Media Releases

PolyU research teams and startups shine at CES 2026, winning three prestigious innovation awards

The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) led 19 startups to the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) 2026, held from 6 to 9 January. Alongside the groundbreaking technologies presented by participating startups, the University also showcased its research achievements, covering fields such as human security, digital health and energy optimisation. PolyU delivered an outstanding performance at this year’s Show, with three projects winning one “Best of Innovation Award” and two “Innovation Awards”. This not only marks the University’s best result since it first took part in this event, but also accounts for two-thirds of all awards received by the Hong Kong startup delegation, underscoring PolyU excellence in research, innovation and entrepreneurship. Prof. Christopher CHAO, PolyU Senior Vice President (Research and Innovation), remarked, “PolyU is committed to nurturing innovative research talent with both national and international outlooks. We empower our teams by leading them to major international innovation events and fostering close collaboration among industry, academia, research and investment sectors on a global level, creating opportunities for the overseas expansion of PolyU startups. PolyU was the sole university from Hong Kong to exhibit at the event, with its participating teams making up 30% of the Hong Kong delegation, contributing to Hong Kong’s advancement into an international innovation and technology hub. Our record-breaking performance at this year’s CES affirms international recognition of PolyU research and innovation, propelling our teams to continue striving along the path of innovation and technology to create even more profound social impact.” Leveraging its robust research strengths and its unique startup ecosystem, PolyVentures, the University actively supports its research teams and startups in developing innovative technologies, bringing Hong Kong research achievements to the global stage. The Smart Firefighting Robot, developed by Mr WANG Meng, a PhD candidate of the Department of Building Environment and Energy Engineering as well as Founder of PolyU startup Widemount Dynamics Tech Limited, along with his team, achieved the highest score in the “Products in Support of Human Security for All” category and earned the prestigious “Best of Innovation Award”. The Powered Rehab Skateboard, developed by Prof. Kenneth FONG, Associate Dean of the Graduate School and Associate Head of the Department of Rehabilitation Sciences, received an “Innovation Award” in the “Accessibility and Longevity” category. The FattaLab® Fatty Liver Diagnostic Device, developed by a team spearheaded by Prof. ZHENG Yongping, Henry G. Leong Professor in Biomedical Engineering, Chair Professor of Biomedical Engineering, and Founder and Chief Scientist of PolyU startup Eieling Technology Limited, also won an “Innovation Award” in the “Digital Health” category.  The three award-winning innovations aim to enhance human security or health through cutting-edge technologies. The AI-driven Smart Firefighting Robot features autonomous patrol, burning materials classification, fire extinguishing and real-time data sharing functions in smoke-filled environments, protecting firefighters and the public simultaneously. The Powered Rehab Skateboard is a portable and cost-effective robotic system that supports home-based and community rehabilitation for stroke patients. The skateboard facilitates motor recovery in hemiparetic upper limbs and allows users to engage in effective therapy. The FattaLab® Fatty Liver Diagnostic Device is the world’s first lightweight intelligent assessment system for fatty liver detection. Weighs only 120 grams, the device can complete fatty liver assessment within 30 seconds, achieving detection accuracy at medical-grade standards.  