[Hong Kong, 21 September 2018] Mr Wang Zhigang, Minister for Science and Technology of the People’s Republic of China visited the Hong Kong Applied Science and Technology Research Institute (ASTRI) today to understand the latest developments in its R&D endeavours as well as progress of technology commercialisation. During the visit, Mr Wang said, “Hong Kong plays a special role in the overall Innovation and Technology (I&T) development of the country. The HKSAR has an enormous potential to unleash in I&T and ASTRI, as one of the city’s most importance R&D centres, can greatly benefit Hong Kong as well as the country by transferring the fruits of innovative R&D.”
Mr Wang was particularly impressed with ASTRI’s Smart City and 5G development endeavours, as well as with the work of the CNERC Branch focusing on IC research. Located in ASTRI, the Branch was established in 2012 with approval from the Central Government’s Ministry of Science and Technology (MOST), as the first CNERC branch outside of Mainland China. The CNERC branch aims to help advance the competitiveness of China’s integrated circuit industry by driving world-class applied R&D in this sector, and by grooming talents for the industry.
He commended ASTRI’s role as a centre of excellence in driving technological innovation that is benefitting not just Hong Kong, but also the country. He pointed out the fact that an institution of ASTRI’s calibre can greatly contribute to driving innovation in science and technology, and add value to the economic and social development of the country, as the nation strives for stronger, more sustainable growth. Mr Wang emphasised that the Central Government remains fully committed to supporting Hong Kong’s I&T development as well as long-term growth and prosperity.
Commenting on the important visit, ASTRI’s CEO Mr Hugh Chow said, “The current macro-economic environment requires that the Mainland and Hong Kong strongly collaborate for new avenues of innovation-led growth, in order to drive overall national development in the new era of global economic realities.”
ASTRI’s Chairman Mr Wong Ming-yam commented that, “We are very grateful to have the honourable Minister visit us. His words of appreciation and recognition will tremendously encourage our innovation efforts. ASTRI will continue to innovate advanced technologies and solutions not only to help Hong Kong’s local development, but also to contribute nationally in the ‘Greater Bay Area’ and ‘Belt and Road’ programmes.”
Mr Wang Zhigang, Minister for Science and Technology (5th from right) of the People’s Republic of China, visited ASTRI on 21 September 2018.Mr Wang Zhigang, Minister for Science and Technology of the People’s Republic of China, visited ASTRI on 21 September 2018.
Delegation from HKSAR Government’s Intellectual Property Department visits ASTRI
A delegation from the Intellectual Property Department (IPD) consisting the Director of Intellectual Property, Ms Ada Leung; the Deputy Director of Intellectual Property, Ms Maria Ng; and other officials visited ASTRI on 6 September 2018. Mr Hugh Chow, ASTRI’s Chief Executive Officer – accompanied by Dr Justin Chuang, Vice President of Next Generation Network and other senior executives – welcomed the delegation at the ASTRI’s Smart City Innovation Centre.
The delegation witnessed various demonstrations of ASTRI’s Smart City and Next Generation Network related solutions. They also took part in an insightful discussion on creation, management and utilisation of Intellectual Property (IP) at ASTRI. Dr KC Sum, Head of IP and Knowledge Management and Mr Barry Yen, Director of Commercialisation briefed the delegation on IP-related processes and practices at ASTRI. It is worth mentioning that, as the largest Government-funded applied R&D institution in Hong Kong, ASTRI has a prolific track record of over 700 patents already added to its repertoire.
A delegation from HKSAR Government’s Intellectual Property Department visited ASTRI
Policy Innovation and Co-ordination Office delegation visits ASTRI
A delegation from the Policy Innovation and Co-ordination Office (PICO) visited ASTRI on 12 September 2018. The delegation was led by Mr Laurie Lo, JP, Deputy Head accompanied by other officials of PICO. The delegation learnt about various R&D initiatives of ASTRI and exchanged views with ASTRI’s CEO Mr Hugh Chow and Chief Technology Officer Dr MeiKei Ieong. The discussions covered issues related to Hong Kong’s development in the area of innovation and technology.
Mr Laurie Lo, JP, Deputy Head of PICO (sixth from the right) accompanied by other officials visited ASTRI on 12 September 2018.ASTRI’s R&D professionals demonstrated the latest R&D projects like optical inspection for environment, food and health to the delegation.
