Corporate News

A high-level Swiss delegation led by Federal Councillor Ms Doris Leuthard, Head of the Federal Department of Environment, Transport, Energy and Communications visited ASTRI’s Smart City Innovation Centre (SCIC) on 10 August 2018. Ms Leuthard was the former Swiss President. Also included in the delegation were Federal Chancellor Mr Walter Thurnherr and Swiss Consul General to Hong Kong SAR Mr Reto Renggli among other Swiss Ministers and top executives of Swiss technology enterprises.

The delegation was welcomed to the SCIC by ASTRI’s Mr Wong Ming-yam – Chairman, and Dr Justin Chuang, Vice President, Next Generation Network; while Hong Kong Science and Technology Parks Corporation Ltd – ASTRI’s partner in the SCIC – was also represented by its top brass including Dr Sunny Chai – Chairman and Mr Albert Wong – Chief Executive Officer in meeting with the delegation.

The delegation learnt about the innovation drive propelled by the SCIC through its world-class infrastructure and facilities accessible by technology enterprises, start-ups, students and researchers alike. They were shown a series of R&D demonstrations of smart mobility, smart living and smart finance applications. ASTRI has one of the strongest 5G R&D facilities in Hong Kong and the SCIC itself a testbed for 5G technologies – it works in partnership with leading telecom operators and equipment manufacturers. During the visit, ASTRI’s R&D experts shared how the technology can be adopted for applications across road transportation, railway, maritime operations as well as commercial aviation. It is worth mentioning that ASTRI has been one of the key consultants to Hong Kong’s telecommunications regulator, offering technological advisory and recommendations for a seamless introduction of 5G services in the city.

Speaking on the occasion, Mr Wong Ming-yam highlighted the undisputed global reputation of Switzerland as a country leading in innovation. He referred to ever-increasing co-operation between Switzerland and Hong Kong as well as the strong Swiss-Chinese partnerships in the areas of trade, finance and innovation. Mr Wong said, “Hong Kong SAR, with its world-class business environment, infrastructure and international connectivity, acts as a super connector between China and rest of the world. Hong Kong on its own is also an important trading partner for Switzerland. You are our 17th largest trading partner globally, and 5th largest in Europe. More than 55 Swiss businesses have their Asia headquarters based in our city. Switzerland is also the first European economy to have a free trade agreement with Hong Kong.” He commented that driven by the aspiration for innovation, progressive economies, and people-centric development, “Switzerland and Hong Kong can indeed accomplish great things together.”

 

ASTRI’s R&D expert shares innovative insights on AI in Digital Manufacturing at HKEIA Workshop

Dr T. John Koo, Director of Cyber-Physical Systems of ASTRI, shared his insights and experiences on Artificial Intelligence (AI) in Digital Manufacturing at a workshop organised by the Hong Kong Electronic Industries Association (HKEIA) on 9 August 2018.  Dr Koo discussed the applications of Model-Based Systems Engineering (MBSE) to enable AI-driven innovations in the field of manufacturing.

Focusing on rapid automation and digital transformation in the industrial sectors, the workshop touched upon key challenges and opportunities in the era of Industry 4.0 and Digital Factories. The event attracted representatives from across the industry as well as several technology specialists. Other presenters in the workshop included senior experts from NVIDIA, eFusion Capital and Hong Kong Polytechnic University.

Photo caption: Dr John Koo shared his insights on AI in digital manufacturing with the audience 

Mr Daryl Li – Director of the Fire Services Department (FSD) of HKSAR Government, visited ASTRI on 2 August 2018, along with the Department’s several senior officials including Mr Joseph Leung – Deputy Director and Ir Andy Yeung – Assistant Director (Headquarters). They aimed to learn about ASTRI’s R&D achievements, and explore advanced technologies that enhance the management and operational efficiency of fire services and also improves safety measures for firefighters.