Organised by the Consumer Technology Association, CES is one of the world’s largest and most influential consumer electronics exhibitions, spotlighting cutting-edge technologies for modern living. This year, CES attracted over 4,500 exhibitors from around the globe. The PolyU startups participating in the exhibition were as follows: PolyU Startups Featured Innovations Company Representatives AniMed Technology Limited Contactless real-time AI-driven health monitoring Dr LYU Weimin Co-founder and CEO, AniMed Technology Limited CyanSE Smart Energy Tech Limited AI-powered energy optimisation platforms for smart buildings Ms Amber ZHANG Co-founder, CyanSE Smart Energy Tech Limited DRESIO Limited AI-powered physiotherapy assessments software solution Mr Alexander YING CEO, DRESIO Limited Eieling Technology Limited FattaLab® Fatty Liver Diagnostic Device (CES 2026 Innovation Award) Prof. ZHENG Yongping Henry G. Leong Professor in Biomedical Engineering, Chair Professor of Biomedical Engineering, PolyU; Founder and Chief Scientist, Eieling Technology Limited Entoptica Limited Cutting-edge ophthalmic diagnostic technologies Dr Mukhit KULMAGANBETOV Senior Research Fellow, InnoHK Centre for Eye and Vision Research; CEO, Entoptica Limited Feelings Group Limited AI-powered computer vision solution Dr WONG Wing-sze Research Assistant Professor, Department of Language Science and Technology, PolyU; Clinical Consultant and Co-inventor, Feelings Group Limited   Ms YIP Chi-hay Partner, Feelings Group Limited Gembody Limited Next-generation portable AI ultrasound system Ms MAO Qian CEO, Gembody Limited   Dr YANG Fan CTO, Gembody Limited ImageVector MedTech Limited AI-Vision for Joint Degeneration Dr JIANG Tianshu Executive Director, ImageVector MedTech Limited Immune Materials Limited Innovative long-lasting antimicrobial self-disinfection materials Prof. Chris LO Kwan-yu Professor, Department of Logistics and Maritime Studies, PolyU; Co-founder, Immune Materials Limited   Prof. KAN Chi-wai Associate Dean and Professor, School of Fashion and Textiles, PolyU; Co-founder, Immune Materials Limited Innobound Limited Portable smart terminal for emotional interaction, health monitoring and daily living assistance Ms GAO Lan CEO and Founder, Innobound Limited MedVision Limited AI-powered medical imaging solution Prof. CAI Jing Head and Professor, Department of Health Technology and Informatics, PolyU; Consultant, MedVision Limited   Dr MA Zongrui Postdoctoral Fellow，Department of Health Technology and Informatics, PolyU; Founder, MedVision Limited Mirror Caring Limited Knee health management solution Prof. Stephen WANG Jia Professor, School of Design, PolyU; Founder, Mirror Caring Limited Nuvatech Limited Next-Gen Fashion OS powered by Multi-modal AI Mr DENG Yanheng Founder, Nuvatech Limited On-Skin Wearable Technology Limited Wearable Biomedical Electronic Device Dr Rayman GONG Founder and CEO, On-Skin Wearable Technology Limited ReSaTech Limited AI solutions for product reliability Mr Ricky LAW CEO, ReSaTech Limited UbiquiTech Innovations Limited Edge-AI robot for autonomous inspection and cleaning in confined spaces Prof. CAO Jiannong Vice President (Education), Otto Poon Charitable Foundation Professor in Data Science, Chair Professor of Distributed and Mobile Computing, PolyU; Founder and Chief Scientist, UbiquiTech Innovations Limited   Dr LIANG Zhixuan Postdoctoral Fellow, Department of Computing, PolyU; Founder and CEO, UbiquiTech Innovations Limited Vcare Vision Technology Limited Non-invasive myopia prevention solution Dr TANG Yuk-ming Senior Lecturer, Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering, PolyU; Co-founder, Vcare Vision Technology Limited Widemount Dynamics Tech Limited Smart Firefighting Robot (CES 2026 Best of Innovation Award) Mr WANG Meng PhD candidate, Building Environment and Energy Engineering, PolyU; Founder, Widemount Dynamics Tech Limited XOXO Beverages Limited Automated Cocktail Machine for improvements event and hospitality efficiency Mr Nicholas YU Wo-ping Founder, XOXO Beverages Limited The Smart Firefighting Robot received the highest score in the “Products in Support of Human Security for All” category and earned the prestigious “Best of Innovation Award”. The Powered Rehab Skateboard received an “Innovation Award” in the “Accessibility and Longevity” category. The FattaLab® Fatty Liver Diagnostic Device won an “Innovation Award” in the “Digital Health” category. ***END***

