News

Prof. Yang CHAI awarded the BOCHK Science and Technology Innovation Prize 2024 in the field of Artificial Intelligence and Robotics

Prof. Yang CHAI, the Management Committee member of RI-IWEAR, Associate Dean of Faculty of Science, has been awarded the BOCHK Science and Technology Innovation Prize (STIP) 2024 in the field of Artificial Intelligence and Robotics. The award aims to recognize Prof. CHAI’s outstanding contributions to AI sensor technology, particularly in the development of disruptive in-sensor computing paradigms for artificial vision sensors, which enable information processing directly within the sensors. Today’s AI heavily relies on digital hardware, which has inherent inefficiency in executing iterative AI algorithms, particularly when processing massive, unstructured sensory data. With the rapid growth of the number of sensor nodes in the Internet of Things, the amount of data generated by sensor terminals has surged, resulting in frequent data transmission between sensors and computing units, which severely limits system performance in terms of energy efficiency, speed, and security. To address the grand challenge of the computational inefficiency at sensory terminals, Prof. CHAI proposed a bioinspired in-sensor computing paradigm that revolutionizes AI computation at the sensor level. This innovation minimizes the need for frequent data transfers to external computing units, enhances computational efficiency, enriches sensor functionalities for Internet of Things applications, and changes the AI computing approach at the sensor level. At the same time, he concretized this in-sensor computing paradigm through hardware implementation for vision sensors, enabling increased efficiency and enhanced functionalities, including improved image recognition, visual adaptation in extremely dim/bright lighting, and agile perception of dynamic motion, etc. This bioinspired in-sensor computing paradigm is highlighted in the US Semiconductor Research Corporation’s Decadal Plan.    

RI-IWEAR showcased the innovative achievements at the PolyU Inno Tech Open Day × Alumni Homecoming 2024

On October 19, 2024, the Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) held the InnoTech Open Day × Alumni Homecoming 2024. Research Institute for Intelligent Wearable Systems was invited to attend the Power of Innovation: PAIR Research Impact Exhibition at the Jockey Club Auditorium, showcasing two important research achievements: Wearable System with Alternating Cooling and Heating for Sport Recovery and Safe and Eco-friendly Antimicrobial Materials with High Efficiency. The exhibition amalgamates diverse formats including physical displays, guided explanations, and hands-on experiences, offering invaluable opportunities for staff, students, alumni, innovative entrepreneurs, industry partners, and researchers to explore collaborative prospects. Later that same day, Prof. TAO, the Director of RI-IWEAR, delivered a keynote address at the PolyU PAIR InnoTech Forum. She presented the latest advancements in research and the transformative applications in smart wearables and advanced textile technology, clinical applications in sports medicine and textile engineering, smart wearable robotics, biomimetic elastic fiber devices, and high-performance fiber sportswear, highlighting the innovations and technologies in medical-social collaboration, health and well-being, and artificial intelligence.    

Three RI-IWEAR members conferred Endowed Professorships and Endowed Young Scholars

PolyU held “The 5th Inauguration of Endowed Professorships cum The 2nd Inauguration of Endowed Young Scholars” at the Jockey Club Auditorium on campus on 12 September 2024. It was an occasion to honour distinguished scholars for their remarkable academic and research achievements, and to pay tribute to the University’s philanthropic partners for their support.   The event marked the inauguration of five new Endowed Professorships, four successive Endowed Professorships, five new Endowed Young Scholar positions and one successive Endowed Young Scholar position. Among the 15 appointees, three of them are RI-IWEAR members:     Appointee Endowed Professorship Kuok Group Endowed Professorship in Nature-Inspired Engineering Prof. WANG Zuankai Sir Sze-yuen Chung Endowed Professorship in Renewable Energy Prof. LI Gang Endowed Young Scholars Limin Endowed Young Scholar in Biomaterials and Tissue Engineering Prof. ZHAO Xin    

