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PolyU 227 projects supported by the General Research Fund and Early Career Scheme with a total grant of HK$195 million

The Hong Kong Polytechnic University has successfully awarded a total grant of HK$195 million from the General Research Fund (GRF) and Early Career Scheme (ECS) for 227 projects in the 2022/23 exercise. PolyU ranked third in terms of the number of awarded projects and amount among the eight UGC-funded universities this year. In the 2022/23 General Research Fund, PolyU has 209 projects funded with a total amount of HK$182 million. Notably, among the subject discipline of engineering, PolyU received the most significant funding amount with HK$87 million for 88 projects, accounting for 30%  of the total funding within this panel, which is also the best performer. Panel / Subject Discipline  Number of Funded Projects Awarded Amount (HK$) Biology & Medicine Total 23 25,700,000 Business Studies Total 28 14,170,000 Engineering 88 87,203,000 Humanities, Social Sciences Total 32 26,738,000 Physical Sciences Total 38 28,681,000 Total 209   182,492,000      (Source: General Research Fund 2022/23)   For the 2022/23 Early Career Scheme, PolyU has awarded HK$12.9 million for 18 projects, of which 8 projects are from the Engineering discipline; 4 projects are from the Physical Sciences; 3 projects belong to the Business Studies; 2 projects are in Humanities, Social Sciences; and 1 project is in Biology & Medicine. Professor Christopher CHAO, Vice President (Research and Innovation) of PolyU, said, “PolyU takes pride in our researchers that have demonstrated a wide range of high-quality research. We are encouraged by these achievements and delighted to have such excellent results to support our colleagues to further their research endeavours.” About GRF & ECS Under the Research Grants Council, the  General Research Fund (GRF) aims to supplement universities’ research support to researchers who have achieved or have the potential to achieve excellence. The  Early Career Scheme (ECS), introduced in 2012/13, is intended to nurture junior academics. The assessment criteria include the scientific and scholarly merit of the proposal, originality, potential for social, cultural or economic application, and more.  

Project Led by Prof LI Xiang-dong Awarded Theme-based Research Scheme 2022/23

The Hong Kong Polytechnic University has been striving to propose advanced technologies and conduct research for sustainable development. Led by Prof Xiang-dong Li, Dean of Faculty of Construction and Environment, Director of Research Institute for Sustainable Urban Development, Chair Professor of Environmental Science and Technology, the research project titled “Unravelling the Black Box between Air Pollution and Public Health for Transformative Air Quality Management’’, is supported by the Research Grants Council (RGC) for the Theme-based Research Scheme 2022/23 (Twelfth Round). The longstanding impact goal of this project is to provide policymakers, organisations, and practitioners with more effective and targeted control measures to mitigate the health effects/burden of air PM2.5 pollution. Air pollution is the greatest environmental health risk factor for premature deaths worldwide; fine particulate matter (PM2.5) is one of the biggest concerns among air pollutants. However, identifying the toxic components and their associated sources responsible for PM2.5 health effects represents a major scientific challenge prior to policymaking. The recent advances in environmental toxicology and molecular epidemiology provide opportunities for solving the long-standing puzzle. Supported by an existing PM2.5 global monitoring network, the research team will select multiple cities representative of distinct natural and socioeconomic conditions in the study. The project is expected to generate solid evidence of key PM2.5 toxic components and emission sources that contribute to the acute toxicity of PM2.5, particularly in the exacerbation of two index diseases of the pulmonary and cardiovascular systems, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and ischemic heart disease (IHD). Furthermore, the team will evaluate the benefits vs costs of their proposed strategy of targeting the sources of PM2.5 toxic constituents against the conventional approach targeting total mass concentrations. Effective, practical, and economical approaches to managing air quality and public health will be recommended through this project. For example, the completion of the current project may lead to 1) a revision of the Air Quality Health Index (AQHI) algorithm and the associated 'Health Advice' and 2) a review and updates of the Air Quality Objectives (AQO) in Hong Kong.  Prof Li remarked, “With several team members serving as advisors for the WHO, we will organize regular workshops to discuss important health issues with all potential stakeholders in expert groups. As more lines of evidence emerge, the findings will be conveyed to other national and international bodies to influence future policy formulations on air quality in different parts of the world. The major focus of the current project is on the acute effects of PM2.5. Still, our integrated approaches established here are expected to affect studies on the chronic effects of PM2.5and the regulation of PM2.5in terms of its long-term effects, including lung cancer and neurodegeneration.” By considering different carbon emission reduction scenarios toward the goal of carbon neutrality, the outcomes of the study will also contribute to health co-benefits from air pollution and climate change mitigation. The experiences of Hong Kong and the GBA may serve as a case model for global reference. With the mission to meet the goals of sustainable development and global health, this project will build a state‐of‐the‐art research platform and provide high-quality training to next-generation graduate students and early career researchers for the future development of environmental health research and education. The Research Grants Council announced the funding results of the Theme-based Research Scheme (TRS) 2022/23. Eight outstanding research proposals were awarded a total funding of over $306 million, of which $270 million will be provided by the RGC and around $36 million matched by the universities concerned.  

