Lingnan's Tech Innovations Build Smarter Healthier Cities

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.

The Carnival runs from now until 26 October at the Hong Kong Science Park. At Lingnan's exhibition booth (D08), scholars and staff explain how these AI-driven innovations enrich daily life, improve urban liveability, and spark public interest in cutting-edge technology, so that visitors can enjoy multiple interactive experiences.

Prof Sun Dong, Secretary for Innovation, Technology and Industry, visited Lingnan University's booth this afternoon, 18 October, where Prof Sam Kwong Tak-wu, Associate Vice-President (Strategic Research) and J.K. Lee Chair Professor of Computational Intelligence, showed him Lingnan's trailblazing research achievements, saying "In recent years, Lingnan University has actively promoted AI and interdisciplinary research projects to address pressing societal challenges and enhance the quality of life. The eight projects here allow visitors to experience how advanced technology supports the development of a smart and healthy city, demonstrating its profound impact on society.”

Prof Sam Kwong Tak-wu showed Prof Sun the AI-based Fencing Training and Assessment System, co-developed with Prof Zhou Yu of Shenzhen University. The system acts as an AI personal coach, combining smart bracelets and insoles with a motion-sensing camera to observe and analyse fencers' actual movements, enabling scientific training improving safety and efficiency. An interactive fencing zone at the booth allows visiting students to "try it out" in fencing gear and smart bracelets, with motion-sensing cameras performing the fencing movements. Deep learning AI analyses each action, and provides suggestions for improvement, and the project won a Gold Medal and the Prize of the International Federation of Inventors' Association (IFIA) at the 11th Silicon Valley International Invention Festival 2025.

Hong Kong continues to report new cases of chikungunya fever, and Prof Paulina Wong Pui-yun, Head and Associate Professor (Presidential Early Career Scholar) of the Science Unit, showed the AI Mosquito Diseases Control System, displaying various species of mosquitoes recently captured in Hong Kong. Prof Wong also explained how the system's simultaneous map-based mosquito risk index helps people understand mosquito risks in different areas of Hong Kong, raising awareness about preventing mosquito-borne diseases.

Other Lingnan research projects on display include the Subway Passenger Flow Prediction Model, developed by President S. Joe Qin, President and Wai Kee Kau Chair Professor of Data Science, and Dr Liu Yiren, Postdoctoral Fellow of the Division of Industrial Data Science of the School of Data Science; the Direct Air Capture of CO2 to Enrich Agriculture Production project led by Prof Chen Xi, Dean of the School of Interdisciplinary Studies and Chair Professor of Interdisciplinary Studies; the Emergency Baby Incubator and AI Power-assisted Wheelchair Control System projects led by Prof Albert Ko, Director of the Office of Service-Learning and the Lingnan Entrepreneurship Initiative (LEI); the AI Road Risk Monitoring System developed by Prof Paulina Wong Pui-yun, Head and Associate Professor (Presidential Early Career Scholar) of the Science Unit; and the Smart Ageing Home Safety Monitoring System, developed by a team of postgraduate students led by Dr Chloe Siu Pui-yee, Senior Lecturer of the School of Graduate Studies. (Table 1).

For more details, please visit https://innocarnival.hk/en.

Project title Subway Passenger Flow Prediction Model

Scholars Prof S. Joe Qin, President and Wai Kee Kau Chair Professor of Data Science
Dr Liu Yiren, Postdoctoral Fellow of the Division of Industrial Data Science of the School of Data Science

Description This project predicts passenger outflow accurately at different stations in a transportation system and a visualisation interface. Its model of passenger travel time and destination station distribution is based on past passenger gate card swipe data, combined with real-time entry flow data. Multi-time-scale modelling distribution predictions can be made a day in advance, and real-time data adjusts these forecasts dynamically, improving accuracy. The invention also integrates artificial intelligence agents to capture hotspot events, enabling real-time monitoring and prediction of subway passenger flow, and assisting in operational scheduling and resource optimisation, which improve the efficiency of the entire transportation system.

