News

The third lecture of the PAIR Distinguished Lecture Series was successfully held on 6 September 2022

The third lecture of the PAIR Distinguished Lecture Series was successfully held on 6 September 2022. We were honoured to have invited renowned scientist, Prof. Li Deren, Academician of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering, Member of the International Eurasia Academy of Sciences, and Professor of State Key Laboratory of Information Engineering in Surveying, Mapping and Remote Sensing (LIESMARS), to be the distinguished speaker.  The webinar was hosted by Prof. Christopher Chao, Vice President (Research and Innovation) and Chair Professor of Thermal and Environmental Engineering of The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU).  It attracted over 300 participants from 24 countries and regions on Zoom, as well as over 18,000 online viewers on online-streaming channels.  Honourable participants include: (In alphabetical order of their last names) Prof. Fuu Jen Tsai, Provost of China Medical University, Taiwan         Prof. Christian Wagner, Provost of City University of Hong Kong Prof. Richard K Yuen, Chief-of-Staff of City University of Hong Kong Prof. Qingyan Chen, Director of PolyU Academy for Interdisciplinary Research (PAIR), Chair Professor of Building Thermal Science in the Department of Building Environment and Energy Engineering of PolyU, briefed the audiences on the establishment of PAIR and the Academy’s determination to address societal challenges and contribute to the achievement of the United Nations (UN) Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). At the opening, Prof. Christopher Chao expressed that “the research works of Prof. LI provide special meaning to PolyU’s research developments.  As our two research institutes under the PolyU Academy for Interdisciplinary Research (PAIR), namely, the Research Institute of Land and Space (RILS) and Research Institute for Artificial Intelligence of Things (RIAIoT), are working on research projects in areas like land analytics and management and big data analytics with artificial intelligence technologies, and the generation of new solutions which essentially involve the fusion of geospatial information system (GIS) and internet of things (IoT) towards our goal for a more liveable and sustainable city.”  Prof. Li began the lecture by introducing the State Key Laboratory of Information Engineering in Surveying, Mapping and Remote Sensing (LIESMARS) at Wuhan University.  He presented an overview of LIESMARS’ history, research focus and directions, organisational developments covering human resources, facilities, research, publications, industrial and international cooperation, education programmes, laboratory’s awards, rankings, and recognition. Subsequently, Prof. Li gave a summary of the emerging trends in GIS in the era of IoT.  He highlighted the characteristic application of communication network infrastructure (5G, IoT, industrial internet, and satellite internet), new technology infrastructure (AI, cloud computing, blockchain), and computing technology (big data, intelligent computing) in different GIS-related areas, such as surveying, mapping, and remote sensing, for the study of people, places, nature, and processes of the earth. Super high-speed cyberspace modelling is the current development trend in GIS. Prof. Li further elaborated on the five characteristics of GIS in the era of IoT.  First, satellite positioning technology will move from the Global Positioning Satellite System (GNSS) to the Positioning, Navigation and Timing (PNT) system, and further to the Positioning, Navigation, Timing, Remote Sensing, and Communication (PNTRC) system.  Second, remote sensing technology will elevate from the Earth Observation Satellite (EOS) to the Earth Observation Brain (EOB), an intelligent earth observation system. Third, GIS’s map database will be developed to enable accurate 3D imaging and digital twinning.  Fourth, integrating GIS, RS and GNSS for mobile mapping and measurement will bring intelligent robot services.  Finally, GIS that focuses on observing earth processes and environmental changes will later emphasize the observation of human and related activities, such as car flow, heat maps, people flow, etc. Prof. Li then discussed three scientific issues of GIS in the era of IoT afterward.  He pointed out the need for map product that serves the needs of both humans and robots, the technical bottleneck of choosing between classification and semantic description for remote sensing image intelligent interpretation, and the need for geographic big data mining to support sustainable human development in harmony with nature. Prof. Li concluded with his final remarks and advice that future developments in GIS should leverage IoT to provide real-time data, develop smart GIS, explore the value of big geographic data, and adopt GeoAI for a more brilliant earth. The lecture was followed by a fruitful 30-minute discussion, moderated by Prof. Christopher Chao and joined by two panellists, Prof. Chen Qingyan and Prof. Weng Qihao, Associate Director of Research Institute for Land and Space and Chair Professor of Geomatics and Artificial Intelligence at PolyU.  Please click here for an online review.    

RAIoT's research project granted the fifth batch of Smart Traffic Fund

Dr Ivan Ho, Member of the Research Institute for Artificial Intelligence of Things and Research Institute for Sustainable Urban Development, was awarded over HK$1.3 million in the fifth batch of Smart Traffic Fund for his project “Channel State Information-Learning-based Passenger Counting System on Public Transport Vehicles”.   More: PolyU Two Projects Granted the Fifth Batch of Smart Traffic Fund | Research and Innovation Office

PAIR scholar wins APEC top young scientist award for his contribution to bio-circular-green practice research

Dr Ren Jingzheng, Member of the Research Centre for Resources Engineering towards Carbon Neutrality and Associate Professor of the Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering, won the 2022 Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Science Prize for Innovation, Research and Education (ASPIRE) in late August.  Dr Ren was selected the region’s top young science researcher of the year for “unfolding new methods to promote an integrated development of the economy, environment and society, including through bio-circular-green practice.” PolyU is the only higher education institution in Hong Kong to have had two young scientists honoured with this prestigious award in a decade. More: https://polyu.me/3QdZ3RI

PAIR Newsletter ∙ Issue 3 ∙ September 2022

Welcome to our latest newsletter.  In Issue 3, we are delighted to share the latest happenings and discoveries here at PAIR, PolyU. Articles in this issue include feature stories on directors of our Research Institutes and Research Centres, our new research findings, knowledge transfer activities, award recognitions, etc. We hope you enjoy this varied research exploration. If you find any articles or links in our newsletter that are especially enlightening and applicable, please do share the relevant content with your friends and colleagues.    Happy reading!