PolyU further contributes to the development of China's aerospace technology by collaborating with the Academy of Aerospace Propulsion Technology in establishing the “Joint Research Centre of Advanced Aerospace Propulsion Technology”

The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) and the Academy of Aerospace Propulsion Technology (AAPT) have signed an agreement to establish the “Joint Research Centre of Advanced Aerospace Propulsion Technology”. Led by the Department of Aeronautical and Aviation Engineering (AAE) of PolyU, the collaboration aims to establish a highly competitive scientific research force and technical cooperation team in the field of advanced aerospace propulsion technology through a long-term and in-depth strategic partnership. It is expected to further contribute to the development of China's aerospace technology. Advanced aerospace propulsion technology is a future-oriented field with broad application prospects. PolyU and AAPT have formed an ongoing complementary partnership to establish the “Joint Research Centre of Advanced Aerospace Propulsion Technology”. The five-year cooperation plan involves a number of joint research and development projects. Adhering to the global future development direction of aerospace propulsion technology, the projects will focus on the research and development of key technologies, and enhance the engineering research and production capabilities in the field. The signing ceremony for the cooperation agreement was held on 4 July 2022. The document of cooperation was signed by Professor Christopher CHAO, Vice President (Research and Innovation) of PolyU and Mr LI Bin, Associate Dean of AAPT, and was witnessed by Professor Jin-Guang TENG, President of PolyU and Mr WANG Wanjun, Dean of AAPT. PolyU’s President, Professor Jin-Guang Teng said, “AAPT is the R&D centre of liquid propellant rocket engines in China. PolyU and China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation (CASC) have been working closely together to support the Nation's space exploration and research. This new collaboration will further support the development and modernisation of the Nation’s civil aerospace industry, manned spaceflight and space exploration. PolyU is honoured to continue its ongoing contribution to the development of the Nation’s aerospace science and technology.” Mr Wang Wanjun, Dean of AAPT said, “PolyU AAE has a world-leading research foundation, as well as design experience in aerospace and aeronautical propulsion technology. With PolyU’s comprehensive professional facilities and intelligence resources, the Joint Research Centre for Advanced Aerospace Propulsion Technology can become an influential platform for knowledge exchange. It will be of great benefit to the promotion of research and technological development in the field.” In addition to several joint research projects, this collaboration is also committed to cultivating a group of high-level interdisciplinary experts for future applications. “This collaboration will facilitate academic exchanges and resources sharing, and support scholars in conducting various academic seminars more efficiently, while also nurturing high-tech talents such as research doctoral students and visiting scholars. The joint research team will additionally be involved in a wide range of joint research programmes to foster major projects.” said Professor Chao, Vice President (Research and Innovation) of PolyU. Mr Li, Associate Dean of AAPT said, “The Joint Research Centre will push the cooperation between PolyU and CASC to a new height. This longer-term and comprehensive partnership will serve and support the country's major needs and implementation of its technology projects.” PolyU’s Department of Aeronautical and Aviation Engineering The Department of Aeronautical and Aviation Engineering (AAE) is committed to leading the development of the field of aeronautical and aviation engineering by amalgamating the experts in the Faculty and the industry. It has a rich history and solid background in engaging in academic research, and industrial collaborations related to aeronautical and aerospace engineering. AAE is well known for its researches in advanced technologies including supersonic combustion ramjet, liquid-propellant rocket engine and propellant combustion globally. Academy of Aerospace Propulsion Technology (AAPT) Established in 1965, the Academy of Aerospace Propulsion Technology (AAPT) is one of China’s core aerospace science and technology research units, owned by China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation (CASC). It has 11 units, which are all equipped with advanced facilities for innovation and research, production, and testing. As the only research centre in China focusing on aerospace propulsion technology, its development and production of various propulsion systems have been supporting the Nation’s space exploration and aerospace technology modernization and development.

