News

PolyU students team won Global First Prize at ISETS-ESCAP Youth Voice Competition

Three PhD students from the Department of Building Environment and Energy Engineering of the Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU), together with a student from Shanghai Jiao Tong University, formed a team called “Energy Victory” to pursue innovative research on digital twin technology for sustainable transportation, which has shined in international competitions. Following their remarkable success in the "2024 ISETS-ESCAP Youth Voice Competition" in the Northeast Asia division, the team has also stood out among seven outstanding teams and secured the Global First Prize in the global final held in Chengdu. The team, supervised by Prof. YAN Jinyue Jerry, Chair Professor of Energy and Buildings of the Department of Building Environment and Energy Engineering of PolyU, and Dr Ying DU, Postdoctoral Fellow of the Department of Building Environment and Energy Engineering of PolyU, presented a groundbreaking project titled "Drawing the Blueprint of Traffic Electrification with Digital Twin". The project utilised digital twin technology to promote transportation that was aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals. The winning team comprised three PolyU PhD students: Junxiang ZHANG, Shibo ZHU, Dayin CHEN, and Haolan CHEN (from Shanghai Jiao Tong University). The “Energy Victory” team operates under the International Centre of Urban Energy Nexus (IUEX) of PolyU. The PolyU team was also honoured to attend the 13th International Forum on Energy for Sustainable Development (IFESD) at the UN Conference Centre in Bangkok. This esteemed event served as a platform for leading experts to showcase their research results and discuss innovative strategies for sustainable energy transformation. It aims to engage youth with policymakers and international organisations to accelerate the global energy transition. The International Society for Energy Transition Studies (ISETS), in partnership with the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP), organised the annual Youth Voice on Energy Transition programme, bringing together young leaders from around the world to showcase youth-led innovations contributing to sustainable energy systems.

The Hong Kong Palace Museum and The Hong Kong Polytechnic University Launch the Joint Chinese Textile Centre