PolyU research finds frequent Arctic wildfires could cut snow cover by 18 days, impacting global climate and ecology

The correlation between Arctic wildfires and abnormal snow cover under global warming is of growing concern. A comprehensive quantitative assessment by researchers at The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) has shown that increasingly frequent seasonal wildland fires across the Arctic in recent years have delayed snow cover formation by at least five days and could lead to a future 18-day reduction of snow cover duration, with implications for global ecosystems. Against the backdrop of the United Nation’s “Decade of Action for Cryospheric Sciences”, this study not only underscores the urgency of addressing climate change, but also provides critical scientific evidence to inform global climate adaptation strategies. Snow cover in the Arctic plays a key role in the global climate system. It reflects solar radiation back into space thus keeping the surface cool, while its meltwater is an important source of freshwater. Snow is therefore central to the planet’s energy balance, hydrological cycles and weather patterns. Anomalies such as delayed snow formation or earlier melt can intensify warming, affect water supplies, and reduce forest ecosystem productivity and carbon sequestration beyond the Arctic, ultimately disrupting global ecosystems and biodiversity. Led by Prof. Shuo WANG, Associate Professor of the PolyU Department of Land Surveying and Geo-Informatics, a core member of the Research Institute for Land and Space, and a member of the State Key Laboratory of Climate Resilience for Coastal Cities, the study is conducted in collaboration with international researchers from the University of California, Irvine, and Columbia University. The findings have been published in the international journal Nature Climate Change. Prof. Wang elaborated, “Global warming has intensified Arctic wildland fires, making such fires increasingly frequent, larger in scale and in some cases more intense. In 2023, Canada experienced record-breaking fires, with over 45 million acres burned - nearly 10 times the average annual burned area over the past 40 years. This research aims to quantify the links among wildfires, snow formation and snow cover duration, thereby advancing our understanding of land-atmosphere interactions under climate change.” The research team compiled long-term satellite remote sensing data of the burned area together with the start day and end day of snow cover in the Arctic from 1982 to 2018. They integrated these data with an artificial intelligence model built on the state-of-the-art XGBoost machine learning algorithms, incorporating a range of climate factors before, during and after fires (such as albedo, surface temperature and air temperature), as well as fire location, to evaluate the influence of these variables on snow cover. The satellite data indicated that as burned area in the Arctic increased, the duration of snow cover decreased. Between 2001 and 2018, the average snow cover lasted 205 days, 10 days shorter than that from 1982 to 2000. The team further utilised the CMIP6 climate model projections to simulate future changes in Arctic wildfires and snow under different emission scenarios. They discovered that, under the high-emission scenario SSP5-8.5, the annual burned area of the Arctic could expand by 2.6 times by year 2100, while snow duration may shrink to about 130 days — approximately 18 days shorter than the historical average from 1950 to 2014. The study also found that major wildland fires significantly delay the formation of snow cover. Through regional impact analysis, the team determined that in the first year following a major wildfire, the snow start date is postponed by more than five days compared with the three-year average prior to the fire; moreover, the larger the burned area, the longer the delay. The research team identified the underlying physical mechanism as the deposition and persistence of black carbon on the ground after fires, which reduces surface albedo and enhances the absorption of solar radiation. This additional energy increases both land surface temperature and near-surface air temperature, thereby suppressing effective snow accumulation and ultimately postponing snow formation.  “Wildland fires alter surface properties in the Arctic and subsequently shorten the duration of regional snow cover,” Prof. Wang added. “The reduction of snow cover further disrupts surface energy balance, prolongs land exposure, and leads to warmer, drier surfaces, which create favourable conditions for an earlier start and broader spread of fires. Such a feedback loop underscores the vulnerability of Arctic ecosystems to cascading climate impacts.” The research team envisions these findings will not only provide solid evidence for predicting the future hydrological cycle and climate dynamics of the Arctic, but also offer scientific guidance for assessing ecosystem resilience and formulating effective climate adaptation strategies to help mitigate the chain effect of climate change.   ***END***

