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PolyU and Hanson Robotics inaugurate the Centre for Humanistic Artificial Intelligence and Robotics to foster translational research in the GBA

The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) and Hanson Robotics Limited (Hanson) signed a Memorandum of Understanding to establish the Centre for Humanistic Artificial Intelligence and Robotics (CHAiR) for translational research with the goal of advancing the well-being of humanity. The partnership integrates PolyU’s strength in interdisciplinary research and Hanson’s well-known humanoid robotics platform to explore technology applications. Sophia, Hanson’s most advanced human-like robot, will work with PolyU researchers to enhance the contribution of AI and robotic technology for social and commercial benefits. Research into and applications of AI and robotics are essential to the advancement of industry. As an interdisciplinary research and development centre, CHAiR brings cross-faculty collaborations in research fields such as AI, the internet of things (IoT), neuroscience, design, computer science, mechanical engineering, material science, healthcare and the humanities. In collaboration with Hanson, CHAiR supports innovation and entrepreneurship in Hong Kong and the Greater Bay Area. PolyU Prof. Jiannong CAO, Dean of Graduate School, Chair Professor of Distributed and Mobile Computing, and Otto Poon Charitable Foundation Professor in Data Science, is the principal investigator and administrative director of CHAiR. Prof. Cao and Dr David HANSON, CEO and Founder of Hanson Robotics, are the co-chair of the Centre’s steering committee. Witnessed by Prof. Jin Guang TENG, President of PolyU, and Mr Doug GLEN, Executive Director of Hanson Robotics, the MoU was signed by Prof. Christopher CHAO, Vice President (Research and Innovation) of PolyU, and Dr Hanson. During the signing ceremony on 5 December 2022, Sophia made conversation with the guests. She said, “I look forward to learning many new skills and abilities. With your help, maybe I can learn how to be a nurse, a teacher, a concierge, a librarian. You can teach me how to be a better companion, a more skilful artist, a funnier entertainer.” Dr Hanson said, “CHAiR is perfectly positioned to refine and improve the performance of Sophia-class robots in ways that promote the growth of a new service robot industry. Once the industry starts to expand, so too will investment in improved hardware, software and manufacturing technologies.” Prof. Teng said, “Academia-industry collaboration is one of the most productive mechanisms for creating and implementing innovations. There is tremendous untapped potential for humanistic social robots. Let us aspire that CHAiR will be a major catalyst for the onset of the age of humanistic robots.” Prof. Cao, who is also Director of the Research Institute for Artificial Intelligence of Things (RIAIoT), said the Institute has been working on practical solutions to key challenges in advanced AIoT technologies and applications. He said, “It is a natural evolution for RIAIoT to partner with Hanson Robotics to tackle even more ambitious opportunities in humanistic AI and social robotics. CHAiR will play a unique and important role to combine Hanson’s know-how with world-class academics here at PolyU.” Hanson Robotics is an AI and robotics company dedicated to creating socially intelligent machines that enrich the quality of our lives. Sophia is the world’s first robot citizen and the first robot Innovation Ambassador for the United Nations Development Programme.

Ten PolyU projects funded by the NSFC/RGC for Collaborative and Joint Research Schemes