The Hong Kong Palace Museum (HKPM or the Museum) and The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) are pleased to announce the establishment of The Hong Kong Palace Museum – The Hong Kong Polytechnic University Joint Chinese Textile Centre (“the Centre”). Drawing on the unparalleled strength of the nearly 3,000 items from the Chris Hall Collection at the HKPM (“the Collection”), the promised gifts from the esteemed art collector Mr Chris HALL to the Museum, the Centre is committed to advancing global understanding and innovative application of Chinese historical textiles from different perspectives, ranging from art, history to science and technology, through research, teaching, training, public education, and publication projects. The Signing Ceremony of the collaborative agreement for The Hong Kong Palace Museum – The Hong Kong Polytechnic University Joint Chinese Textile Centre was held at the HKPM today. Witnessed by Mr Leo KUNG, Chairman of the HKPM Board; Dr LAM Tai-fai, PolyU Council Chairman; Prof. Jin-Guang TENG, PolyU President; and Mrs Betty FUNG, Chief Executive Officer of the West Kowloon Cultural District Authority, the Agreement was signed by Dr Louis NG, Museum Director of the HKPM and Prof. Ben YOUNG, PolyU Vice President (Student and Global Affairs). Combining the expertise and research capacity of HKPM in Chinese history, arts and culture, and that of PolyU in textiles, fashion and design, the Centre is well-positioned to lead and promote research, education, publication, and creative projects related to historical Chinese textiles. The Centre’s key focuses include the history of Chinese textiles, Chinese textile archaeology, and Chinese costume, as well as textile scientific research, textile technology, and the Silk Road. The Centre will provide PolyU with valuable resources for teaching, research, and outreach initiatives of its Faculty of Humanities, School of Fashion and Textiles, School of Design, and other faculties/departments as well as opportunities for PolyU faculty members and students to study the Collection. PolyU will also develop teaching materials and offer courses specialising in the history of Chinese textiles and silk by leveraging the Collection. Through the Centre, PolyU and HKPM will jointly organise academic activities focusing on historical Chinese textiles, including courses, seminars, workshops, and publications. Mr Leo Kung, Chairman of the HKPM Board, said, “The Hong Kong Palace Museum – The Hong Kong Polytechnic University Joint Chinese Textile Centre, established through the collaboration between two important institutions, provides an important platform to promote the study and appreciation of Chinese textiles culture globally. It also allows students and the public alike to explore the history and cultural heritage of Chinese textiles with the two institutions’ shared vision and mission of preserving and bringing forward Chinese culture. We extend our deepest gratitude to Mr Chris Hall for his generous promised gifts to the HKPM, which are one of the world’s most comprehensive and significant collections of historical Chinese textiles. With this collection, the HKPM is poised to play a leading role in the study and display of Chinese textiles and promote international exchange through exhibition, research, and education programmes.” Dr Lam Tai-fai, PolyU Council Chairman, said, “The establishment of the Joint Chinese Textile Centre marks a significant advancement for PolyU and the Hong Kong Palace Museum in promoting research, education, and the inheritance and innovation of Chinese textiles. As an innovative world-class university, PolyU has earned international acclaim for its academic and research achievements in textiles and design over the years. This collaboration will harness the strengths of both institutions to amplify the impact of this world-class Collection in research, teaching, contemporary fashion, and design. It aims to enhance global awareness and appreciation of Chinese textile art, while preserving the rich traditional Chinese culture and solidifying Hong Kong’s position as an East-meets-West centre for international cultural exchange.” A major exhibition featuring the Chris Hall Collection at the Hong Kong Palace Museum will be presented at the Museum next year The renowned Hong Kong-based Chinese textile collector, Mr Chris Hall, has offered the HKPM his promised gifts as “The Chris Hall Collection at the Hong Kong Palace Museum”. This collection includes nearly 3,000 works spanning from the Warring States period (475– 221 BCE) to the 21st century. It encompasses examples of all major categories in Chinese textiles with unique strength in areas, such as rank badges from the Ming and Qing dynasties and religious textiles. Accompanied by extensive research materials that include textile sample books, this collection will provide a key resource for the study of Chinese textiles. Mr Chris Hall will formally donate the Chris Hall Collection at the Hong Kong Palace Museum to HKPM in 2034. Starting from December 2024, part of the Collection will be transferred to the Museum’s premises as promised gifts, making HKPM the repository of one of the world’s most comprehensive collections of historical Chinese textiles. Featuring the Collection, the HKPM will present a large-scale survey exhibition in the second half of 2025 with the themes of the history of Chinese silk culture and the cross-cultural exchanges exemplified through textiles. The HKPM will lead the documentation and digitilisation projects for the Collection. Mr Chris Hall said, “My promised gifts to the Hong Kong Palace Museum are the fruition of my art collecting efforts over the past few decades. They testify to nearly three thousand years of history in China, its splendid culture, and the Chinese people’s pursuit of beauty. I am pleased to have the Hong Kong Palace Museum as the home of this Collection. I believe that the Centre will offer an interdisciplinary and international research and creative platform that brings together many exceptional experts in the fields of curation, research, education, and publication. The Centre will make the Collection more accessible and impactful, serving as a research resource for many students and scholars, and a source of inspiration for artists and designers. I hope that the Centre will help increase our historical and cultural knowledge and encourage the appreciation of the beauty of Chinese textiles by the general public.” Details of the Centre and the major exhibition featuring The Chris Hall Collection at the HKPM will be announced on the HKPM website in due course. Mr Chris Hall introduced the highlights from “The Chris Hall Collection at the Hong Kong Palace Museum”.  