PolyU holds 2026 New Year’s Day flag-raising ceremony

The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) held a flag-raising ceremony on campus this morning to welcome the New Year. PolyU Council Chairman Dr LAM Tai-fai, President Prof. Jin-Guang TENG, University Court Chairman Dr Katherine NGAN NG Yu-ying, Treasurer of the University Mr Arthur LEE Kin, Honorary Court Chairman Dr Roy CHUNG Chi-ping, and President Emeritus Prof. the Honourable POON Chung-kwong, together with Council and Court members, University senior management, Outstanding Alumni, members of the PolyU Foundation, distinguished guests, and nearly 400 staff and students attended the ceremony, wishing prosperity and stability for Hong Kong and the Nation. The ceremony was jointly performed by the PolyU Student Flag-Raising Team and the Guizhou University Flag Guards who visited Hong Kong specially for this occasion. Dr Lam Tai-fai said, “Over the past year, Hong Kong has leveraged its unique advantages of having strong support from the Motherland and a close connection with the rest of the world, making steady progress in political, economic and societal development. As a global top 100 university, PolyU is committed to advancing cutting-edge research and talent development, while also shouldering the mission of promoting cultural heritage and international exchange. By organising the PolyU Chinese Culture Festival, we use culture as a vehicle to connect regions along the Belt and Road, showcase the beauty of Chinese culture to the world and foster cultural inclusion and appreciation. In the coming year, PolyU will continue to pursue research excellence, high-quality education and cultural cultivation, and participate deeply in the development of the Guangdong–Hong Kong–Macao Greater Bay Area—better integrating into and serving overall National development. Leveraging our academic and cultural strengths, we will support the Nation's development into a powerhouse in technology, education and talent cultivation.” Prof. Jin-Guang Teng said, “PolyU has reached new heights in global university rankings, testifying to the extensive international recognition of its academic and research excellence. The University is actively strengthening its innovation network in Chinese Mainland and has established 12 Translational Research Institutes in different cities across the country, as well as two Research Institutes and a Disruptive Technology and Innovation Research Centre in Shenzhen. We have also launched nine InnoHub centres to drive translational research aligned with local industrial and societal needs, while cultivating entrepreneurial talent. With the establishment of the PolyU Academy for Artificial Intelligence last year, we will further strengthen research in AI, catalyse new quality productive forces through innovative technologies and drive high-quality development across industries, contributing to the technological self-reliance of the Nation.”   ***END***  

PolyU wins two Silvers and one Bronze in QS Reimagine Education Awards 2025

Placing great emphasis on advancing teaching and learning innovation, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) is committed to enhancing student engagement and learning outcomes through the use of cutting-edge educational technologies. Three PolyU teams have integrated generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) and metaverse technologies into their teaching initiatives, winning two Silver Awards and one Bronze Award at the QS Reimagine Education Awards 2025 — the highest number of awards among Hong Kong universities. A teaching team led by Dr Richard LUI, Senior Lecturer of the Department of Computing, has developed GPTutor, a GenAI-powered learning platform, to strength AI literacy and essential workplace skills among students from diverse disciplines. Their project, “AI Literacy to Workplace Excellence: Transforming Education for Next-Generation Professionals”, received a Silver Award in the AI in Education by Higher Education Institutions category. GPTutor offers a range of self‑directed learning support to help students explore course content and consolidate their learning, including an AI chatbot that answers students’ questions about lecture materials, and the automatic generation of personalised revision questions and quizzes. In GPTutor, instructors can create three-dimensional avatars that enable students to practise practical application skills needed in real‑world scenarios through simulated interaction. GPTutor has been integrated in courses in multiple disciplines, with more than 3,000 PolyU students using this platform to support their learning last academic year. The team also tailored AI‑enhanced experiential learning activities for students from over 20 programmes to bridge online learning with real-world AI applications. Prof. Shirley NGAI, Associate Head and Associate Professor of the Department of Rehabilitation Sciences and her team won a Sliver Award in the Nurturing Employability category with the project “Standardised Programme for Advancing Clinical Education” (SPACE). The project provides students with authentic clinical simulations to facilitate their transition from classroom learning to clinical placements, reshaping traditional physiotherapy education. As a pre‑clinical training framework, SPACE is designed for senior physiotherapy students. It immerses students in lifelike clinical settings where they assess, diagnose and treat highly trained standardised patients while also navigating workplace challenges such as hierarchical dynamics. All scenarios are co-designed with local industry experts to reflect real-world demands; GenAI is also employed to increase case diversity. After each session, teaching faculty provide immediate feedback to further enrich learning outcomes. The framework comprehensively enhances students’ clinical competency, decision-making skills and adaptability, equipping them with stronger professional proficiency and employability. Winning a Bronze Award in the Nurturing Values and Ethics category, the project “vCare: A Multiplayer Metaverse Game for Interprofessional Healthcare Education” (vCare) is spearheaded by Dr Kitty CHAN, Associate Professor of Practice of the School of Nursing, and her team. Grounded in self-determination theory, the team has developed a metaverse educational game to foster students’ autonomy, competence and relatedness. vCare is a multiplayer online role‑playing game in which students navigate customisable virtual clinical environments, solo or collaboratively, on scenario-based missions. Its gamified design features interactive elements such as knowledge checks, leaderboards and peer recognition. Supporting up to 100 participants in small-group game rooms, the game brings together students from different health professions — such as nursing, rehabilitation and radiography — to collaborate in the virtual space, allowing them to understand other professional perspectives, values and ethical stands, learn to resolve team conflicts and build a strong ethical framework. The team is planning enhancements, including the inclusion of real cases, to further foster empathy inclusive and value‑driven healthcare education. Known as the “Oscars” of the education sector, the QS Reimagine Education Awards honour pioneering pedagogical approaches that improve student learning outcomes and employability. This year, the Awards attracted over 1,650 submissions worldwide, which were rigorously judged by more than 1,300 international experts in the higher education and educational technology sectors, with winners selected across 21 award categories.   ***END***

