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PolyU to set up research centre on culture and art technology with NVIDIA

The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) is collaborating with NVIDIA to establish a joint research centre for the innovation of culture, art technology and interactive media with the goal of nurturing talents and conducting collaborative research. The joint Research Centre on Culture and Art Technology (CAT) is to be set up by PolyU and NVIDIA. It is NVIDIA’s leading global research centre partnered with an education institution to facilitate art, design and media innovation. The School of Design (SD) of PolyU will team with NVIDIA for the establishment of CAT, which aims to become a leading research centre in culture and art technology. Leveraging Hong Kong’s position in China’s Greater Bay Area (GBA) with vibrant art and creative activities, CAT intends to become the hub of culture and art technology research internationally, driving creative innovation in the art-tech field. This academia-industry collaboration combines the strengths of NVIDIA technologies, including artificial intelligence (AI), data analytics and high performance computing, and PolyU’s expertise in cross-disciplinary research and education, to promote and create impactful and creative research on art technology. A memorandum of understanding to establish the centre was signed by Prof. Christopher CHAO, Vice President (Research and Innovation) of PolyU, and Dr Simon SEE, Senior Director of NVIDIA AI Technology Center. Prof. CHAO said, “PolyU is pleased to collaborate with NVIDIA in the areas of creative industry and art-tech. Combining PolyU’s strength in design education and research excellence and NVIDIA’s artificial intelligence computing expertise, I believe this synergy of academia and industry will generate a significant positive impact in the near-future. PolyU’s leading interdisciplinary research will be translated into practical use to create innovative solutions for the creative, art and entertainment industries.” Dr SEE said, “The collaboration between PolyU Design and NVIDIA on the establishment of the world's first joint research centre with a leading design school will be groundbreaking for creative and art technology. This collaboration will drive cutting-edge research and enable the development of innovative solutions for the creative industry with the help of AI.” Prof. Henry DUH, Centre Director of PolyU-NVIDIA Joint Research Centre of PolyU said, “PolyU always seeks for strong community engagement to produce timely and cutting-edge industry relevant research. By leveraging NVIDIA’s expertise in artificial intelligence, we will provide a collaborative platform for GBA culture groups and art communities to create new forms of arts.” Under this collaboration, PolyU will work with NVIDIA to organize a series of events including workshops, sharing sessions, art-tech exhibition, as well as the hackathon in Asia to reach the community and to facilitate knowledge sharing, innovation and entrepreneurship.

PolyU hosted NSFC-RGC Conference on Frontiers of Industrial Big Data and Intelligent Systems attended by international experts on human-machine integration discussion

The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) successfully held the 2023 NSFC-RGC Conference on Frontiers of Industrial Big Data and Intelligent Systems from April 28 to May 1, 2023. The conference was jointly sponsored by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (NSFC) and the Research Grants Council (RGC) of Hong Kong.   As an essential part of the NSFC-RGC Joint Research Funding Programme, the event aimed to promote academic cooperation between mainland and Hong Kong researchers or teams and to explore cutting-edge scientific issues related to "Towards Human-Machine Symbiotic Industrial Transformation”. The conference was hosted by PolyU and co-organised by 9 universities in Hong Kong and mainland China. The conference committee comprised representatives from the collaborating universities. Ir Prof H.C. MAN, Chair Professor of Materials Engineering and Dean of Faculty of Engineering at PolyU, served as one of the honorary chairs. Dr Pai ZHENG, Assistant Professor at the Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering at PolyU, also served as one of the conference chair. The conference attracted 247 experts and scholars from 62 universities and research institutions in Mainland China, Hong Kong, and seven overseas countries and regions. The participants included renowned researchers in the fields such as smart manufacturing, data science, and artificial intelligence. During the conference banquet held on April 28, Prof Christina WONG, Director of Research and Innovation at PolyU, delivered a speech expressing her best wishes for attendees to build friendships and research collaborations in Hong Kong. The participants engaged in in-depth exchanges and discussions on theories, methods, and applications of industrial big data and intelligent systems, showcasing the latest progress and development trends in the field. Nine keynote speakers shared their latest research findings, including Prof George Q. HUANG, Chair Professor of Smart Manufacturing at PolyU. The conference was a great success, offering fresh ideas and insights to promote human-machine integrated industrial transformation. Additionally, it established a valuable cooperation platform for researchers to connect and exchange, fostering cooperation in scientific research projects, talent cultivation, resource sharing, and other crucial aspects. These achievements are of great significance for driving industrial transformation through human-machine collaboration.