Prof. Yang CHAI awarded 2024 Falling Walls Winner for energy-efficient innovations in sensory AI systems

Prof. Yang CHAI, the Management Committee member of RI-IWEAR, Associate Dean of Faculty of Science, has been bestowed as the top ten winners of the prestigious Falling Walls Science Breakthroughs Award. This is a recognition of his groundbreaking research on sensory artificial intelligence (AI), which has paved the way for more energy-efficient, low-latency, and memory-optimized systems, enhancing for diverse applications such as mobile devices, IoT sensors and edge computing.   Prof. CHAI has developed novel hardware architectures and optimization techniques, leading the transformation applications in smart cities, autonomous vehicles, and industrial automation. His research has overcome crucial barriers in power consumption, latency and memory within sensory AI systems, demonstrating their potential for application. Furthermore, the in-sensor computing strategy has sparked progress in improving decision-making and situational awareness, strengthening privacy and security, and transforming intelligent automation.   The Falling Walls Science Breakthroughs of the Year Award, initiated by the Berlin-based Falling Walls Foundation, to nominate the latest breakthroughs and outstanding science projects worldwide. This year, the high-level jury comprising globally recognized experts in the fields reviewed over 1,000 entries from 52 countries and selected 10 excellent winners in the Engineering & Technology category, who were shortlisted for the Science Breakthrough of the Year 2024 title.   Prof. CHAI said, “The proliferation of data from ubiquitously distributed sensors leads to massive increases in sensory terminals. It is crucial to partially shift computation tasks to the sensory terminals. This transition substantially compresses the collected information and extracts key information, especially for sensor-rich platforms.”   Prof. CHAI’s research clearly defines near-sensor concepts and in-sensor computing paradigms based on the physical distance between sensory and computing units. This classification further divides functions into low-level and high-level processing. His study explores the implementation of near-/in-sensor computing for different physical sensing systems and provide possible solutions for integrating sensing and processing units through advanced manufacturing technologies.   While Prof. CHAI and his team focus on advancing computational hardware for sensory AI systems, the extraordinary capabilities of natural bioinspired sensory systems are a vital research inspiration. By emulating human visual adaptability, which allows accurate object identification under various lighting conditions, the new bioinspired sensors developed by Prof. CHAI’s team offer a solution by directly adapting to different light intensities. The sensors reduce hardware complexity, boost image contrast in varied lighting conditions, thus improving machine vision systems for visual analysis and identification tasks. The work on bioinspired in-sensor vision adaptation was recognized as one of the “Top 10 Hong Kong Innovation Technology News in 2022”.   Inspired by flying insects’ high flicker function frequency (FFF), Prof. CHAI’s research has developed optoelectronic graded neurons that efficiently encode temporal information at sensory terminals, reducing the transfer of abundant vision data of fusing spatiotemporal (spatial and temporal) information in a computation unit. With minimal hardware resource, promising potential applications in autonomous vehicles and surveillance systems.   Prof. CHAI has been invited to express views on the development of in-sensor computing in Nature Podcast. He also demonstrated the latest results to Chief Executive during her visit at PolyU in 2021. The work on in-sensor motion perception has been recognized as one of China Chip10 Science in 2023. This in-sensor computing paradigm is also highlighted in US Semiconductor Research Corporation’s Decadal Plan. These outstanding findings have been published in high-impact journals such as Nature Electronics, Nature Nanotechnology, and have been highlighted in Nature, IEEE Spectrum, and more and are highly cited by research teams worldwide.   Prof. CHAI envisions, “My long-term goal is to develop cutting-edge microelectronic and nano-electronic devices with new functionalities and unprecedented performance. Specifically, we intend to create imaging technology capable of perceiving three-dimensional (3D) depth, four-dimensional (4D) spatial-temporal and multiple spectral (beyond visible light) information. To achieve this, a bioinspired mechanism will be utilized to reduce power consumption and latency.” 

