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Self-powered Multimodal Smart Skin Enabled by Triboelectricity and Hygroelectricity

Tactile e-skins mimicking functions of human skin can sense tactile modalities such as pressure, vibration, temperature, and humidity. They are essential components for smart robotics, health monitoring devices and human–machine interfaces.
However, complicated materials, sophisticated manufacturing, device integration and external power sources are required for most of existing multi-functional e-skins, which severely limit their widespread use.

Ultrastrong and multifunctional aerogels with hyperconnective network of composite polymeric nanofiber

Aerogels are lightweight materials with extensive microscale pores, which could be used in thermal insulation, energy devices, aerospace structures, as well as emerging technologies of flexible electronics. However, traditional aerogels based on ceramics tend to be brittle, which limits their performance in load-bearing structures. Due to restrictions posed by their building blocks, recently developed classes of polymeric aerogels can only achieve high mechanical strength by sacrificing their structural porosity or lightweight characteristics.

DeepPhase: Periodic Autoencoders for Learning Motion Phases Manifolds

Professor Komura’s research focuses on creating diverse human movements for computer animation, games, and virtual environments. His research team designed a new type of neural network called the Periodic Autoencoder that can identify repeating patterns in large sets of motion data without any additional information. This allows us to create unique movements in various styles, such as dance motions synchronized to music or dribbling movements in soccer. Additionally, the system can help find similar motions in large database, produce natural movements between a small number of key frame poses and estimate human movements even when the body is partially obscured in videos.

From Hospital-centric to Human-centric: “PERfECT” Wearables for Digital Health

“HKU PERfECT” is the first wearable platform that can simultaneously acquire the following three merits.

1. Highly sensitive: By combing electrochemical technology with microelectronic technology, the highest sensitivity is reached.

2. Smallest and lightest: By using the smallest possible electronic units and marrying emerging stretchable bioelectronic technologies, coin-sized and light (0.5 grams) PERfECT wearables have been used for diagnosis and treatment of various diseases, and rehabilitation.

3. Energy efficient: By using interdisciplinary research strategies spanning analytical chemistry, low-power microelectronics, and low-power wireless communication, PERfECT achieves the highest accuracy with the lowest power consumption, ideal for long-term using.

3D Printed Anti-counterfeiting Labels At the Microscale

Counterfeiting threatens the global economy and security. According the report issued by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) in 2020 “the value of global counterfeiting and pirated products is estimated US $ 4.5 trillion a year.” Despite enormous efforts, conventional anti-counterfeiting approaches such as QR codes can be easily fabricated due to limited data encryption capacity on a 2D in-plane space.

How can we increase the encryption density in a limited space?

Membrane Technology for Clean Water and Energy

Clean water and energy are vital for human activity and socio-economic development. This project focuses on developing more effective reverse osmosis (RO) and nanofiltration (NF) membranes and processes. Professor Tang’s team has pioneered the development of nano-foaming theory and interlayer structure to regulate membranes with excellent performance.

Development and Evaluation of an Immersive Virtual Reality-based Exercise System for Upper Limb Motor Exercises in Patients after Stroke: A Proof-of-concept Randomized Controlled Trial

An immersive virtual reality-based exercise system was developed to support poststroke upper limb exercises. In a 2-week randomized controlled trial, fifty patients used the system for exercises (intervention) or a sham entertainment program (control). The findings demonstrate that the system can improve shoulder joint motion and is safe and acceptable.