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Sparking Intellectual Exchange: RCAIG’s Third Monthly Workshop

On November 28, researchers and students of the Research Centre for Artificial Intelligence in Geomatics (RCAIG) at The Hong Kong Polytechnic University gathered for the third monthly workshop. This workshop series was designed to promote intellectual exchange and showcase cutting-edge research in geomatics, artificial intelligence, and their various applications. Hosted by Prof. Qihao Weng, Chair Professor of Geomatics and Artificial Intelligence, and chaired by Dr. Pir Mohammad, Research Assistant Professor, the workshop series provided a vibrant platform for lab members to share innovative ideas and discuss emerging trends and technologies in the field.  During the third workshop, Dr. Yijie Wu presented her work on using emerging satellite and point-cloud embeddings to reveal the morphological origins of Local Climate Zone temperature variability across the global cities. Dr. Peiyi Yin explored the mechanisms underlying phenological changes in the Northern Hemisphere and highlighted the importance of extraction definitions for land surface phenology in response to climate change. Dr. Ali Ismaeel’s presentation covered the modeling of PM2.5 using a chemical transport model informed by the local emission inventory and examined the health burden of air pollution under both actual and mitigated scenarios. Dr. Binbin Li gave a presentation on how ICESat-2 laser altimeter data and other remote sensing data can be used to assess the potential risks of major global river delta areas, sharing progress on the potential risk distribution for the world’s main river deltas.   Dr. Rui Sun presented new findings on the warming impact of tropical deforestation, highlighting the significant role of post-deforestation fires, based on a regional Amazon study and broader tropical-wide experiments. Dr. Xiaoyan Lu shared her research on the fusion, analysis, and application of multimodal remote sensing data, with particular emphasis on how visual foundation models and depth estimation foundation models can be utilized for large-scale tree mapping. Dr. Baoling Gui shared his exploration of the nonlinear, climate-dependent, and phenology-linked regulatory mechanisms governing urban vegetation cooling. By integrating multi-year satellite observations with interpretable machine learning frameworks, he quantified the direct cooling effect of vegetation growth on surface temperatures across 100 global cities. These findings collectively provide evidence-based decision support for climate-resilient planning in an increasingly warming world. Dr. Haider Abbas presented new results on how humid–hot (HH) compound extremes are intensifying across East and South Asia under continued warming climate. Using bias-corrected regional climate model (REMO2015) simulations and conditional-probability feedback analysis, he showed that HH events significantly elevate the risk of subsequent heat or dryness extremes, especially in winter and spring, even as background heat becomes more common. The workshop also featured presentations from several doctoral students. Miss Lihong Wang’s study analyzed global forests, distinguishing between natural and planted types. She investigated how previous pheno-phases and environmental factors influence subsequent pheno-phases to determine the primary drivers of vegetation phenology. Mr. Weipeng Lu demonstrated the error issues in deep learning regression and explored how these errors can be used to examine the coupling between human and land development.   Mr. Xin Li presented research on how the microclimatic edge effect of urban green spaces influences their cooling efficiency. Mr. Ziyun Yan’s presentation discussed the issue of representation degradation and potential solutions for common self-supervised learning (SSL) methods in the domain of remote sensing time series, given the success of large language and vision models.  A highlight of the workshop was Professor Weng’s insightful feedback and constructive suggestions on the researchers’ projects, which will help guide and shape their future research directions. His thoughtful advice not only addressed specific challenges faced by the presenters but also encouraged interdisciplinary collaboration and innovative thinking among the participants. The engaging discussions and supportive atmosphere fostered by Professor Weng inspired researchers to pursue new ideas and further advance their work, reinforcing RCAIG’s commitment to excellence in research and academic exchange. 