PolyU scholar honoured the National Disruptive Technology Contest by Ministry of Science & Technology

The research project “Low-temperature molding technology for precision optical components based on new nanocomposite glass materials” (基於新型納米複合玻璃材料的精密光學元件低溫成型技術) led by scholar of the Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) is honoured the 2022 Merit Award of National Disruptive Technology Contest (全國顛覆性技術創新大賽領域賽優秀獎) in the field of new materials by Torch High Technology Industry Development Center of Ministry of Science & Technology (MOST). A total of 2,851 projects from all over China participated in the Contest, and PolyU is the only Hong Kong institution being honoured. The PolyU driven start-up project, led by Prof. W.B. Lee, Emeritus Professor of Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering, develops the technology for the precision molding of a modified nanocomposite glass materials which could be formed at a low temperature below 300 OC, followed by sintering or formed at room temperature with ultra-violet curing without vacuum requirement in the manufacturing of aspheric or free formed optical glass lens. The project is also a collaboration with the Nano Manufacturing Laboratory of the City University of Hong Kong. This research will bring significant innovative breakthrough to the precision optics manufacturing industry. The research results can be applied in low-cost, high-volume manufacturing of optical components such as lenses and Fresnel lenses, for applications in next-generation portable devices, smartphones for driverless cars, holographic displays and VR glasses, and light field display technology of metaverse etc. The National Disruptive Technology Contest focuses on integrated circuit, artificial intelligence, future networks and communications, biotechnology, new materials, green technology, high-end equipment manufacturing and multiple disciplines, and other technology which could bring cutting-edge innovation and breakthrough.

PolyU wins record-breaking number of awards at Geneva Inventions Expo and snatches highest number of prestigious Grand/Special Prizes among HK delegations