University Grants Committee members visit PolyU

A University Grants Committee (UGC) delegation visited the Artificial Intelligence and Robotics Lab (AIR Lab) at the University’s Industrial Centre of The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) on 12 September 2024, where they met with university management and faculty members to gain valuable insights into the University’s latest developments. Mr. Tim Lui, Chairman of UGC, was accompanied by 24 UGC members and Secretariat staff. During the visit, Prof. Xiaoming TAO, Vincent and Lily Woo Professor in Textile Technology, Chair Professor of Textile Technology of the School of Fashion and Textiles, and Director of the Research Institute for Intelligent Wearable Systems, introduced her research project “Wearable System with Alternating Cooling and Heating for Sport Recovery and Safe” and “Eco-friendly Antimicrobial Materials with High Efficiency”.The fast recovery device COOL-WEAR developed by Prof. Tao’s team aims to help athletes recover more effectively. This technology not only improves the comfort of use, but also achieves personalized recovery plans by regulating the temperature. In addition, the environmentally friendly antibacterial materials have demonstrated its application prospects in both environmental protection and safety.   ***END***  

Prof. Li CHENG elected as Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada for 2024

On 3 September 2024, the Royal Society of Canada (RSC) announced the results of the 2024 fellowship elections. Prof. Li CHENG, a member of RI-IWEAR, Associate Dean of Faculty of Engineering, and Chair Professor of Mechanical Engineering, has been bestowed with the title. Prof. CHENG was honored for his contributions in the realms of acoustics, structural vibration, and wave mechanics, acknowledging his accomplishments across the arts, social sciences, and sciences.   Prof. CHENG’s exceptional endeavors in modeling vibro-acoustic systems, manipulating and controlling acoustic/elastic waves, fluid-structure-sound interactions, and structural health monitoring has significantly advanced these fields and resulted in impactful engineering applications. His work not only enhances the depth of scientific research but also contributes to public policy development and societal well-being.

Prof. Xiaoming TAO delivered a speech at the Mr. & Mrs. HM Lui Memorial Lecture and hosted an on-site exhibition

On September 3, 2024, the Pamela Youde Nethersole Eastern Hospital (PYNEH) hosted the Mr. and Mrs. HM Lui Memorial Lecture, the team led by Prof. Xiaoming Tao, the Director of RI-IWEAR and Chair Professor in Textile Technology, School of Fashion and Textiles, PolyU, showcased several intelligent textile technologies and innovative products, including textile electronic interactive Claudia, fast recovery device COOL-WEAR, antibacterial beddings for hospitals, and wearable system for Parkinson Disease patients EasyPacer.   The lecture assembled Hong Kong’s healthcare industry experts, providers, startups, and investors to discuss trends across various healthcare sectors. Prof. Tao’s team showcased its products through a combination of product presentations, guided explanations, and on-site experiences.   Following the exhibition, Prof. Tao delivered a speech, introducing the latest advancements and transformative applications in areas such as intelligent wearables and advanced textile technologies, clinical practice of sports medicine and textile engineering, fabric display devices and integrated systems, mechanotherapy, thermal and moisture management fabrics, smart wearable robots, bionic elastomer fiber devices, and high-performance fiber sports apparel. Prof. Tao provided diverse perspectives on fostering further collaboration between medicine and society, shared the team's latest achievements and ongoing efforts in education, interdisciplinary research, knowledge transfer, and entrepreneurship.  