Two More PolyU Projects Supported By Smart Traffic Fund

Smart Traffic Fund recently approved the fourth batch of three projects with a total grant amount of about HK$13.7 million. In this latest batch, two projects led by PolyU researchers have granted a total amount of HK$10.3 million. Both projects are committed to improving road safety and convenience using intelligent technologies, including safety assessment of bridge decks and a charging management system for electric vehicles. PolyU scholars have received 7 approved projects out of the total 17 projects from the Smart Traffic Fund since its commencement in 2020-21.Smart Assessment of Bridge Deck Efficiency and Safety in Hong KongLed by Prof. Tarek ZAYED, Associate Head (Research) of Department of Building and Real Estate, this project aims at developing a multi-tier inspection method for detecting surface and subsurface defects in concrete bridge deck; and designing a smart efficiency assessment model for bridge deck using non-destructive evaluation techniques to improve road safety.The smart charging development of zero-emission autonomous electric vehicles by the X2V and V2X technologies with respect to the dynamic traffic, grid and energy information Led by Dr CAO Sunliang, Department of Building Environment and Energy Engineering, this project aims at developing a smart charging energy management system to recommend where, when and how to charge electric vehicles with a view to minimising mileage for locating available charging facilities.The Smart Traffic Fund is funding initiated by the Transport Department to support local organisations or enterprises for conducting research and application of innovation and technology with the objectives of enhancing commuting convenience, enhancing the efficiency of the road network or road space, and improving driving safety. The vehicle-related I&T projects to be funded should be in line with the relevant Government’s policies, including the Smart City Blueprint for Hong Kong or Smart Mobility Roadmap for Hong Kong for promoting smart mobility in Hong Kong.

