Innovation

Lingnan University continues to participate in annual innovation and technology event the InnoCarnival 2025 (the Carnival), organised by the Innovation and Technology Commission (ITC). As one of the programme partners, Lingnan University is showcasing eight innovative "Smart Healthy City" research projects, integrating artificial intelligence (AI) and interdisciplinary research. These projects cover healthcare, transportation, sports training, environmental monitoring, and elderly care, and demonstrate how Lingnan’s innovation teams address societal needs and advancing smart city development through technology.

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia (14 October 2025) – The World AI Show is gearing up for its 46th global edition, set for 28–29 October 2025 at DoubleTree by Hilton, Kuala Lumpur. Following the announcement of MDEC as Strategic Partner, the summit now proudly welcomes the Malaysian Investment Development Authority (MIDA) as its Strategic Investment Partner.

Lingnan University in Hong Kong has entered the Times Higher Education (THE) World University Rankings 2026. In the latest published results, Lingnan ranked among the world’s top 301–350 out of 2,191 universities from 115 countries or territories, delivering a notable performance across several indicators. These include an impressive 47th place in International Outlook, recognising Lingnan’s achievement in fostering international diversity and collaborative research on a global scale.

Researchers have developed a method to produce strong, biodegradable plastic from bamboo.

Ancient black holes, How good cholesterol is made, Self-healing plastic, Dengue’s genetic imprint, Korean mussel power & Space clean-up. Read all in the latest Editor's Choice.

Researchers from China engineered a system that captures carbon dioxide from seawater and converts it into biodegradable plastic precursors at high efficiency and low energy consumption.

Traffic accidents and last-minute service requests often disrupt logistics efficiency. Dr Tong Hao, Postdoctoral Fellow of the Division of Artificial Intelligence of the School of Data Science at Lingnan University, has developed an Intelligent Vehicle Routing Optimisation System capable of dynamically simulating traffic conditions and task variations to show the most efficient routes for vehicle fleets when faced with sudden congestion or additional deliveries, so as to maximise operational efficiency. His dissertation Advancing optimization and evaluation for dynamic capacitated arc routing problems is the only research project worldwide to receive the 2026 IEEE Computational Intelligence Society Outstanding PhD Dissertation Award.

TechInnovation® 2025, Singapore’s preeminent platform for innovation and business transformation, returns for its 13th edition from 29–31 October 2025 at Sands Expo & Convention Centre, Level 3 Heliconia and Hibiscus Ballroom, Singapore. Organised by IPI Singapore, the three-day event will bring together over 40 expert speakers, more than 100 breakthrough technologies and curated programmes designed to accelerate real-world innovation and cross-border collaboration.

Researchers at Tohoku University developed a photonic router that can direct single and entangled (quantum) photons at unprecedented levels of efficiency. This may bring us closer to realizing superfast quantum tech.

In a bold step toward climate action, leading microbiology societies and organizations have unveiled their first joint global strategy to harness the power of microbial science in addressing the climate crisis. This landmark strategy has been published across 6 scientific journals, including Sustainable Microbiology.

Leading scholar in artificial intelligence (AI) Prof Sam Kwong Tak-wu, Associate Vice-President (Strategic Research), Dean of the School of Graduate Studies and J.K. Lee Chair Professor of Computational Intelligence at Lingnan University, has been honoured with the 2026 IEEE Transactions on Evolutionary Computation Outstanding Paper Award for his co-authored paper Learning-Aided Evolution for Optimization. It is the sole paper to receive this award this year, underscoring its importance in the fields of evolutionary computation and AI.

Lingnan University held its Research and Knowledge Transfer Excellence Awards Presentation Ceremony 2025 yesterday, 17 September, honouring 55 faculty members for their outstanding contributions to academic research and knowledge transfer, advancing community well-being and societal progress during the past academic year. The awards included the Outstanding Researcher Award, the Early Career Researcher Award, and the Research & Knowledge Transfer Fund Award, recognising faculty members for their innovative scholarship and impactful initiatives that elevate Lingnan’s global research presence.

Lingnan University President and Wai Kee Kau Chair Professor of Data Science, Prof S. Joe Qin, welcomed the 2025 Policy Address delivered by Chief Executive, Mr John Lee, highlighting a series of education-related policy initiatives as follows:

The CREW Intelligent Wheelchair Control System, developed by the Humanitarian Technology team of the Lingnan Entrepreneurship Initiative (LEI) of Lingnan University, won the “Top 10 Technological Innovation Award” at the “Shenzhen International Intelligent Elderly Care Industry Expo ‘Industrial Bank Cup’ The First Shenzhen Health & Elderly Care Robotics Competition”.

Researchers led by Prof. Homer H. Chen at National Taiwan University have developed a way to convert stereo images into light field content, enabling existing AR/VR media to be viewed on next-generation light field displays. The approach could accelerate the move toward more natural and comfortable AR experiences.

Lithium batteries are widely used in electric vehicles and electronic products, but concerns are growing about their environmental impact during mining and disposal. Scholars from Lingnan University’s School of Interdisciplinary Studies and their collaborators have published a pioneering study online in top-tier, peer-reviewed, scientific journal Advanced Energy Materials. The study introduces a novel “anode-free sodium battery” that, by tuning the salt concentration in the electrolyte, reduces the risks of short circuits and shortened lifespan during fast charging. Laboratory tests have demonstrated that this new type of battery can be charged within minutes while maintaining safety and stability.