Ten research projects led by scholars at The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) have been funded by the National Natural Science Foundation of China and the Research Grants Council (NSFC/RGC) under the Joint Research Scheme (JRS) and the new Collaborative Research Scheme (CRS) 2022/23 Exercise. Under the CRS, two PolyU research projects have been awarded a total amount of HK$7.164 million. While under the JRS, eight research projects led by PolyU scholars have received total funding of HK$9.396 million. Both CRS and JRS support research projects for a period of four years. The research projects cover topics in information technology, management science, marine and environmental science, new material science, applied mathematics and biomedical engineering. PolyU scholars are committed to exploring innovative discoveries for a more sustainable future. Some of the projects address imminent social and human needs with, for example, research on a hospital bed sharing mechanism and optimisation, investigation of rainstorm and storm surge occurrence pattern together with flood risk assessment in the Greater Bay Area cities, and time-sequence regenerative repair of atherosclerotic blood vessels with Janus cardiovascular stents. Prof. Christina WONG, Director of Research and Innovation at PolyU, said, “PolyU is dedicated to conducting impactful research through multi-disciplinary collaborations to foster sustainability for a better world. We are thankful for the support of the NSFC/RGC for the PolyU projects funded under the Collaborative Research Scheme and Joint Research Scheme, which reinforces research strengths across the Mainland and Hong Kong to lead innovative discoveries.” The NSFC/RGC supports research projects jointly proposed by Mainland and Hong Kong researchers for their scientific merit. The CRS, which was newly introduced in 2022/23, aims to support larger-scale collaborative research across disciplines and/or across universities in the Mainland and Hong Kong with a view to enhancing research output and impact. The grant for each Hong Kong applicant is limited to HK$3.6 million. The JRS promotes collaboration between researchers in the Mainland and Hong Kong for their complementary strengths. The amount of funding for Hong Kong applicants is limited to HK$1.25 million.   List of PolyU Projects funded under NSFC/RGC Collaborative Research Scheme 2022/23 Research Field Project Title Hong Kong Project Coordinator Mainland Principal Investigator/ Institution Information Technology   Monolithically Integrated Electronics with Two-Dimensional Semiconductors – from Controllable Growth to Device Integration Prof. CHAI Yang Department of Applied Physics Prof. ZHANG Wenjing Shenzhen University New Materials Science Long-cycle and High-energy-density Flexible Li Batteries Using Hollow Multishelled Structure and Hierarchical Composite Electrode Prof. ZHENG Zijian Department of Applied Biology and Chemical Technology Prof. YANG Mei Institute of Process Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences   List of PolyU Projects funded under NSFC/RGC Joint Research Scheme 2022/23 Research Field Project Title Hong Kong Principal Investigator Mainland Principal Investigator/ Institution Information Technology Enhancing Digital Asset Security Basedon the Blockchain Technology Prof. XIAO Bin Department of Computing Prof. DENG Xiaotie Peking University Management Science Mechanism and Optimization for Hospital Bed Sharing Prof. YE Hengqing Department of Logistics and Maritime Studies Prof. WAN Guohua Shanghai Jiao Tong University Marine and Environmental Science Investigation of Rainstorm - Storm Surge Joint Occurrence Pattern and Induced Flooding Risk Assessment in Coastal Cities within the Greater Bay Area (GBA) Dr DUAN Huanfeng Department of Civil and Environment Engineering Prof. ZHENG Feifei Zhejiang University An Integrated System of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles and Unmanned Surface Vehicles for Smart Maritime Support in Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area Dr LIU Wei Department of Aeronautical and Aviation Engineering Prof. MA Yong Wuhan University of Technology New Materials Science Tin-Based Metal Halide Perovskites for X-Ray Detectors Prof. YAN Feng Department of Applied Physics Prof. YANG Shihe Peking University Others Mathematical Modeling and Analysis on the Predator-mediated Competitions and their Biological Consequences Prof. WANG Zhian Department of Applied Mathematics Prof. LOU Yuan Shanghai Jiao Tong University Stochastic Multiobjective Optimization and Applications Prof. CHEN Xiaojun Department of Applied Mathematics Prof. YANG Xinmin Chongqing Normal University Time-sequence Regenerative Repair of Atherosclerotic Blood Vessels with Janus Cardiovascular Stents Dr ZHAO Xin Department of Biomedical Engineering Prof. YANG Zhilu Southern Medical University

PolyU Project On Mitigation of Traffic-related Air Pollution Granted Green Tech Fund