PolyU Recognises Six Young Innovators with the Young Innovative Researcher Award

PolyU Recognises Six Young Innovators with the Young Innovative Researcher Award   Launching for the first time, the new PolyU Young Innovative Researcher Award (YIRA) is a university-level award to recognise young faculty members whose research demonstrate excellence in addressing global challenges.  The committee has received many outstanding research with this year’s call, and six talented young researchers have made to their finals.   As a member of the assessment panel, Ir Professor Christopher Chao, Vice President (Research and Innovation) of PolyU remarked, “We are overwhelmed to see PolyU’s young innovators pursuing their innovations and research with such passion and dedication.  Through this award, the University not only wants to recognise those young researchers with high potential, but also to encourage and nurture an innovative spirit within PolyU for scientific discoveries to make a positive impact to the world. We would like to take this chance to congratulate our award winners, and to acknowledge all participants’ efforts and great work.”   The research achievement of the six awardees have covered a wide-range of research areas, from supramolecular robotic system to robot-assisted training for children with autism spectrum disorder. Engineering-focused projects like the human vision-based solutions for lighting and imaging systems and data storage enhancement in ferroelectric materials that will lead future technology advancement. There are also innovative approaches that offer sustainability for a better future like the creation of multinuclear solid atomic catalysts and the research in transportation and humanitarian & social care in Tai O.  The selected awardees have demonstrated advancing knowledge in their fields and developed a practical technology or innovation in a unique way to create benefits and bring impact globally.   The six awardees of the Young Innovative Researcher Award 2022 are as follows: Award Recipient / Position Faculty / School Research Area Dr. Franco King-Chi Leung (Assistant Professor) Faculty of Applied Science and Textiles (Department of Applied Biology and Chemical Technology) Photo-responsive Amphiphiles for Supramolecular Robotic System Dr. Tommy Minchen Wei (Associate Professor) Faculty of Construction and Environment (Department of Building Environment and Energy Engineering ) Human vision-based solutions for lighting and imaging systems Dr. Zibin Chen (Assistant Professor) Faculty of Engineering (Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering) Ferroelectric materials for new generation memory devices Mr. Daniel Keith Elkin (Assistant Professor) School of Design Tai O Village Pedestrian Traffic Monitoring Project, Stilt House 3D Scanning Project, Lantau Conservation Fund Village Revitalisation Project Dr. Benedict Tsz Woon Lo (Assistant Professor) Faculty of Applied Science and Textiles (Department of Applied Biology and Chemical Technology) Designing Multinuclear Solid Atomic Catalysts for Energy and Sustainability Applications Dr. Si Chen (Assistant Professor) Faculty of Humanities (Department of Chinese and Bilingual Studies) Robot-assisted training for children with autism spectrum disorder

PolyU collaborates with Increasepharm (HK) Limited for CM-based new drug development

PolyU has a robust research community in Chinese Medicine. PolyU’s Research Centre for Chinese Medicine Innovation (RCMI) and Increasepharm (HK) Limited announced the establishment of the PolyU-Increasepharm Joint Research Laboratory for New Drug Development. With the generous support of HK$10 million from Increasepharm (HK) Limited, the joint lab will develop CM-based new drug for the coming 5 years to treat osteoporosis, sarcopenia, dementia, and ocular diseases. The Signing Ceremony was held via hybrid mode on PolyU campus and broadcast live online, marking the official launch of the joint lab and research collaboration. Prof. Christopher Chao, Vice President (Research and Innovation), and Dr Angela Kung, Managing Director of Increasepharm (HK) Limited, signed the collaborative agreement under the witness of Professor Wing-tak Wong, Deputy President and Provost, Prof. Wong Kwok Yin, Vice President (Education), Prof. Chen Qingyan, Director of PolyU Academy for Interdisciplinary Research (PAIR), Prof. Raymond Wong, Dean of Faculty of Applied Science and Textiles, Prof. Larry Chow, Director of Research, Innovation Office, Prof. Wong Man Sau, Director of Research Centre for Chinese Medicine Innovation (RCMI), Dr Jessica Yu, Researcher of Increasepharm (HK) Limited and Prof. Zhang Baoxian, Chairman of Beijing Increasepharm Corporation Limited, Mr Zhang Hongwu, President of Beijing Increasepharm Corporation Limited, Prof. Zhou Yisheng, General Manager of Increasepharm (Hengqin) Institute Co., Ltd. ,and Dr. Hu Jing, Chief Scientist of Increasepharm (HK) Limited. Through the close collaboration with Increasepharm, it is hoped to seize the strategic opportunities to integrate with the country’s overall development, further advanced drug discovery and development in view of the surging demand in healthcare and pharmaceutical industry. About Research Centre for Chinese Medicine Innovation (RCMI) RCMI was established in October 2021 as a university-level platform to facilitate impactful interdisciplinary research at PolyU. With over 40 faculty members from 7 departments with interdisciplinary expertise, RCMI aims to conduct high impact research to provide scientific evidence to elucidate traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) theory for better understanding by the research community, medical community and the general public. For more information, please go to https://www.polyu.edu.hk/rcmi About Increasehharm Beijing Increasepharm Corporation Limited is a new drug R&D institution integrating R&D design, pilot test incubation and achievement transformation with more than 20 years of experience. Itis a segmentation enterprise of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) with the R&D whole process. The company has five major business sections, including TCM, chemical medicine innovation, clinical service, pilot-scale production and international business; it has established four R&D centers for traditional Chinese medicine dispensing granules, new Chinese medicine, Chinese classical formulas and consistency evaluation for generic drug, and built several new preparation technology platforms. The way forward The signature event of the year, Botanical Symposium, will be held on 2 December 2022 in hybrid mode which aims to bring together renowned researchers and scientists from PolyU, mainland and overseas to share research insights and explore innovative approaches of Chinese Medicine, from bench to bedside. Stay tuned for further updates on RCMI website!

