“The market is a touchstone for testing products’ impact,” said Ir Professor Benny C.F. Cheung, Director of the State Key Laboratory of Ultra-precision Machining Technology (The Hong Kong Polytechnic University) (SKL-UPMT) and Chair Professor of Ultra-precision Machining and Metrology. In a recent media interview, he shared insights on the importance of innovation commercialisation, the challenges faced by local universities in bringing research to the market, and the application of SKL-UPMT’s technologies.

SKL-UPMT, one of the eight national research laboratories in Hong Kong, specialises in ultra-precision machining technologies and precision surface metrology research. Professor Cheung mentioned that ultra-precision machining technology is cross-disciplinary and pivotal in supporting today's innovative scientific and technological advancements.

He highlighted several of SKL-UPMT’s ultra-precision technology applications that have benefited society, for example, producing the Defocus Incorporated Soft Contact (DISC) lens in collaboration with researchers from PolyU’s School of Optometry, using its Nano Multi-rings Machining Technology. Over 20,000 people have benefited from the DISC lens, which has garnered the prestigious Prize of the State of Geneva and the Gold Medal with Congratulations of the Jury at the International Exhibition of Inventions Geneva in 2023 for its societal impact.

“Collaboration with the industry chain is indispensable for successfully commercialising technology into market-ready products,” Professor Cheung remarked. “Because ultimately, it is not us who evaluate the product’s impact, but the market that assesses it based on how many customers can benefit from it. The market will evaluate the product, and it is not solely based on our own claims of success.”

Professor Cheung also addressed the challenges Hong Kong researchers face in commercialisation. The biggest challenge lies in finding the right partners for collaboration. Additionally, the supply chain poses difficulties as it often requires coordination with multiple suppliers to transform key components into vital production elements. In this regard, product managers can play a crucial role in connecting industry, academia, and research.

Professor Cheung expressed support for the Hong Kong government’s efforts to foster cooperations between industry, academia and research sectors and wished to see more talents being nurtured in innovation commercialisation. He also highlighted the potential for building joint research bases in the Mainland, which would integrate resources and accelerate research development on a shared platform. In this regard, Hong Kong can play a crucial role in bringing innovations into the Greater Bay Area and beyond.

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