Impactful innovations from The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) have won a record-breaking number of accolades at the 48th International Exhibition of Inventions Geneva (Geneva Inventions Expo), widely regarded as among the most important annual global events devoted exclusively to inventions. In particular, 28 PolyU innovations garnered 31 prizes – the highest number of prizes PolyU teams have ever received at this event. They include 3 Grand/Special Prizes, 5 Gold Medals with Congratulations of the Jury, 12 Gold Medals, 5 Silver Medals and 6 Bronze Medals. In fact, PolyU teams won the highest number of the prestigious Grand/Special Prizes among Hong Kong delegations at the Expo. The PolyU inventions which earned the Grand/Special Prizes include a highly efficacious myopia control spectacle lens, a long-acting anti-obesity and insulin-sensitising drug, and a lightweight surveillance camera with ultrawide vision for the Tianwen-1 Mars mission. PolyU’s innovations garnered 31 prizes at the 48th Geneva Inventions Expo, alongside the achievements of other Hong Kong delegations, cementing Hong Kong’s reputation as a key innovation and technology hub. The award-winning innovations by PolyU improve people’s lives and expand humankind’s horizons – with applications not only here on Earth, but also in space. In addition, these innovations help the world adapt to climate change and prepare for future pandemics, as well as safeguard people’s health and well-being. Among the awarded innovations, 12 are driven by PolyU start-ups, including those led by PolyU scholars – a testament of the University’s start-up ecosystem that has supported over 7,600 PolyU academics, researchers, alumni and students in their entrepreneurial endeavours. The exceptional performance of PolyU teams at the Geneva Inventions Expo underscores the University’s aspiration to harness its excellence in education, research and knowledge transfer to drive PolyImpact – inventions and innovations by the PolyU community that create long-lasting, real-world impact. The Geneva Inventions Expo this year attracted about 1,000 inventions from about 40 countries and regions. To learn more about PolyU’s impactful innovations showcased in the Expo, please refer to the Appendix and the website of the Knowledge Transfer and Entrepreneurship Office at https://www.polyu.edu.hk/kteo/Knowledge-Transfer/Innovations-and-Technologies/Award-winning-Innovations/Geneva2023/. Project Principal Investigator(s) Award(s) Novel High Efficacy Nano Multi-ring Defocus Incorporated Spectacle Lens for Myopia Control Prof. Benny CHEUNG Chi-fai Chair Professor of Ultra-precision Machining and Metrology, Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering and Director of State Key Laboratory of Ultra-precision Machining Technology Prof. TO Chi-ho Visiting Chair Professor of Experimental Optometry, School of Optometry Mr Jackson LEUNG Tze-man Co-founder, Vision Science & Technology Co Ltd (a PolyU Academic-led startup) Prize of the State of Geneva Gold Medal with Congratulations of the Jury ABarginase: First-in-class Drug for Treatment of Multiple Obesity-related Metabolic Disease Prof. Thomas LEUNG Yun-chung Professor, Department of Applied Biology and Chemical Technology and Lo Ka Chung Charitable Foundation Professor in Pharmaceutical Sciences, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University Prof. Alisa SHUM Sau-wun Associate Professor, School of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong Prize of the International Federation of Inventors' Association – IFIA Gold Medal with Congratulations of the Jury Mars Landing Surveillance Camera for Tianwen-1 Mars Soft Landing Mission Prof. YUNG Kai-leung Sir Sze-yuen Chung Professor in Precision Engineering, Director of Research Centre for Deep Space Explorations, Chair Professor of Precision Engineering and Associate Head, Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering, PolyU Prize of the Technical University of Cluj-Napoca Romania Gold Medal with Congratulations of the Jury   AI-Assisted Design of Functional Clothing for Scoliosis Treatment Dr Joanne YIP Yiu-wan Associate Dean and Associate Professor, School of Fashion and Textiles Gold Medal with Congratulations of the Jury MicroGlue: Microbial-derived Technology to Remove Microplastic Pollutants Dr CHUA Song-lin Assistant Professor, Department of Applied Biology and Chemical Technology Dr LIU Yang GBA Startup Postdoctoral Fellow, Department of Applied Biology and Chemical Technology Gold Medal with Congratulations of the Jury A Novel Wireless Self-adaptive Hydropower Harvesting System for Applications in Urban Water Supply Pipelines Prof. YANG Hongxing Professor, Department of Building Environment and Energy Engineering Gold Medal Advanced Real-time Prediction and Early Warning System for the Spread of Emerging Pathogens Prof. John SHI Wenzhong Otto Poon Charitable Foundation Professor in Urban Informatics, Chair Professor in GISci and Remote Sensing, Director, PolyU-Shenzhen Technology and Innovation Research Institute (Futian), Director, Smart Cities Research Institute, Academician, International Eurasian Academy of Sciences, Fellow, Academy of Social Sciences (UK) Gold Medal A Sport-Specific Soft Manikin System for Sports Bra Design Dr YICK Kit-lun Associate Professor, School of Fashion and Textiles Gold Medal Revolutionary Mussel-inspired Polyester for Next Generation Sportswear and Functional Clothing Prof. John XIN Haozhong Lee Family Professor in Fashion & Textiles, Chair Professor of Textile Chemistry, School of Fashion and Textiles