Tripartite Collaboration Between MTR Corporation, MTR Academy and The Hong Kong Polytechnic University to Focus on Exploring Railway Technology Application and Solutions for Intelligent Maintenance

The MTR Corporation and MTR Academy (MTRA) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (“MoU”) today (14 June 2022) with The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (“PolyU”) on a three-year collaboration to establish a partnership to focus on exploring advanced and innovative railway technologies and facilitating smart railway asset and operations management, as well as intelligent maintenance. Leveraging on the railway expertise of the Corporation and MTRA, together with the research competence of smart railway technologies of PolyU, the MoU sets out a framework for the parties to explore innovative solutions and technology applications with the goal to further enhance the performance of railway operations and smart maintenance with smart sensing technology. The collaboration areas include exploring smart solutions for monitoring and condition assessment on railway assets, exploring the establishment of a joint laboratory for rail-technology application, as well as research related to improving the operating environment, for example, passenger flow management in stations. Witnessed by Dr Rex AUYEUNG, Chairman of MTR Corporation and Dr LAM Tai-fai, Council Chairman of PolyU, the MoU was signed by Dr Jacob KAM, Chief Executive Officer of MTR Corporation, Ms Margaret CHENG, Acting President of MTR Academy, Professor Jin-Guang TENG, President of PolyU and Professor Christopher CHAO, Vice President (Research and Innovation) of PolyU. “The MTR Corporation will adopt technology in all of its services and operations to actively promote the MTR’s corporate strategy `Transforming the Future’. The Corporation is determined to allocate substantial resources in the application of innovative technology. We hope by collaborating with academia, we can promote the development of smart railway and keep Hong Kong moving,” said Dr Rex AUYEUNG, Chairman of MTR Corporation. “MTR endeavours to provide a high level of service in various aspects. We look forward to working together with PolyU, an institution with outstanding academic and research achievements in railway technologies, to co-develop smart solutions and application-oriented innovation to further enhance our service quality,” said Dr Jacob Kam. “We also expect the partnership can create opportunity for young talents and encourage them to utilise their creativity and innovation capability.” The MTR Corporation and MTR Academy have been working with PolyU in the field of railway technology and the development of railway engineering expertise, including a project for setting up optical fibre sensing on MTR track sections. Dr LAM Tai-fai, Council Chairman of PolyU, said, “We are pleased to deepen collaboration with MTR Corporation. PolyU places great importance on scientific research and is devoted to translating research excellence into real-world applications. We establish close partnerships with industry partners to create breakthroughs in research in different fields to respond to societal needs.’” PolyU’s President, Professor Jin-Guang TENG, said, “I believe PolyU’s substantial research competence in smart railways and smart cities will gain more opportunities to be transformed into real-world industry solutions through the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding with MTR Corporation and the MTR Academy today, hence promoting technological innovation in smart railways for the benefit of Hong Kong, the Nation and the world.” MTR Corporation has already allocated over HK$300 million for investment in start-ups in the next few years, and more funding will be reserved for similar projects in the future.

