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PolyU Innovations Garner Four Awards at International Trade Fair for Ideas, Inventions & New Products (iENA) in Germany

The three outstanding innovations of The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) showcased at the 71st International Trade Fair for Ideas, Inventions & New Products (iENA) held in Nuremberg, Germany have garnered three Gold Medals and one Special Merit Award.   iENA is one of the most important international trade fairs for the inventor community. The trade fair, held from 31 October to 3 November this year, attracted inventors from research institutions, academic bodies and business enterprises from more than 30 countries to showcase over 800 inventions and product innovations. With a history of over 70 years, iENA has become an annual platform for global inventors, entrepreneurs, investors and developers to seek collaboration and commercialisation of innovations. Among the world-class innovations on display, PolyU's innovations have all been granted awards by iENA's specialist jury in recognition of their remarkable innovative ideas and cutting-edge technologies. The award-winning innovations of PolyU are:- (1)    Atmospheric Acidic Ultrafine Particle Measuring Device Gold Medal and Special Merit Award Principal Investigator: Professor GUO Hai, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering Atmospheric acidic ultrafine particles (AUFPs), with a diameter of less than 0.1 µm, may affect human health. Yet, there has been a lack of reliable instruments for measuring AUFP concentration to facilitate the assessment of its influences on health, air quality monitoring, as well as related pollution and epidemiological studies. PolyU's novel device, comprises a diffusion sampler and a quartz crystal microbalance detector with specially treated crystal oscillators, can measure AUFPs concentration in a safe, accurate, reliable way. (2)    Object Detection and Distance Measurement Sensor based on Light Field Imaging Gold Medal Principal Investigator: Dr LI Lihua, Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering 3D information of micro objects can be critically useful for medical diagnosis related to live body tissues, or quality control in semi-conductor manufacturing. PolyU has developed a novel imaging system that includes a micro-lens array fabricated with our own ultra-precision machining techniques, as well as a module for converting light into electrons. By applying an algorithm created with deep learning, it can identify a micro object from its 2D digital photos and acquire its light field information in real time for distance measuring or 3D reconstruction. The sensor is compact, portable and attachable on different types of camera lens for precise distance measurement in various ranges, including micro and macro photography. (3)    Dolphin - Effective Indoor Positioning Service Gold Medal Principal Investigator: Mr Gary CM LEUNG, Co-founder and Chief Executive Officer of Blue Pin (a PolyU supported start-up), and Engineering Doctorate student of the Department of Electronic and Information Engineering "Dolphin" uses Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) beacons and mobile phones with a location algorithm and a co-operative positioning algorithm developed by PolyU to provide indoor positioning and navigation. In areas with insufficient beacon signals, it still functions as it can calculate users' positions by collecting and processing BLE signals from their mobile phones, thus further enhancing the positioning accuracy. The system can also apply big data analytics to identify users' behaviours. Such information enables venue or shop owners or exhibitors to attract new and return customers in the proximity of their venue by sending them relevant advertisements or offers before they reach the venue. iENA was first launched in 1948 in Nuremberg of Germany. Over the past 70 years, about 30,000 inventions have been presented at the trade fair. iENA this year is organized by AFAG Messen und Ausstellungen GmbH, partnered with the Union of Croatian Innovators (UCI), in collaboration with International Federation of Inventors' Association (IFIA), German Patent and Trade Mark Office (DPMA), German Inventor Association (DEV) and the Association of German Engineers (VDI). For details, please visit the organiser's official website:- http://www.iena.de/en/home.html   [From PolyU Media Release] Related News Articles: 德國發明展 理大奪四大獎 [星島日報 (Sing Tao Daily)] 新藍牙技術收窄室內定位誤差 理大博士生研發 配合AR導航認路 [經濟日報 (Hong Kong Economic Times) / 明報 (Ming Pao Daily News) / 東方日報 (Oriental Daily News)]

3D Fingerprint Identification System

Video on “3D Fingerprint Identification System”   [From PolyU Facebook]

eNightLog System for caring Elderly with Dementia

Video on “eNightLog System for caring Elderly with Dementia”   [From PolyU Facebook]