Timely information on a company's production activities is crucial for investors and policymakers, yet it remains scarce as financial reports and other broader economic indicators like the Purchasing Managers' Index (PMI) are only released periodically. This information lag makes it difficult to assess a company's operational health in real time. To address this challenge, Prof Zhao Xiaofeng, Associate Professor of the Department of Finance and Associate Director of Hong Kong Institute of Business Studies at Lingnan University, in collaboration with researchers from the Huazhong University of Science and Technology and The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shenzhen, has developed a new economic indicator, which uses thermal infrared radiation data to monitor the production and operation of enterprises in real time, and accurately predicts changes in their future profitability in terms of sales growth. The findings were recently featured in the prestigious international finance journal “Journal of Financial and Quantitative Analysis”, and received support from the General Research Fund (GRF) of the Hong Kong Research Grants Council (RGC) amounting to about HKD$400,000.

Just like litter is a big problem on Earth, space junk is cluttering up outer space. To dispose of this junk, a Tohoku University researcher demonstrated the utility of a special plasma thruster

Taiwan Innotech Expo (TIE) 2025 will return from October 16–18 at Taipei World Trade Center, Hall 1, uniting government, academia, and industry under the theme “Cross-Domain AI Innovation: Driving the Future with Intelligence.” The event will feature 450 exhibitors presenting nearly 1,100 patented technologies, highlighting Taiwan’s role as a key driver of global innovation.

Combining multiple sensory inputs has been a big hurdle for developing physical AI robots. Recent research at Tohoku University solves this problem using a brand new approach.

Lingnan University congratulates the “Shenzhen–Hong Kong–Guangzhou” cluster on achieving the top position in the 2025 Global Innovation Index (GII) Ranking of World’s Top 100 Innovation Clusters. Released by the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), this ranking recognises the Greater Bay Area’s (GBA) outstanding innovation capacity and its vital strategic role in the global innovation ecosystem.

To reduce plastic pollution and promote environmental sustainability, scholars from the Lingnan University School of Interdisciplinary Studies and their research team have developed a successful new eco-friendly bioplastic material. Unlike conventional plastics, it degrades naturally into harmless water and carbon dioxide in as little as 29 days under ambient conditions, and is a practical way to mitigate global plastic pollution. Their study, “Sustainable DNA-polysaccharide hydrogels as recyclable bioplastics”, was recently published in the respected journal Nature Communications.

On 19 August, World Humanitarian Day, Lingnan University announced the signing of an Agreement of Cooperation with the United Nations University (UNU) to establish the UNU Hub on Humanitarian Innovation and Technology at Lingnan University (UNU Hub at Lingnan University), making it the first higher education institution in Asia to set up a UNU Hub. The Hub is scheduled to open officially in October 2025 and will have an annual operating budget of over HK$8 million. Its Humanitarian Innovation and Technology Laboratory (HIT Lab) will spearhead research and design initiatives, education and training programmes, and international collaborations, and improve living conditions in developing countries and regions of the Global South by leveraging innovative and cutting-edge technologies. Scholarships will be awarded to encourage local youth to fulfil their ambitions through knowledge and innovation.

Lingnan University's science and innovation teams have achieved outstanding results at the 11th Silicon Valley International Invention Festival 2025 (SVIIF) in their first-ever participation. All 13 participating projects, covering areas such as artificial intelligence (AI), smart manufacturing, and intelligent transportation, won awards, including 8 gold and 5 silver medals. One of the projects, the AI-based Fencing Training and Assessment System, led by Prof Sam Kwong Tak-wu, Associate Vice-President (Strategic Research), also received a special award ⸺ Prize of the International Federation of Inventors’ Association (IFIA), making Lingnan the Hong Kong higher education institution that won the highest number of total awards and gold medals at this year’s festival.

Curate the Curious, an annual exhibition curated by 36 students of the Master of Arts in Curating and Art History (MACAH) at Lingnan University, will be held from 1-10 August. Introducing a new-generation curatorial perspective, the exhibition presents the hidden stories behind more than 50 paintings, sculptures, videos, and new media art by over 30 well-known artists from Mainland China and Hong Kong. The six curiosity-driven themes are designed to inspire audiences to embark on their own journey of artistic discovery and dialogue. Admission is free.

To promote equality in education and allow aspiring creators to learn about film production without physical equipment, a team from the Department of Digital Arts and Creative Industries at Lingnan University has spent two years developing CineSim, the world’s first cinematography simulation education software. CineSim enables hands-on filmmaking skills to be learnt easily using computer simulation and eliminating the need for professional studios and camera equipment. The project was supported by a subsidy of approximately HKD $800,000 from the University Grants Council (UGC), and is now freely available to all Lingnan staff and students. The team will market the software to secondary schools and the film production industry to encourage Hong Kong’s creative talents. In mid-June, the full version of CineSim was officially launched on Steam, one of the world’s largest digital game distribution platforms for PC gaming, a significant move into the international market.

SUTD researchers demonstrate a new 3D printing method that produces electrically conductive structures from sustainable materials, enabling potential applications in sensors, electronics, and wearables.

Nonlinear quantum dynamics are complicated, but they don’t have to be. A new, real-time simulation may help demystify these unusual dynamics, serving as a guide to develop next-gen quantum devices.

Researchers from SANKEN, The University of Osaka, have revealed a technique for exploiting the catalytic action of hydrogen in platinum to reverse the degradation of magnetization. This method can be used to increase the robustness of next-generation computer chips based on thin magnetic films.

The Mindoro Archaeology Project has found compelling evidence of the pivotal role of the Philippine archipelago in ancient maritime Southeast Asia.