PolyU neurolinguistic scholar empowers research through embracing motherhood

Research often draws inspiration from life itself. Individuals with diverse backgrounds enrich innovation. Dr Zhang Caicai, Associate Professor of the Department of Chinese and Bilingual Studies at the Hong Kong Polytechnic University, interwines her neurolinguistic expertise with her experiences as a mother, delving into the intricate world of child language development and disorders. Dr Zhang’s research focuses on the processing and representation of language in the human brain, exploring its interactions with other cognitive domains, such as music and memory. Recently, she is conducting research on identifying biomarkers for childhood language disorders and developing theory-driven intervention strategies. The motherhood role has inspired Dr Zhang’s research in child language development. She shared, “Over the past five years, my focus has shifted toward studying child language learning and developmental disorders. This shift was influenced by my experience as a mother of two, sparking a keen  interest in children’s language learning processes and the challenges some may face.” In a new longitudinal study, Dr Zhang’s research team is tracking brain, cognition, and language development of Chinese children aged four to six. The research aims to identify early biomarkers that could predict typical language development and explore potential indicators of language disorders. Additionally, they are examining the role of sleep in memory consolidation and its possible relationship with developmental disorders. To tackle significant societal problems, Dr Zhang has developed innovative approaches to investigate the efficacy of explicit versus implicit intervention strategies in Chinese children with developmental language disorder (DLD) through a randomized controlled trial. The team's interdisciplinary approach uses top-notch neuroscience facitlities offered by the Behavioral and Systems Neuroscience (UBSN) lab at PolyU to combine cognitive behaviour, neural imaging, and machine learning methods in investigating disorders related to language skill acquisition in children. The study focuses on a hypothesised procedural circuit deficit in children with developmental stuttering, developmental language disorder, and dyslexia. The research aims to improve early diagnosis for more effective interventions. Interdisciplinary research collaboration drives impactful outputs. Dr Zhang said, “I work closely with speech-language pathologists in the Speech Therapy Unit, as well as machine learning experts. Their expertise has inspired me to explore the neurocognitive foundations of childhood language disorders and develop effective intervention strategies.” In the university, Dr. Zhang emphasises that diversity in academia can unite individuals with different backgrounds, experiences, and ideas, encompassing differences in race, gender, culture, and discipline. She also highlights the vital role that women, particularly unique perspectives of mothers, play in enriching academic discourse.  

PolyU scholar elected IEEE Fellow 2025

Prof. Yang CHAI, Associate Dean (Research) of the Faculty of Science and Professor of the Department of Applied Physics at The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU), has been bestowed the prestigious Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) Fellow Class of 2025 for his contributions to bioinspired in-sensor computing. Prof. CHAI’s research domain is mainly about microelectronic and nanoelectronics devices. His current research focuses on bioinspired vision sensors, which can not only capture images from the external environment but also execute computation functions to extract more abstract information. Inspired by natural bioinspired sensory systems, his research team is committed to exploring how to fuse sensing and processing function 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. For more: Advanced vision sensors that emulate human visual adaptability Optoelectronic graded neurons for perceiving dynamic motion Prof. CHAI is enthusiastic about advancing scientific knowledge and innovation. His work has been published in prestigious journals such as Nature, Nature Electronics, and Nature Nanotechnology. His research works were highlighted in Nature, IEEE Spectrum, etc. The research results are highly cited by research teams worldwide. He is in the list of “Highly Cited Researchers 2024” by Clarivate Analytics. The IEEE is the world's largest professional technical organisation, with 140 years of history. IEEE Fellow is a distinction reserved for select IEEE members whose extraordinary accomplishments in any of the IEEE fields of interest. The grade of Fellow recognises unusual distinction in the profession and who has contributed importantly to the advancement or application of engineering, science, and technology, bringing the realisation of significant value to society.

PolyU signs MoU with Southern Medical University to advance medical development and cultivate research talent

The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) and Southern Medical University (SMU) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on 10 December, joining forces on advancing medical development through innovative researchand nurturing medical talent, contributing to the global medical industry, human health and well-being. Witnessed by Prof. Christopher CHAO, Vice President (Research and Innovation) of PolyU, and Mr ZHANG Yurun, Secretary of the Party Committee of SMU, the MoU was signed by Prof. DONG Cheng, Associate Vice President (Mainland Research Advancement) of PolyU, and Prof. LIU Shuwen, Vice President of SMU. PolyU and SMU will leverage their respective strengths to explore innovative research in cutting-edge medical technologies and enhance the quality of medical education. The collaboration aims to comprehensively improve healthcare service levels in both regions, and further promote the transformation and application of medical research and technological achievements. During their visit to PolyU, the delegation from SMU engaged in in-depth discussion on joint medical research, education and talent cultivation, exploring opportunities for deeper collaboration. Prof. Dongpresented the latest developments and plans of PolyU in innovative research and interdisciplinary education. Prof. Liuprovided a comprehensive overview ofSMU’s development history, outstanding achievements and future vision. PolyU has extensive experience and a solid foundation in health science education and research, and has established collaborative partnerships with several universities, including SMU. The SMU delegation visited the University Research Facility in Behavioral and Systems Neuroscience and the University Research Facility in 3D Printing, to gain insights into PolyU’s leading research facilities and experimental technologies. These cutting-edge technologies and innovative outcomes demonstrate the University’s strong capabilities in medical research, laying a strong foundation for future collaborationbetween the two institutions.