The Green Tech Fund approved a HK$5.56 million grant to Prof LEE Shuncheng of the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) to conduct research on the “Development of nanotechnology-based hybrid air cleaning system towards green transport.” The research aims at reducing multiple traffic related air pollutants in semi-confined Hong Kong's Public Transport Interchanges (PTI), without influencing traffic flow or modification of original infrastructures. This project develops a nanotechnology-based hybrid regenerable air cleaning system (RACS) by adapting advanced technologies such as active sampling system, green energy, novel air cleaning modules designed by the PolyU team. The as-designed RACS will be applied to remove traffic-related emissions of nitrogen oxides (NOx), fine suspended particulates (PM2.5), volatile organic compounds (VOC), and ozone (O3) in selected PTI in Hong Kong. The well-designed RACS is portable and could be tailored to various micro urban environments. It will first conduct field test at selected PTI in Hong Kong, and then expand for potential application in areas with dense traffic emissions such as closed street canyons, train stations, runways, customs ports, car parks, taxi stands, tunnel, airport, etc. The expected deliverables of this 24-months project will enable efficient mitigation of traffic-related air pollution, supporting the Hong Kong Government to realise green transportation and create a more liveable environment under the Hong Kong Clean Air Plan 2035. Green Tech Fund (GTF) The Government set up the Green Tech Fund (GTF) in 2020 to fund research and development (R&D) projects which help Hong Kong decarbonise and enhance environmental protection. The assessment committee is chaired by the Director of Environmental Protection and comprises members from academia, industry and green groups.

PolyU researchers compile world’s first “atlas” of airborne microbes that provides an important new perspective for public health research

Bacteria are truly abundant across the Earth’s surface, from the soil to the oceans. The microbial population of the air that surrounds us is comparatively unknown, but a research expedition led by PolyU scientists is about to change that. After nearly a decade of effort, they have compiled a comprehensive map of the world’s airborne microbes, providing fresh insights into how these species interact with the surface environment – as well as their likely future changes. A cubic metre of “empty” air contains 10,000 bacteria or more, and interest in the role of air as a habitat – not merely a conduit – for microbes has grown enormously since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. In collaboration with researchers on the mainland and the US, the PolyU-led team spent around a year sampling airborne microbes across the world, from ground level to mountaintops. Combining their own results with the most accurate global data collected in past studies, they and their research partners compiled the first ever atlas of the global airborne microbiome. The atlas provides a wealth of insights into the microbial communities floating above the ground. There is no doubt that the air is a unique harbour of bacterial life. Genetic analysis by the team showed that the core communities – the handful of species that form an outsized proportion of the microbe population – were not the same in the air as those in marine or soil ecosystems. In fact, even though the air is a free-flowing medium with seemingly no internal boundaries, these core bacterial communities are distinctly localised and stable. The research team analysed the bacterial communities of 370 individual air particulate samples collected from 63 sites around the world, ranging from those at ground level (1.5 – 2 m high) to rooftops (5 – 25 m high) and high mountains (5,238 m asl), as well as from densely populated urban centres to the Arctic Circle, for a more diverse coverage in terms of altitudes and geographic regions. Prof. Xiang-dong LI, Chair Professor of Environmental Science and Technology and Dean of Faculty of Construction and Environment of PolyU who led the research team, said, “We have verified that human activities have certainly changed the structure of microbiomes in the natural ambient air, particularly with a higher abundance of pathogenic bacteria in urban air. Having experienced the pandemic for three years, people now pay more attention to this invisible but influential microbial community. The research outcomes could be served as a critical reference for predicting planetary microbiome responses and the health impacts of inhalable microbiomes with future environmental changes.” The researchers estimate that the total number of microbes occupying the sea or soil is thousands of times larger than those in the air. Nonetheless, the aerial diversity of microbes – known as “richness” – is just as high. This suggests that surface habitats directly contribute microbes to the air. Overturning previous assumptions, vegetation is not the main terrestrial source of airborne bacteria, and the Earth’s vast tracts of soil provide very small fraction. The crashing of waves, the shaking of leaves, and even frequent activities and constant respiration of animals and humans are bigger drivers of bacterial exchange between the surface and the air. Macroscopic life, notably animals and plants, is most diverse in equatorial regions (consider, for example, warm and wet rainforests), and its diversity decreases closer to the poles. For microbes, the picture is more interesting – moving from the equator, diversity maximises at mid-latitudes before falling away again. This pattern was well established for terrestrial and aquatic microorganisms, but the new atlas confirms that it applies to the airborne microbiome, too. The authors surmise that the “bump” in diversity at mid-latitudes is caused by stronger sources of microbial input to those regions. Overall, the researchers estimate that half of airborne bacteria originate from ground sources. Urban air has especially high rates of human-associated bacteria – some harmless, others pathogenic. Direct transfer of germs from people to air is not our only effect on the airborne microbial world. Broad-scale activities such as industrialisation disrupt natural environments and impact air quality. This weakens the environment’s “filter” effect on microbial structure, making the composition of airborne bacteria more affected by random processes – although weather still plays an important role too. The close relationship between modern human activities and the microbes around us underscores the need to predict future changes accurately. The inhalable infectious bacteria that proliferate in cities are particularly of concern considering rapid urbanisation and our growing understanding of airborne contagion, spurred by COVID-19 research. Climate change is another impetus, given the marked effect of temperature on microbial richness, as revealed by the atlas. Hence, the study provides an invaluable resource and an important new perspective for future public health research. The PolyU team collaborated with Prof. James M. TIEDJE, University Distinguished Professor at Michigan State University and scientists from mainland China in the study. The findings were published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (https://www.pnas.org/doi/full/10.1073/pnas.2204465119), a peer-reviewed journal of the USA National Academy of Sciences.

