IN FOCUS 26 CUS 26 Joining Together Toward Commons’ Goal In keeping with its goal to bring people together, the Engineering Commons has been set up with the help of faculty, students and alumni, highlighting its role as a hub of creation for all members of the School. Academics from the School of Engineering’s six departments have been involved in creating the foyer displays that demonstrate the exciting developments and discoveries in different engineering fields, enable people to relate to the work associated with the disciplines, and highlight the significant role of engineers in generating change. There is also an example of the pioneering work of the School’s HKUSTNIE Social Media Lab in the form of the WoW display, providing state-of-the-art touch-based communication technology. The lab focuses on research and design of next-generation social media systems, networks and applications. The WoW display, developed by Prof James She and his students, demonstrates how images taken by a mobile device (equipped with the lab’s specially designed app) can be “flipped” to the WoW display through a simple hand gesture and from the WoW display to one of the overhead screens in the central foyer area. Videos can also be flipped. The technology was highlighted at the grand opening of the Engineering Commons, with a demonstration of the WoW display and later through the memorable appearance of a virtual Chinese dragon on the panoramic screens. The virtual dragon was created by alumnus Cheuk Lam Chan, 2011 BEng in Mechanical Engineering. The “dragon dance” closed with an uplifting Chinese calligraphic message “Technology Builds A Great Nation”（科技興邦）, originated and written in Moxi digital ink by alumnus Nelson Chu, 2007 PhD in Computer Science. Nelson is the creator of the Moxi software package that can simulate Chinese painting and calligraphy on screen. Another innovative feature of the Engineering Commons is the PicknPoll e-polling system, designed by alumni Angus Kai Chit Luk and Cheuk Sum Wong, 2012 and 2013 BEng in Computer Science respectively. The ingenious and fun interactive system allows regular online opinion polls on different topics to be undertaken, with results instantly displayed on central foyer display screens. To provide a new social communication platform for HKUST students, faculty and staff, particularly the engineering community, five current Dual Degree Program in Technology and Management students created the eMessage Board. Ki Hong Chan, Ho Yin Chow, Sze Long Ho, Kwok Shiu Wong and Ka Cheuk Yung set out to provide more opportunities for the University community to exchange ideas and access the latest School news and events. Using the students’ specially designed “SENGer” app, users can post messages and photos as well as leave comments via the web, Android and iOS devices. Their words and pictures are then displayed on the Engineering Commons central foyer screens.
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