The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST) right now showcased its award-winning innovations, which have been acknowledged at the 51st International Exhibition of Inventions Geneva (Geneva Inventions Expo). The University’s 62 collaborating groups received a complete of 62 accolades, together with 13 Gold Medals with Congratulations of the Jury, 20 Gold Medals, 20 Silver Medals, and 9 Bronze Medals. This 12 months’s achievements set a brand new report for the University and make it the highest-awarded larger schooling establishment in Hong Kong.
The award-winning innovations from HKUST span varied strategic analysis domains, together with AI, electronics, well being applied sciences, the low‑altitude financial system, and supplies science. Notably, over 60% of those initiatives leverage AI to drive analysis breakthroughs, additional underscoring HKUST’s distinctive strengths and strong capabilities in advancing “AI + X” interdisciplinary innovation and translation of analysis outcomes.
Prof. Tim CHENG, HKUST Vice-President for Research and Development, remarked, “HKUST has long been committed to driving research breakthroughs, and fostering innovation and entrepreneurship. Our exceptional results at the Geneva Inventions Expo are not only a testament to the powerful synergy between HKUST and HKUST (Guangzhou), but also underscore the University’s leadership in healthcare, AI, advanced manufacturing, and new energy technologies. This achievement reflects international recognition of the University’s robust research capabilities and excellence in knowledge transfer.
As Hong Kong deepens its integration into the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, the city is well positioned to capitalize on historic opportunities ahead. As a vital engine of innovation, universities must fully leverage the potential of strategic initiatives such as the Northern Metropolis and the Hetao Shenzhen-Hong Kong Science and Technology Innovation Co-operation Zone. Guided by our enduring ‘can-do’ spirit, the HKUST community will continue to illuminate the world with pioneering inventions, translate research outcomes into real-world impact, support Hong Kong’s development as an international innovation and technology hub, and contribute to the national 15th Five-Year Plan by advancing high-quality development and strengthening our nation’s journey toward becoming a global technology powerhouse.”
Dr. Shin Cheul KIM, HKUST Associate Vice-President for Research and Development (Knowledge Transfer), stated, “Geneva Inventions Expo is an annual event for innovation and technology that provides a valuable platform for our researchers to showcase their innovations. By engaging with leading international researchers, the Expo propels innovative breakthroughs and fosters international collaborations. The award-winning projects not only demonstrate how HKUST’s ability to translate research into practical applications but also deliver critical technologies that address global challenges in home healthcare, architecture, transportation, and environmental protection-ultimately leveraging research innovations to drive economic development.”
During the showcase, 9 groups from HKUST that obtained Gold Medals with Congratulations of the Jury launched their award-winning initiatives, overlaying areas corresponding to healthcare, low-altitude applied sciences, new vitality and robotics, in addition to craft high quality management and digital artwork. The mission introductions are as follows:
Healthcare
AI-powered Home Healthcare Management System for COPD Patients
Principal Investigator: Prof. ZHANG Qian, Head of the Division of Integrative Systems and Design; Chair Professor of the Department of Computer Science and Engineering, and Department of Electronic and Computer Engineering
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) is a standard, incurable continual respiratory illness worldwide. Without correct administration, the illness progressively worsens. It encompasses continual bronchitis and emphysema, inflicting irreversible lung harm, and is one in every of Hong Kong’s main deadly ailments.
The AI-powered dwelling healthcare system developed by the workforce integrates three main improvements: an earbud for clinical-grade lung monitoring, a cellular app for early exacerbation prediction (corresponding to cough and respiratory sounds), and a depth-sensing digicam for contactless respiratory coaching with real-time visible biofeedback. This system empowers sufferers to successfully monitor and handle their situation from the consolation of their properties.
AI-powered Diagnostic Platform for Multiplexed Antimicrobial Resistance to Fight Superbugs
Principal Investigator: Prof. Levent YOBAS, Professor of the Department of Electronic and Computer Engineering, and Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering
WHO has recognized antimicrobial resistance (AMR) as one of many high ten international public well being threats, because it will increase the vulnerability of sufferers to bacterial infections, which could be deadly in extreme circumstances.
The workforce has developed an AI‑pushed diagnostic gadget that requires only some drops of blood to concurrently detect as much as eight pathogens inside 45 minutes. This gadget allows clinicians to rapidly establish the supply of an infection and choose essentially the most applicable antibiotics-a essential development, particularly in paediatrics and emergency settings the place each minute counts.
Next-generation Portable Recombinant Antivenom for Snakebites Envenoming
Principal Investigators: Prof. ZHU Guang, Professor of the Division of Life Science, and Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering; Dr. XU Naining, Post-doctoral Fellow of the Division of Life Science
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), an estimated 5.4 million individuals are bitten by snakes yearly, leading to many circumstances of envenoming. This results in roughly 81,000 to 138,000 deaths every year. In Hong Kong, the Poison Control Centre reported practically 300 snakebite‑associated hospital admissions between 2021 and 2023. Traditional antivenom manufacturing entails injecting snake venom into massive animals, corresponding to horses or sheep, to stimulate antibody manufacturing. The antibodies are then extracted, a expensive course of which will trigger allergic reactions in some people.
The workforce’s subsequent‑technology recombinant antivenom makes use of human monoclonal antibody cocktails developed by means of a single B-cell screening platform to considerably cut back allergic responses. Lightweight and simple to make use of, this autoinjector allows instant on‑web site use with a single press to avoid wasting essential time throughout emergencies.