PolyU multimodal robot for post-stroke ankle-foot rehabilitation wins CES 2025 Innovation Award

The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) is dedicated to pursuing pioneering research in frontier areas and to embracing a strong culture of knowledge transfer. By translating research excellence into impactful solutions, the University takes the lead in making a positive impact for societal benefits. The first-of-its-kind multimodal robot for ankle-foot rehabilitation, developed by PolyU, has been recognised as an Honouree in the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) 2025 Innovation Awards, reaffirming the effective impact of the University’s PolyImpact philosophy. For the second consecutive year, PolyU has been honoured in the Accessibility & Aging Tech category — the only university in Hong Kong to receive the recognition of this consumer technology award. Following triumph in winning a Gold Medal at the 49th International Exhibition of Inventions Geneva in April, the “Mobile Ankle-foot Exoneuromusculoskeleton”, developed by a research team led by Dr Xiaoling HU, Associate Professor of the Department of Biomedical Engineering, has been named as a CES Innovation Awards 2025 Honouree. The innovation has once again been recognised for its effectiveness in helping stroke patients with hemiplegia to improve the motor function of their lower limb and walking ability. Prof. Christopher CHAO, Vice President (Research and Innovation) of PolyU, said, “Health technology is vital to the well-being of humanity. This award highlights PolyU's commitment to excellence in research, translating into innovative solutions that bring sustainable benefits to the community. We are thrilled by the achievements of PolyU's young researchers on the global research and consumer technology stage. The University will continue to support them in leveraging their strengths and expanding impactful research initiatives.” Stroke is one of the leading causes of disability worldwide. Stroke patients need intensive and long-term rehabilitation training to improve their physical mobility and quality of life. Powered by Internet of Things (IoT) technology, the “Mobile Ankle-foot Exoneuromusculoskeleton” is an innovative multimodal device that integrates the advantages of exoskeleton, soft pneumatic muscle, neuromuscular electrical stimulation and tactile sensory feedback in one system. The lightweight wearable design and a 9V rechargeable battery that can be used continuously for four hours, enables patients to pursue rehabilitation training anytime and anywhere. It can effectively correct post-stroke footdrop and foot-inversion and improve the gait and balance of stroke patients in self-help tele-rehabilitation. The IoT technology aligned with artificial intelligence (AI) enables automatic onsite coaching feedback to a stroke patient on their training performance via a mobile app. This allows remote supervision by healthcare professionals and longitudinal management of rehabilitative progress for optimised services, providing a cost-effective and easy-to-access solution for stroke patients’ rehabilitation treatment. Dr Xiaoling Hu said, “This technology and product can seamlessly integrate into routine rehabilitation services, enabling professionals to effectively assist more stroke patients. Through this flexible training approach, we hope to help stroke patients achieve more efficient rehabilitation progress and enhance their ability to perform daily activities, ultimately supporting their path towards greater independence in the long term.” Dr Hualso co-founded the startup Thecon Technology (HK) Limited in 2021 and plans to commercialise the Mobile Ankle-foot Exoneuromusculoskeleton next year. The annual CES is organised by the Consumer Technology Association and, as one of its representative awards, the CES Innovation Awards programme recognises and honours outstanding design and engineering in 33 consumer technology product categories. An elite panel of industry expert judges, including media professionals, designers and engineers, reviews submissions based on innovation, engineering and functionality, aesthetics, and design. The upcoming CES 2025 will be held in Las Vegas, the United States, from 7 to 10 January 2025. At the event, PolyU will showcase a range of innovative research projects in healthcare, smart cities, optometry, radiotherapy, AI and IoT sensing.

