Inventions

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.

In the East Indian Ocean, the indigenous inhabitants of Nicobar carved fearsome figurines called hantakoi to fight off malevolent spirits. These totemic scare-devils, represented in both human and zoomorphic form, reveal the ways in which the people of Nicobar engaged with other dwellers of the Indian Ocean world.

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.

Researchers from South Korea engineered a robotic folding sheet that can crawl across a surface as well as grasp and lift various objects.

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.

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

These dynamically adjustable water-based lenses have many potential future uses, from classrooms and research labs to cameras and wearable gadgets.

Lingnan University’s Jockey Club Gerontechnology and Smart Ageing in Place Project held the "Silver Tech Symposium" at Lingnan@WestKowloon in the M+ Tower of the West Kowloon Cultural District today, 1 April. Co-organised by the Hong Kong Science & Technology Parks Corporation (HKSTP), it established a platform for exchanging ideas, exploring opportunities arising from the silver market, and discussing how to enhance the quality of life of the elderly.

The Ateneo Laboratory for Intelligent Visual Environments (ALIVE) found a way to identify tooth and sinus structures with an accuracy of 98.2%

Filipino researchers found that traditional "tapuy" rice wine making yields a potential superfood rich in anti-aging compounds and antioxidants.

New evidence suggests that ancient seafarers in Island Southeast Asia had a technological sophistication comparable to much later civilizations.

Asteroid contains life’s building blocks, How fish detect color, Eco-friendly artificial muscles, Cell imaging gets a glow-up, Quantum gem, Healing skin with milkfish. Plus the 2025 Magazine is here, Read all in the latest Editor's Choice.

Microdroplets of acidic solution on small aluminum surfaces were subjected to an electric current, transforming the metal into glass-like TAlOx.

This pyroclastic material—usually considered as waste—is rich in iron, enabling it to efficiently block X-rays and gamma rays.

From an ancient Buddhist symbol representing the wheel of law to an enduring icon of self-reliance and resistance in the early twentieth century, the charkha, a hand-driven spinning wheel, and the chakra, the flat-spoked wheel with which it is often conflated, have lived many lives in South Asia.

Deformation in thin membrane can be measured using simple method

Ateneo researchers are looking to turn milkfish skin, a common waste byproduct of the Philippine fishing industry, into an invaluable medical resource.

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.

A boon to solar power, agriculture, and other industries, ADMU and MO scientists have found a way to improve sunny weather forecasts by as much as 94%.

2024 Taiwan Innotech Expo takes place from October 17 to 19 at the Taipei World Trade Center. Witness cutting-edge inventions and innovations from Taiwan and around the world.

A re-analysis of early gas storage materials shows that they could adjust their shape to hold more gas, a property generally associated with newer, more advanced materials

A board game made of cloth or paper and featuring a series of squares, snakes and ladders, with the latter functioning as karmic devices, gyan chaupar was not only a popular recreation in ancient India, but also an important spiritual tool. Literally translating to the ‘game of knowledge’ this game instilled lessons on attaining moksha or salvation from the cycle of death and rebirth. Read more about gyan chaupar’s many variations in medieval India and how it gradually evolved into a children’s board game at the turn of the twentieth century.

Researchers at City University of Hong Kong (CityUHK) debuted four projects at the Silicon Valley International Invention Festival (SVIIF) 2024, focusing on healthcare, sustainability, clean energy, and biomedical research. The CityUHK teams achieved outstanding results, winning five awards, including one Semi-Grand Prix and four Gold Medals.

Applied Microbiology International has announced that it has recruited 11 new Global Ambassadors from around the world.

ITEX 2024 Sets the Stage for Innovation and Investment

Asia Research News monitors the latest research news in Asia. Some highlights that caught our attention this week are the lifespan of different cat breeds, the possibility of regrowing teeth, and how small creatures can help maintain our environments.

An international multidisciplinary team of researchers from Singapore, India, Malaysia and Indonesia are breaking boundaries in 3D Printing. They have developed Coir Fiber Polymer Composites with enhanced strength, presenting a new and sustainable way for applications in food and medical packaging.

A novel method for studying genes in testicular cells of living animals could lead to breakthroughs in male contraception and fertility treatments.

Standing at the forefront of technological evolution, the Malaysia Technology Expo (MTE) 2024, taking place from 22-24 February at the World Trade Centre Kuala Lumpur, stands out as a crucial hub for innovation, inspiration, and intellect. We extend a warm invitation to everyone, from tech enthusiasts to industry experts, to join this impressive showcase of technological wonders and pioneering breakthroughs.