ASTRI and Huawei showcase results of joint technological endeavours through successful LTE-based V2X demonstrations in Wuxi, China
Hong Kong Applied Science and Technology Research Institute (ASTRI) and Huawei Technology Co. Ltd（Huawei） signed an agreement today to set up a joint Connected Vehicle (C-V2X) Research Group. The signing ceremony was held in WUXI, during the World Internet of Things Expo 2018.
As recently as last week on 15 September 2018, ASTRI and Huawei jointly demonstrated a series of successful Cellular Vehicle-to-Everything (C-V2X) test cases at the World Internet of Things Expo 2018. Sponsored by the Wuxi Municipal Commission of Economy and Informatisation, the Commission of Public Security, and the Jiangsu Provincial Government, the Expo took place in Wuxi, China ── the world’s first city-level C-V2X application demonstration site. The site spans around 170 km² and covers most area of Wuxi city. The project is also supported by the Chinese Academy of Information and Communications Technology, China Mobile, and a number of manufacturers including Audi and FAW.
The test was conducted near the Taihu Expo Centre in Taihu, Wuxi, on about six kilometres of open roads with six open crossings. 17 successful tests of typical application fields based on C-V2X were conducted, including forward collision warning, intersection collision warning, left turn auxiliary, vehicle blind area or lane change warning, road danger risk warning, speed limit warning, speed guidance based on signal lights, warning of congestion ahead, warning of pedestrian crossing in blind areas, and warning of on-ramp vehicles.
ASTRI and Huawei demonstrated the V2X applications using Huawei’s world-first dual-mode C-V2X roadside device RSU, supported by ASTRI’s C-V2X software system and algorithms. Under the test case, vehicles and the infrastructure leveraged C-V2X Uu and PC5 Communications channel to broadcast vehicular movement and traffic status information to cars made by FAW and other manufacturers.
Mr Hugh Chow – Chief Executive Officer of ASTRI said, “ASTRI is committed to utilising the power of technology for overall Smart City development in Hong Kong and this region. We are honoured to be a part of this historic demonstration of C-V2X technologies in partnership with HUAWEI. As long-term strategic partners, we jointly work to build a connected vehicle ecosystem for Hongkong and the nation.” Mr Chow reiterated ASTRI’s resolve to “continue investing talent and resources to develop next generation telecom technologies and related applications with particular focus on smart mobility solutions that will not only support the Smart City development blueprint announced by the Hong Kong SAR Government, but also promote wider adoption across the Hong Kong – Macau – Guangdong Great Bay area.”
Mr Veni Shone, President of LTE product line of HUAWEI technology limited and Cellular V2X solutions, said: “The launch of Wuxi C-V2X city-level project is by the efforts of transportation, telecom, vehicle and applications industry partners. As the most competent applied technologies research institute in Hong Kong, ASTRI makes great contribution in this project.
Huawei and ASTRI has signed the collaboration MoU and formed a joint research team to co-develop C-V2X technology, promoting the emerging technology and applications for a more mature solution and more valuable services. Together, they will help build the commercial intelligent transportation system in the Hong Kong – Macau – Guangdong Greater Bay area. “
About ASTRI
Hong Kong Applied Science and Technology Research Institute Company Limited (ASTRI) was founded by the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region in 2000 with the mission of enhancing Hong Kong’s competitiveness in technology-based industries through applied research. ASTRI’s core R&D competencies in various areas are organised under seven Technology Divisions, namely Communications Technologies, Electronics Components, Mixed Signal Systems IC, Advanced Digital Systems, Optoelectronics, Security and Data Sciences, and Intelligent Software and Systems. Five areas of applications including financial technologies, intelligent manufacturing, next generation network, health technologies, and smart city are identified for major pursuit. For further information about ASTRI, please visit www.astri.org.
Huawei is a leading global provider of information and communications technology (ICT) infrastructure and smart devices. With integrated solutions across four key domains – telecom networks, IT, smart devices, and cloud services – we are committed to bringing digital to every person, home and organization for a fully connected, intelligent world.
Huawei’s end-to-end portfolio of products, solutions and services are both competitive and secure. Through open collaboration with ecosystem partners, we create lasting value for our customers, working to empower people, enrich home life, and inspire innovation in organisations of all shapes and sizes.
