Press Release

As Hong Kong strives to position itself as an international innovation hub, the HKSAR Government has announced unprecedented level of funding support and a series of other initiatives to materialise that vision. China’s Central Government is also steadfast in its support to Hong Kong’s innovation and technology development. The recent announcement that Hong Kong-based researchers will get bigger and easier access to national R&D funding unlocks a new world of potential for the city’s innovation ecosystem. Different players within Hong Kong’s I&T ecosystem, including the general public, have overwhelmingly welcomed these new initiatives and policies. Vice President of OneTV Media Global Limited, and ‘Elite One-on-One’ programme’s host, Ms Jane Chen interviewed ATSRI’s CEO Mr Hugh Chow, to discuss how Hong Kong could retain I&T talents.

Mr Chow talked about the excellent foundation in financial and logistics services prevalent in Hong Kong. If we compare the I&T development in Hong Kong and those in the Silicon Valley, Hong Kong is just a starter while Silicon Valley has almost half a century’s experience in developing I&T. However, if Hong Kong can leverage all the positive catalysts and drive growth and momentum in an innovation-led economy, we also have our own unique edge to compete in the race.

Do watch the full interview (available in Chinese only) – video courtesy to OneTV.

A plenary meeting of the 3^rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) took place in the US city of San Diego on 13 June 2018. As the sole R&D organisation representing Hong Kong, ASTRI’s delegation in that meeting included Dr Justin Chuang – Vice President of Next Generation Network and Dr Eric Tsang – Director of Next Generation Network. The 3GPP plenary meeting was a momentous occasion where standalone standards for 5G NR were agreed upon by more than 600 delegates from the world’s major telecom operators, network, terminals and chipset vendors, internet companies and other vertical industry companies. The standards will act as an industry benchmark for the forthcoming worldwide rollout of 5G services.

The latest standalone 5G NR standards mark a big step ahead for the industry – it effectively means the initial yet crucial phase of technical and operational standardisations are now completed. The industry now enters the stage of commercial deployment. Based on the new 3GPP standards, regulators, operators and manufacturers can now finalise their 5G launch plans – from building the network to sourcing equipments to deploying 5G services for consumers.

The next-generation 5G standard formulated by 3GPP covers multiple technical aspects. With unprecedented speed, 10-20 times as fast as 4G, 5G services will use frequency bands, providing consumers with greater network capacity and faster data and voice experiences. In addition to solving congestion problems in urban networks, 5G can also pave the way for more innovative and revolutionary applications and business potential.

Finalising the new 5G NR standards will benefit the entire industry by setting the ground for practical implementation. Operators and OEMs can now conduct connectivity, performance  and compatibility testing of crucial elements like 5G NR chips as well as related applications. 5G services are expected to be commercialised sometime during 2019 with a sizeable international market of globally rolled out commercial networks, high-end devices and appliances and 5G-powered services taking shape in 2020. In addition to common public application services such as transmission of UHD 4K/8K and VR content, 5G will also facilitate a much wider range of applications including connected or driverless cars, and remotely controlled smart homes. Combined with artificial intelligence, drones, deep learning and other new technologies, 5G can indeed unlock a whole new world of smart businesses, smart living and smart cities. Even sectors like healthcare, manufacturing or construction can benefit from 5G, for instance when connected robots help humans to achieve bigger and better things.

As the largest Government-funded R&D institution in Hong Kong, ASTRI plays a key role in developing 5G applications and solutions. ASTRI will leverage the latest 3GPP standards for 5G NR and continue to strengthen its R&D pursuit that leads to successful rollout of 5G and overall Smart City development in Hong Kong.

From 13 to 15 June 2018, ASTRI participated in CES Asia – one of the largest events of the Asia-Pacific electronics industry – with its latest innovations in intelligent display technologies. Spearheaded by the Optoelectronics Technology Division, the ASTRI team showcased the most recent and exciting developments in its intelligent display R&D at the event which attracted over 40,000 visitors as well as more 500 than exhibiting institutions. Taking place at the Shanghai New International Expo Centre (SNIEC), the event was a grand showcase of the latest and most advanced solutions ranging from Smart Cities, Artificial Intelligence, Smart Vehicles to Robotics.