PolyU develops “zero-hallucination” AI literature review system to usher in new era of super research brain

Literature review underpins all academic studies. Whether for governments formulating national strategies or corporations seeking to gain industry insights, this requires reading, screening, sorting and analysing a very considerable number of sources. Prof. LIU Yan, Associate Professor and Group Leader of the Artificial Intelligence and Robotics (AIR) Research Group at the Department of Computing of The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU), has led her team to develop the AI literature review system “Write For You”, which can conduct in-depth analysis across extensive bodies of literature and generate reports. Since its launch in the first quarter of this year, it has registered over 40,000 active users worldwide. The academic paper on this system was presented at the AI conference held by the Association for the Advancement of Artificial Intelligence in February this year. Prof. Liu Yan explained that the team was inspired by Prof. CAO Jiannong, PolyU Vice President (Education), who suggested in 2022 that AI could be utilised to automate educational research. Mr ZHANG Zhi, a PhD student of the department, then leveraged the latest techniques of intelligent agents to address the problem of generating inaccurate content due to AI “hallucination”, succeeding in achieving “zero-hallucination” literature reviews with reliable logical reasoning and the capability to integrate academic resources across languages. Meanwhile, Dr CHEN Gong, a PhD graduate of the same department, designed and developed a user-friendly system for literature review generation, enabling users across industries to obtain a comprehensive and in-depth report in a matter of minutes by simply describing their topic of interest. Prof. Liu Yan added, “Compared with traditional reading that requires considerable time and human resources, the ‘Write For You’ system can significantly enhance research efficiency while also reducing costs. It has therefore been well received by users around the world. In just a few months since its launch, users have spanned dozens of countries and regions.” Prof. Cao Jiannong noted, “With the trend of AI-empowered education and research, PolyU is committed to leveraging leading generative AI technologies to enhance research efficiency. Our team has successfully addressed the challenge of AI hallucination, substantially improving the system’s reliability and overcoming commonly faced technical hurdles. Looking ahead, the team will build on its literature review foundation, seizing the opportunity to boost new AI-powered quality productive forces. Committed to developing autonomous intelligent systems, the team seeks to construct an ‘AI Super Research Brain’ that covers all disciplines and the entire research process, helping humanity push the boundaries of knowledge while leading the development of a new global paradigm of technological innovation with Hong Kong-developed AI technologies.” Project website: https://www.writeforyou.net/ ***END***

PolyU builds advanced human-robot collaboration system, empowering high-end manufacturing tasks

