PolyU research in advanced sensory AI recognised by BOCHK Science and Technology Innovation Prize 2024

Artificial intelligence (AI) is a rapidly growing field that unlocks new insights across diverse fields, ultimately driving innovation and transforming our understanding of complex systems. The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) has garnered recognition in the BOCHK Science and Technology Innovation Prize 2024 (STIP) for its remarkable achievements in the category of “Artificial Intelligence and Robotics”.

Prof. Yang CHAI, Associate Dean (Research) of the Faculty of Science and Professor of the Department of Applied Physics at PolyU, is recognised in the “Artificial Intelligence and Robotics” field for his contributions to Artificial Intelligence (AI) sensor technology. His groundbreaking works, particularly in developing disruptive in-sensor computing paradigms for artificial vision sensors, enable information processing directly within the sensors.

The award highlights how Prof. CHAI’s innovation minimises the need for frequent data transfers to external computing units, enhances computational efficiency, and enriches sensor functionalities for visual processing applications.

Prof. Christopher CHAO, Vice President (Research and Innovation) of PolyU said, “We take pride in this honourable award, which acknowledges our talented scholar’s remarkable achievements for excellence in AI sensory technology. The pioneering and innovative research at PolyU is inspiring and laying the foundation for widespread applications, promising a bright future in both technology and human life.”

The BOCHK STIP is an annual accolade open to key fields of Hong Kong’s scientific and technological innovation. Each year, five awards are presented, with each winner receiving a cash reward of HKD 2 million. Since the inception of this award, PolyU has had six scientists recognised over three consecutive years, spanning fields such as “Advanced Manufacturing”, “FinTech”, “Life and Health”, and “Artificial Intelligence and Robotics”.

Prof. CHAI has made significant strides in sensory AI systems by addressing critical challenges in power consumption, latency, and data compression. His innovations have unlocked the potential of sensory AI across various industries, enhancing decision-making and situational awareness while improving privacy and security.

Targeting the development of neuromorphic computing devices for efficient processing of complex visual information, he has developed novel hardware architectures and optimisation techniques that facilitate the application of advanced sensory AI in mobile devices, IoT sensors, and edge computing. This transformation offers promising applications in smart cities, autonomous vehicles, and industrial automation.

Inspired by natural bioinspired sensory systems, his research team is committed to exploring how to fuse sensing and processing functions through new hardware design. By mimicking biological visual systems, the team has developed vision sensors that can improve image recognition accuracy, adapt to extremely dim/bright lighting and different wavelengths, and agilely perceive dynamic motion.

The BOCHK STIP, hosted by the Hong Kong Alliance of Technology and Innovation and sponsored by the Bank of China (Hong Kong) Limited, is a non-governmental merit-based award. It aims to reward outstanding scientists and research teams in Hong Kong and the Greater Bay Area for their significant achievements in scientific and technological innovation and transformation.

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