Project title AI-based Fencing Training and Assessment System

Scholar Prof Sam Kwong Tak-wu, Associate Vice-President (Strategic Research) and J.K. Lee Chair Professor of Computational Intelligence

Description The smart fencing training system is an intelligent AI personal fencing coach, which uses smart sensors in bracelets and insoles and a motion-sensing camera to watch and analyse a fencer's movements in real time. Unlike older systems that just recognise basic actions, this understands the quality of each move, and can tell if a lunge is well-balanced, a step is efficient, or a strike is powerful. AI supports fencers' physical health, skills, and overall enjoyment of the sport, making training smarter, safer, and more available to fencers.

Project title Direct Air Capture of CO2 to Enrich Agriculture Production

Scholar Prof Chen Xi, Dean of the School of Interdisciplinary Studies and Chair Professor of Interdisciplinary Studies

Description The research team has developed a novel material to be used in carbon farming that captures CO2 directly from the air to use as a fertiliser in a greenhouse for photosynthesis and internal CO2 circulation. The CO2 can be captured directly from dry air, and released when the air is wet.

Project title Emergency Baby Incubator

Scholars Prof Albert Ko, Director of the Office of Service-Learning and the Lingnan Entrepreneurship Initiative (LEI)
Mr Adrian Lo Chun-kwong, Product Design Lead of the Office of Service-Learning

Description INCUVIA, a groundbreaking, modular, foldable, and affordable neonatal incubator is designed to save the lives of premature and underweight infants in underserved communities worldwide. It is portable, modular, easily monitored, transparent and foldable, and can be set up in minutes without tools. The low-cost, plug-and-play design is sustainable with reliable power - a 12V system using batteries and solar energy. INCUVIA has been successfully tested in the Philippines, and proved successful in field conditions.

Project title AI power-assisted wheelchair control system

Scholar Prof Albert Ko, Director of the Office of Service-Learning and the Lingnan Entrepreneurship Initiative (LEI)

Description CREW is a power-assisted wheelchair control system designed for caregivers, which brings the benefits of powered wheelchairs to users who cannot control them independently. Pressure-sensors in the handles of the wheelchair allow the caregiver easy control, and the wheelchair senses whether to move forward or apply the brakes intelligently without laborious effort, especially on a slope.

Project title AI Mosquito Diseases Control System

Scholar Prof Paulina Wong Pui-yun, Head and Associate Professor (Presidential Early Career Scholar) of the Science Unit

Description This Mosquito Risk Index uses the latest smart technologies, including IoTs, GIS, GeoAI, and Deep Learning algorithms, to geographically monitor, address, and anticipate mosquito-borne diseases in Hong Kong, and is the first system that can forecast mosquito occurrence up to three days in advance. The dashboard displays mosquito hotspots and alerts, and the goal is better disease management with community engagement.

Project title AI Road Risk Monitoring System

Scholar Prof Paulina Wong Pui-yun, Head and Associate Professor (Presidential Early Career Scholar) of the Science Unit

Description This real-time, accurate, all-in-one intelligent transport solution improves driving safety, facilitates fleet management, and improves road convenience and efficiency using autonomous driving technology and GeoAI techniques. It also develops a road hazard and traffic information geodatabase per road segment, allowing public transport drivers and fleet managers to receive immediate warnings and alerts of any hazards, and has a mobile app, dashboard, and dynamic mobility database, and GeoAI predictive capabilities.

Project title Smart Ageing home safety monitoring system

Scholar Dr Chloe Siu Pui-yee, Senior Lecturer of the School of Graduate Studies

Description H-Air is an intelligent home environment monitoring system that integrates electronic nose technology, thermal imaging, and AI-driven big data analysis. It provides effective protection through immediate detection, intelligent early warning, and coordinated response to multidimensional risks, including flammable gas leaks, indoor air quality, and elderly safety, and addresses a critical market gap by providing integrated, preventive, and responsive monitoring systems, thereby enhancing both safety and health management in residential settings. Its core purpose is to offer families and elderly care institutions a unified platform for environmental protection and health care.

Prof Sun Dong, Secretary for Innovation, Technology and Industry (middle), visits Lingnan's booth to learn about the AI-based Fencing Training and Assessment System, a project introduced by Prof Sam Kwong Tak-wu (left).

Visitors take part in the AI-based Fencing Training and Assessment System.