Prof. Yang CHAI’s research has been honored with the Chip 2023 Top Ten Advances Award in China Chip Science

Prof. Yang CHAI, the Management Committee member of RI-IWEAR, Associate Dean of Faculty of Science, together with his research team, has developed a biomimetic optoelectronic chip inspired by insects. It can achieve sensitive motion recognition of dynamic visual information with limited computational resources. By utilizing molybdenum disulfide phototransistors with shallow defect levels, the chip mimics the response characteristics of graded neurons in insect visual systems, effectively integrating temporal and spatial information encoding. This achievement is poised to provide insights for the advancement of intelligent visual systems, particularly in areas such as autonomous driving and surveillance systems. This research was honored with the Chip10 Science 2023 Award at the Chinese Chip Conference in Hubei, China. The “Top Ten Advances in Chinese Chip Science” is an award selection initiated by the editorial board of “CHIP”, a comprehensive international English journal focused solely on chip-related research. Launched in January 2024, the event involved 150,000 online votes and participation from Chip editorial board experts, the Chip 2023 Top Ten Advances Award in China Chip Science were selected from 32 nominated accomplishments. The research was published in Nature Nanotechnology: (https://www.nature.com/articles/s41565-023-01379-2)     ***END***  

Two PolyU projects awarded the RGC Theme-based Research Scheme Funding for sustainable impacts

Two research projects led by The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) have won over HK$100 million funding from the Research Grants Council’s Theme-based Research Scheme (TRS) 2024/25. PolyU has consecutively secured this substantial amount of funding support for its impactful inter-disciplinary research, contributing to Hong Kong’s sustainable development.   Prof. TAO, Xiaoming, Chair Professor of Textile Technology of School of Fashion and Textiles and Director of Research Institute for Intelligent Wearable Systems, leads the project “Mechanisms and Key Technologies of Multi-Sensory Emulation Wearable Devices,” which has been awarded funding of HK$62.4 million.   Prof. Johan Hoorn, Professor of School of Design and Department of Computing, leads the project “Social Robots with Embedded Large Language Models Releasing Stress among the Hong Kong Population,” which has received funding of HK$40.1 million.   Prof. Christopher CHAO, Vice President (Research and Innovation) of PolyU, said, “PolyU's awarded projects have wide-ranging application potential and bring tangible benefits to society, fully demonstrating the University's exceptional interdisciplinary research capabilities. PolyU has consistently performed excellently in the Theme-based Research Scheme, supporting our efforts to make important contributions to Hong Kong's long-term development. We will continue to expand innovative and cutting-edge research that enhances welfare for the world and leads to a brighter future.”   Prof. TAO’s project aims to lead global research in multi-sensory emulation wearable devices, capitalising on PolyU’s exceptional multidisciplinary experts and facilities in flexible materials, sensors and actuators for Internet of Things (IoT), wearable and biomedical applications, electronic fabrics, mathematics for artificial intelligence, acoustics and signal processing.   This research has far-reaching impacts that extend beyond the development of novel fiber-based multi-sensory emulation wearable devices. Ultimately, it also contributes to diverse social and industrial fields, encompassing healthcare, IoT, smart city, art technology, robotics, education, sports, fashion and textile and personal protection.   Prof. Hoorn’s project is undertaken to provide psychological support for the Hong Kong population, with 61% experiencing stress, anxiety, depressed, and a negative mood. It utilises Embedded Large Language Models (LLMs) to train social robots, incorporating localised, cultural, and personal data. The research aims to bring personalised mental care to individuals who may otherwise be overlooked by the official medical care system.   