Ultra‑Early Blood Screening Platform to Prevent Cancer earlier than its Onset
Principal Investigator: Prof. ZHANG Lisheng, Assistant Professor of the Division of Life Science and Department of Chemistry
Colorectal most cancers is the second main reason behind most cancers deaths in Hong Kong, with a 5‑12 months survival charge of solely about 9.3% for late‑stage circumstances. However, colonoscopy, the scientific gold normal, is invasive, resulting in low participation charges. In addition, stool‑based mostly assessments and blood‑derived cell-free DNA assays usually lack the required sensitivity to detect precancerous lesions and Stage 0 cancers, which may delay diagnoses that might have been prevented.
The workforce has developed a novel blood screening platform, EpiLumenix, which integrates cell‑free RNA epitranscriptomics and AI to seize dynamic tumor microenvironment fingerprints from simply 2 mL of blood. This platform achieves a groundbreaking 75% sensitivity for Stage 0 colorectal most cancers and superior adenomas, considerably outperforming present industrial stool and cfDNA assessments. As a much less‑invasive resolution, it requires no fasting or bowel preparation, thereby enhancing affected person compliance, and shifting colorectal most cancers administration from passive remedy to proactive, precision-based early detection and prevention.
Low‑altitude Technologies
AeroRelief: Autonomous UAV First-responder System
Principal Investigator: Prof. LI Mo, Professor of the Department of Computer Science and Engineering, and Division of Integrative Systems and Design
Rescue operations are time‑essential. To deal with “blind spots” in emergency response corresponding to distant climbing trails in Sai Kung and outlying islands the place ambulances can not attain, the workforce has developed the UAV first-responder system “AeroRelief”, which reduces the standard floor rescue time of practically one hour to just some minutes.
Powered by AI massive‑language‑fashions, the system analyzes misery messages to find out the required medical provides, corresponding to AEDs or adrenaline auto‑injectors, and compute the optimum flight route. The winch-based mid-air supply system allows a protected and exact provide drop inside the essential “golden 10 minutes”, reworking low‑altitude applied sciences into a significant drive for shielding lives.
New Energy and Robotics
High-efficient and Durable Semi-transparent Perovskite Solar Cell Module
Principal Investigator: Prof. ZHOU Yuanyuan, Associate Professor of the Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering
Traditional photo voltaic panels are cumbersome and opaque, making them unsuitable for home windows or glass façades. The workforce has developed semi‑clear perovskite photo voltaic movies with a glass-like look, enabling environment friendly gentle harvesting for top energy output. These movies are perfect for use in constructing façades, skylights, and public transport shelters. The materials is extremely sturdy and maintains secure electrical energy output below extended daylight publicity.
MildSkin: Optical Tactile Skin for Next-generation Robotics
Principal Investigator: Prof. LIN Yen-Hung, Assistant Professor of the Department of Electronic and Computer Engineering
Most robots can “see” however lack the power to genuinely “feel”. The workforce has developed “LightSkin”, an extremely‑skinny (3-5 mm), versatile digital pores and skin that mimics human tactile sensitivity. It can adapt to advanced surfaces on robots, detecting refined modifications in stress and drive to allow safer, extra responsive, and intuitive interactions. This innovation opens new prospects for hand rehabilitation robotics and subsequent‑technology human-robot collaboration techniques.
Craft Quality Control and Digital Art
The Eye of Mold: Real-time Quality Control for Zero-Defect Molding
Principal Investigator: Prof. GAO Furong, Chair Professor of the Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering
In mildew‑forming processes, product high quality is decided inside seconds, but the interior circumstances of the mildew are invisible to the bare eye. Any slight deviation within the forming course of might result in massive‑scale defects.
“The Eye of Mold” is a groundbreaking system designed to deal with long-standing challenges within the business. It employs sensible sensors to measure three essential parameters-capacitance, temperature, and pressure-enabling, for the primary time, real-time visualization of the beforehand inaccessible mildew cavity. This innovation offers real-time insights into the move, filling, and solidification processes, giving producers an unparalleled end-to-end view of the forming course of. As a consequence, it considerably enhances high quality management and manufacturing stability.
Articulator.ai: One-stop Platform for Gen-AI Creation and Art ID Registration
Principal Investigator: Dr. Daniel CHUN, Lecturer of the Division of Arts and Machine Creativity, and Division of Emerging Interdisciplinary Areas
As digital artwork turns into more and more prevalent, artists face rising dangers of id fraud and unauthorized duplication of their work. The workforce has developed a one-stop platform that serves twin functions: it features as each an Art ID registration platform and a inventive studio for artists. The system employs AI to help within the inventive course of whereas securely recording artists’ identities and possession knowledge inside a blockchain-enabled database, making certain tamper-evident provenance. In addition, it embeds safe watermarks that retailer the Art ID and features a constructed‑in e‑commerce module. This system allows artists to handle each side of their work, from creation to on-line gross sales, all inside a single platform.
This 12 months’s Geneva Inventions Expo attracted over a thousand initiatives from round 40 international locations and areas worldwide. HKUST has 62 groups collaborating within the exhibition, with 36 groups from HKUST and 26 groups from HKUST (Guangzhou). For particulars on different HKUST award-winning initiatives, please seek advice from the Appendix.