PAIR is now on various social media platforms!

We are pleased to announce that the PolyU Academy for Interdisciplinary Research (PAIR) is now on various social media platforms! Connect with us and you will be able to receive first-hand information on our events and activities. Follow us now!   FB page : https://www.facebook.com/PolyU.PAIR   Twitter : https://twitter.com/PAIR_PolyU   LinkedIn : https://www.linkedin.com/in/pair-polyu-47224722b   Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/pair_polyu/ WeChat: PAIR_PolyU Douyin: 21802260873

Happy Mid-Autumn Festival

May the glow of the full moon brings health, harmony, and happiness to you and your families!

The tradition of town-and-gown collaboration is highlighted in the PolyU Inauguration of Endowed Professorships and Endowed Young Scholars

PolyU held The Fourth Inauguration of Endowed Professorships cum The First Inauguration of Endowed Young Scholars on 31 August 2022. PAIR members have swept the board with appointments for all 11 new endowed professorships, five successive endowed and named professorships, as well as two new endowed young scholar positions.  Congratulations to all of them! More: The tradition of town-and-gown collaboration is highlighted in the PolyU Inauguration of Endowed Professorships and Endowed Young Scholars | Giving

PolyU scholar shares latest development of spectacle lens to help slow down myopia progression

Prof. To Chi-ho, Director of the Research Centre for SHARP Vision and Chair Professor and Head of the School of Optometry, was interviewed in a Cable TV programme “Topic in Focus” on 24 August, sharing the impact of the pandemic on children’s vision health and a Defocus Incorporated Multiple Segments (DIMS) spectacle lens developed by PolyU that can slow down the progression of myopia.   Online coverage: Cable TV - https://polyu.me/3AM19UH

PolyU hosted Academic Symposium on Carbon Neutrality and Smart and Healthy City to foster research collaboration between Hong Kong SAR and China

Aiming at enhancing the scientific research collaboration between Hong Kong SAR and China, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) held the 2022 Academic Symposium on Carbon Neutral and Smart and Healthy City on 29-30 August 2022. The event is funded by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (NSFC) and the Beijing-Hong Kong Academic Exchange Centre (BHKAEC). Academic exchanges have been taken place to establish future research directions and explore innovative solutions in achieving carbon neutrality and building a smart healthy city. The two-day hybrid symposium gathered 33 renowned scientists from 16 universities in Hong Kong and China to share research findings in 5 major areas including "Carbon Neutrality and Sustainable Development", "Low Carbon Land and Urban Development", "Key Technologies for Smart and Energy-flexible Buildings in High-density Cities towards Carbon Neutrality", "Towards Future Smart Cities", and "Carbon Neutral Construction Materials". Top researchers also discussed strategies for reducing carbon emissions, accelerating the transformation of energy systems towards smart and zero-carbon healthy city, thus supporting the Nation’s achievement of the “dual carbon goals” with technological measures on energy system transformation, energy conservation and reduction of industries’ energy consumption and emission, strategic technology planning, and carbon capture.  Professor Jin-Guang Teng, President of PolyU, addressed on the opening ceremony that PolyU established PolyU Academy for Interdisciplinary Research (PAIR) in 2021 to facilitate interdisciplinary research and provide innovative solutions to global challenges such as climate change, population aging and food shortage. In order to achieve carbon neutrality, advanced technology and excellent talents are essential. Professor Teng hoped that the presentations and sharing of scholars from both sides in the two-day symposium would bring new ideas and thoughts to the development of "Smart Zero Carbon Emissions City". Mr. Zhang Yongtao, Officer of the Office of Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan Affairs of the NSFC remarked, “The symposium provides a platform for experts from Hong Kong and the Inland to exchange scientific progress and showcase their research results around the major strategy of carbon neutrality, and explore the hot issues at the forefront of a carbon-neutral smart and healthy city, and to build scientific consensus.” He also pointed out that NSFC attaches great importance to the scientific cooperation and exchange between the Inland and Hong Kong, and introduced the channels for Hong Kong researchers to receive direct support from NSFC in 2022.  The Symposium is co-organised by the PolyU Academy for Interdisciplinary Research (PAIR) and Research and Innovation Office (RIO). RIO, as a forward-looking department in the University, is devoted to propelling the University’s technology development and advances to benefit the society by providing all-rounded support to facilitate research endeavours within the PolyU community, and foster partnerships among universities, industries, governments, supranational bodies, and the public. PAIR is a central research platform consisting 16 research institutes and research centres which aspire to be a world leader in providing inter-disciplinary solutions for major social challenges. Among those, 5 research institutes have actively involved in facilitating carbon neutrality and smart healthy city, namely, Research Institute for Land and Space, Research Institute for Sustainable Urban Development, Otto Poon Charitable Foundation Smart Cities Research Institute, Otto Poon Charitable Foundation Research Institute for Smart Energy and Research Centre for Resources Engineering towards Carbon Neutrality.

RISE Member is awarded with Smart Traffic Fund

Congratulations to Dr Cao Sunliang, Member of the Otto Poon Charitable Founding Research Institute for Smart Energy for receiving HK$2.5M from the Smart Traffic Fund for his research project “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”. The 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 was set up by the HKSAR government in 2019 to provide funding support to local organisations or enterprises for conducting research and application of innovation and technology with the objectives of enhancing commuting convenience, enhancing efficiency of the road network or road space, and improving driving safety.