For more information, please visit Huawei online at www.huawei.com or follow us on:
ASTRI and Huawei Technology Co. Ltd signed an agreement to setup a joint Connected Vehicle Research Group during the World Internet of Things Expo 2018.Dr MeiKei Ieong (Left), CTO of ASTRI signed the MOU with Mr Veni Shone, President of LTE product line of HUAWEI Technology Ltd and Cellular V2X Solutions.Dr MeiKei Ieong (Left), CTO of ASTRI signed the MOU with Mr Veni Shone, President of LTE product line of HUAWEI Technology Ltd and Cellular V2X Solutions.C-V2X Demo by national broadcaster CCTV (source : CCTV channel 2)
ASTRI and its partners join the launch ceremony of INDEX: FHKI’s latest initiative to support start-ups
ASTRI supported the Federation of Hong Kong Industries (FHKI) for the launch of a new shared platform for the start-up entrepreneurs in the city. Launched on 12 September 2018, INDEX is an initiative that will create opportunities for start-ups and SMEs to innovate, collaborate and network while exploring emerging prospects for growth.
ASTRI demonstrated two of its latest innovations at the event ─ the Palm Fusion Biometric Authentication system and the Augmented Reality Head-mount Display (AR-HMD) solution. These two technologies are the collaboration outcomes with ASTRI’s industrial partners, Smart Secure ID (SSID) from Switzerland and Profit Peak Hong Kong (PPK) from Hong Kong respectively to provide turnkey development platform solutions for start-ups and SMEs. Mr Kenny Chan, Senior Manager of Opto-electronics, was among ASTRI’s R&D experts who demonstrated the innovative technologies, and shared views and experiences with the guests.
The Honourable Mr Matthew Cheung Kin-chung, GBM, GBS, JP, Chief Secretary of the HKSAR Government, and the Honourable Mr Nicholas Yang Wei-hsiung, GBS, JP, Secretary for Innovation and Technology of the HKSAR Government, officiated the launch event.
Mr. Kenny Chan, Senior Manager of Opto-electronics demonstrates AR-HMD to Mr. Matthew Cheung Kin-chung, Chief Secretary of the HKSAR Government (2nd from right), Mr. Christopher Kwok (3rd from right), Executive Director of Sun Hung Kai Properties (SHKP) and, Mr. Jimmy Kwok(1st from left), Chairman of Federation of Hong Kong Industries (FHKI).Mr. Matthew Cheung, Chief Secretary of the HKSAR Government, wearing ASTRI’s AR-HMDMr. Kenny Chan demonstrated Palm Fusion Biometric Authentication system to Hong Kong MediaSpecial thanks to Ms. Rachel Hong, Managing Director of Profit Peak Hong Kong Holdings Limited for supporting the application software development of ASTRI’s AR-HMD
ASTRI partners with organisers of CIOE to host three successful technology forums
The 20th China International Opto-electronic Exposition (CIOE) 2018 took place at the Shenzhen Convention and Exhibition Centre from 5-8 September 2018. To fully leverage this massive congregation of industry players and professionals, ASTRI partnered with the event’s organisers and hosted three forums. The forums covered the following key topics that are highly relevant for the sector:
1。Artificial Intelligence (AI) in manufacturing
2。Next generation display and sensing technologies
3。Optical inspection for environment, food and healthcare
At the forums, ASTRI’s R&D professionals shared their knowledge and insights on the latest industry trends, and exchanged experiences with some of the best and brightest minds in the sector. For instance, ‘AI and Machine Vision’, ‘Industrial IoT’ and ‘Industry 4.0’ were discussed at length by experts from companies including Prevision Technology Ltd. NEC China and Advantech China. Professor Aaron Ho Ho-pui from the Department of Biomedical Engineering, the Chinese University of Hong Kong delivered an opening speech on the exciting optical technologies for environmental management, food quality and healthcare sectors. Mr Kenny Chan, Senior Manager of ASTRI’s Opto-electronics team shared a presentation on ‘Smart Optics for Augmented Reality Display and Sensing’. The Display and Sensing Technology forum also attracted a lot of attention from the event’s visitors. ASTRI’s R&D experts were also invited to speak at the ‘Optics+ Automotive Applications Forum’ and ‘Optics+ Mobile Communication Forum’.
ASTRI continues to work with the industry to facilitate exchange of ideas and experiences, and supports stronger collaboration among various players in the overall technology ecosystem.