Building Connections: RCAIG Team Hike at Cape D’Aguilar

On November 23, the Research Centre for Artificial Intelligence in Geomatics (RCAIG) at The Hong Kong Polytechnic University hosted its annual team-building hiking activity. Researchers, students, and staff, led by lab director Professor Qihao Weng, Chair Professor of Geomatics and Artificial Intelligence, came together for a day of connection and adventure.  This year’s hike took place at Cape D’Aguilar, a hidden gem among Hong Kong’s scenic escapes. Under clear blue skies and warm sunshine, lab members set out as a group, supporting and encouraging one another along the trail. The journey to the top of the hill was filled with laughter, shared stories, and moments of teamwork as everyone navigated the path together. The breathtaking sea views and refreshing breeze provided the perfect backdrop for building stronger bonds outside the lab.  After reaching the summit, the group continued on to Big Wave Bay Beach, where the relaxed atmosphere allowed for even more meaningful interactions. Some members took a peaceful walk along the shore, while others gathered on the rocks to rest and meditate.  The hiking activity was not only a chance to enjoy nature, but also an opportunity for everyone to connect, recharge, and strengthen team spirit in a relaxed setting. It was a memorable day that brought the RCAIG community closer together, inspiring everyone for the challenges and successes ahead. 

Advancing Geomatics and GeoAI: RCAIG Hosts Second Monthly Workshop at PolyU

Researchers and students convened at the Research Centre for Artificial Intelligence in Geomatics (RCAIG) at The Hong Kong Polytechnic University on October 31 for its second Monthly Workshop, an event designed to foster intellectual exchange and highlight pioneering research in the field of geomatics and artificial intelligence. The workshop was hosted by the lab director Prof. Qihao Weng, Chair Professor of Geomatics and Artificial Intelligence, and chaired by Dr. Pir Mohammad, a Research Assistant Professor at the center. The event offered a dynamic forum for the exchange of innovative research and emerging ideas among lab members.  During the workshop, Dr. Chouaib El Hachimi presented his work on integrating artificial intelligence, remote sensing, and physical principles to address data scarcity in Africa, proposing a framework for continent-wide daily reference evapotranspiration mapping. Dr. Md Mizanur Rahman explored the mechanism of phenological diversity in cloud-prone coastal mangrove blue carbon ecosystems, utilizing Sentinel-1’s all-weather radar imagery and in-situ datasets. Dr. Kalingga Titon Nur Ihsan discussed the integration of geostationary satellite-derived products with detailed digital surface models to develop a Digital Twin Photovoltaic (PV) System, which supports the management of distributed PV systems within urban microgrids.  The workshop also featured presentations from several doctoral students. Mr. Zhixing Chen shared his research on integrating remote sensing, crowdsourced data, and AI to understand human-environment interactions and promote low-carbon travel. Miss Yuhan Zhou introduced a hierarchical approach for global building function mapping, leveraging coarser-level labels to enhance fine-grained classification and exploring strategies for further improvement. Miss Mingyue Xu presented a framework for optimizing urban transportation system deployment using road networks, trajectory data, built environment, and socio-demographic information. Ms. Qianbao Hou discussed her research on generating high-resolution satellite images through multi-modal ground-to-aerial synthesis, integrating visual-language models for street-scene descriptions with applications in geo-localization and disaster response. Miss Mengying Cao presented her investigation into above- and below-ground vegetation phenology across diverse climatic zones in the northern hemisphere, while Mr. Longjie Ye focused on advancing the understanding of mangrove forest scenes using Unmanned Laser Scanning data, enabling automatic tree segmentation across various density and stem groups.  Throughout the session, Professor Weng offered insightful commentary and constructive suggestions, encouraging presenters to delve deeper into their research questions and consider novel exploration and technological innovations. The lively atmosphere was further enriched by active participation from attendees, whose thoughtful questions and feedback sparked new perspectives and set the stage for ongoing collaboration within the RCAIG community. 