ASTRI’s innovations were on display at its booth N3-3033 at the event. The team, led by Mr Kenny Chan, Senior Manager, demonstrated a number of cutting-edge display technologies with sensing solutions relevant for Smart City applications, such as Laser Holographic Projection module and Head-up Display (HUD), In addition, ASTRI’s Head-mount Display (HMD) solution for Augmented Reality (AR) and Virtual Reality (VR) applications, as well as its award-winning Palm Sensing Biometric Authentication system were also showcased.

CES Asia is the premier event for the consumer electronics industry in this region. The event brings together innovators from across several vertical industries in the Asian marketplace while providing leading Asian and global brands as well as startups a platform to create partnerships, build relationships and reinforce their brands. Industry executives, global buyers, Government officials, market analysts, retailers, media and a large number of other visitors witness the latest products and technologies at this annual event.

ASTRI’s Optoelectronics team pursues the development of intelligent tools and solutions that support Smart City and development as well as Smart Manufacturing in Hong Kong and beyond. Fully aligned with the Hong Kong Government’s Smart City development blueprint and the Greater Bay Area development priorities, ASTRI strives to enhance Hong Kong’s global competitiveness in technology-based industries through applied research.

 

A delegation led by Mr Sun Hai-dong, Director of the Wuxi Municipal Bureau of Science and Technology recently visited ASTRI’s Shenzhen Office. The delegation members held in-depth discussions on ASTRI’s Integrated Circuits R&D, Cellular Vehicle-to-Everything (C-V2X) platform and third generation of semiconductors. They also discussed strategies to groom and nurture the next generation of technology talents. It was a useful platform for the delegation and ASTRI’s executives to share ideas and insights for mutual benefit.

 

A delegation from the China Merchants Group led by its Chairman Mr Li Jian-hong, visited ASTRI on 14 June 2018. They were welcomed to ASTRI by its Chief Executive Officer Mr Hugh Chow, and Chief Technology Officer Dr Meikei Ieong. During the visit, the delegation was briefed on ASTRI’s many R&D accomplishments displayed at the Smart City Innovation Centre. ASTRI’s executives and R&D experts discussed and exchanged insights with the delegation members about some of most topical areas of technological development such as integrated circuits.

ASTRI took part in the ‘Hong Kong 5G Industry Forum 2018’ organised by the Communications Association of Hong Kong (CAHK) on 12 June 2018. The Forum addressed Hong Kong’s 5G development roadmap and the crucial roles to be played by different ecosystem players to support the Government’s Smart City and 5G development plans. Dr MeiKei Ieong, ASTRI’s Chief Technology Officer, presented a use-case keynote on 5G Cellular Vehicle-to-Everything (C-V2X) technology at the Forum.

Mr Chaucer Leung, Deputy Director General (Telecommunications) of the HKSAR Government’s Office of the Communications Authority (OFCA) presented a keynote titled ‘Gearing up for ushering in the 5G era’. Mr Leung covered key issues including 5G spectrum availability, the proposed auction for spectrum allocation, utilisation of various spectrum bands, and measures to ensure a smooth and non-disruptive introduction of 5G services. He spoke about the utilisation of the C-band 3.4~4.2 GHz spectrum that are used by other services such as Satellite-based television broadcasting as well as Hong Kong’s two Telemetry, Tracking and Control Stations for the SAR’s 12 satellites which orbit the Earth. It is worth mentioning that ASTRI, in partnership with Rohde & Schwarz, recently completed a consultancy study for OFCA on mitigating measures to enable satellite-based television and 5G services to co-exist on the 3.5 GHz band spectrum.

In his presentation, Dr Ieong focused on the latest developments in the ‘Connected Vehicles’ ecosystem and shared some perspectives from industry bodies like the global 5G Automotive Association. Explaining the software and hardware architecture of the Smart Mobility solution developed by ASTRI in collaboration with other industry players, he told the audience that ATSRI’s C-V2X Networking System has already been demonstrated to support the 3GPP Release 14 (LTE based V2X). It will also comply with the upcoming Release 15 supporting the 5G standards evolution.

The event included a Panel Discussion on ‘How the mobile industry is enabling 5G and Smart City Innovation in HK’. The panellists and other keynote speakers at the event represented leading industry players from Asia-Pacific and beyond including, SK Telecom of Korea, Huawei, Hong Kong Smart City Consortium, China Mobile, HKT, SmarTone, Hutchison and GSM Association.