PolyU engineering students win Gold at ASM Technology Award 2019

A team of students from the Department of Mechanical Engineering of The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) won the Gold Award for its ingenious robot design at the ASM Technology Award 2019.  The annual event has been organised since 2015 to recognise excellence in technology, showcasing outstanding final year projects of undergraduates from top faculties and schools of engineering in Hong Kong. PolyU's trio - Roy CHOW Hung-ming; Ji-ho SHIN; and Rudra Ajay SOMESHWAR, under the supervision of Dr Henry CHU, Assistant Professor, and Dr Curtis NG, Technical Support Group Leader, from the Department of Mechanical Engineering of PolyU, presented their final year project titled "ASME Competition Robot Development & Vision Based Target Alignment" and was honoured with the Gold Award at the competition. This was the fifth time that PolyU participated in the event and the second time that a PolyU team won the championship. The project developed by the PolyU winning team was a semi-automated robot with a unique gripper design for garbage collection with the aid of vision-based alignment. The robot featured a motorised platform for navigating a compact environment, a micro-controller system for wireless communication and control, and a vision-based system for object detection and robot positioning. It was developed in two stages with design inspiration from studying real-life tools such as robotic arms, forklift and dump cart. Initially, the team planned to design a robot for the Student Design Competition organised by the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME), in which they were challenged to develop a fully functional prototype that can quickly and carefully pick up and return balls back to the starting area. The students then showed how their device could be transformed into an Automated Guided Vehicle (AGV) for garbage collection using advanced image processing techniques in the ASM Technology Award contest. "The students are eager to learn new knowledge and technology, and able to integrate them into the project to enhance the robot performance and functionality. They have developed new modules for the robot to demonstrate the potential of transforming it for use in real life," said Dr Chu. The other PolyU student project recognised this year was the "Motion Control and Positioning System for Holonomic Wheeled Mobile Robot" by Sammy SHUM Chu of the Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering. He was presented an Outstanding Award at the competition. The entries by PolyU students were among the ten final year projects that had been nominated by five universities in Hong Kong. In addition to PolyU, they included The Chinese University of Hong Kong, The City University of Hong Kong, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, and The University of Hong Kong. Apart from the prizes and certificates of merit, winning teams of the Gold, Silver and Bronze awards and their project supervisors will also be invited to attend an ASM Technology Tour to Europe in recognition of their outstanding performance. [From PolyU Media Release] Related News Article: 理大研機械人收集垃圾奪金獎 [頭條日報 (Headline Daily)]

PolyU signs agreement with HKEIA to advance technology and talent development of Artificial Intelligence

The Faculty of Engineering (FENG) of The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) signed a Statement of Intent today with the Hong Kong Electronic Industries Association (HKEIA) to collaborate in talent and application development of Artificial Intelligence (AI), and to establish an AI Laboratory on PolyU's campus for supporting relevant research in Hong Kong. Sponsored by HKEIA, a leading AI supercomputer platform will be built and operated by PolyU to support and bridge the gap between business and research in AI as well as to provide training to PolyU students and HKEIA members. New research facility with the world's fastest AI supercomputer platform To achieve both parties' research objectives, HKEIA will support the establishment of an AI Laboratory at the FENG and donate HK$3 million for purchasing equipment, including NVIDIA® DGX-2™, which is among the fastest AI supercomputer platforms in the world. It is also the first of its kind to be installed in Hong Kong and Macau. Ir Prof. Alex WAI, Vice President (Research Development) of PolyU, said, "PolyU strives to transfer impactful research into cutting-edge technologies and solutions for the benefit of industry and society. With the establishment of the AI Laboratory, we are confident to further contribute to the research development and application of AI in Hong Kong and the Greater Bay Area." At the AI Laboratory, PolyU researchers and students will work alongside members of HKEIA to conduct impactful research and help industry develop and deliver practical data-driven models and solutions.   Under the agreement, both parties will organise training in AI for HKEIA members, conduct research with industry stakeholders, encourage collaboration in AI between companies, and hold joint networking and briefing sessions during business missions. Addressing the signing ceremony, Dr NG Chi-ho, Chairman of HKEIA, said "With this collaboration between the industry and the academia, we hope to nurture more entrepreneurs, researchers and management professionals in the field of Artificial Intelligence for Hong Kong." One of the main priorities of the training programmes will be to equip industry professionals and engineers with AI-relevant skills. Joint webinars and seminars, workshops and other events will also be organised to explain AI-based technologies, products, services, and standards in the electronics industry and related sectors. The collaboration between PolyU and HKEIA will meet the fast-growing need for engineering talent and expertise in AI, a critical technology in Hong Kong's plans to promote re-industrialisation and the development of a smart city. [From PolyU Media Release] Related News Articles: 理大夥電子業商會 設人工智能實驗室 [星島日報 (Sing Tao Daily) / 經濟日報 (Hong Kong Economic Times)]