Prof Paulina Wong Pui-yun (middle) shows the AI Mosquito Diseases Control System, displaying various species of mosquitoes recently captured in Hong Kong.

Lingnan University highlights eight innovative research "Smart Healthy City" projects integrating AI and interdisciplinary research.

Lingnan University highlights innovative research projects

Lingnan University will confer four honorary fellowships, recognising the outstanding professional achievements and valuable contributions to the community and the education sector of the distinguished recipients, Mr Chan Chun-ying, BBS, JP; The Hon Ip Kwok-him, GBM, GBS, JP; Mr Lam Tin-fuk, GBS, JP; and Mr Ng Leung-sing, SBS, JP, whose biographies follow:

Mr Chan Chun-ying, BBS, JP

Mr Chan Chun-ying's ancestral roots are in Xinhui, Guangdong. After completing primary and secondary school, he went on studying and earned his Chartered Secretary qualification and a Master of Business Administration from Northeast Louisiana University (later renamed the University of Louisiana at Monroe) in the US. He is a long-serving Fellow of the Hong Kong Chartered Governance Institute.

After graduating, Mr Chan started work in the accounting department of the China Travel Service (CTS), conducting internal audits for its overseas branches. This was the beginning of his career with Hong Kong-based Chinese enterprises. Over the years, he received successive promotions, eventually rising to the position of Deputy General Manager of the CTS Overseas Department. In 1992, Mr Chan joined the Nanyang Commercial Bank, and was appointed as Deputy General Manager of the Bank in 2008. From 2011 to 2016, Mr Chan served as Board Secretary and Company Secretary to BOCHK Holdings Limited and the Bank of China (Hong Kong) Limited, and is currently an advisor to the latter.

Mr Chan has consistently sought to improve his expertise through continuous learning and practice. He has completed executive management programmes at the universities of Oxford, Cambridge, Columbia, Washington, Illinois, and Tsinghua. The year 2016 marked a turning point in his professional life, when he was elected a Legislative Council Member representing the Commercial functional constituency, and entered public office.

The Legislative Council was a decisive step in his commitment to giving back to society, and a major personal challenge. Guided by his absolute determination to serve citizens, Hong Kong, and the nation, Mr Chan overcame many obstacles and earned the trust of his fellow Council members. At the end of 2022, he was re-elected a member of the Seventh Legislative Council and, subsequently, Chairman of the Finance Committee, injecting and sustaining momentum into Hong Kong's journey "from stability to prosperity".

Mr Chan's personal integrity and professional experience align seamlessly with the deliberative spirit of the Legislative Council, making him a role model among leaders in Hong Kong society.

The Hon Ip Kwok-him, GBM, GBS, JP

The Honourable Ip Kwok-him was born and grew up in Hong Kong, although his family was originally from Guangzhou, Guangdong Province. Mr Ip attended Hon Wah College in Hong Kong, and later graduated from South China Normal University. He then returned to Hon Wah College, where he taught for almost 20 years. Mr Ip entered politics in the 1980s, and engaged in community service with colleagues in the Central and Western District. In 1991, he was elected as a Central and Western District Councillor, embarking on an eventful decades-long career in District Council service.

In 1992, Mr Ip co-founded the Democratic Alliance for the Betterment of Hong Kong (later renamed the Democratic Alliance for the Betterment and Progress of Hong Kong, acronym DAB) to foster regional stability and development. He served as DAB vice-chairman from 1998 to 2009, establishing himself as a key figure in politics in the HKSAR.

Mr Ip was first elected to the Legislative Council in 1995, representing the Election Committee constituency in the final colonial legislature. During his legislative tenure, he was a member of the main public bodies, including the Urban Renewal Authority, and became known for his work organising and uniting the pro-establishment camp.

Mr Ip has served as an HKSAR Deputy to the National People's Congress for four consecutive terms (10th–13th), underscoring his central role not only in local governance but also as a bridge between the HKSAR and the central government. In 2016, he was appointed a non-official member of the Executive Council, where his extensive legislative experience and command of public affairs were valuable assets in policy discussions and in advising the government.