With human-robot collaboration at the core of Industry 5.0, a research team at The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) has made significant progress in this field, developing a new generation of “human-machine symbiotic” collaborative manufacturing systems. In addition to perceiving complex environments in real time and accurately interpreting operators’ intentions, the system can achieve skill transfer and self-learning via simple demonstration, while carrying out autonomous process code generation and automatic adjustment for highly accurate task execution. It has been successfully applied to high-end manufacturing tasks such as autonomous drilling on large aircraft and the disassembly of electric vehicle batteries, laying a solid foundation for a new model of human-centric smart manufacturing. The goal of human-robot synergy is to combine the adaptability and responsiveness of humans with the precision and stability of machines. Led by Prof. ZHENG Pai, Wong Tit Shing Young Scholar in Smart Robotics and Associate Professor of the PolyU Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering, the research team has developed the “Mutual Cognitive Human-Robot Collaboration Manufacturing System” (MC-HRCMS). With a shift away from pre-programmed operations, this system is centred upon holistic scene perception—by collecting and analysing multimodal sensing data including vision, haptics, language and physiological signals, it enables highly accurate and comprehensive environmental analysis, while carrying out autonomous decision-making and flexible task execution. The system features advanced machine learning and 3D scene perception capabilities that deliver efficiency and safety, greatly enhancing fluid human-robot interaction in complex manufacturing scenarios. Through industry collaboration projects, the team has tailored human-robot collaboration systems for multiple leading enterprises and successfully deployed them across various scenarios that involve precision and/or complex work procedures. Prof. Zheng said, “The global manufacturing industry is shifting towards a human-machine symbiotic paradigm that emphasises more flexible automation. Our research aims to develop a paradigm that offers multimodal natural perception, cross-scenario skill transfer and domain foundation-model autonomous execution, so that robots are no longer just tools, but intelligent agents that can evolve with human operators. This provides smart factories with a new path beyond pre-programmed automation.” Semi-structured and unstructured production scenarios, such as personalised manufacturing, often involve large-scale, complex assembly, disassembly and inspection processes that demand high cognition and rapid adaptation. In this regard, the team introduced a “novel vision-language-guided” planning framework that combines Large Language Models (LLMs), Deep Reinforcement Learning (DRL), and Mixed-Reality Head-Mounted Displays (MR-HMD), enhancing the ability to execute personalised and other unpredictable production tasks. A key innovation of the framework is the combination of a vision-language-guided target object segmentation model with language-command-driven task planning, allowing the system to integrate visual information with language-based instructions. This enables robots to comprehend complex task semantics, interpret dynamic scenes and collaborate efficiently with human operators. In particular, the head-mounted device enables real-time data acquisition and provides immediate, intuitive guidance to operators, redefining the human-machine interaction interface. Prof. Zheng said, “The future of smart manufacturing is not about machines getting smarter to replace humans, but about creating systems where humans and robots learn, adapt and succeed together to achieve higher productivity and flexibility. To meet this need, the next-generation robot manipulators should be capable of continual learning and optimisation under human guidance, enabling efficient and natural human-robot interaction.” To further advance human-robot collaboration, Prof. Zheng will also lead his team in exploring self-configurable human-robot networks, skill transfer mechanisms and autonomous multi-agent task execution. By building a deeply human-centric intelligent manufacturing system and expanding it into more key domains, the team strives to guide society towards a technology-empowered, empathetic and human-oriented smart era. With his dedication to researching “human-machine symbiotic” collaborative manufacturing systems, Prof. Zheng was awarded funding from the Excellent Young Scientists Fund by the National Natural Science Foundation of China in 2024. He now leads the RAIDS research team on the above projects. For more details, please visit: https://www.raids.group/    ***END***  

PolyU delegation visits Fujian to deepen Fujian-Hong Kong collaborative development

Chinese version only

PolyU 13 projects secure funding of over HK$20 million under NSFC/RGC Collaborative and Joint Research Schemes

The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) has secured funding for 13 research projects totalling approximately HK$20.3 million under the 2025/26 funding exercise of the Collaborative Research Scheme (CRS) and Joint Research Scheme (JRS), jointly administered by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (NSFC) and the Research Grants Council (RGC) of Hong Kong. Actively promoting high-impact collaborative research with Chinese Mainland researchers, PolyU ranked among the top three Hong Kong universities for funding amounts received under both schemes, reflecting the University’s solid research and innovation capabilities. Prof. Christopher CHAO, Senior Vice President (Research and Innovation) of PolyU, said, “We are delighted by this recognition of PolyU’s sustained research leadership and collaborative strength. It reflects the dedication and talent of our researchers in addressing critical scientific and societal challenges. We will continue to foster impactful research and strong partnerships that drive innovation and contribute to Hong Kong’s growth as a vibrant centre for technology and knowledge, thereby supporting the Nation’s development.” The two PolyU research projects funded under CRS were both spearheaded by scholars from the Faculty of Construction and Environment. They are “Development of high performance and durable solid oxide electrolysis cells (SOECs) for coupling with Fischer-Tropsch (F-T) reactor for green synthetic liquid fuel production”, led by Prof. NI Meng, Associate Dean (Research) of the Faculty of Construction and Environment, Head and Chair Professor of Energy Science and Technology of the Department of Building Environment and Energy Engineering; and “FRP-Reinforced Concrete Structures for Marine Environments: Material and Structural Innovations for Ductility Enhancement and Prefabricated Construction”, led by Prof. YU Tao, Associate Head (Research) and Professor of the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering. These projects seek to introduce novel green fuel and marine engineering technologies, paving the way for a more sustainable future. In addition, 11 PolyU projects have received approximately HK$13.2 million in funding support under JRS, ranking second among local universities in terms of the number of awarded projects and the total amount of funding. Spanning a broad spectrum of areas — including biomedical imaging, musculoskeletal health, infrared sensing, superconducting materials, ferroelectric crystals, energy storage, organic photovoltaics, navigation systems and urban resilience — these projects exemplify PolyU’s continued commitment to research excellence across multiple fields to advance technology and address societal needs. For further details on PolyU’s funded projects, please refer to the Appendix. NSFC/RGC CRS supports larger-scale collaborative research across disciplines and universities in the Chinese Mainland and Hong Kong with a view to enhancing research output and impact on both sides, while JRS aims to promote collaboration between researchers and research teams in Hong Kong and the Chinese Mainland on the basis of complementing the existing strengths of both sides. ***END***  