In addition to the development of social robot and avatar for mobile applications connected to the new HK AI-hub, the project will also develop a new software architecture for distributed computing, scalability and privacy protection. The innovation will benefit the working population of Hong Kong, care professionals, social workers, and AI and robotics developers. An online platform is planned to be established for developers of robot and avatar solutions, with a focus on the care domain, and it will also cater to other applications like education, hospitality, and entertainment.     PolyU's projects funded by the Theme-based Research Scheme 2024/25: Project Coordinator Prof. TAO, Xiaoming Chair Professor of Textile Technology of School of Fashion and Textiles Director of Research Institute for Intelligent Wearable Systems Project Title Mechanisms and Key Technologies of Multi-Sensory Emulation Wearable Devices (MSEWDs) Abstract This project aims to emulate the less enhanced yet urgently needed Touch (tactile) and Smell (olfactory) sensations by a study of multi-sensory emulation wearable devices (MSEWD) that reveals their operational mechanisms, and develop key technologies and applications. First-of-its-kind emulation mechanisms based on fibrous structures and their bionic actuation devices will be developed for delivering mixed scents and tactile sensations. Leveraging AI models to link measured signals obtained by biosensors and algorithms for controlling the bionic emulation devices will offer more immersive experiences.   The target of MSEWDs include A device that senses and simulates olfactory sensation by AI-controlled scent-making and dispersion of mixed scents; A fabric tactile emulator that senses and tunes reactive forces and temperature by changing its rigidity, dimension, surface morphology and thermoelectric properties; A wearable fabric-based acoustic stethoscope that continuously detects the location and intensity of sound generated from human internal organs.   This project has great potential to fundamentally alter the metaverse technology and influence industrial fields as diverse as for healthcare, IoT, art technology, robotics, sports, fashion, textiles, and beyond. Approved Budget* HKD 62.378 million     Project Coordinator Prof. Johan Hoorn Professor of School of Design and Department of Computing Project Title Social Robots with Embedded Large Language Models Releasing Stress among the Hong Kong Population Abstract This project will develop human-like at-home social robots with embedded large language models (LLMs) using localised, cultural, and personal data to provide customised mental health support for the mentally underserved population in Hong Kong. Complementary on-screen avatars for mobile applications will also be delivered. A new software architecture will enable distributed computing, scalability, and privacy protection. Training protocols, logic-symbolic AI, and design guidelines will be created for novel methods and functionality, evaluated in situ by local communities. This will inform a communication model capable of predicting and recognising signs of stress or low mood and intervening with empathetic dialogue, help-seeking information, or professional care referrals.   The long-term goal is to reduce the burden on Hong Kong's formal mental health system while empowering citizens to better self-manage their well-being through accessible, AI-driven social support.   The working population, especially care professionals and social workers, stand to benefit, alongside an established online platform for AI and robotics developers in the care domain and open to other application areas such as education, hospitality, and entertainment. Approved Budget* HKD 40.899 million *RGC provides 90% of the approved budget and the remaining 10% will be provided by the coordinating University.     ***END***  