Besides his valuable service in the political arena, Mr Ip has demonstrated outstanding dedication to education, where he has played an important part in multiple levels of the sector including as Chairman of the Hon Wah Education Organisation, and School Superintendent of H.K.T.A. Shun Yeung Primary School. Mr Ip's contributions have been recognised with numerous prestigious awards, and in addition to being made a Justice of the Peace (JP), he received the Gold Bauhinia Star (GBS) in 2004 and the Grand Bauhinia Medal (GBM) in 2017, the highest honours conferred by the HKSAR.

Mr Lam Tin-fuk, GBS, JP

Born and raised in Hong Kong, Mr Lam Tin-fuk completed his early education here before earning a Bachelor of Science degree in Computing Science from Imperial College, London. He began his life in public service as an Administrative Officer in the Hong Kong Government, and in 1986 he joined the Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC), embarking on a remarkable 28-year journey. Rising through the ranks to become Executive Director in 2004, he led an international team dedicated to creating opportunities for Hong Kong businesses.

In 2014, Mr Lam demonstrated his remarkable capacity for reinvention by making a direct transition to the role of Chief Executive Officer of the Airport Authority Hong Kong (AAHK). With the Hong Kong International Airport (HKIA) facing saturation, Mr Lam championed the Three-Runway System to secure Hong Kong SAR's future as an international aviation hub. He also introduced the transformative Airport City concept, which was given a new identity in January 2025 as SKYTOPIA, a brand designed to attract investment and talent. Recognising the importance of expertise, he also resolved to establish the Hong Kong International Aviation Academy in order to nurture the professionals who keep the skies safe and the economy vibrant.

When the COVID-19 pandemic brought unprecedented challenges, Mr Lam's leadership stood out. He motivated the airport community, ensuring resilience while actively preparing for recovery. His initiative in giving away 500,000 air tickets free created worldwide goodwill and kept Hong Kong on the global tourism map. In June 2024, he was appointed Chairman of the AAHK.

Mr Lam was awarded the Gold Bauhinia Star (GBS) by the HKSAR Government in recognition of his contribution to the development of the HKIA and aviation industry. Beyond these honours, Mr Lam is much admired for his integrity and for his core belief that great infrastructure must serve the community. His principles of being steadfast and responsible in every task are reflected in his dedication to the highest standards of safety, security, and environmental sustainability. This enthusiasm for responsible, value-creating modernisation resonates deeply with Lingnan University's liberal arts values and the University's commitment to serving society.

Mr Ng Leung-sing, SBS, JP

Mr Ng Leung-sing joined the Bank of China, Hong Kong Branch in 1967 and has spent 58 years in the financial sector, where he has dedicated his career to China through his financial and public service, and become a role model. His great expertise spans commercial banking, corporate strategy, and operational management, and has played a key role in the modernisation, consolidation, and presence of Chinese banks in Hong Kong. Mr Ng has been a director of the BOCHK Charitable Foundation since 1994 and, since 2009, Chairman of Bank of China (Hong Kong) Trustees Limited, demonstrating his talents and commitment as a leading figure in the banking industry.

Mr Ng's legislative service has been vital. Before and after Hong Kong's return to China, he served four terms as a Hong Kong deputy to the National People's Congress and four terms as a member of the Legislative Council. For over 20 years, he advised both the Chinese Mainland and Hong Kong, particularly on economic and financial policy. He chaired the Legislative Council's Finance Committee, overseeing government budget allocations for major infrastructure projects and fostering economic growth, but his diverse services have also included the Community Chest, the Hong Kong Housing Authority, the Hong Kong Council for Accreditation of Academic and Vocational Qualifications, and the Banking Advisory Committee. A passionate sportsman, Mr Ng was a torchbearer in the Hong Kong region for the 2008 Beijing Olympics.

Mr Ng has devoted his long career to education and served as a member of the Council and Court of Lingnan University, contributing significantly to the University's evolution with strategic foresight and a deep commitment to nurturing future generations, providing invaluable guidance during key phases of the University's development, and helping to steer its financial stability and academic growth. During his tenure as a director of the BOCHK Charitable Foundation, he promoted social welfare by advising on initiatives to fund education, healthcare, and community welfare. The Hong Kong SAR Government has made Mr Ng a Justice of the Peace and given him the Silver Bauhinia Star (SBS) in recognition of his contributions.

The four honorary fellowships that will be conferred by Lingnan University