PAIR researchers shine at International Exhibition of Inventions Geneva | PolyU Academy for Interdisciplinary Research (PAIR)

The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) won a total of 36 accolades at the 50^th International Exhibition of Inventions Geneva (Geneva Inventions Expo), a widely recognised annual event devoted exclusively to invention. This remarkable achievement highlights the University’s strong research capabilities and commitment to innovation on the global stage. Thirty-three PolyU innovations seized 36 accolades, including 2 Special Prizes, 10 Gold Medals with Congratulations of the Jury, 8 Gold Medals, 11 Silver Medals, 4 Bronze Medals and 1 Special Merit Award.

The project titled “Surface Sampling and Packing System for Chang’e-5 and -6 Lunar Sample Return Missions”, developed by the research team led by Prof. YUNG Kai-leung, Director of Research Centre for Deep Space Explorations (RCDSE), Sir Sze-yuen Chung Professor in Precision Engineering and Chair Professor of Precision Engineering, Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering, in collaboration with the China Academy of Space Technology, garnered the Saudi Arabia Award for Excellence in Innovation – Ministry of Education Prize and a Gold Medal with Jury Commendation. This is the first space-qualified robotic Sampling and automatic packaging system of its kind, and had successfully collected over 1.5kg of surface samples on the lunar front side and 1.6kg on the far side. On the Chang’e-6 mission, this system also marked the first-ever lunar far-side surface sampling.

Another project titled “Hearing Hope: A Smart Sensor for Enhanced Safety and Precision in Hearing Restoration Procedures”, developed by the research team led by Prof. TAM Hwa-yaw, Associate Director of Photonics Research Institute (PRI) and Chair Professor of Photonics, Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, won the Thailand Award for Best International Invention and Innovation as well as a Gold Medal with Jury Commendation. This medical device enhances surgical precision and reduces trauma in cochlear implantation by incorporating an optical fibre sensor within the electrode array.

Projects led by PAIR researchers:

*In order of prize level and alphabetical order of project names

Project

Principal Investigator(s)

Saudi Innovation Excellence Prize – Ministry of Education

Gold Medal with Congratulations of the Jury

Surface Sampling and Packing System for Chang’e-5 and -6 Lunar Sample Return Missions

Prof. YUNG Kai-leung
Director of Research Centre for Deep Space Explorations;

Sir Sze-yuen Chung Professor in Precision Engineering;

Chair Professor of Precision Engineering and Associate Head of Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering

Thailand Award for the Best International Invention & Innovation

Gold Medal with Congratulations of the Jury

Hearing Hope: A Smart Sensor for Enhanced Safety and Precision in Hearing Restoration Procedures

Prof. TAM Hwa-yaw
Associate Director of Photonics Research Institute;

Chair Professor of Photonics, Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering

Special Merit Award from French Inventors Federation and Europe-France Inventors

Gold Medal with Congratulations of the Jury

Seeing the Invisible: Generating Non-invasive Angiography as an Alternative to Invasive Retinal Examinations

Dr SHI Danli
Member of Research Centre for SHARP Vision;