Innovative Minds Unite: RCAIG Successfully Hosts a Full-Day Monthly Workshop

On September 26th, the Research Centre for Artificial Intelligence in Geomatics (RCAIG) hosted an inaugural Monthly Workshop at The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, gathering a vibrant community of researchers dedicated to advancing knowledge in the field. The workshop was hosted by lab director Prof. Qihao Weng, Chair Professor of Geomatics and Artificial Intelligence, and chaired by Dr. Pir Mohammad, a Research Assistant Professor in the center. This workshop provides a platform for lab researchers to showcase their projects, sparking stimulating discussions and collaborative ideas.  Dr. Yijie Wu shared her latest advancements in explainable GeoAI, where she utilized 3D pretrained models for urban point cloud analysis to enhance the interpretation of land surface temperature predictions using the SHAP framework. Meanwhile, Dr. Ali Ismaeel’s presentation highlighted the intersection of remote sensing and AI, detailing how these technologies can effectively map understory microclimates to deepen our understanding of forest stomatal conductance amid the challenges of climate change.   Dr. Baoling Gui introduced an innovative metric system designed to elucidate the regulatory mechanisms of urban green spaces on surface temperatures, validated across a range of climates in more than 200 cities worldwide. Dr. Rui Sun illustrated potential impacts and outlined her aim to disentangle how fire use in agriculture-driven deforestation contributes to warming, along with the mechanisms and factors that control this process. Dr. Binbin Li presented how ICESat-2 laser altimeter data and other remote sensing tools can be leveraged to analyze inconsistencies in risks across major global river delta areas. Dr. Peiyi Yin emphasized the importance of selecting appropriate proxies in phenological research while stressing the need for comprehensive studies into the underlying biophysical mechanisms. Dr. Abbas Haider focused on analyzing compound climate extremes in East and South Asia and understanding their spatial and temporal dynamics using machine learning methods, followed by discussions on explainable AI. Doctoral student, Miss Lihong Wang reported on her earlier research, which developed accurate precipitation and rainfall erosivity data for her study area, alongside conducting spatio-temporal analyses. Mr. Ziyun Yan’s research concentrates on enhancing satellite image time series representations through a multi-task self-supervised training strategy, analyzing their unique characteristics and distinctiveness in the process.  Professor Qihao Weng, Director of the JC STEM Lab of Earth Observations and RCAIG, offered constructive feedback on each presentation, highlighting directions for further research and depth of inquiry. Additionally, researchers engaged in discussions, posing questions that stimulated ideas for future studies.  RCAIG remains committed to fostering a collaborative environment where innovative research thrives. Through these monthly workshops, we aim to not only share knowledge but also inspire new avenues of exploration in the ever-evolving fields of artificial intelligence and geomatics.

2025 Information Industry Innovation Seminar Explores Future AI Applications and Industrial Growth in Hong Kong

The Information Industry Innovation Seminar, organized by the Internet Professional Association (iProA) was held on September 22, 2025, at the Hong Kong Ocean Park Marriott Hotel. Professor Qihao Weng, Director of the JC STEM Lab of Earth Observations and the Research Centre for Artificial Intelligence in Geomatics (RCAIG), was invited to share his insights on the future innovative applications of artificial intelligence.  The seminar brought together 16 prominent experts and scholars from the sectors of industry, academia, and research from Beijing, Shenzhen, and Hong Kong. They shared their perspectives across multiple dimensions, including technology research and development, industrial implementation, and ecosystem construction, while discussing new opportunities for industrial growth.  Hendrick Sin, deputy to the National People’s Congress and president of the Internet Professional Association, highlighted the importance of rallying industry forces, deepening cross-sector cooperation, and actively participating in technology-related affairs in both local and international contexts.  Professor Weng introduced GeoAI research at PolyU and RCAIG to the audience, discussing ways to bridge the gap between industries and universities. His presentation was well-received, sparking engaging discussions with representatives from companies who are eager to leverage the advantages of the Greater Bay Area and Hong Kong for oversea development. 