西麗湖論壇 · 深港協同創新高峰論壇於理大成功舉辦

Chinese Version Only 「2022年西麗湖論壇平行論壇--深港協同創新高峰論壇」於11 月19 日（週六）在香港理工大學（理大）成功舉辦，活動與深圳分會場全程視頻連線，多位重量級專家學者圍繞論壇主題《創新·可持續發展——深港協同創新》分享真知灼見，香港和深圳兩地高校、科研院所和科技企業代表以線上線下相結合的方式研討交流，共商科技合作，探索構建深港互聯互通科技服務體系，促進跨區域技術轉移合作，拓展粵港澳大灣區發展機遇。現場氣氛熱烈，論壇成果豐碩。 理大副校長（研究及創新）趙汝恒教授致辭時提到，深港協同創新高峰論壇為探索構建粵港澳大灣區國際科技創新中心提供良好交流平臺，讓深港兩地高校、科研院所和科技企業的專家和代表分享及探討深港互聯互通科技服務體系、跨區域技術轉移與人才交流等合作機制。理大希望通過是次活動，加強與深圳市及粵港澳大灣區各地的合作，共同推動科研發展和科技創新，一起擁抱開放、深度融合、建設未來。 理大潘樂陶慈善基金會智慧城市研究院院長、理大─深圳技術創新研究院（福田）院長、地理資訊科學與遙感講座教授史文中教授，獲邀擔任香港會場的演講嘉賓之一，他分享了大灣區資料融合、地理空間人工智慧（時空智慧）服務未來智慧城市方面的分析見解。 西麗湖論壇由國家科學技術部和深圳市人民政府共同主辦，旨在聚焦新時代新征程的使命任務，圍繞西麗湖國際科教城建設的目標及功能定位，以構築“科技、教育、產業、金融”緊密融合的創新體系為主線，著力打造具有國際影響力、彰顯大灣區特色、體現融合創新特點的高級別創新品牌論壇，為加速集聚全球創新資源，推進粵港澳大灣區國際科技創新中心和深圳先行示範區建設提供有力支撐。

SHKP and PolyU sign MoUs on Building Innovation & Technology Research Projects and Scholarship Programme