Research Assistant Professor, School of Optometry

Gold Medal with Congratulations of the Jury
A Customisable Wearable Saliva Sensing Platform	Prof. YAN Feng Associate Director of Research Institute for Intelligent Wearable Systems; Member of Otto Poon Charitable Foundation Research Institute for Smart Energy; Chair Professor of Organic Electronics, Department of Applied Physics
Smart Fire Extinguisher for Spacecraft	Prof. HUANG Xinyan Member of Research Institute for Sustainable Urban Development, Research Centre for Resources Engineering towards Carbon Neutrality and Otto Poon Charitable Foundation Research Institute for Smart Energy; Associate Professor, Department of Building Environment and Energy Engineering; Co-founder, Widemount Dynamics Tech Limited (a PolyU startup)
CO₂-driven Superhydrophobic Carbon-sink Concrete	Prof. POON Chi-sun Director of Research Centre for Resources Engineering towards Carbon Neutrality; Michael Anson Professor in Civil Engineering; Chair Professor of Sustainable Construction Material and Head of Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering
SweatMD: Health-monitoring Wearable Sweat Sensor	Prof. SHOU Dahua Associate Director of Research Centre of Textiles for Future Fashion; Member of Otto Poon Charitable Foundation Research Institute for Smart Energy; Member of Research Centre for Resources Engineering towards Carbon Neutrality; Associate Director of PolyU–Xingguo Technology and Innovation Research Institute; Limin Endowed Young Scholar in Advanced Textiles Technologies; Associate Professor, School of Fashion and Textiles
Gold Medal
A Multi-objective Yaw-control System for Wind Farm Optimisation Based on Novel 3D Wake Model	Prof. YANG Hongxing Management Committee Member of Research Institute for Sustainable Urban Development; Member of Otto Poon Charitable Foundation Research Institute for Smart Energy; Professor, Department of Building Environment and Energy Engineering
AI-empowered Digital Twin for Smart Building Management	Prof. XIAO Fu Associate Director of Otto Poon Charitable Foundation Research Institute for Smart Energy; Management Committee Member of Research Centre for Digital Transformation of Tourism; Member of Research Institute for Sustainable Urban Development; Associate Dean, Faculty of Construction and Environment; Professor, Department of Building Environment and Energy
Multi-mode Optical Characterisation Interferometer (MOCI)	Prof. CHEUNG Chi-fai Benny Associate Director of Research Centre for SHARP Vision; Management Committee Member of Research Centre for Resources Engineering towards Carbon Neutrality; Member of Research Institute for Advanced Manufacturing; Chair Professor of Ultra-precision Machining and Metrology, Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering; Director, State Key Laboratory of Ultra-precision Machining Technology

Smart Structural Integrity Monitoring Syste

Prof. WONG Man-sing Charles
Associate Director of Research Institute for Sustainable Urban Development;

Associate Dean, Faculty of Construction and Environment;

Professor, Department of Land Surveying and Geo-Informatics

Mr CHAN Pak Kwan

Managing Director & Co-founder, LeafIoT Technology Limited (a PolyU startup)

Behaviour Recognition Method, Device and Wearable Device

Prof.HE Mingguang
Director of Research Centre for SHARP Vision;
Henry G. Leong Professor in Elderly Vision Health;

Chair Professor of Experimental Ophthalmology, School of Optometry

Dr TO Yuen-ying Elaine
Postdoctoral Fellow in Ophthalmology, School of Optometry

Eye-on-a-chip Device

Dr ZHOU Liping
Member of Research Centre for SHARP Vision;

Research Assistant Professor, School of Optometry and Department of Applied Biology and Chemical Technology;

Principal Investigator, InnoHK Centre for Eye and Vision Research;

Director, Eyenova Biotech Limited (a PolyU startup)

Dr PHAN Chau-Minh
Research Assistant Professor, School of Optometry and Vision Science, University of Waterloo;

Principal Investigator, InnoHK Centre for Eye and Vision Research;

Director, Eyenova Biotech Limited (a PolyU startup)

Silver Medal

Last-centimetre Drone Delivery in Urban Environments

Prof. HUANG Hailong
Member of Research Institute for Sustainable Urban Development, Research Institute for Sports Science and Technology, Research Institute for Artificial Intelligence of Things and Otto Poon Charitable Foundation Smart Cities Research Institute;

Assistant Professor, Department of Aeronautical and Aviation Engineering

IHAC Film: Intelligent Humidity Control and Atmospheric Water Collection Film

Prof. YAN Jinyue Jerry

Management Committee Member of Research Institute for Sustainable Urban Development;

Member of Otto Poon Charitable Foundation Research Institute for Smart Energy;

Chair Professor of Energy and Buildings, Department of Building Environment and Energy Engineering