Centre for Eye and Vision Research (CEVR) officially launched to showcase leading role for Hong Kong in Eye Health Research

Tackling worldwide problems of vision loss to improve quality of life for billions of people around the world HONG KONG, June 9, 2022 – At the forefront of the population’s health and aging imperative and with its mission of generating innovative technologies and unique solutions designed to prevent vision loss and preserve healthy vision, the Centre for Eye and Vision Research (CEVR) announced its official launch today. It is the first global hub to conduct ground-breaking research in five key areas – myopia and eye growth, ocular drug discovery and delivery, vision enhancement, tear film and ocular surface, and advanced optometric technology. Supported by InnoHK, the flagship innovation and technology initiative of the HKSAR Government, CEVR is committed to becoming a global leader in eye and vision research as well as a magnet for attracting and training elite researchers, harnessing Hong Kong’s research expertise and entrepreneurial ecosystem. With the collaboration between The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) and the University of Waterloo (UW) in Canada, CEVR represents a significant step in enhancing the research capacities and innovation applications aimed at addressing eye and vision health challenges, by bringing together multiple scientific disciplines based on the excellent credentials of two leading academic institutions in vision science and eye health research. Deputy President and Provost of PolyU, Professor Wing-tak Wong, is pleased with the establishment of CEVR, stating, “At PolyU, we understand how research in advanced optometric technology is crucial for preventing vision loss and preserving healthy vision. We are grateful to be able to work with a team of experts in optometry, vision science, biotechnological science, rehabilitation science, and neuroscience, joining forces with them to set up CEVR with the support of InnoHK. We look forward to seeing more technological breakthroughs in eye and vision health in the near future.” Professor Ben Thompson, CEO and Scientific Director, CEVR, said, “Globally, more than two billion people have vision impairment. In at least one billion – or almost half – of these cases, vision impairment could have been prevented or has yet to be addressed. With its mission to generate technologies to prevent vision loss in the aging global population and preserve healthy vision, CEVR is dedicated to creating synergies between world-leading researchers from PolyU and UW to facilitate related research and development, with early successes anticipated in innovative vision health solutions. With the support of the Hong Kong government’s initiative, we are confident of further driving global research collaborations, bringing great opportunities to the local I&T sector and nurturing next generation talent, while also helping develop Hong Kong into an international innovation powerhouse.” Professor Chi-ho To, COO and Deputy Scientific Director, CEVR, said, “At CEVR, we are committed to nurturing multi-disciplinary research collaborations in order to generate unique technologies and comprehensive solutions with practical applications. We see limitless potential for how and where our eye-health research and technologies can be deployed so as to better address the needs and challenges of people with vision problems, while enhancing overall vision health. Looking forward, we will continue to leverage the synergies of this international collaboration between PolyU and UW to drive more innovative and advanced research programmes and projects to tackle vision problems in the community, ultimately improving quality of life for billions of people around the world.” Within the five key research areas, CEVR is currently conducting 25 high-potential research projects to address urgent needs and challenges in eye and vision health. Myopia and Eye Growth This research primarily focuses on an increasingly global issue, which is particularly noticeable in Asian populations. The greater the prevalence and the magnitude of myopia, the higher the risk of vision loss. Despite recent progress, prevention levels are still not acceptable and the cause of myopia is as yet unknown. The research aims at finding effective methods to slow, prevent or reverse myopia progression and preserve eye health while reducing myopia-induced pathologies. As such, these studies require a multi-disciplinary, multi-faceted approach and involve refraction, ocular biometry, ocular imaging, aberrometry, molecular biology, histology and pharmacology as well as electroretinography. Ocular Drug Discovery and Delivery Research in this area is responsive to a key unmet need in eye health, which requires omitting the ocular barriers of drug delivery to the vitreous humor or retina at the back of the eye. Delivery of drugs to the eye remains a significant challenge for drug formulation scientists. Although topical eye drops are the most convenient type of formulation for delivery to the eye, they are generally restricted to use for the front of the eye and are poorly suited for delivery to the back of the eye. Therefore, the programme aims to design, formulate and characterise novel drug delivery formulations that are capable of targeting not only the anterior segment of the eye and diseases such as glaucoma, but also the posterior segment of the eye, for the treatment of diseases such as age-related macular degeneration and diabetic retinopathy. Vision Enhancement Research into vision enhancement gives particular attention to the preservation and enhancement of vision, which is crucial in addressing the increased risk for a wide range of vision problems among elderly people. These include presbyopia, which affects most people over the age of 55 in focusing on near objects and is the most common visual disorder treated by optometrists. The aim of this research is to develop new technologies that will preserve and enhance vision for elderly people as well as for individuals with amblyopia, occuring when the vision develops abnormally. Tear Film & Ocular Surface This research is committed to tackling dry eye disease (DED), which is increasing in prevalence worldwide, especially in Asian patients who have a 2-3x higher incidence. As one of the most frequent causes of patient visits to eye care practitioners and one that often requires long-term management, DED causes pain that limits day-to-day activities, leading to poor general health, reduced quality of life and often depression. It is still unknown why the incidence of DED is higher in Asians. This research aims to characterise the biochemistry of ocular surface samples in Asians, in order to identify novel markers that can be used to diagnose, and potentially to predict and treat DED. Advanced Optometric Technology This research and associated technology aims to develop a dedicated process in order to gain a deeper understanding of optometry and vision science, a field of professional practice and cutting-edge research that encompasses the health of the whole visual system. Research in advanced optometric technology is crucial for the maintenance of healthy vision in an aging population. The research programme aims to develop, validate and commercialise novel techniques for assessing eye and vision health in older adults. About the Centre for Eye and Vision Research (CEVR) The Centre for Eye and Vision Research (CEVR) is a research collaboration between PolyU and the UW in Canada under the InnoHK initiative of the HKSAR Government. Located in the Hong Kong Science Park, Shatin, Hong Kong, it is the first global hub to conduct ground-breaking research in five key areas – myopia and eye growth, ocular drug discovery and delivery, vision enhancement, tear film and ocular surface, and advanced optometric technology. CEVR’s mission is to generate technologies to treat and prevent vision loss in the aging population and preserve healthy vision. About University of Waterloo University of Waterloo is a leading global innovation hub that drives economic and social prosperity for Canada and the world. With more than 41,000 students, we are home to the world's largest co-op education talent pipeline, to game-changing research and technology, and to an unmatched entrepreneurial culture. Together, these create partnerships and solutions to tackle today’s and tomorrow’s challenges. Find out more at uwaterloo.ca