PolyU develops ultra-stable, mucus-inspired hydrogel to boost gastrointestinal wound healing

The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) has developed an acid-resistant “ultra-stable mucus-inspired hydrogel” (UMIH), marking a breakthrough in the field of gastrointestinal medicine. Traditional hydrogels—gelatin-like materials that absorb and retain water—are widely used to aid wound healing and extend drug release. However, they usually break down in acidic environments like the stomach. Inspired by the natural properties of gastric mucus, a PolyU research team has developed UMIH, a hydrogel that adheres 15 times more strongly than conventional gastric mucosal protectants, showing considerable potential for wound repair and targeted drug delivery and promising large‑scale commercialisation. The research was carried out by the PolyU team in collaboration with researchers and clinicians from Sichuan University. The research showed that UMIH significantly improved gastrointestinal wound healing in animals and outperformed a clinically approved mucosal protectant used to protect the stomach lining. The study, “Mucus-inspired hydrogels with protonation-driven adhesion for extreme acidic conditions,” has been published in Cell Reports Physical Science. Prof. WANG Zuankai, Associate Vice President (Research), Dean of the Graduate School, Kuok Group Professor in Nature-Inspired Engineering, Chair Professor of the Department of Mechanical Engineering, Director of Research Center for Nature-Inspired Science and Engineering at PolyU, who led the study, said, “UMIH shows promise in treating gastroesophageal reflux and gastric ulcers, and in protecting post-surgical wounds. It can also be combined with endoscopic drug delivery for minimally invasive therapy. This research establishes UMIH as a transformative, extremely acid-tolerant platform, with immediate applications in gastrointestinal repair and targeted drug delivery, while also opening avenues for next-generation implantable devices to accelerate translation to the clinic.” Prof. Wang explained that aluminium phosphate gel (APG)—a clinically approved mucosal protectant and antacid—has long been used to treat gastric ulcers and gastro‑oesophageal reflux. The experimental data show that, under simulated gastric conditions (pH 2), UMIH achieved a wet adhesion strength of 64.7 kilopascals (kPa), 15-fold higher than APG; APG fully degraded after three days, whereas UMIH retained about 50% of its structural integrity after seven days. In vitro tests on cultured gastrointestinal cells found no signs of toxicity, while UMIH also inhibited the growth of Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus, indicating antibacterial potential. Like conventional hydrogels, UMIH consists of a meshwork of polymers that absorb water to create a strong but jelly-like consistency. To enhance its acid resistance, the research team integrated three key molecular components into UMIH’s structure: ELR-IK24, a protein that binds hydrogen ions under acidic conditions to reduce local acidity; tannic acid, which boosts adhesion of hydrogel; and HDI, a molecule that stabilises the hydrogel’s structure under acidic conditions. “Our hydrogel is a synergistic combination of three essential molecular components. This multi-crosslinking architecture keeps UMIH firmly intact in strong acid while maintaining softness and injectability—qualities well suited to clinical use,” said Ms Yeung Yeung CHAU, a Research Associate of the PolyU Department of Mechanical Engineering and a member of the research team. “We tested UMIH in pig and rat models of esophageal injury. Compared with control animals and APG‑treated animals, UMIH adhered more firmly to wound faces and improved healing. UMIH reduced  tissue damage and inflammation and promoted the growth of new blood vessels, which is essential for healing,” explained Dr Xiao YANG, a Postdoctoral Fellow of the PolyU Department of Mechanical Engineering and a member of the research team. While clinical trials will be needed to validate UMIH’s safety and efficacy in humans, it holds strong potential for commercialisation. It is low-cost, easy to mass-produce and developed from components with established safety profiles. The material is ready to use both in operating room and on the production line. Looking ahead, the research team plans to integrate UMIH with drug release systems and implantable flexible electronics to create smart gastrointestinal devices capable of real-time treatment and monitoring. ***END***

