..................................................................................................................................... ..................................................................................................................................... IN FOCUS 5 WeChat-HKUST Joint Laboratory Established he launch of the WeChat-HKUST Joint Laboratory on Arti cial Intelligence Technology (WHAT LAB) has initiated a dynamic collaborative platform for research into arti cial intelligence and big data at the University. WeChat is the hugely successful cross-platform instant messaging service developed by Mainland Internet giant Tencent, with million monthly active users. The joint laboratory will enable researchers at the University to leverage the WeChat social network to develop innovative arti cial intelligence applications. Research will include intelligent robotic systems, natural language processing, data mining, speech recognition and understanding. The move marks a milestone in collaboration between WeChat and higher education, and will seek to boost understanding and advance smart and intelligent living through cutting-edge applications. WHAT LAB is led by New Bright Professor of Engineering Prof Qiang Yang, Chair Professor and Head of Computer Science and Engineering. “WeChat is one of the most important mobile platform companies in the world,” Prof Yang said. “The Joint Lab will not only strengthen WeChat’s ability to provide services intelligently, but also enable HKUST to become a top player in arti cial intelligence research and practice worldwide.” T Cool Shoes Provide Breath of Fresh Air ow there is a new way to keep your feet cool and dry all day, every day, thanks to the creativity and initiative of Prof Neville Lee, Industrial Engineering and Logistics Management, and alumni Albert Chan, Jacky Chow, and Kevin Lam, all MPhil in Industrial Engineering and Engineering Management. The quartet has come up with a new air-cooling patented technology that they have gone on to turn into “super air-cooled shoes” (http://kemfert.com). The technology enables cans of air to circulate in just to minutes of walking, with a bending-actuated pumping system at the bottom of the shoes, providing up to times more air flow by pumping out heat and water vapor. The invention can help alleviate many humidity or heat-related foot ailments, such as sweaty feet and athlete’s foot. The product was rst displayed at the InnoCarnival , and has been featured in the media and on social media. N IELM Academic Wins National Research Award rof Xiangtong Qi, Industrial Engineering and Logistics Management, received one of China’s top research accolades when he was honored with a Natural Science Award (Second Class) in the Higher Education Outstanding Scienti c Research Output Awards (Science and Technology). The awards, set up by the Ministry of Education, recognize highly signi cant research projects by individuals or units at tertiary institutions in China. Prof Qi and his collaborators from Nanjing University, Nanjing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics, and Hong Kong Polytechnic University received the honor for the project, “Theory, Method, and Application of Game under Uncertain Environments”. The research uses game-theoretic analysis to study how to cope with uncertainty, in particular unexpected disruptive events, in supply chain management. The team has been working collaboratively on the topic for over years. Prof Qi also received a First Class Award at the th China Society of Logistics Best Paper Awards, together with Dr Mingzhu Yu, PhD in Industrial Engineering and Logistics Management, currently working at Shenzhen University; and an Honorable Mention in the IIE Transactions Design and Manufacturing Paper Award, with co-authors Dr Liang Lu, PhD in Industrial Engineering and Logistics Management, now at Amazon, and Prof Zhixin Liu from the University of Michigan-Dearborn. P
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy NDk5Njg=