Lingnan University's research projects win three awards in the 4th Asia Exhibition of Innovations and Inventions Hong Kong

Lingnan University participated for the first time in the 4th Asia Exhibition of Innovations and Inventions Hong Kong (AEII) held at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre from 5 to 6 December. Lingnan University won a total of three awards, including 1 Gold Medal and 2 Silver Medals, among more than 140 innovative projects from all over Asia.

The three award-winning projects, which apply AI technology to address technological challenges faced by different sectors of society, were developed by a research team led by Prof Sam Kwong Tak-wu, Associate Vice-President (Strategic Research), Acting Dean of the School of Data Science, Dean of the School of Graduate Studies and J.K. Lee Chair Professor of Computational Intelligence. The Gold Medal-winning research project is an artificial intelligence model capable of “intelligent flocking strategy”, which enables multiple simultaneously operating drones or other robotic systems to improve their robustness and adaptability in complex, dynamic and adversarial environments. The application of the technology can be extended to areas such as intelligent logistics and mobile surveillance, aligning with the key strategies proposed by the Central and Hong Kong governments for developing the low-altitude economy.

The second award-winning invention significantly enhances the collaboration capability and communication efficiency of robots in complex environments through the application of artificial intelligence models. The third award-winning invention proposes an innovative anti-counterfeiting QR code privacy protection authentication method. This decentralised approach ensures that the authentication data is retained on the user side, avoiding the risk of information leakage in the data transmission process. The technology is suitable for applications that require tamper-proof and high privacy protection, such as financial transactions and identity authentication, which is of great significance in enhancing “digital security”.

Prof Sam Kwong Tak-wu, who led the three award-winning research projects, said he was thrilled with the team's achievements. He said, “Lingnan's participation in and presentation of three new research projects for the first time, and the fact that all of them have won awards on their debut. During the exhibition, we received numerous inquiries from industry practitioners interested in applying our technologies. This not only demonstrates Lingnan's strength in innovation and research excellence, but also recognises our commitment to nurturing innovation and excellence in our academics and students, as well as our determination to translate our research results into practical applications with far-reaching impact on society. Since the establishment of the School of Data Science, different research teams within Lingnan are actively developing cross-disciplinary collaborations, focusing on the development of AI-related research projects and applications, and endeavouring to promote innovation and development of the community in the field of AI.”

As an important platform for showcasing innovative ideas and technologies from Hong Kong and Asia, the AEII aims to promote knowledge exchange and co-operation, as well as to build closer partnerships across the region. This year's event showcased a wide range of innovations and inventions, demonstrating the thriving innovation culture in the region.