PolyU hosts Quantum HK 2025, convening global experts to probe frontier advances in quantum technologies

As a pivotal hub fostering international research collaboration between the Greater Bay Area and the rest of the world, Hong Kong serves as a unique intermediary in driving the innovation and translation of quantum technologies. The “International Conference on Quantum Technology 2025” (Quantum HK 2025), hosted by The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU), has recently concluded, having attracted more than 200 experts, scholars, researchers and industry leaders. The Conference fostered in-depth discussion on cutting-edge breakthroughs and future developments in quantum technologies, further expanding the breadth and depth of academic exchange and academia-industry collaboration. The event’s co-organisers were The University of Hong Kong (HKU), The Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK), The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, City University of Hong Kong (CityUHK), the Physical Society of Hong Kong, and the Beijing-Hong Kong Academic Exchange Centre. Prof. Christopher CHAO, PolyU Senior Vice President (Research and Innovation) remarked, “As this year marks the International Year of Quantum Science and Technology, quantum technologies have become a key agenda item of global interest. Over the past year, breakthroughs in quantum computer, quantum communication and quantum metrology have laid important foundations for the application of artificial intelligence and secure communications. PolyU has successfully established Hong Kong’s first quantum chip-based communication network, completing a quantum encrypted transmission test that spanned a 55km-long optical fibre network—demonstrating Hong Kong’s leadership in quantum innovation. Looking ahead, PolyU will continue to nurture talent, foster interdisciplinary collaboration and accelerate the translation of quantum technology scientific achievements into societal applications, contributing to global quantum development.” Prof. Ai-Qun LIU, the Conference Co-Chairman, Director of the Research Institute for Quantum Technology, Chair Professor of the Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, and Hong Kong Global STEM Scholar, noted, “This conference gathered experts bringing insights from academia and industry, building an interdisciplinary platform for exchange and collaboration in quantum technologies. Moving forward, it will continue to unite diverse stakeholders to expedite research translation and industrialisation, injecting new momentum into the development of quantum technologies in Hong Kong, the Greater Bay Area and the Nation.” The Conference was co-chaired by Prof. Ai-Qun Liu, Prof. Oscar DAHLSTEN and Prof. Din-Ping CAI from CityUHK, as well as Prof. Giulio CHIRIBELLA from HKU. There were also multiple keynote talks aimed at facilitating in-depth discussions on quantum computing, quantum information security and metrology. The speakers included: Academician Dapeng YU from the Shenzhen Institute for Quantum Science and Engineering; Prof. Xicheng ZHANG from the University of Rochester; Prof. Guilu LONG from Tsinghua University; Prof. Leong Chuan KWEK from Nanyang Technological University; Prof. Abolfazl BAYAT from the University of Electronic Science and Technology of China; Prof. Tim BYRNES from NYU Shanghai; Prof. Yanoar P. SARWONO from the Agency for Science, Technology and Research, Singapore; Prof. Qi ZHAO from HKU; and Prof. Haidong YUAN from CUHK. Meanwhile, representatives from other leading organisations and companies—including Huawei, QBosoN, SpinQ, Tencent Quantum Lab and Xuntai Quantum Technology—engaged in roundtable discussions, focusing on industrialisation of research outcomes. They also offered forward-looking recommendations on standardisation, modularisation and scalability in quantum technologies, while also emphasising the need to accelerate the development of a stable and multi-tier talent pipeline to effectively support innovation and growth in the quantum industry. ***END***