Seven young researchers supported by RGC Postdoctoral Fellowship Scheme to further research excellence at PolyU

Seven young research talents from PolyU’s nominations are awarded in the RGC Postdoctoral Fellowship Scheme (PDFS) 2022/23 funding exercise. The PDFS fosters doctoral graduates in pursuing career in research with the support from the University and its researchers riding on their domain expertise. Professor Christopher CHAO, Vice President (Research and Innovation) of PolyU congratulated all awardees and said, “We are pleased with this encouraging results and welcome these young researchers to further their interdisciplinary research, as well as build up research and development (R&D) careers in Hong Kong. PolyU’s research seeks to expand human knowledge, address various societal challenges and we are committed to cultivating I&T talents.” List of RGC Awardees: Dr GUO Yanpeng, Institute of Textiles and Clothing Project title: In-situ fundamental studies of Zn plating/stripping behavior towards high-capacity Zn batteries with high cycling stability Dr CHEN Gao, Department of Applied Physics Project title: Exsolving nanoalloys from perovskite matrix for plasmon-mediated electrochemical conversion of small molecules Dr ZHANG Qi, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering Project title: On the constitutive modeling of natural gas hydrate bearing sediment and multi-physics coupling in gas production Dr VUPPALADADIYAM Arun Krishna, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering Project title: Construction of a Metabolite Driven Deep Solvent-Catalytic Biorefinery System for Lignin Valorization from Refuse-Derived Biomass Dr TARIQ Salman, Department of Building and Real Estate Project title: Artificial Intelligence-based Modelling of Water Pipe Failure Risk Dr SHI Jingyu, Department of Biomedical Engineering Project title: A hybrid nanoplatform for imaging-guided combinatorial phototherapy and immunotherapy for cancer treatment Dr HEUNG Ho Lam, Department of Rehabilitation Sciences Project title: Optimizing motor recovery of paretic upper limb with the innovative Neuromuscular Electrical Stimulation (NMES)-triggered wearable robotic glove during the golden period for stroke recovery PDFS as a yearly exercise will provide support to 50 awardees for 36 months of full-time appointment as postdoctoral fellows at the University Grants Committee (UGC)-funded universities, and cover all academic disciplines and is divided into two broad academic streams: (i) Humanities, Social Sciences and Business Studies; and (ii) Science, Medicine, Engineering and Technology.

