The Research Institute for Advanced Manufacturing (RIAM) is delighted to announce that its Director, Prof. George Q. Huang, has successfully secured an Areas of Excellence (AoE) project of approximately HK$47.88 million, marking a significant milestone for RIAM’s development within the advanced manufacturing research community.
The AoE Scheme aims to provide support to universities funded by the University Grants Committee to build upon their existing strengths and develop them into areas of excellence. The success of this project reflects the research strength, leadership, and collaborative capacity of Prof. Huang and his team in addressing important scientific and technological challenges in smart manufacturing.
This project aims to establish the Centre of Smart Manufacturing to pioneer next‑generation Industry 4.0 technologies. It introduces two foundational breakthroughs: Cyber‑Physical Computers (CPCs) and the Cyber‑Physical Internet, orchestrated by a Cyber‑Physical Operating System. CPCs computerise smart micro‑factories under a typical computer architecture, enabling operations to be processed like CPU instructions with cyber‑physical visibility and spatial‑temporal traceability. Crucially, CPCs incorporate Out‑of‑Order Execution algorithms to optimise workflows and minimise uncertainties through an in‑memory "look around" mechanism.
Driven by a federated architecture of multidisciplinary Generative AI models and a unique group‑chat prompt-engineering framework, the system enables real‑time collaborative decision‑making between AI and human experts. Pilot studies deploying "Factory on Chips" scenarios will demonstrate enhanced efficiency and resilience across interconnected supply networks, creating strategic impact on Hong Kong's logistics, trading and producer services, and reinforcing the City's role as a hub for smart manufacturing‑enabled economic growth.
The project brings together researchers from different departments of The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) and involves close collaboration with leading external universities, including The University of Hong Kong and City University of Hong Kong, as well as universities in Mainland China, France, Sweden, Germany, and the United States. This extensive network will enable the project team to draw on diverse expertise, promote knowledge exchange, and accelerate research impact across regions.
RIAM warmly congratulates Prof. George Q. Huang and the project team on this outstanding achievement. The successful award of the AoE project represents a major step forward in RIAM’s mission to advance research excellence, foster collaboration, and contribute to the future of advanced manufacturing in Hong Kong, China, and worldwide.
Press release: https://polyu.me/4hnG7S3
Online coverage:
South China Morning Post - https://polyu.me/44SgFwq
Mirage News - https://polyu.me/4yI56W9
Wen Wei Po - https://polyu.me/4bl1pvL; https://polyu.me/3U1ixk2
Bauhinia - https://polyu.me/4h45uYT
| Research Units | Research Institute for Advanced Manufacturing |
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