PolyU has recently revealed its groundbreaking Research Centre for Assistive Technology (RCATech), representing a significant leap forward in assistive device design, technology advancement, and rehabilitation research and development. With the overarching goal of fostering an inclusive and accessible society, RCATech aims to empower individuals with disabilities and the elderly through the implementation of cutting-edge technology and innovative solutions.

As the first research centre of its kind among Hong Kong's esteemed educational institutions, RCATech has forged strategic partnerships with local non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and international educational institutions. This collaborative approach seeks to foster multidisciplinary research and drive technology transformation for the betterment of both industry and society at large. Professor Frank Chan Fan, the former Secretary for Transport and Housing of the HKSAR Government and the current Hong Kong Deputy to the National People's Congress, is RCATech's Honorary Advisor.

RCATech has formed partnerships with two prominent international research centres: the AGE-WELL Network of Centres of Excellence at University of Toronto in Canada, and the Rehabilitation Research Institute of Singapore (RRIS) at Nanyang Technological University (NTU) in Singapore. RCATech and RRIS at NTU have signed an agreement for master research collaboration and project cooperation aimed at advancing rehabilitation research. One noteworthy example is a feasibility study aimed at developing a normative ability database for individuals of Asian ethnicity with movement disorders, as well as their healthy counterparts.

In addition to these collaborations, the Faculty of Health and Social Sciences (FHSS) at PolyU also formed a partnership with HKT, aiming to provide support to research projects conducted by FHSS academics, researchers, and students on the PolyU campus. This collaboration capitalises on HKT's extensive 5G network coverage and services, offering a unique opportunity to enhance research capabilities. The cooperative efforts also encompass collaborative research activities with the goal of benefitting the healthcare industry.

RCATech leverages PolyU’s research excellence and academic heritage in the rehabilitation, health sciences, design, environmental and engineering disciplines to develop fundamental technologies and intelligent applications. RCATech comprises researchers from the FHSS, School of Design, Faculty of Engineering, Faculty of Construction and Environment, Industrial Centre and Jockey Club Design Institute for Social Innovation.