PolyU garners Four Awards at Silicon Valley International Invention Festival

The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) garnered four prizes with two outstanding innovations at the Silicon Valley International Invention Festival (SVIIF) 2019. Its Smart Indoor Farming System won a Grand Award and a Gold Medal with the Congratulations of the Jury, while its Flexible Scoliotic Brace with Shape Memory Alloy Struts won a Gold Medal and a Special Merit Award, at SVIIF held in Santa Clara, California, the United States from 24 to 26 June. SVIIF attracted inventors from research institutions, academic bodies and business enterprises from about 30 countries/regions to showcase their inventions this year. It was also the first time that Hong Kong institutions participated in this global annual event. Well attended by multi-national companies, investors, entrepreneurs and financiers, SVIIF offers a platform for inventors, industries and businesses to explore opportunities for collaboration and commercialisation of innovations. The award-winning innovations of PolyU: (1) Smart Indoor Farming System Grand Award and Gold Medal with the Congratulations of the Jury Principal Investigator: Dr LOO Ka-hong, Department of Electronic and Information Engineering Applying Artificial Intelligence-based and data-driven technologies, the system can generate photosynthetic-active-radiation lighting, watering and nutrient supply programmes which are optimised for the growth of individual plant types. The system adopts advanced sensing technologies to collect real-time data for the plant growth and environmental data from growth chambers and farms using the system. By comparing the data collected with the growth profiles of different plant types, optimal sets of growth control parameters can be constructed and fed back to the user's system. The system will then automatically supply the optimal tailor-made essentials, such as light, water, temperature, nutrients, to enhance the growth performance of individual plants. Study shows that the growth cycle of Italian lettuce has been shortened by about 50% with the support of this system. Water consumption can also be substantially reduced to only 5% of that in conventional farming. The system can be set up in urban buildings to provide sustainable and stable sources of edible plants, such as salad greens, potatoes, beets, herbs, etc. (2) Flexible Scoliotic Brace with Shape Memory Alloy Struts Gold Medal and Special Merit Award Principal Investigator: Dr Joanne YIP Yiu-wan, Institute of Textiles and Clothing The innovative brace, designed for adolescents with scoliosis, is made of shape memory alloy, artificial hinges and soft light-weight materials. The design can apply strategic corrective forces to the spine and offer adequate support to the user. Users are more willing to wear this Scoliotic Brace for a longer period because of its enhanced level of comfort and mobility, thus making it more effective in treating spinal deformity. SVIIF is hosted by International Federation of Inventors' Association (IFIA), supported by the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), Santa Clara City and the Santa Clara University, in collaboration with the US Patent and Trade Mark Office. For details, please visit the organiser's official website: https://www.sviif.com/.   [From PolyU Media Release] Related News Articles: 理大科研奪矽谷發明展4獎 [文匯報 (Wen Wei Po) / 星島日報 (Sing Tao Daily) / 香港商報 (Hong Kong Commercial Daily)]

Scholars honoured with national natural science award

Led by Prof. Cao Jian-nong and Dr Dan Wang of the Department of Computing, the research project titled “Theoretical Models and Techniques of Distributed Computing in Wireless Network” received a Second-Class Award in Natural Science in the Ministry of Education’s 2018 Higher Education Outstanding Scientific Research Output Awards (Science and Technology) in recognition of its significant contribution. [From excel@PolyU]

Outstanding PolyU Alumni Association (OPAA) Master Class 2019/2020 Mentorship Programme: Call for Mentees (Deadline: 7 October 2019)

The OPAA Master Class 2019/2209 Mentorship Programme is now open for student application. This Mentorship Programme is part of the annual signature event organized by the Outstanding PolyU Alumni Association with the aim to provide a platform for students to learn from outstanding PolyU alumni in respect of their invaluable expertise and experience. Please click here for more details, and submit your application on or before 7 October 2019. 傑出理大校友協會大師班2019/2020 師友計劃：學員招募 傑出理大校友協會大師班2019/2020 師友計劃現正接受學生報名。此計劃是協會其中一個重點活動，邀請多位來自不同界別的傑出校友與學生分享他們的豐富經驗。請按此瀏覽計劃詳情，報名表格須於2019年10月7日前遞交。