PolyU Partners with Lands Department to Advance Smart Geospatial Solutions for Hong Kong

On September 12, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) and the Lands Department of the HKSAR Government signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to establish a collaborative framework for advancing smart survey, mapping, and geospatial services in Hong Kong. This partnership aims to accelerate the city’s transformation into a leading smart city through innovative research, technology enhancement, and professional training.  The collaboration brings together four key PolyU academic and research units: the Department of Land Surveying and Geo-Informatics (LSGI); the Research Institute for Land and Space (RILS); the Otto Poon Charitable Foundation Smart Cities Research Institute (SCRI); and the Research Centre for Artificial Intelligence in Geomatics (RCAIG), led by Prof. Qihao Weng. Working closely with the Survey and Mapping Office (SMO) of the Lands Department, these institutes will drive interdisciplinary research and knowledge transfer in land surveying, geographic information systems, remote sensing, smart city development, artificial intelligence, and location-based technology. A Joint Research Centre will be established to optimize and apply advanced technologies.   Mr. Chang Kwok-fai, Deputy Director (Survey and Mapping) of the Lands Department, also highlighted the importance of this partnership, noting that it combines PolyU’s research excellence with the Lands Department’s practical experience to modernize Hong Kong’s geospatial technologies and support the city’s smart development.  Prof. Weng Qihao, Director of RCAIG, remarked, “This collaboration represents a significant step forward in harnessing geospatial artificial intelligence (GeoAI) and state-of-the-art geospatial technologies to support Hong Kong’s smart city vision and urban infrastructure assessment and monitoring. By combining PolyU’s research strengths with the Lands Department’s expertise, we aim to develop innovative solutions that will enhance urban management, improve quality of life for the community, and enhance the climate resiliency of the city.”   This partnership marks a new chapter in geospatial innovation, paving the way for smarter, more efficient urban development in Hong Kong. 

Research Team from Southern University of Science and Technology Visits RCAIG at PolyU

On September 2, Prof. Zhenzhong Zeng from Southern University of Science and Technology, accompanied by his research team members, visited the Research Centre for Artificial Intelligence in Geomatics (RCAIG). They were warmly welcomed by Prof. Qihao Weng, Director of RCAIG and the JC STEM Lab of Earth Observations, along with other lab members.  The representatives from Southern University of Science and Technology presented their recent findings on climate change, vegetation ecology, surface water change, and the application of AI in Earth system science. Dr. Pir Mohammad, Dr. Abbas Haider, Dr. Ali Ismaeel, and Dr. Binbin Li from RCAIG also contributed valuable insights in these fields. Prof. Qihao Weng shared his expertise on the ongoing research.  The meeting fostered a lively exchange of ideas, creating a dynamic vision for advancements in remote sensing, geomatics, and climate change. This visit signifies the beginning of a promising partnership between the two institutions, paving the way for future collaborations.  Biography  Prof. Zhenzhong Zeng is a professor in the School of Environment at Southern University of Science and Technology. He primarily conducts research in the field of Earth system processes and global change. He has received numerous accolades, including the Distinguished Professor under the Ministry of Education’s Changjiang Scholars Program, Ministry of Education Young Chang Jiang Scholar (Earth System Science), Qiushi Outstanding Young Scholar Award, Shenzhen High Level Professionals–(National Leading Talents, and the Kamide Lecture Award from the Asia-Oceania Geosciences Society (AOGS).  

Comprehensive Study in Nexus Journal Highlights Need for Global Heat Wave Frameworks

Our team at JC STEM Lab of Earth Observations and the Research Centre for Artificial Intelligence in Geomatics (RCAIG) at The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, led by Prof. Qihao Weng, with Dr. Pir Mohammad, has made significant strides in understanding and identifying dangerous heat wave conditions. Our research, published in Nexus Journal, addresses the urgent need to recognize the impact and severity of heat waves—one of the most pressing climate-induced threats to human health and urban environments. By examining recent heat wave events in Asia, Europe, and the United States, we evaluated six temperature-humidity-based heat wave indices. Our findings reveal that several commonly used indices struggle to detect dangerous outdoor conditions, especially in low-humidity environments. The lethal heat stress index stood out for its effectiveness, highlighting the importance of choosing the right index for different climatic and geographic contexts. For more information, you can also visit the publication at: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ynexs.2024.100027 And listen to the podcast here

