Ir Prof. ZHENG Pai, Associate Professor and Wong Tit Shing Endowed Young Scholar in Smart Robotics in the Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering (right), has been honored with the Young Engineer of the Year Award 2025 by the Hong Kong Institution of Engineers (HKIE).
Ir Prof. ZHENG Pai, Associate Professor and Wong Tit Shing Endowed Young Scholar in Smart Robotics in the Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering (right), has been honored with the Young Engineer of the Year Award 2025 by the Hong Kong Institution of Engineers (HKIE).
The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) is committed to nurturing a new generation of young researchers who are dedicated to contributing to the community through research and innovation. Ir Prof. ZHENG Pai, Associate Professor and Wong Tit Shing Endowed Young Scholar in Smart Robotics in the Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering, has been honored with the Young Engineer of the Year Award 2025 by the Hong Kong Institution of Engineers (HKIE).
Prof. ZHENG’s pioneering research harnesses artificial intelligence (AI) and digital technologies to revolutionise the manufacturing industry by fostering seamless collaboration between humans and robots.
His smart manufacturing laboratory and the research group, The Researchers of AI for Industrial Digital Servitization (RAIDS), are at the forefront of the intersection between AI and robotics towards a human-machine symbiotic manufacturing paradigm. Their work aims to address the challenges of human-robot collaboration in manufacturing environments, with the goal of enhancing productivity and efficiency.
The Mutual Cognitive Human-Robot Collaborative Manufacturing System developed by Prof. ZHENG combines the accuracy and reliability of robots with the adaptability and flexibility of humans. As a smart robotic solution developed mainly for high-end manufacturing tasks with flexible automation capabilities, it offers broad benefits for various industrial sectors. This innovative system has already been adopted by industrial partners such as CasiCloud, COMAC, and Rhein-Köster.
Another breakthrough application is a prototype system for an AR-assisted and digital twin-enabled mutual cognitive human-robot collaborative manufacturing technology. This system has been successfully developed and demonstrated real-world scenarios, including the operation and maintenance of the oil drilling platform equipment and the dismantling of aging electric vehicle batteries (EVBs).
Beyond his industry contributions, Prof. Zheng's research has earned him two Best Conference Paper Awards and numerous other accolades, including the Outstanding Young Manufacturing Engineer Award from the Society of Manufacturing Engineers (SME) and recognition as one of Baidu’s Top 50 AI Chinese Scholars worldwide. He also serves as an editor or reviewer for top-tier journals in industrial and manufacturing engineering.
Prof. ZHENG also dedicates himself to mentoring the next generation of talent. He values the importance of creating an environment that inspires students to explore and pursue innovations, encouraging them to develop creative resolutions. Consequently, his students have excelled in significant technology competitions. (For more: PolyU Scholar Shares Tactics for Research Competitions on THE Campus )
Prof. ZHENG expressed his gratitude for the award, stating, “This recognition inspires me to keep pushing the boundaries of research and to make impactful contributions to both local and global industries, as well as academic communities.”
Established by the HKIE, the Young Engineer of the Year Award 2025 aims to recognise outstanding young engineers who have made commendable achievements and valuable contributions as engineers to the continuous development of Hong Kong.