PolyU develops advanced vision sensors that emulate human visual adaptability

Future autonomous vehicles and industrial cameras might have human-like vision, thanks to a recent advance by scientists from Hong Kong and South Korea. Researchers at The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) and Yonsei University in Seoul have developed vision sensors that emulate and even surpass the human retina’s ability to adapt to various lighting levels. “The new sensors will greatly improve machine vision systems used for visual analysis and identification tasks,” says Dr CHAI Yang, Associate Professor, Department of Applied Physics, and Assistant Dean (Research), Faculty of Applied Science and Textiles, PolyU, who led the research. Machine vision systems are cameras and computers that capture and process images for tasks such as facial recognition. They need to be able to “see” objects in a wide range of lighting conditions, which demands intricate circuitry and complex algorithms. Such systems are rarely efficient enough to process a large volume of visual information in real time—unlike the human brain. The new bioinspired sensors developed by Dr Chai’s team may offer a solution through directly adapting different light intensities by the sensors, instead of relying on backend computation. The human eye adapts to different levels of illumination, from very dark to very bright and vice versa, which allows us to identify objects accurately under a range of lighting conditions. The new sensors aim to mimic this adaptability. “The human pupil may help adjust the amount of light entering the eye,” explains Dr Chai, “but the main adaptation to brightness is performed by retina cells.” Natural light intensity spans a large range, 280 dB. Impressively, the new sensors developed by Dr Chai’s team have an effective range of up to 199 dB, compared with only 70 dB for conventional silicon-based sensors. The human retina can adapt to environments under sunlight to starlight, with a range of about 160 dB. To achieve this, the research team developed light detectors, called phototransistors, using a dual layer of atomic-level ultrathin molybdenum disulphide, a semiconductor with unique electrical and optical properties. The researchers then introduced “charge trap states”—impurities or imperfections in a solid’s crystalline structure that restrict the movement of charge—to the dual layer. “These trap states enable the storage of light information,” report the researchers, “and dynamically modulate the optoelectronic properties of the device at the pixel level.” By controlling the movement of electrons, the trap states enabled the researchers to precisely adjust the amount of electricity conducted by the phototransistors. This in turn allowed them to control the device’s photosensitivity, or its ability to detect light. Each of the new vision sensors is made up of arrays of such phototransistors. They mimic the rod and cone cells of the human eye, which are respectively responsible for detecting dim and bright light. As a result, the sensors can detect objects in differently lit environments as well as switch between, and adapt to, varying levels of brightness—with an even greater range than the human eye. “The sensors reduce hardware complexity and greatly increase the image contrast under different lighting conditions,” says Dr Chai, “thus delivering high image recognition efficiency.” These novel bioinspired sensors could usher in the next generation of artificial-vision systems used in autonomous vehicles and manufacturing, as well as finding exciting new applications in edge computing and the Internet of Things. The research was published in Nature Electronics.