Gold Medal Safe and Eco-friendly Antimicrobial Materials with High Efficiency Prof. TAO Xiaoming Director, Research Centre of Smart Wearable Technology, Vincent and Lily Woo Endowed Professorship in Textiles Technology, Chair Professor of Textile Technology, School of Fashion and Textiles Dr ZHANG Ziheng Postdoctoral Fellow, School of Fashion and Textiles, CEO, Ecolar Technology Limited (a PolyU Academic-led start-up) Gold Medal Advanced Intelligent System for Radiation-free Scoliosis and Posture Evaluation Mr Jackal XU Zhenda PhD Student, Department of Computing, Founder, Zero Dynamic Medical Technology Company Limited (a PolyU Academic-led startup) Prof. GUO Song Professor, Department of Computing, Chief Scientist, Zero Dynamic Medical Technology Company Limited (a PolyU Academic-led startup) Gold Medal Novel AI Automated Histological System for Carcinoma Detection Dr Martin YEUNG Ho Yin Research Assistant Professor, Department of Health Technology and Informatics, Co-Founder, Anatomic Technologies Limited (a PolyU startup) Gold Medal A Portable Non-invasive and Ultrasensitive Saliva Glucose Sensor Prof. YAN Feng ADoRI-IWEAR & Chair Professor of Organic Electronics, Department of Applied Physics Gold Medal Gold-LAMP: A Portable Ultra-fast Nucleic Acid Testing System Prof. YIP Shea-ping Chair Professor and Head, Department of Health Technology and Informatics, Co-Founder, Pocnat Limited (a PolyU Academic-led startup) Dr Thomas LEE Ming-hung Associate Professor and Associate Head (Academic), Department of Biomedical Engineering, Co-Founder, Pocnat Limited (a PolyU Academic-led startup) Gold Medal High-throughput Microfluidic Platform for CTCs Detection in Cancer Precision Diagnostics Prof. YANG Mo Associate Head (Research) and Professor, Department of Biomedical Engineering Gold Medal Long-lasting Self-disinfecting Materials Technology Dr Chris LO Kwan-yu Associate Professor, School of Fashion and Textiles, Co-Founder, Immune Materials Limited (a PolyU Academic-led startup) Prof. KAN Chi-wai Professor, School of Fashion and Textiles, Co-Founder, Immune Materials Limited (a PolyU Academic-led startup) Gold Medal Durable, High-Selectivity, and Energy Efficient CO2Electroreduction System Prof. Daniel LAU Shu-ping Head, Director of UMF, Associate Director of PRI, Chair Professor of Nanomaterials, Department of Applied Physics Gold Medal One-Stop Solution with AI Visual Object Recognition for 3D Model Generation Dr LI Yaxin Postdoc Fellow, Department of Land Surveying and Geo-informatics, CEO, Micro Dimension Limited (a PolyU startup) Prof. CHEN Wu Head and Professor, Department of Land Surveying and Geo-informatics Silver Medal PolyPi: Edge-AI Empowered Robot for Autonomous In-pipe Inspection Prof. CAO Jiannong Dean of Graduate School, Otto Poon Charitable Foundation Professor in Data Science, Chair Professor of Distributed and Mobile Computing, Director of Research Institute for Artificial Intelligence of Things (RIAIoT), Associate Director of University Research Facility in Big Data Analytics (UBDA) Silver Medal BioCharttery: A Climate-smart and Carbon-negative Growing Material Prof. Daniel TSANG Chiu-wa Professor, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Co-Founder, BioCharttery Limited (a PolyU Academic-led startup) Dr HE Mingjing Research Associate, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Co-Founder, BioCharttery Limited (a PolyU Academic-led startup) Silver Medal System for Evaluation and Triage for Healthy Knee Prof. Amy FU Siu-ngor Peter Hung Professor in Pain Management, Assoc. Head (RS) & Professor, Department of Rehabilitation Sciences Prof. CHEN Changwen Chair Professor of Visual Computing, Department of Computing Silver Medal All-in-one Luminescence-based Point-of-care Testing Device for Virus Diagnosis Prof. HAO Jianhua Chair Professor of Materials Physics and Devices, Department of Applied Physics Silver Medal Mutual Cognitive Human-robot Collaborative Manufacturing System Dr ZHENG Pai Assistant Professor, Endowed Young Scholar in Smart Robotics, Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering, Co-founder, CobotAI Limited (a PolyU Academic-led start-up) Bronze Medal Novel Smart Precast Porous Road System Against Flooding Prof. WANG Yuhong Professor, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering Bronze Medal The Fleming Ankle – Lightweight and Wearable Exoskeleton for Mobility Enhancement Dr Kelvin HEUNG Ho-lam Research Assistant Professor, Department of Building and Real Estate, Co-Founder & CTO, Fleming MedLab Limited (a PolyU Academic-led startup) Bronze Medal HiVE: Hybrid Immersive Virtual Environment Dr Jacky CHUNG Kin-hung Senior Engineering Manager (Building Services, Construction & Safety), Industrial Centre Dr Kevin WONG Ka-fai Senior Engineering Manager (Building Services, Construction & Safety), Industrial Centre Bronze Medal Modular Rail Particle Damper for Noise and Vibration Reduction in Railways Prof. NI Yi-qing Yim, Mak, Kwok & Chung Professor in Smart Structures, Chair Professor of Smart Structures and Rail Transit, Director of National Rail Transit Electrification and Automation Engineering Technology Research Centre (Hong Kong Branch) Dr AO Wai-kei Research Assistant Professor, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering Bronze Medal Food Waste-derived 3D Printing Material Prof. WONG Ka-hing Director, Research Institute for Future Food, Professor, Department of Food Science and Nutrition Prof. Daniel TSANG Chiu-wa Professor, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Core Member, Research Institute for Future Food Bronze Medal  