The FSD officials met several ASTRI technology experts along with Mr Hugh Chow – Chief Executive Officer, Dr Meikei Ieong – Chief Technology Officer, and Dr Justin Chuang – Vice President (Next Generation Network). They visited the Smart City Innovation Centre and Mega Lab facilities, where they witnessed demonstrations of a series of advanced technologies, including the mobile phone spectrometer that can remotely sense flame colours and chemical information in order to detect toxic gas at incident sites, ensuring the safety of firefighters. They also learnt ASTRI’s Virtual Reality and head-mounted display technology which can quickly scan and develop 3D images of buildings, efficiently providing firefighters with useful information. In addition, ASTRI’s Vehicle-to-Everything technologies can greatly facilitate fleet management for the FSD.

The delegation was impressed by ASTRI’s R&D achievements and found strong relevance of the technologies with the practical operations of the FSD. The two parties will continue to engage and explore for further potential collaborations.

ASTRI is a supporting organisation in the FinTech Innovation Lab Asia-Pacific, an annual 12-week mentorship programme organised by Accenture. At the training workshop attended by the programme’s finalists on 31 July 2018, ASTRI facilitated several training sessions for the 2018 cohort. Dr MeiKei Ieong – Chief Technology Officer, Dr Lucas Hui – Senior Director of Security & Data Sciences, Dr James Lei – Acting Director of Advanced Digital Systems, Dr Yu Tao – Director of Data Analytics and Mr Barry Yen – Director of Commercialisation individually shared their knowledge and insights, and presented on core technologies related to FinTech applications. The workshop was designed to promote the participants’ technological know-how and help them to have an understanding of ASTRI’s work in Cybersecurity, Blockchain, Big Data Analytics and industry commercialisation.

As a programme partner, ASTRI is facilitating technological trainings and workshops for the participating start-ups, helping to enhance their technical expertise and enabling them to develop intuitive and industry-relevant FinTech solutions. FinTech is one of the five pillars in ASTRI’s technology strategy. Through this programme, ASTRI joins hands with Accenture along with global banking giants like Bank of America Merrill Lynch, Credit Suisse, Goldman Sachs, HSBC, JP Morgan, Macquarie Group, Morgan Stanley, Nomura, Societe Generale, Standard Chartered, Sun Life Financial and UBS.

The FinTech Innovation Lab Asia-Pacific 2018 programme is designed to provide FinTech start-ups with related technological, strategic and commercial guidance as well as the opportunity to build connections with over 250 key decisions makers and industry leaders from the financial services sector. The 2018 cohort received a record number of applications from over 160 start-ups with eight of them making it to the finals. The finalists are: Bereev, BetterTradeOff, Checkbox.ai, Gekko Lab, Hyper Anna, Know Your Customer, NoPassword, Tookitaki. Each start-up developed and collaborated on innovations, ranging from identity authentication to Artificial Intelligence, throughout the duration of the programme under the guidance of FinTech experts.

Mr Miao Deyu – Deputy Director-General, Policy Planning Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, People’s Republic of China  visited ASTRI on 1 August 1 2018. Mr Miao was accompanied by Mr Wong Wang-wah – Assistant Commissioner of the Innovation and Technology Commission of the HKSAR Government. They were joined by several officials from the Ministry. The delegation was welcomed by Mr Hugh Chow – Chief Executive Officer and Dr Meikei Ieong – Chief Technology Officer.

The Central Government actively supports Hong Kong’s development into an international hub for Innovation and Technology (I&T). Explaining the purpose of the visit, Mr Miao said “We wish to better understand Hong Kong’s I&T endeavours and developments in that direction”. He said that Hong Kong’s role as a global city, its unique advantages are tremendously important to the Central Government. “We are confident that Hong Kong will successfully leverage these competitive edges to build a leading international I&T hub and contribute to the nation’s overall development,” he added.

During the visit, Mr Miao and the delegation members visited ASTRI’s Smart City Innovation Centre, and left with a clearer picture of ASTRI’s R&D and innovative technologies.

Ms Sophia Chong – Assistant Executive Director of the Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC), along with Mr Daniel Lam – Senior Exhibitions Manager and Ms Maggie Cheung – Manager of Exhibition Department, visited ASTRI on 26 July 2018. They were welcomed to ASTRI by Mr Hugh Chow – Chief Executive Officer and Dr Meikei Ieong – Chief Technology Officer. During the visit, the HKTDC delegation was briefed about ASTRI’s various R&D initiatives. The two parties also explored future cooperation opportunities.