PolyU ranked eighth in field-weighted citation impact of AI research

According to a study on the citation impact of research papers in the area of artificial intelligence (AI), PolyU is ranked number eight, the highest ranking among Hong Kong universities by field-weighted citation impact among the global universities under this study. And the top three are Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Carnegie Mellon University and Nanyang Technological University, Singapore. In terms of field-weighted citation impact by region, Hong Kong was on the top three, with a citation impact score of 2.00 although it produced fewer than 2,500 publications on AI over the time frame. This study is held by Times Higher Education and supported by Elsevier’s Scopus database. AI is one of the emerging areas for the education and research development of PolyU which has established various research collaboration platforms and has been carrying out many projects in this advanced technology. For instance, PolyU - Alibaba Cloud on Artificial Intelligence Collaboration particularly in smart cities and smart healthcare, PolyU - Royal College of Art to set up AI powered Design Laboratory, PolyU's funded projects in Alibaba Innovative Research Program, AI-powered system in textile industry, etc. Institution Country Publications Field-Weighted Citation Impact Massachusetts Institute of Technology United States 1,011 3.57 Carnegie Mellon University United States 1,311 2.53 Nanyang Technological University Singapore 1,197 2.51 University of Granada Spain 587 2.46 University of Southern California United States 627 2.35 Technical University of Munich Germany 656 2.27 Institute of Automation, Chinese Academy of Sciences China 588 2.26 Hong Kong Polytechnic University Hong Kong 602 2.20 National University of Singapore Singapore 807 2.14 Chinese University of Hong Kong Hong Kong 530 2.09 Source: Elsevier/Scopus Source of article: Times Higher Education (THE), May 2017   [From PolyU ITDO]

PolyU develops a high-efficiency, high-quality ultra-precision polishing technology for different kinds of freeform surfaces

The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) developed a novel curvature-adaptive multi-jet polishing (MJP) technology for different kinds of freeform surfaces, i.e. surfaces without symmetry axis, which are widely used in high end products such as compound lenses in 3D imaging, Head-up display (HUD) lenses used in automotive, optical components for augmented reality and virtual reality headsets, etc. Time efficiency and surface quality improvement are the main goals of the technology research. This technology can meet the stringent requirements for ultra-precision and high efficiency in polishing to reduce the surface roughness in high-value-added products, such as artificial joints, turbine blades of aeroplanes and other components with complex geometric shapes. PolyU’s technological breakthrough in high quality polishing will add great value to the high-end precision equipment manufacturing in the Greater Bay Area. The cutting-edge technology is developed based on the current Fluid Jet Polishing (FJP), an ultra-precision non-contact polishing technology that pumps the pre-mixed slurry, i.e. abrasive particles and water, through an adjustable nozzle directly towards a target surface at appropriate speed to polish the surface of the freeform products to the desired finish. PolyU’s research team customised multi-jet nozzles and developed a computerised system to automate the process and to control the fluid pressure and processing time of each jet according to the shape, variation of curvature and surface polishing requirements of a workpiece. The technology can thus be applied to most of the freeform products, including products with various complex curved designs and inner surface finishing of pipe-shaped products. Similar to FJP, MJP is also of high machining accuracy, suitable for polishing complex surfaces, and will not cause tool wear and temperature increase of the workpiece during polishing. MJP, however, has additional advantages in ultra-precision polishing. It can overcome the limitations of FJP to improve the material removal rate, and the polishing efficiency particularly for large-scale surfaces, lens array surfaces and inner surfaces polishing. The higher efficiency of MJP compared with that of FJP tool has been validated through an experiment. In the experiment, the FJP polishing procedure on a 4x4 lens units array took about 320 minutes as the lens in the array was polished one after another and each unit requires 20 minutes. However, if a MJP tool is used, it only takes 20 minutes to polish all the lens because they were polished simultaneously. In this case, the processing time for using the MJP tool has been significantly improved by about 16 times as compared to FJP. Leading this innovative project, Ir Professor Benny CHEUNG, Head of State Key Laboratory of Ultra-precision Machining Technology, PolyU, said, “Surface finishing especially for freeform surfaces can be expensive, time consuming, labor intensive, and error prone. FJP has its limitation in efficiency, so it has only been used in small size surfaces. MJP can be applicable to various industrial fields, such as high-precision optical components and moulds, aerospace components, automotive systems, semi-conductor plants, as well as biomedical engineering industries. The beauty of MJP solution includes high efficiency and lower cost without compromising on the polishing quality. We believe the technology could bring substantial benefits to the advanced manufacturing industries.” In terms of cost-saving, it will usually cost several millions (HK$) to purchase a FJP machine. However, the design and production cost of a MJP machine innovated by PolyU will only be at about two-third of the cost for the commercialized FJP machine. Moreover, the MJP system can be adapted and integrated into the existing polishing machines or robotic arms, which will further cut down the set-up cost. The novel technology has recently won a Silver Medal as well as two Special Merit Awards at the 47th International Exhibition of Inventions of Geneva, 2019. The research team plans to further enhance the technology by developing apparatus fit for plugging in 3-dimensional (3D) printers for enhancing the efficiency of post-process finishing of 3D-printed complex components. Note: Video on “Ultra-precision polishing technology” [From PolyU Media Release]