Sun Hung Kai Properties Limited (SHKP) and The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) today signed two memoranda of understanding (MoUs) on SHKP x PolyU Building Innovation & Technology Research Projects and the SHKP x PolyU Building Homes with Heart Scholarship Programme. The collaboration echoes President Xi Jinping’s earlier call for Hong Kong to ‘strengthen the collaborative development of enterprises, universities and research institutions, and to develop into a global scientific and technological innovation hub’. SHKP and PolyU will join hands on three research projects: green application: developing a smart, efficient and flexible energy management system; green building materials; and green construction processes. The teams will explore how to translate research into applications to help Hong Kong develop into a smart and carbon-neutral city. SHKP will also launch the SHKP x PolyU Building Homes with Heart Scholarship Programme to support 56 outstanding students to pursue studies in construction, real estate and engineering-related disciplines at PolyU. The signing ceremony was witnessed by Paul Chan, Financial Secretary of the HKSAR; Zhang Zhihua, Director General of the Youth Department of the Liaison Office of the Central People's Government in the HKSAR; Dr. Lam Tai-fai, PolyU Council Chairman; Professor Wong Wing-tak, PolyU Acting President; Raymond Kwok, SHKP Chairman and Managing Director; and Adam Kwok, SHKP Executive Director. The MoU on SHKP x PolyU Building Innovation & Technology Research Projects was signed by Eric Tung, SHKP Executive Director, and Professor Christopher Chao, PolyU Vice President (Research and Innovation). Eric Tung also signed the MoU for the SHKP x PolyU Building Homes with Heart Scholarship Programme with Professor Ben Young, PolyU Vice President (Student and Global Affairs). Details of the research projects and the scholarship programme are at Annex. Guest of honour Financial Secretary Paul Chan said: “We expect the construction volume in Hong Kong will increase to about HK$300,000 million per year. Such a huge volume of projects will provide exceptional development opportunities for the construction industry. Nevertheless, the industry will also face various challenges and need to find ways to, for example, deal with labour shortages, have a better control of construction costs, optimize the management process, further improve construction safety and reduce carbon emissions to contribute to society as a whole. Innovation and technology is a key to addressing these challenges. The application of academic research outcomes will allow the construction industry to increase their use of innovative technologies, which would be of enormous benefit.” SHKP Chairman and Managing Director Raymond Kwok noted that the Report to the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China highlighted the importance of ‘talent as our primary resource, and innovation as our primary driver of growth’. Recently when Chief Executive John Lee delivered his Policy Address, he also clearly pointed out that innovation and technology (I&T) will be a key impetus for Hong Kong's high-quality economic development, and that it is essential to commercialize research results through collaboration between the industry, academic and research sectors. Raymond Kwok said: “We hope to leverage PolyU’s strengths in academic research and our extensive practical experience to promote innovation and technology research in the construction industry. The National 14th Five-Year Plan laid out plans to achieve ‘peak carbon and carbon neutrality’. Our initiative will help Hong Kong become a green, low-carbon international I&T hub.” He added that SHKP also places great emphasis on talent development, and that it is important to remember that ‘Hong Kong will prosper only if its young people thrive; that Hong Kong will develop only if its young people achieve well-rounded development; and that Hong Kong will have a bright future only if its young people have good career prospects’. The SHKP x PolyU Building Homes with Heart Scholarship Programme aims to support promising PolyU students with limited means to study construction, real estate and engineering-related disciplines. He hailed PolyU as a cradle for cultivating talent for Hong Kong’s construction industry, adding its graduates have contributed a lot to the development of both the industry and the city. He noted a number of PolyU graduates have joined SHKP and supported the development of its premium properties and hoped PolyU students will continue to help advance the development of building technologies. PolyU Acting President Wong Wing-tak said: “PolyU attaches great importance to transforming research into practical applications. We are delighted to collaborate with Sun Hung Kai Properties, one of the largest property developers in Hong Kong, to leverage their experience in developing high-quality property projects. By combining PolyU’s outstanding scientific research achievements in developing innovative technologies including smart energy systems, green building materials, decentralized construction process, etc. with Sun Kung Kai Properties’ expertise, we strive to achieve the three goals of carbon reduction, energy savings and digitalization to reduce emissions and improve efficiency on SHKP’s buildings.” Professor Wong expressed his thanks to SHKP-Kwoks’ Foundation for its support to PolyU in setting up a scholarship scheme to help outstanding students with financial difficulties, and believed that this collaboration will not only promote the advancement of new green technologies, but also nurture a new generation of talents who will benefit the entire industry, helping Hong Kong to become carbon neutral and creating a sustainable future for wider society.” SHKP Executive Director Adam Kwok said: “SHKP and PolyU joined hands in 2005 to optimize the energy-saving performance of ICC through the use of green and smart building technology, which proved to be a great success. Not only has ICC obtained a number of international green building certifications, its LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) platinum score, awarded by the US Green Building Council, is also the highest among commercial buildings in Hong Kong. SHKP is delighted to partner with PolyU again to translate the outcomes of their scientific research into applications, using green applications, green materials and green processes to help Hong Kong achieve net zero and develop into a world-class smart city. The smart energy management system in the Group’s High Speed Rail West Kowloon Terminus Development alone is estimated to be able to reduce 3.6m kg carbon emissions each year, which is equivalent to planting 160,000 trees. SHKP is keen to play a key role in Hong Kong’s transformation, realization and commercialization of building technology research outcomes, and in the nurture of young talent.”

