15 July 2024. The seminar attracted more than 90 participants in person and captured an online viewing audience of over 12,500 who watched the live broadcast on multiple social media platforms, including Bilibili, WeChat, and Weibo. The seminar commenced with a welcome speech and speaker introduction by Prof. WANG Zuankai, Associate Vice President (Research and Innovation) of PolyU. This was followed by Prof. Leng’s presentation. He first provided a brief background about shape memory polymers (SMP), pointing out that these smart materials can reversibly change between permanent and temporary shapes in response to changes in external stimuli such as temperature. Next, he gave an overview of the researchers from different scientific research institutions and universities around the world who specialise in SMP research, and the types of SMP materials that HIT researchers focus on. He said that SMP are hard to actuate and their recovery strength and speed are low, and so relevant solutions to these challenges are important for the development of SMP composites (SMPC). Prof. Leng then gave examples demonstrating how SMPC can be prepared through actuation methods involving different stimuli such as heat, electricity, magnetism, radio frequency, solution/water, light, etc. He mentioned that SMPC can be used to prepare various structures for aerospace, smart manufacturing, photoelectric applications, microelectromechanical systems applications, and smart clothing. After that, Prof. Leng introduced 4D printing, a novel additive manufacturing process for producing printed objects that can adaptively change their configurations/properties in response to external stimuli. He mentioned that 4D printing is important for producing a range of SMPC-based materials for biomedical applications. To conclude, Prof. Leng said that SMP research is a fast-growing emerging research field. He anticipated that shape memory smart structures incorporated with sensors, actuators, and controllers, would be widely used in aerospace, civil aviation, automotive, energy and daily life. Following the presentation was a question-and-answer session moderated by Prof. CHENG Li, Associate Dean (Research) of the Faculty of Engineering and Chair Professor of Mechanical Engineering in the Department of Mechanical Engineering, and Prof. MAI Yiu-wing, Distinguished Chair Professor of Composites Science in the same department. The audience engaged in a fruitful discussion with the professors. Please click here for an online review.  

Ir Prof. YUNG Kai-leung gives seminar to students joining aerospace technology study tour

Ir Prof. YUNG Kai-leung, Director of the Research Centre for Deep Space Explorations (RCDSE), attended the kick-off ceremony for the Aerospace Technology Study Tour to Beijing and Xi’an hosted by Hong Kong Shine Tak Foundation on PolyU campus on 13 July 2024, and gave a seminar on knowledge and experiences in deep space explorations to secondary school students joining the study tour. The ceremony featured a video speech by Chief Executive John LEE Ka-chiu, and was officiated by Mr HE Jing, Deputy Director of the Liaison Office of the Central People's Government in HKSAR, Mr TANG Ping-keung, Secretary for Security, and Dr CHOI Yuk-lin, Secretary for Education, etc. The study tour is an activity under the youth development programme of the Foundation, and is now in its seventh year. This year, the nine-day tour, from 20 to 28 July, will bring participants to visit places such as the Xinglong Observatory of the National Astronomical Observatory of China, to learn about the Nation’s achievements in aerospace technology. The activity aims to stimulate youth’s interest in pursuing future developments in science and technology, and cultivate their love for the Nation. Online coverage: TVB - https://polyu.me/4d3eEj3 Sing Tao Daily - https://polyu.me/46km4MN Headline Daily - https://polyu.me/4cVJVnV Ta Kung Pao - https://polyu.me/3W4YsGT Wen Wei Po - https://polyu.me/46b1mP9 Dot Dot News - https://polyu.me/3W6aaRR

Prof. TAO Xiaoming shares journey and passion as a teacher-researcher in exclusive interview

Prof. TAO Xiaoming, Director of the Research Institute for Intelligent Wearable Systems (RI-IWEAR), in an exclusive interview with Scientific Chinese, looked back on her 30 years’ scientific journey and shared her dedication to the research and development of textile engineering and intelligent wearable systems, as well as her commitment to nurturing next-generation research talents. Prof. Tao recalled that during the 1990s when she moved from Australia to Hong Kong to join PolyU for a new career, the textile industry was fading away and had difficulty in attracting top talents. To find the way forward for industrial transformation and upgrading, she began researching into smart optical fibre, which combind optical fibre and textile composite materials, with the goal to add vale to the traditional textile industry through utilising advanced, high value-adding technologies. Her pioneering concepts and inventions have propelled the development of smart textile. In recent years, Prof. Tao seized the research opportunities brought about by the emerging trends in smart wearable products and their application potential in the fields of health and sports. She established RI-IWEAR in 2021 and serves as the Institute’s Director, leading a team of over 200 researchers from different disciplines such as physics, chemistry, materials, textiles and clothing, design, electronics, mechanical engineering, and rehabilitation medicine, to engage in interdisciplinary research.  The team combines materials, devices, technologies and theories to develop technologies for “human-machine-environment” interaction. The Institute currently pursues research in three major areas: IWEAR System Applications, System Integration and Evaluation, and Fibre-based and Flexible Devices. The technologies and products developed by the team can be used widely for personal protection and in the fields clinical medicine, public health and many more. In addition to scientific research, Prof. Tao is enthusiastic about teaching. She said that top talents are vital for any fields to develop well, and at the same time, the society needs to cultivate different talents such as engineers, tech talents, civil servants, and entrepreneurs. Online coverage: China Science Communication - https://polyu.me/4ePuBLk (Chinese only) The Paper - https://polyu.me/4csEU6h (Chinese only)