PolyU and Cybaverse Academy Joint Lab on Law and Web3 presents forum to promote collaboration for a secure Web3 ecosystem

The PolyU and Cybaverse Academy Joint Lab on Law and Web3 organised the “Better Web3 Forum” themed “Blockchain-powered Web3 Ecosystem Through Industry-Academic Collaboration” on 22 April at The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU). The Forum brought together renowned scholars, industry practitioners and Web3 enthusiasts to explore the challenges and opportunities associated with building a decentralised web that is secure, private and regulated, emphasising the importance of industry-academia collaboration. Prof. Christopher CHAO, Vice President (Research and Innovation) of PolyU, delivered the opening remarks and said, “As evidenced by our recent recognition by CoinDesk as the leading university in Blockchain 2022, PolyU has been a pioneering institution in blockchain research. The PolyU and Cybaverse Academy Joint Lab on Law and Web3 is the first research lab in Hong Kong to focus on the intersection of law and Web3. We believe academia-industry collaboration provides a win-win model for accelerating technology development and creating impactful innovations.” Leaders from industry and academia were invited to deliver keynote speeches. The speakers included Dr XIAO Feng of HashKey Group, Prof. Robert DENG of Singapore Management University and Prof. Guofei GU of Texas A&M University. Their presentations covered Web3’s impact on society, cryptography, secure computation, and strategies to ensure security and privacy. As highlighted by the Joint Lab Director Prof. Allen AU Man-ho and Co-director Dr Daniel LUO Xiapu, both also from PolyU’s Department of Computing, the Joint Lab is exploring research into and development of technological solutions, as well as relevant legal and industry standards. There were two stimulating panel discussions. The first, “The Future of Virtual Asset and its Regulatory Landscape”, was moderated by the Joint Lab Co-director Mr Paul LI, joined by Mr Raymond CHAN from Metaverse Securities, Ms Julia CHARLTON from Charltons Law, Mr Lawrence CHU from Venture Smart Financial Holdings, Mr Kavi HARILELA from Payment Asia and Mr Robert LUI from Deloitte China. The other discussion, “Collaborating Across Industry and Academia for Web3”, was moderated by Dr Daniel Luo Xiapu, joined by Prof. Robert Deng, Prof. Guofei Gu, Mr Leo LI from Alibaba Cloud Intelligence, Prof. Haitian LU from PolyU and Mr Victor YIM from Cyberport. The success of the “Better Web3 Forum” marks a significant milestone in fostering collaboration between academia and industry in advancing the development of Web3 technologies, and providing a healthy and sustainable ecosystem for future development. PolyU and Cybaverse Academy Joint Lab on Law and Web3 will continue its research and look forward to future collaborative initiatives to further promote the adoption and advancement of Web3 technologies with a view to providing a better environment for all. About PolyU and Cybaverse Academy Joint Lab on Law and Web3 The PolyU and Cybaverse Academy Joint Lab on Law and Web3 aims to be the world-leading research lab in Hong Kong focused on the intersection of law and Web3, encompassing the research and development of technological solutions and the exploration of relevant legal and industry standards. The Joint Lab will promote the safety, security and protection of privacy in the areas of Web3 and blockchain, to provide regulators and other stakeholders with essential tools to enhance safeguards for the investment community and the general public, and provide a solid foundation for a better Web3 ecosystem. For more information about the Joint Lab, please visit https://lawandweb3.comp.polyu.edu.hk/.

PolyU research brings innovative solutions to promote new energy transportation and enhance driving safety