ASTRI partnered with organisers of CIOE to host three successful technology forumsASTRI partnered with organisers of CIOE to host three successful technology forumsASTRI partnered with organisers of CIOE to host three successful technology forums
Supported by ASTRI, one of the largest Opto-electronics industry shows takes place in Shenzhen
The China International Opto-electronic Expo (CIOE), one of the largest industry events in the sector, took place at the Shenzhen Convention and Exhibition Centre from 5-8 September 2018. This year’s event marked marks the 20th anniversary of the Expo – ASTRI actively participated in this edition of the Expo. CIOE is an annual event for the Opto-electronic sector, with experts and professionals connecting with each other to explore the sector’s future development trends and opportunities. Over 3,200 eminent organisations took part participate in the Expo, representing sectors including Artificial Intelligence for manufacturing and Next-Generation Display. Sensor technologies such as optical inspection of environment, food and health also featured in this mega event.
In recognition of its active support and participation, ASTRI received the honorary ‘Best Partner Award’ from the organisers of the Expo. ASTRI jointly organised three technical forums at the CIOE focusing on Opto-electronics technology and trends, AI and application development.
ASTRI fully supports CIOE 2018ASTRI received the honorary ‘Best Partner Award’ from the organisers of the Expo.ASTRI exhibited the latest display technologies, including AR Display Technology with Eye-gaze tracking and IRIS recognitionASTRI exhibited the Smartphone-based Spectrometer for the first time in this year’s CIOE
Chinese Manufacturers’ Association of Hong Kong visits ASTRI
A delegation of the Chinese Manufacturers’ Association of Hon Kong (CMA) visited ASTRI’s Smart City Innovation Centre on 31 August 2018. The CMA delegates were welcomed by Mr Hugh Chow, Chief Executive Officer; Dr MeiKei Ieong, Chief Technology Officer; and Dr Justin Chuang, Vice President (Next Generation Network). The visitors sought to understand the R&D endeavours and achievement of ASTRI.
Hong Kong is steadily boosting its investment in Innovation and Technology development – ASTRI plays a significant role in that journey. During the visit, the CMA delegates learnt about ASTRI’s various R&D achievements such as the naked-eye 3D display technology and Cellular V2X applications, as well as how it helps the industry through the work of technology transfer.
Chinese Manufacturers’ Association of Hong Kong visits ASTRI
Mr Dong Haoran – General Manager and Mr Zhou Jiansuo – Executive Deputy General Manager of Huada Semiconductor visited ASTRI on 30 August 2018. Mr Wong Ming-yam – Chairman of ASTRI accompanied by ASTRI’s senior executives greeted the delegation. In addition to exploring ASTRI’s smart city solutions, the visitors sought to understand the recent work of ASTRI on semiconductors. Through this visit, the two parties explored future joint efforts and potential cooperation opportunities.
Mr Dong Haoran – General Manager (third from right) led a Huada Semiconductor team visiting ASTRI
Austrian Government and business delegations visit ASTRI to explore collaboration opportunities
A delegation led by Mr Norbert Hofer, Federal Minister for Transport, Innovation and Technology of Austria visited ASTRI on 1 September 2018. The delegation included senior officials from the Austrian Federal Government, representatives from Austrian businesses sectors and chamber bodies, as well as officials from the Austrian’s Consulate General in Hong Kong.
Mr Hugh Chow, Chief Executive Officer; Dr MeiKei Ieong, Chief Technology Officer; Dr Justin Chuang, Vice President (Next Generation Network) along with other R&D experts of ASTRI, hosted the delegation in a lively and interactive session. Mr Ivan Lee, Deputy Commissioner for Innovation and Technology; Mr Albert Wong, Chief Executive Officer and Dr Claudia Xu, Chief Commercial Officer of the Hong Kong Science and Technology Parks Corporation also attended the session.
Speaking on the occasion, Mr Chow said this visit provided a good platform to share views and ideas on innovation and technology that are relevant for both Hong Kong and Austria. He referred to the existing strong relationship between the two places, added that Hong Kong could also play a significant bridging role between Austria and the Mainland China. said, “our two regions can collaborate further and find a common ground to make technology work for our people.”
Dr Ieong introduced some of ASTRI’s recent and most notable technology projects to the visitors and explained how they strengthened industries and benefited communities. ASTRI’s R&D experts showcased, among other innovations, the Palm Fusion Biometric authentication system, Cellular-V2X technology for smart mobility and the naked eye 3D display technology to the visitors.
Austrian Government and business delegation visited ASTRI