With the strong support from the HKSAR Government as well as the Central Government, Hong Kong is actively developing into an international hub for Innovation and Technology (I&T). This development is aligned with the long-term development strategy of the city, and for the Great Bay Area of Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macao. ASTRI and HKTDC share the common goal to help enhance the competitiveness of industries and to promote Hong Kong’s economic development. The two organisations look forward to closer cooperation in the future including exhibitions and promotional activities, in order to create more development opportunities for Hong Kong’s I&T ecosystem.

Organised by the Hong Kong Federation of Youth Groups, 26 students and their teachers from Beijing Union University visited ASTRI on 17 July 2018. They were welcomed and received by Dr MeiKei Ieong – Chief Technology Officer of ASTRI. During the visit, the group witnessed a series of advanced technologies developed by ASTRI at the Smart City Innovation Centre, and learnt about the mission and technology endeavours of ASTRI.

 

 

A group of nine committee members of the Young Democratic Alliance for the Betterment and Progress of Hong Kong (YDAB) visited ASTRI on 17 July 2018, including Mr Ngan Man-yu – YDAB Chairman and Kwun Tong District Councillor; Mr Chiu Man-leong – Vice-chairman and Shatin District Councillor; and Mr Siu Wai-chung – Deputy Secretary General. The group had a guided tour of ASTRI’s Smart City Innovation Centre and met Mr Hugh Chow – Chief Executive Officer and Dr Meikei Ieong – Chief Technology Officer of ASTRI. The visitors learnt about ASTRI’s R&D development and achievements and explored how application of these technologies enhance the social and economic development of Hong Kong and improve people’s daily lives.

The YDAB committee members were very impressed by a series of Smart City technologies and 5G applications developed by ASTRI. Many members of the delegation represent different district councils, with extensive experience in community work. Through their daily interaction with people from different all walks of life in the community, they have built up a rich knowledge of the needs of the public. Naturally, the delegation showed particular interest in how the HKSAR Government’s Innovation and Technology (I&T) development efforts would bring tangible benefits to ordinary citizens, and how various stakeholders in the I&T ecosystem could leverage advanced technologies to develop practical solutions that meet the real-life needs of Hong Kong residents.

The YDAB delegation found the visit both inspiring and interesting, and offered some meaningful feedback to ASTRI.

Ms Mary Ng, Member of the Parliament of Canada, accompanied by Mr Jeff Nankivell, Consul General of Canada in Hong Kong and Macao, visited ASTRI on 11 July 2018. They were welcomed to ASTRI by Mr Hugh Chow – Chief Executive Officer and Dr Meikei Ieong – Chief Technology Officer. During the visit, the two sides discussed about exchanging technology and talents between Canada and Hong Kong, as well as the economic development trends in both places. They also exchanged thoughts and insights on potential future collaborations.  The visitors were impressed by the many advanced technologies developed by ASTRI, having witnessed the demonstrations at the Smart City Innovation Centre. The demonstrations included naked-eye 3D display technology, Blockchain applications, smart pole and cellular Vehicle-to-Everything technologies. They hoped that technological exchange and cooperation between Hong Kong and Canada could be further strengthened in future.

 

A group of senior civil servants from the Hong Kong Correctional Services Department (CSD), and Electrical and Mechanical Services Department (EMSD) visited ASTRI on 12 July 2018. The group was led by Mr Yeung Chun-wai – Assistant Commissioner of CSD, joined by Mr Wong Sek Cheung – Assistant Director of EMSD. They were welcomed to ASTRI by Mr Hugh Chow – Chief Executive Officer, accompanied by Dr Meikei Ieong – Chief Technology Officer and Dr Justin Chuang – Vice President of Next Generation Network as well as several R&D experts.

Aiming to explore new technologies for continuous improvement of CSD’s operational performance, the group was very keen to see a series of ASTRI’s advanced R&D projects such as human activity sensing technologies, data analytics and cybersecurity. During the visit, they also took the opportunity to witness demonstrations related to various applications of 5G at ASTRI’s Smart City Innovation Centre. In addition, they exchanged ideas and insights with ASTRI’s R&D experts on how technology could help enhance the efficiency and security of their operations and services.