AI-based Railway Obstacle Intrusion Detection System with Multimodal Transformers

Prof. NI Yiqing

Member of Research Institute for Sustainable Urban Development;
Yim, Mak, Kwok & Chung Professor in Smart Structures;

Chair Professor of Smart Structures and Rail Transit;

Director of National Rail Transit Electrification and Automation Engineering Technology Research Centre (Hong Kong Branch);

Director of PolyU–Hangzhou Technology and Innovation Research Institute

LungRT Pro: Advanced Radiotherapy Support System

Prof. CAI Jing

Management Committee Member of Research Institute for Intelligent Wearable Systems and Research Institute for Smart Ageing;
Head and Professor, Department of Health Technology and Informatics;

Technical Advisor, InsightRT Limited (a PolyU startup)

EmoFriends

Prof. WANG Jia Stephen

Member of Research Institute for Artificial Intelligence of Things, Research Institute for Intelligent Wearable Systems and Otto Poon Charitable Foundation Smart Cities Research Institute;

Professor, School of Design

The EyeFatigue Tracker: Exploring Visual Health through Wearable Devices and Deep-Learning Technology

Dr CHEN Yanxian

Member of Research Centre for SHARP Vision;

Research Assistant Professor, School of Optometry

STARS: Smartphone AI Refraction System

Prof. DO Chi-wai

Member of Research Institute for Future Food, Research Institute for Smart Ageing, Research Centre for Chinese Medicine Innovation and Research Centre for SHARP Vision;

Associate Professor, School of Optometry

Prof. Grace NGAI

Member of Research Centre for SHARP Vision;

Associate Professor, Department of Computing

Biomimetics Nanoplatform for the Treatment of Retinal Diseases

Prof. DO Chi-wai

Member of Research Institute for Future Food, Research Institute for Smart Ageing, Research Centre for Chinese Medicine Innovation and Research Centre for SHARP Vision;

Associate Professor, School of Optometry

Prof. Emmanuel HO
Professor, School of Pharmacy, University of Waterloo;

Principal Investigator, InnoHK Centre for Eye and Vision Research

Wellsees Orthokeratology Contact Lens

Dr Jason Ki-Kit LAU
Technical Director, Wellsees Technologies Co Ltd

Mr Roger Jing ZHANG
Founder, Wellsees Technologies Co., Ltd.

Prof. KEEChea-su

Associate Director of Research Centre for SHARP Vision;

Member of Research Institute for Artificial Intelligence of Things

Head, School of Optometry;

Co-Founder, Wellsees Technologies Co., Ltd.

Dr Andy WANG
Associate Professor, College of Mechatronics and Control Engineering, Shenzhen University;
Co-Founder, Wellsees Technologies Co., Ltd. (a PolyU startup)

BronzeMedal

Advanced Self-cleaning Oil Fume Purification System for Commercial Kitchens

Prof. LEE Shun-cheng

Member of Research Institute for Sustainable Urban Development;
Professor, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering;

Technical Advisor, AeroGreen Technology Company Limited (a PolyU startup)

Dr LI Xinwei
Postdoctoral Fellow, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering;

Founder, AeroGreen Technology Company Limited (a PolyU startup)

Dr HAN Shuwen
Alumnus, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering;

Chief Technology Officer, AeroGreen Technology Company Limited (a PolyU startup)

Next-generation Sportswear with Polylactic Acid, Auxetic Knitting Structure and Ergonomic Design

Prof. Erin CHO

Member of Research Centre of Textiles for Future Fashion;

Dean of School of Fashion and Textiles;

Limin Professor in Integrated Strategies and Leadership in Fashion;

Advisor, Leopitorca Global Limited (a PolyU startup)

3D-printed Superior Light and Breathable Wearable Textiles

Prof. JIANG Shou-xiang Kinor

Member of Research Institute for Intelligent Wearable Systems and Research Centre of Textiles for Future Fashion;

Professor, School of Fashion and Textiles