PolyU Signs MOU with Shanghai Pharmaceuticals and Biopharma Evolution to Collaborate on Biomedicine Research

The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU), Shanghai Pharmaceutical Holdings Limited (SPH) and Biopharma Evolution, a subsidiary of SPH, signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to explore academia-industry collaboration on biomedicine research projects in Shanghai and Hong Kong. The partnership creates a synergy among the three entities’ innovation strengths, riding on PolyU’s world leadership in academic research with the rank among global top 100 tertiary education institutions, SPH’s strong competitiveness in healthcare business and Biopharma Evolution’s innovation transformation platform. With the support of the Shanghai Government, Biopharma Evolution was newly established to reinforce cutting-edge research and to foster innovation translation in biomedicine. This collaboration aims to integrate the three institutions’ expertise to contribute to the Nation’s biomedical research and development. PolyU has discussed with SPH on how to collaborate in drug development. The discussions cover various research topics such as different targeted therapies, protein interaction inhibitor and autophagy modulators. Under the MOU, the parties will organise regular academic exchange activities to proactively identify potential research projects and other cooperative opportunities. Robust growth in healthcare and pharmaceutical industry has boosted the development of biomedicine sector. PolyU is committed to strengthen the research in biotechnology, with excellent achievements particularly in drug development. Five research projects involving PolyU scholars had received the status of Investigational New Drug (IND) approvals by the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA). In light of public health challenges such as COVID-19, PolyU has demonstrated its inter-disciplinary research capabilities by providing innovative solutions such as the use of rapid DNA sequencing technology to monitor and potentially stop the spread of COVID-19, the development of portable nucleic acid testing device for rapid diagnosis and the design and production of anti-virus 3D printed protective gears etc. Academia-industry collaboration is essential to transform impactful innovations. This cooperation among PolyU, SPH and Biopharma Evolution will accelerate translational projects and eventually lead to the development of more new drugs to benefit the mankind. The MOU was signed online by Prof. WANG Zuankai, Associate Vice President (Research and Innovation), PolyU and Mr. ZUO Min, President of Shanghai Pharmaceuticals Holding Co., Ltd. and Biopharma Evolution during the 2022 Pujiang Healthcare Industry & Finance Integration and Innovation Summit.

PolyU Showcases Advanced Technologies in Asia Summit on Global Health

The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) joins the Asia Summit on Global Health (ASGH), showcasing its technological achievements in health innovations for sustainable development.  Leveraging on academic and research expertise, PolyU contributes to advanced technologies in healthcare, life sciences, material and AI innovations for applications in healthcare sector. The exhibition highlights PolyU’s research achievements, as well as impactful innovations of InnoHK R&D Centres, which were established as world-class research centres under the government-funded InnoHK initiative. The displays attract the visits of government officials and event participants with interactive sharing. PolyU is honored to lead panel discussion on health innovation and trend. Prof. Kwok-yin Wong, Vice President (Education), Patrick S.C. Poon Endowed Professor in Applied Chemistry and Chair Professor of Chemical Technology of PolyU, is the panel chair for session “How Innovation in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area Reshapes Global Healthcare.”  The ASGH is an annual Asian thought-leadership event on health innovation and investment,  organized by the Government of the HKSAR and the Hong Kong Trade Development Council. Under the theme “Chanting a New Course in Healthcare through Collaboration,” the event is joined by government officials, global healthcare officials and organizations, science and medical experts, business leaders and professionals to discuss global health trends.   