 

Three of ASTRI’s Smart City innovations have been honoured at the Smart City Awards 2018 organised by ET Net. The R&D projects recognised in this programme are: Outstanding Internet of Vehicles (IoV) Management System (Smart Mobility), Outstanding Internet of Things (IoT) for Smart Water Management (Smart Environment), and Outstanding Text Correction System on Mobile Devices (Smart Economy). Chosen by an esteemed jury panel headed by Honourable Charles Peter Mok, JP, Member of HKSAR Legislative Council, the awards were announced on 11 June 2018 in six categories – Smart Economy, Smart Environment, Smart Living, Smart Mobility, Smart Government and Smart Government.

Ir Allen Yeung, JP, HKSAR Government Chief Information Officer, officiated the ceremony. Speaking on the occasion, he explained the Government’s roadmap for Smart City development including the Smart City blueprint’s vision and specific goals. Keynote papers presented at the event covered a wide range of topics such as smart and green energy, smart airport and smart transportation, and enabling disrupting technologies to reshape Hong Kong’s future.

The six categories in Hong Kong Smart City Awards 2018 were aligned with the six pillars under the Hong Kong Smart City blueprint announced by the SAR Government. The awards sought to honour and recognise pioneering efforts from public, private and R&D sectors that created innovative and integrated urban solutions for a more sustainable future.

Themed ‘Smarter Innovations for a Better Hong Kong’, the Awards programme was organised by ET Net alongside the Hong Kong Smart City Summit 2018. The event explored how our city can be more liveable and resilient through better governance and planning, technological and social innovation, as well as through the collaboration between various stakeholders within the ecosystem.

 

 

ASTRI, in partnership with two other HKSAR Government-subvented R&D centres, developed a tracking and monitoring system that protects vulnerable groups like the elderly. The system, which has been applied in 11 elderly day care centres of the Tung Wah Group of Hospitals (TWGH), has been chosen as the “Best Smart Care Technology Solution” at the 6th Asia Pacific Eldercare Innovation Awards. The award ceremony was recently held in Singapore.

TWGH, the end-user of the system, had nominated this “Installation of anti-wandering system for Day Care Centre for the Elderly” solution for this award. The system which works simultaneously through built-in RFID, GPS and BLE trackers. It greatly reduces the risk of vulnerable senior citizens being missing from elderly homes or other care centres. In addition to making life less stressful for the caregivers, the system also facilitates the improvement of elderly-caregiver ratio and overall service quality. Most importantly, it allows the elderly to be more involved in outdoor activities without the risk of getting lost.

The project has been a collaborative effort of three Government-subvented institutions: Hong Kong Applied Science and Technology Research Institute (ASTRI), Hong Kong Logistics and Supply Chain MultiTech R&D Centre (LSCM) and Hong Kong Research Institute of Textiles and Apparel (HKRITA). These quangos, bringing together their collective strength and expertise, developed a tracking system to improve elderly-care. While LSCM contributed the RFID and GPS tracking system, HKRITA designed a special vest which houses the RFID tracker, GPS tracker and the BLE (Bluetooth Low Energy) device hardware. ASTRI provided the proximity monitoring system through BLE, responsible for the whole system integration, hosting the main server. ASTRI also conducted the system’s trial at TWGH facilities and Wong Chung Tong Day Care Centre for the Elderly.

The ‘6th Asia Pacific Eldercare Innovation Awards’ is widely revered as the ‘Oscar for the Eldercare sector’ in the Asia-Pacific region. This year, the award nominees and participants represented 19 countries and territories from across the region.

 

Mr. Andrey Belozerov, Advisor of Smart City Development of Moscow City visited ASTRI on 7 June 2018. He met with Dr Justin Chuang, Vice President of Next Generation Network to exchange views and insights on the development of smart city . Mr Belozerov was shown a series of ASTRI’s smart city technologies such as the V2X and 5G solutions.

Organised by the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST)’s Fok Ying Tung Research Institute, a group of 40 senior executives from Guangzhou’s major enterprises visited ASTRI on 31 May 2018. The training program focused heavily on Innovation Technology and Big Data business, so we invited Dr Yu Tao, Director of Big Data Analytics to share ASTRI’s technology research in big data analytics. Dr Yu also shared some real-life examples of data analytics applications in Hong Kong. In addition, we also had Dr Kangheng Wu, Principal Engineer to talk about ASTRI’s Blockchain solutions and some other Fintech business cases. The participants found the sharing interesting and practical.