The intelligent wearable technology developed by The Hong Kong Polytechnic University garnered attention at the Intertextile Shanghai Apparel Fabrics – Spring Edition: An Eminent Textile and Fabric Exhibition

Organized by the China National Textile Industry Council, in collaboration with the Department of Science and Technology Development of the China National Textile Industry Council and the Textile Industry Branch of the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade, the "New Technology Innovation Space" exhibition area made its debut at the Intertextile Shanghai Apparel Fabrics – Spring Edition: An Eminent Textile and Fabric Exhibition. The "New Technology Innovation Space" covered an area of 225 square meters and featured 11 domestic universities, 14 teams, the National Advanced Functional Fiber Innovation Center, and 10 key enterprises showcasing their innovations. The exhibition area focused on the theme of "Smart Creation, Intelligent Textiles" and showcased the achievements of China's research in the field of smart textiles in recent years, presenting the latest results in areas such as "Intelligent Sports," "Smart Protection," and "Smart Healthcare and Wellness." During the visit to the exhibition area, Sun Ruizhe, President of the China National Textile Industry Council, Wang Tiankai, former President of the China National Textile Industry Council, Xu Kunyuan, former Vice President of the China National Textile Industry Council, Cao Xuejun, Chief Inspector of the Consumer Goods Department of the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, Yu Jianyong, Academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering and President of Donghua University, Chen Weikang, Deputy Secretary of the Party Committee of the China National Textile Industry Council, and Vice Presidents Xu Yingxin, Li Lingshen, and Yan Yan visited the exhibition area. Sun Ruizhe expressed that these innovative products and technologies not only represent the latest achievements in textile science and technology but also provide guidance for the future development of the industry. Professor Tao Xiaoming's team from The Hong Kong Polytechnic University showcased several intelligent textile technologies and innovative products, including a textile electronic interactive system, customized medical compression stockings with a smart bionic morphing leg mannequin for pressure assessment, an intelligent sports recovery wearable system, a limb gauge measurement system, an intelligent wearable system for Parkinson's disease assistance, and environmentally friendly antibacterial materials. The textile electronic interactive system seamlessly integrates visual, auditory, and tactile perception methods with fabric structures. It can be used in healthcare and medical fields, smart homes, interactive entertainment, and other applications. The customized medical compression stockings with a smart bionic morphing leg mannequin are based on key parameters extracted from three-dimensional human body scanning data. They utilize self-designed CAD/CIM technology to provide patients with enhanced comfort and improved compliance with the use of medical compression stockings. The intelligent sports recovery wearable system is a portable, intelligent, and personalized wearable system that can switch between temperatures ranging from 5°C to 40°C within 10 seconds. The system ensures uniform temperature distribution and applies pressure, allowing athletes to quickly recover during breaks of competitions and improve their performance. The limb gauge measurement system can continuously measure joint angles and changes in skeletal muscle thickness in real-time. Combined with a biomechanical model, it can estimate the contraction force of athletes' skeletal muscles during exercise, making it applicable in the fields of rehabilitation and sports training. The intelligent wearable system for Parkinson's disease assistance can accurately identify abnormal gait patterns in real-time and provide timely prompts, effectively enhancing the mobility of Parkinson's disease patients and improving their quality of life. Yuan Gang Flex Sensor Achieves Breakthrough in Men's Health Management Yuan Gang (Guangzhou) Intelligent Technology Co., Ltd., dedicated to intelligent wearable medical devices, has achieved accurate collection and analysis of human physiological parameters to provide users with precise health management data and auxiliary diagnostic basis. The company showcased its first product, the "Flex Sensor," which adopts cutting-edge "flexible textile strain sensors" and utilizes artificial intelligence algorithms and data analysis engines to monitor real-time and long-term physiological parameters in men. This product enables remote home monitoring, and it is comfortable to wear, accurate in data, easy to use, and cost-effective. Doctors can formulate personalized treatment plans based on the analyzed monitoring data, making it a significant innovative breakthrough in the field of men's health management. Intelligent Health Technology Introduces Smart Yoga Pants Guangzhou Zhikang Technology Development Co., Ltd. is a high-tech enterprise that integrates the research, design, and production of intelligent wearable products. The company's professional research and development team consists of senior professionals from fields such as materials, sensing technology, rehabilitation medicine, and software development. With the support of independently innovated core technology in flexible large-strain textile sensing, after three years of product development, they have launched innovative patented products, namely the "Smart Breathing Belt" and "Smart Yoga Pants." These products achieve real-time visualization of breathing training data, allowing for real-time face-to-face and remote guidance, as well as self-practice and correction. They significantly enhance the quality and efficiency of various sports and rehabilitation training, making training more scientific. Ecolar Technology Exhibits Safe and Environmentally Friendly Antibacterial Materials Ecolar Technology Co., Ltd., a Hong Kong Polytechnic University incubator enterprise, showcased safe and environmentally friendly antibacterial materials based on polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs). These materials are fully biodegradable, non-toxic, and have a kill rate of over 99.99% against S. Aureus, K. pneumoniae, C. albicans and Methicillin-resistant S. aureus, the COVID-19 virus, the H1N1, and H3N2 viruses. They can be used as finishing agents for medical and sanitary products, clothing, and household textiles. Compared to commercially available antibacterial agents, this new PHAs material has significant advantages in terms of biocompatibility, biodegradability, stability, low carbon emissions, and cost-effectiveness, bringing people a greener, healthier, and safer lifestyle.