Innovations bestowed global awards to benefit industry
Three PolyU breakthrough technologies have been honoured with the TechConnect Global Innovation Awards at the TechConnect World Innovation Conference and Expo 2021. The Award is given based on the potential positive impact the technology will have on a specific industry sector.
PolyU is the only higher education institution in Hong Kong that received the honours in 2021, and the University has been bestowed the prestigious Awards for the fifth consecutive year. This year, the University’s award-winning innovations promise great potential for tackling environmental and public health challenges as well as shaping smart city development. They are:
A novel moisture wicking textile
Researchers: Dr Shou Dahua (pictured), Professor Fan Jintu and Dr Wei Xin from the Institute of Textiles and Clothing
Innovation: Sweatextile - a nature-inspired textile of unidirectional water transport and dissipation for moisture management, comfort and protection
Novelty: The textile mimics the perspiration action of human skin to quickly dissipate excessive sweat as water droplets to the outer surface.
Benefits: Kept dry and comfortable, the wearer is able to maintain a high level of energy and endurance. The textile also protects wearers from external liquids such as rain and contaminated water.
Toxic-free method to produce MXenes
Researchers: Professor Hao Jianhua and Ms Pang Sin-yi from the Department of Applied Physics
Innovation: A hydrofluoric (HF)-free, facile and rapid electrochemical method to synthesise MXenes (MXenes are efficient and economical nanomaterials with strong potential for energy conversion and storage applications.)
Novelty: The method eliminates the traditional use of the highly toxic HF acid.
Benefits: The resulting MXenes have stable and highly efficient energy storage and hydrogen gas synthesis capabilities, offering promising applications to address the pressing energy crisis and increasing energy demand.
Highly precise global positioning for autonomous driving
Researchers: Dr Hsu Li-ta (pictured) and Dr Wen Weisong from the Department of Aeronautical and Aviation Engineering
Innovation: 3D LiDAR-Aided GNSS Precise Positioning Technology for level-4 autonomous driving (watch video)
Novelty: The innovation couples its environmental perception capability with high-precision satellite positioning technology to achieve intelligent selfadjusting satellite ranging measurement modelling and correction.
Benefits: It makes centimetrelevel high-precision global positioning in urban environments possible for level-4 autonomous driving in which the car can handle most driving situations independently.