PolyU research unveils critical role of humidity and indoor conditions in heatwave severity assessments, introducing a new framework for standardised heatwave indices

Unprecedented extreme heat represents a critical climate challenge, resulting in approximately 490,000 heat-related deaths globally each year, with 45% of these fatalities occurring in Asia.A study by The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) has revealed that some existing heatwave indices are unable to accurately capture heatwave severity in diverse geographical regions and climate conditions. It is suggested to include humidity and indoor environmental conditions in identifying a dangerous heatwave. The development of a global heat risk framework and early warning systems are also recommended to alleviate the impact of heatwaves on human health. The research findings have been published in the international journal Nexus. Working outdoors in high temperatures for extended periods can lead to heat stress, dehydration and heat-related illnesses. Currently, there is no global standard for measuring the severity of heatwaves, and each index has different definition of  dangerous heat stress. A research team led by Prof. Qihao WENG, Chair Professor of Geomatics and Artificial Intelligence of the Department of Land Surveying and Geo-Informatics, Associate Director of the Research Institute for Land and Space, Director of the PolyU Research Centre for Artificial Intelligence in Geomatics, and Director of the Jockey Club STEM Lab of Earth Observations together with Postdoctoral Fellow Dr Pir MOHAMMAD, examined the effectiveness of six heatwave indices in identifying dangerous heatwave, including maximum daily air temperature, humidity index, humidex, wet bulb globe temperature, lethal heat stress index and universal thermal climate index. The research team conducted case studies on recent heatwave events observed in Spain and the United States in 2022, as well as in India in 2023. The results revealed that the lethal heat stress index, which combines temperature and humidity, is more effective in identifying dangerous heatwave days in a low-humidity environment compared to other indices. It can also differentiate between areas that are affected by extreme heat stress and those that are not. The other five heatwave indices failed to effectively identify dangerous heatwave conditions in diverse climate, geographic and meteorological conditions. Heatwave lethality depends not only on the maximum air temperature, but also on relative humidity, particularly in sub-tropical regions like Hong Kong. The study showed that, in humid conditions, even if the ambient temperature is only 28°C, the saturated air moisture makes effective sweat evaporation and heat dissipation difficult and causes body temperature to rise faster, potentially leading to fatigue, dehydration or heat stroke.The team suggested that evaluating heat stress in humid conditions is crucial for better understanding the impact of heatwaves on human health, particularly for construction workers and agricultural labourers who spend substantial time outdoors. In addition, the existing heatwave indices, such as the Hong Kong Heat Index, which is based on outdoor environment conditions, rely on outdoor heat mapping data provided by climate services. However, most heat-related mortalities occur indoors. In Hong Kong’s densely populated environment with many high-rise buildings, residents of rooftop houses and subdivided flats are particularly vulnerable to extreme heat.With rapid global warming, the researchersemphasised that building morphology and material, overheating conditions, and air-conditioning are essential in calculating indoor heat stress. They also suggested revisiting thresholds to establish new global criteria for defining dangerous heatwave limits, considering varied climatic conditions and human adaptability based on age, gender and household conditions. Prof. Qihao Weng said, “Understanding the relations between climate, heat stress and health is crucial for formulatingtargeted adaptation and mitigation strategies. The findings underscore the need for a global heat risk framework and early warning systems, as well as the adoption of more sophisticated heat stress mitigation and adaptation measures by local authorities in response to rapid global warming.” DrPir Mohammad said, “The study highlights the potential gap between reported outdoor heat data and often overlooked indoor heat impacts. Integrating these perspectives could provide a more comprehensive understanding of heat-related risks and their public health implications and thus help establish a more precise evaluation of dangerous heatwave conditions.” The research team also discussed enhancing heatwave predictions to mitigate their impacts. They emphasised the importance of interdisciplinary collaboration among climate scientists, health professionals, policymakers and communities to safeguard public health in a changing climate.