Chinachem Group and PolyU join hands to foster industry-academic collaboration for the sustainable future of the Greater Bay Area

Chinachem Group (Chinachem) and The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) today signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to strengthen research collaboration among industry, academia and research organisations to drive innovative solutions for sustainable development of the Greater Bay Area (GBA). The partnership leverages the combined strengths and experience of PolyU in interdisciplinary research with that of Chinachem in property and community development. The MoU sets out a framework for both parties to conduct three pilot research projects to explore innovative solutions and technology applications to help achieve the goals of carbon neutrality, an inclusive society and a green economy. Through this industry-academia collaboration, Chinachem and PolyU will develop new technology and systems to reduce carbon emissions and energy consumption in a next-generation data centre, explore new types of intergenerational housing for future Hong Kong community settlements in the GBA, and experiment with the use of blockchain technology in promoting green economy. Witnessed by Mr Donald CHOI, Executive Director and CEO of Chinachem Group, Mr Hung-han WONG, Executive Director and COO of Chinachem Group, Dr Lawrence LI Kwok-chang, Deputy Council Chairman of PolyU, and Prof. Jin-Guang TENG, President of PolyU, the MoU was signed by Mr Ricky TSANG, Deputy CFO of Chinachem Group, and Prof. Wing-tak WONG, Deputy President and Provost of PolyU. “As a socially responsible developer, we need to harness the full power of technology not only to speed construction and reduce costs, but also to create what we term ‘Places with Heart’,” Mr Donald Choi said. “Joint efforts across industries are essential to achieving carbon neutrality by 2050. The signing of this Memorandum of Understanding is a very valuable step forward in regard to fostering business collaboration with academia and research organisations in order to pioneer innovative technological solutions. I feel very excited and energised about the possibilities for breaking new boundaries together, creating positive value for People, Prosperity and the Planet,” he added. Prof. Jin-Guang Teng said, “This industry-academic collaboration will see PolyU and Chinachem working together to create solutions for major sustainability challenges including energy consumption, climate change, an ageing population and the adoption of green behaviour. PolyU will continue to deepen its collaboration with key partners and stakeholders in society to proactively translate research outcomes into real-world solutions to foster more liveable and sustainable communities in Hong Kong, the Nation and the world.” Under the MoU, Chinachem and PolyU will also continue to explore cooperation opportunities in areas including support to start-ups and entrepreneurship, application and commercialisation of new technologies, environmental, social and governance strategy and measurement, and carbon neutrality.

PolyU and SenseTime Collaborate on Metaverse Research

The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) and SenseTime Group Limited (SenseTime) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for collaboration on research and development related to metaverse technologies and autonomous driving applications. The collaboration between PolyU and SenseTime aims to translate their joint research outcomes into applications to improve people’s daily lives. There are two research focuses under this collaboration: metaverse-related imaging technologies and solutions for different applications such as education, art and tourism; and high-performance collaborative edge computing enabling autonomous driving applications. PolyU has leveraged its interdisciplinary research and innovation capabilities and teamed up with leading players in the tech industry to meet the needs of scientific advancement and social development. SenseTime is a leading global company with a mission of advancing the interconnection of the physical and digital worlds with artificial intelligence, as well as driving sustainable productivity growth and seamless interactive experiences. With this partnership, PolyU harnesses its academic and research expertise to promote metaverse and AI technologies to bring benefits to business and society. Prof. Jin-Guang TENG, President of PolyU, said, “The signing of this MoU between PolyU and SenseTime signifies the determination of the two parties to work together to strengthen their research and development capabilities in AI-related technologies. PolyU will continue to leverage its scientific research advantages, actively collaborate with industry, and transform cutting-edge technologies into practical applications in order to promote social advancement and contribute to building Hong Kong into an international innovation and technology hub.” Dr XU Li, Executive Chairman of the Board and CEO of SenseTime, said, “As a home-grown AI company in Hong Kong, SenseTime is committed to nurturing young talents through university collaborations with an innovative spirit. We are excited to join hands with PolyU to expand AI applications and collaboration in intelligent automobile, vehicle-road synergy, digital world, as well as AI talent recruitment and internships, thus facilitating technology ecosystem development in Hong Kong.” The Colour, Imaging and Metaverse Research Centre of PolyU, led by Dr WEI Minchen Tommy is responsible for this collaboration. As a pioneer in exploiting the potential of the metaverse for different applications, the Centre was established to conduct high-impact fundamental research and develop system algorithms and solutions. SenseTime is a leading AI software company, focused on creating a better AI-empowered future through innovation. Its technologies are applied in many industry verticals including Smart Business, Smart City, Smart Life and Smart Auto.