Prof. CHAI Yang publishes review article on multidimensional vision sensors

A review article by Prof. CHAI Yang, Associate Dean of the Faculty of Science (Research) and Professor in the Department of Applied Physics and his team, titled “Multidimensional vision sensors for information processing”, was recently published in the Nature Nanotechnology journal. The review delves into the hardware implementation of multidimensional vision sensors, and explores their working mechanisms and design principles. The team exemplified multidimensional vision sensors built on emerging devices and silicon-based system integration. They further provided benchmarking metrics for multidimensional vision sensors and concluded with the principle of device–system co-design and co-optimisation. Prof. Chai is currently Management Committee Member of the Research Institute for Intelligent Wearable Systems (RI-IWEAR), and Member of the Photonics Research Institute (PRI), the Otto Poon Charitable Foundation Research Institute for Smart Energy (RISE) and the Research Institute for Artificial Intelligence of Internet of Things (RIAIoT). Read the full article: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41565-024-01665-7

Five PAIR members shine at PolyU’s inaugural Patents Achievement Award

The PolyU Patents Achievement Award was newly launched this year in appreciation and honour of the remarkable achievements of departments and inventors that actively engaged in IP filing. The scheme includes two categories of award. The “Top Patents Filing Award” considers the IP filing activities over the past five years, while the “Most Active Patents Filing Award” focuses on the IP filing activities within the award year. Results of the inaugural award have been announced. Congratulations to five PAIR members for winning the PolyU Patents Achievement Award 2023. Three members including Prof. Benny CHEUNG Chi-fai, Associate Director of the Research Centre for SHARP Vision (RCSV), Prof. John SHI Wenzhong, Director of the Otto Poon Charitable Foundation Smart Cities Research Institute (SCRI), and Prof. TO Chi-ho, Member of RCSV, won the “Top Patents Filing Award”. Two members including Ir Prof. POON Chi-sun, Director of the Research Centre for Resources Engineering towards Carbon Neutrality (RCRE), and Ir Prof. ZHENG Yongping, Director of the Research Institute for Smart Ageing (RISA), won the “Most Active Patents Filing Award”!

Member of Chinese Academy of Sciences to deliver seminar on shape memory polymer composites

PAIR cordially invites you to join our seminar on 15 July 2024 (Monday) at 2:30pm–4:00pm (Hong Kong time) on PolyU campus. The seminar titled “Shape Memory Polymer Composites: Programmability, 4D Printing and Applications” will be delivered by Prof. LENG Jinsong, Dean of School of Future Technology, Director of the Center for Smart Materials and Structures (CSMS), Director of International Center for Applied Mechanics at Harbin Institute of Technology (HIT), and Deputy Director of the Academic Committee of HIT, China. Shape memory polymers and their composites are smart materials with excitation response. They have the ability to maintain temporary shape and return to their original shape under specific external environment excitation. At present, shape memory polymers such as epoxy, cyanate ester, styrene, polyimide, polylactic acid, and polyurethane with adjustable glass transition temperatures have been developed. Smart structures prepared based on shape memory materials have unique shape memory properties and characteristics of lightweight and high strength and have the functions of active deformation, self-sensing and self-repairing. Prof. Leng and his research team have developed a variety of shape memory smart structures, which have been initially applied in aerospace, biomedical, 4D printing, and other fields. These materials offer significant promise for future smart products in many areas of science and technology. Prof. Leng is a Member of Chinese Academy of Sciences, the Foreign Member of Academia Europaea, Member of the European Academy of Sciences and Arts. His research fields include smart materials and structures, sensors and actuators, stimulus-responsive polymers (shape memory and electro-active polymers) and their composites, multifunctional nanocomposites, space deployable structures, 4D printing and biomedical applications, etc. He currently serves as Vice President of the International Committee on Composite Materials (ICCM), Vice President of Chinese Society of Aeronautics and Astronautics (CSAA), and Editor-in-Chief of the International Journal of Smart and Nano Materials (IJSNM). He was elected as Fellow of American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS), Fellow of the Society of Photo-Optical Instrumentation Engineers (SPIE), Fellow of American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME), Fellow of Institute of Physics (IOP), Fellow of Royal Aeronautical Society (RAeS), Fellow of Institute of Materials, Minerals, and Mining (IMMM) and Associate Fellow of American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA). Don’t miss the chance to learn from Prof. Leng! Fine out more and register at: https://polyu.hk/wxlgD