High School Students Dive into STEM Innovations at PolyU Lab Tours

On July 25, the Research Centre for Artificial Intelligence in Geomatics (RCAIG), in partnership with the Hong Kong Meteorological Society (HKMS), welcomed around 30 high school students for lab tours at the Department of Land Surveying and Geo-Informatics (LSGI), The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU). These tours showcased cutting-edge geomatics research and technology while igniting students’ passion for STEM fields.  During the tours, students visited several laboratories, including the JC STEM Lab of Earth Observations. As part of the visit, students watched an introductory video about the JC STEM Lab. Established in 2022, the JC STEM Lab of Earth Observations is dedicated to advancing Earth observation technologies by integrating space-air-ground sensing, AI-powered image processing, and urban sensor networks. This comprehensive approach enables the laboratory to develop innovative geomatics solutions for urban monitoring and environmental management, positioning it at the forefront of research in these fields.  After gaining a thorough understanding of the mission and development of the laboratories, students’ interests in scientific innovation were fully sparked, inspiring them to envision practical applications of technology in real-world challenges.  To allow students to actively engage in the latest developments in drones and sensors, they were invited to observe and operate equipment under the guidance of staff. The drones enabled 360-degree scans of nearby objects, such as trees, allowing students to measure their height, width, and diameter while witnessing the fascinating applications of science in real-time. 

Successful Conclusion of the 2025 Workshop and Tutorial in GeoAI Advancements and Applications

We are pleased to announce that the 2025 Workshop and Tutorial in GeoAI Advancements and Applications has been successfully completed. Held on July 14-15, 2025, at The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, this two-day event brought together nearly 100 participants from Hong Kong and the oversea, including esteemed speakers, researchers, and professionals from various fields. The event kicked off with inspiring opening speeches from our esteemed guests of honour, Mr. Hendrick Sin, co-founder and vice chairman of CMGE Technology Group Ltd and chair of Hong Kong AI Subsidy Scheme; Dr. Winnie Tang, founder and chairman of Esri China (Hong Kong) Limited; and Prof. Qihao Weng, director of the Research Centre for Artificial Intelligence in Geomatics and the JC STEM Lab of Earth Observations at PolyU. Their insights provided a strong foundation for the discussions that followed, setting the stage for an engaging exploration of geospatial artificial intelligence.   A significant highlight of the opening was the announcement of the establishment of the Geospatial Artificial Intelligence Consortium (GeoAIC), which aims to pioneer interdisciplinary research and education in GeoAI, foster dynamic innovation ecosystems, and deliver actionable insights for sustainable urban development. Through these initiatives, we strive to enhance Hong Kong’s role as a global leader in geospatial data science and GeoAI, while supporting both national and international policy mandates.  In addition to this exciting announcement, the workshop included a memorable Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) signing with Esri China (HK). This MOU establishes a framework for potential collaborations between Esri China (HK) and PolyU’s RCAIG in various aspects of GeoAI, including joint research and development, internships, scholarships, data and software support, and the potential establishment of a Joint Lab. Together, we aim to drive innovation, nurture local talent, and advance the application of geospatial technologies for societal benefit.   The event also featured a remarkable lineup of keynote speakers, including Prof. Shunlin Liang (HKU), Prof. Xiaofang Zhou (HKUST), Prof. Hui Su (HKUST), Prof. Xiaoyang Zhang (South Dakota State University), Prof. Qinghua Guo (Peking University), Prof. Yu Liu (Peking University), Prof. Bisheng Yang (Wuhan University), Prof. Xiaoli Ding (PolyU), and Prof. Qihao Weng (PolyU). Their presentations offered valuable insights into the latest advancements in GeoAI, inspiring participants to think critically about the future of the field.  In the afternoon, we held technical sessions in the afternoon, featuring speakers from various universities and organisations, including the University of Glasgow, HKU, CUHK, Peking University, and Yunqi Academy of Engineering. These sessions covered a wide array of topics related to geospatial artificial intelligence, providing attendees with the latest research findings, innovative applications, and emerging trends in the field.  We look forward to continuing our efforts in promoting GeoAI research and education in future events.