The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) applies advanced technologies to drive the development of smart cities and smart mobility and bring innovative solutions to society. In the latest batch of Smart Traffic Fund approved projects, three PolyU projects have received total funding of approximately HK$8.42 million. One of the recently-funded projects focuses on designing software for optimising the planning and scheduling of new energy buses to build a more environmentally friendly travel experience and promote the development of new energy public transport. The other two projects relate to the development of a network connected advanced driver assistance system that provides predictive warnings and driving advice for improved driver safety, and to a human-machine co-operative driving system that monitors driving conditions and enhances driving safety with the real-time estimation of driving risks. Prof. Christopher CHAO, Vice President (Research and Innovation) of PolyU, said, “The Smart Traffic Fund has been instrumental in powering innovation in long-term transportation development. These funded projects help PolyU realise its mission of creating positive impact in society and showcases our committed efforts to addressing social needs through the application of advanced technologies. Moving forward, PolyU will continue to be at the forefront of innovative research in the transportation industry.” Since the HKSAR Government launched the Smart Traffic Fund in November 2021, a total of 36 projects have been funded, of which 14 are PolyU led projects, involving approved funding of approximately HK$45.9 million. With continuous contributions, PolyU has been leading in funding achievements. Previously-funded PolyU projects have employed various advanced technologies to predict and assist in the management of different traffic conditions, such as using artificial intelligence to predict vacant parking spaces, deep learning models to predict traffic data, 3D geo-spatial models for driving simulation safety assessment and using intelligent automation technology to assess driver behaviour and psychological status. Details of the three recently-funded projects: Principal Investigator Project Title Project Summary Dr Weihua GU, Associate Professor, Department of Electrical Engineering Development of Software for Optimising the Planning and Scheduling of New Energy Buses The project aims to develop a software tool to optimise the planning and scheduling of new energy buses on different routes. Dr Hailong HUANG, Assistant Professor, Department of Aeronautical and Aviation Engineering Development of a Personalised and Connected Advanced Driver Assistance System This project aims to develop a personalised and connected advanced driver assistance system, which targets both driving habits of individual drivers and motion prediction of surrounding vehicles so as to improve driving safety by providing predictive warnings and driving advice. Dr Chao HUANG, Research Assistant Professor, Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering Designing of an Intelligent Human-machine Cooperative Driving System This project aims to develop a human-machine cooperative driving system to enhance driving safety. Monitoring of drivers’ driving status and real-time estimation of driving risks will be included in the system.    

AiDLab Innovation in Design Summit 2023: AI & Design for Better Lifestyle and Fashion Future

The Innovation in Design Summit held on 19 April featured 9 leading voices of AI and design, inspiring a full house of attendees by introducing cutting-edge innovations within the themes of Smart Human-Centred Design for Wellbeing, Fashion Innovation with AI Applications, and AI for Better Lifestyle. The Summit was kicked off by Prof. Kwok-yin Wong, Vice President (Education) of The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU); Prof. Eric Yim, JP, Chairman of Hong Kong Design Centre and Advisory Board Member of AiDLab; Ms Sophia Chong, Deputy Executive Director of HKTDC; and Prof. Calvin Wong, Cheng Yik Hung Professor in Fashion, School of Fashion and Textiles of PolyU and CEO of AiDLab. More details on AI & Design technologies are available at: https://www.aidlab.hk/

PolyU connects young people with technology to promote anti-drug education under the Beat Drugs Fund

Technology profoundly connects young people to new knowledge, information and social communications. In designing its anti-drug programme, researchers in the Department of Rehabilitation Sciences and School of Nursing at The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) have integrated creative and entertaining elements of technology into campaigns aimed at young people. In promoting the awareness about the harmful effects of drugs on young people, two PolyU projects have received support from the Beat Drugs Fund. The projects feature mini-film package production and parent-child workshops that adopt current technologies including virtual reality (VR) and interactive robots to engage young people and raise their awareness about drugs. These two community-based projects aim to encourage the participation of multiple stakeholders, including parents, teachers, social workers, counsellors and healthcare professionals, to comprehensively explore with young people effective approaches to combating the temptation of drugs. The project led by Prof. Hector TSANG Wing-hong, Cally Kwong Mei Wan Professor in Psychosocial Health, Head and Chair Professor of Department of Rehabilitation Sciences, has initiated a VR-enabled mini-film package in order to effectively communicate anti-drug messages to young people. Prof. Tsang said, “Edutainment in health communication effectively supports strategies used by rehabilitation professionals to convey messages in substance abuse rehabilitation, not only in promoting community re-integration for those with substance abuse experience but also proactively combating the temptation of drug use among young people, in particular those drugs commonly misused including marijuana and cannabidiol (CBD). The use of innovative technology including VR in providing simulated experiences of side-effects of drug abuse among the youngsters can raise their anti-drug awareness.” The project led by Dr Katherine LAM Ka-wai, Research Assistant Professor of School of Nursing, establishes a community network by connecting nursing students with youngsters and their parents with interactive robot-assisted workshops on anti-drug awareness. Prof. Christina WONG, Director of Research and Innovation, said, “PolyU has always been committed to creating innovations that benefit society. To help effectively promote an anti-drug message, the two funded projects fully consider the culture and preferences of young people while providing stakeholders with sustainable programmes, which are of great significance.” Under the Beat Drugs Fund, the Regular Funding Scheme aims to support different sectors in society to propose further anti-drug projects, such as the organisation of preventive education and publicity programmes targeting the general public or specific groups; the provision of drug treatment and rehabilitation services to people with drug problems; and the conduct of research on drug abuse problems. Appendix: PolyU-led projects awarded the Beat Drugs Fund