Diversity and inclusion are intertwined essentials for tourism destination research

With her unique blend of cultural perspectives and academic rigour, Dr Dori Davari, Assistant Professor of the School of Hotel and Tourism Management at The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU), is dedicated to utilising tourism for cultivating cross-cultural understanding, making her a valuable addition to a diverse academic community. An Iranian by heart and American by education, Dr Davari embraces her role as a global citizen in Hong Kong. Her diverse experiences include entrepreneurship, intrapreneurship, and consultancy work with major global organisations like the World Bank. Drawn to PolyU by its dynamic environment and the hardworking spirit of its students, Dr Davari feels a strong connection to the university and Hong Kong.  As the architect of "Destination Curiosity," she sees travel as a means of exploration and intercultural learning, contributing to global understanding. Her other area of reach is “Hong Kong as a global education destination”. Dr Davari emphasises that while diversity is valuable, inclusion is crucial for a supportive academic environment. She believes fostering a sense of belonging enhances student experiences and leads to impactful research. At PolyU, she finds inspiration in the supportive community and opportunities for growth, reinforcing her belief in Hong Kong as a welcoming hub for education and research.

PolyU scholar receives ACM SIGMM 2024 Award for outstanding contributions to multimedia computing and applications

Prof. Changwen CHEN, Chair Professor of Visual Computing in the Department of Computing at the Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU), has received the ACM SIGMM 2024 Award for Outstanding Technical Contributions to Multimedia Computing, Communications and Applications, for his significant contributions to research, education, service and leadership in the multimedia community. The accolade is the highest award from the Special Interest Group on Multimedia (SIGMM) of the Association for Computing Machinery (ACM), honouring researchers who have created a lasting impact in multimedia computing, communications, and applications. It is one of the most prestigious awards in the international computing community. Professor Chen is an eminent scholar in the area of visual and multimedia communications. His research covers a wide range of impactful areas, including contemporary visual computing, multimedia communication and networking, mobile video streaming, computer vision, and multimodal generative AI.  He has pioneered research in mobile multimedia systems, including joint source and channel coding for mobile video communication, energy-efficient mobile video display systems, and cloud mobile media systems. Throughout his career, he has published six books, over 400 papers, and holds more than ten patents, earning ten best paper awards. His innovative work continues to advance technology and enhance our understanding of multimedia systems. Professor Chen is an Academician of PolyU, an IEEE Fellow, a SPIE Fellow, and a member of the Academia Europaea, in recognition of his significant contributions. Click the video to learn more about Prof. Chen’s research achievement: Meet PolyU Academician: Professor Changwen CHEN Source: Pulse @ PolyU

PolyU two projects supported by the Germany/Hong Kong Joint Research Scheme

The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) is committed to promoting cutting-edge research and talent training through international research collaboration. Two PolyU projects have received grants under the Germany/Hong Kong Joint Research Scheme to promote research collaboration between the two places through travel funding. The two PolyU projects are: Project Title High-order energy stable and convergent algorithms for mean curvature flow and related problems Hong Kong Principal Investigator Prof. LI Buyang, Professor of the Department of Applied Mathematics at PoylU German Principal Investigator Prof Balázs Kovács /University of Paderborn Funding Period 2 years Total Amount Awarded by RGC HK$85,800   Project Title Development and Validation of an Adaptive Neurofeedback Interface Using Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation to Modulate Cortical Excitability Hong Kong Principal Investigator Dr ZHANG Jiaqi, Research Assistant Professor of the Department of Rehabilitation Sciences at PolyU German Principal Investigator Dr David MA Mehler /RWTH Aachen University Funding Period 2 years Total Amount Awarded by RGC HK$59,200 Hong Kong Principal Investigators could use the RGC grants to support justified research visits of research postgraduate students to partner institutions, in order to enhance the students’ training and opportunities for overseas experience.  The Germany/Hong Kong Joint Research Scheme, launched in 1996 by the Research Grants Council (RGC) and the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD), aims to promote research collaboration between Hong Kong and Germany by providing researchers in the two places with one-year or two-year travel grants.