PolyU Scholar Shares Tactics for Research Competitions on THE Campus

Research competitions can motivate, encourage and inspire students, but we must align their expectations and encourage teamwork throughout the project. Dr Zheng Pai, Assistant Professor of Department of Industrial Systems and Engineering at the Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) shares his insights with THE Campus on leading a research team for the aforementioned successful research project “Mutual Cognitive Human-Robot Collaborative Manufacturing System” comprised undergraduate and postgraduate students. Dr Zheng is also the principal investigator of the Research Group of AI for Industrial Digital Servitisation at PolyU.  “Research project competitions are valuable teamwork exercises that help develop students’ scientific and creative mindsets – in addition to the encouragement they will glean from being merited and recognised,” said Dr Zheng in THE Campus report.  The team won a number of local and international Information and Communication Technology (ICT) awards for their work to improve collaboration between people and robots.  Times Higher Education (THE) provides source of data, insight and expertise on higher education worldwide. It creates university rankings to assess university performance on the global stage and to provide a resource for readers to understand the different missions and successes of higher education institutions. For more: https://www.timeshighereducation.com/campus/tactics-leading-and-engaging-students-research-competitions

Mobile EEG To Facilitate Neuroscience Research in PolyU

Mobile electroencephalography (EEG) is installed by University Research Facility in Behavioral and Systems Neuroscience (UBSN) in the Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) for researchers to explore new frontiers in brain function and behaviour.  Representing the latest technology for neuroscience research, mobile EEG is a wireless system for EEG measurement to study real-time brain activity. The device allows remote data collection, enabling applications outside a laboratory setting. It has been applied to study memory, emotion and movement in real-world settings.  Compared to conventional wired EEG, this mobile system fits for experiments which involve dynamic motions such as research on locomotion and physical exercise. Versatility of mobile EEG significantly supports researchers for a wider scope of study and experiment.  Prof Marco Pang, Director of UBSN and Professor in Department of Rehabilitation Sciences, said, “We were always able to study all the hot topics such as sleep, memory, attention and emotion. And now, mobile EEG setups enable researcher to study neural activities with subjects performing physical activities or daily tasks in a more natural context.” For neuroscience research, this mobile device has facilitated Event-Related Potentials (ERP) analysis on short segments of EEG data that are time-locked to particular events of experimental interests. Respectively, mobile EEG enables tracking of lifestyle factors that are associated with rates of brain activity. Linguistic research has applied EEG for investigation on the process of speech in the brain, particularly the relationship between brain signals and speech features. Mobile device enables experiments outside the laboratory for subjects in different locations.  Prof Gang Peng, Professor in Department of Chinese and Bilingual Studies, said, “Mobile EEG plays a role for its flexibility and mobility for reaching more diversified subjects, particularly for remote on-site experiments in linguistic fieldworks.” For instance, different tone systems are hypothesized to influence the brain process of pitch. Some minority languages have as many as five level tones. But native subjects of specific minority languages have to conduct the experiments in remote villages, and for such on-site settings, mobile EEG particularly facilitates the research.  Practically, mobile EEG benefits real-life applications in rehabilitation research. Prof Thomas Choi, Professor in School of Nursing, said, “For rehabilitation  activities involving movements, the device has to move with the user.” For example, in spinal cord injury therapy, mobile EEG-based brain-computer interface (BCI) enables capture of movement intentions to drive assistive lower limb exoskeletons when a patient practises walking. For rehabilitation, mobile EEG-based facilities BCI research for the evaluation of brain activity and interaction with in real-time interactive environment. The EEG signals acquired using BCI are studied for mental status and movement intention. BCI-based therapy for post-stroke rehabilitation targeting motor, cognitive and affect functions has shown promising results in research.  Mobile EEG is available in PolyU to apply for various research fields such as for mechanisms underlying cognitive process and body motion, EEG measurement outside laboratory and sport neuroscience.