HKAES series

HKAES TechTalk – Collaborative Edge Computing for Ubiquitous AI

Innovation Wing Two, TechTalk / By

March 26 2024 (Tuesday) 4:00-5:00pm
Edge computing provides a powerful way to rapidly analyze data and process tasks at the edge of the network, closer to the end-user. Edge AI extends edge computing to enable AI on edge devices to make instantaneous intelligent decisions. In this talk, I will describe the vision of future Edge AI, called Ubiquitous AI, empowered by collaborative edge computing (CEC), which is a new-generation scalable edge computing infrastructure. With the computing power shared by collaborative edge nodes, edge AI models can be trained and seamlessly deployed jointly by the edge nodes that can be geographically distributed across a wide area. I will highlight the architecture and framework of CEC and how it enables ubiquitous AI demanded by advanced smart city applications like autonomous driving, industry 4.0 and metaverse.

HKAES TechTalk – How clean is the air we breathe in urban areas?

Innovation Wing Two, TechTalk / By

February 20 2024 (Tuesday) 4:00-5:00pm
Air pollution continues to cause significant environmental health risks, leading to numerous premature deaths worldwide each year. To protect public health, many governments have implemented regulatory policies on mass concentration of major air pollutants, referencing the guideline values recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO). However, new scientific evidence suggests various components in the air have different health effects. This talk will share research findings on the key toxic components of urban air from both chemical and biological aspects and their associated emission sources responsible for health effects.

HKAES TechTalk – Living with Climate Extremes – Hong Kong Perspective

Innovation Wing Two, TechTalk / By

January 23 2024 (Tuesday) 4:00-5:00pm
Hong Kong has a sub-tropical climate and wide variety of weather. Different extreme weather events, including tropical cyclone, heavy rain, and extreme temperatures, can affect Hong Kong and result in significant impacts to the society. Looking into the future, against the background of climate change and local urbanization, Hong Kong will expect even warmer climate, more variable rainfall, more intense typhoons, and a sea level that keeps rising in the coming centuries. This may affect the frequency and severity of various extreme weather and increase the risk of related weather hazards. This presentation will review different kinds of high impact extreme weather in Hong Kong and their past trend and future projection. Moreover, a brief overview on the concept of climate risk management will be shared.

HKAES TechTalk – Hong Kong’s Climate Action Plan 2050

Innovation Wing Two, TechTalk / By

The Hong Kong Government issued the “Climate Action Plan 2050” in October 2021. This blueprint sets out four decarbonisation strategies : (1) net-zero electricity generation; (2) energy saving and green buildings; (3) green transport and (4) waste reduction. The plan provided a clear timeline to reduce total carbon emissions by half before 2035 from the 2005 level and to achieve carbon neutrality before 2050.

HKAES TechTalk – Magneto-electric Dipole – Advanced Antenna Technology for a Smart World

Innovation Wing Two, TechTalk / By

Since Heinrich Hertz developed the first antenna in 1887 to demonstrate the existence of radio waves, the antenna has become the linchpin in countless wireless systems and devices. With the increasing demand for faster wireless connectivity, rising adoption of smartphones for consumer electronics, and accelerating digitization, stringent requirements, such as wide bandwidth and compact size, are imposed on antenna technology. The magneto-electric (ME) dipole is proposed to tackle the new challenges. It has been developed for mobile communications, global navigation receivers, radars, sensors, medical imaging systems and wireless power transfer systems. Compared with conventional antennas such as dipoles, slots and microstrip antennas, the ME dipoles have many distinguished features including wide bandwidth, low cross-polarization, low back radiation and stable gain and beamwidth over the operating frequencies. An overview of the theory and applications of the ME dipoles will be presented.

HKAES TechTalk – Fluid Mechanics for Carbon Reduction in Wastewater Treatment Plants –

Innovation Wing Two, TechTalk / By

November 2 2023 (Thursday) 4-5pm
The Hong Kong Harbour Area Treatment Scheme (HATS) serves a population of over 5 million. It ensures protection of the Tsuen Wan beaches and good water quality in Victoria Harbour. In the Stonecutters Island treatment works, 300 tonnes of 10 percent sodium hypochlorite solution (6 L/s) are dosed into a river of sewage (1.8 million m3/d) every day. In actual operation it is found that most of the chlorine is actually consumed without being used for disinfection. This talk presents an engineering innovation on how to mix the small chlorine dose with the large sewage flow, resulting in up to 30 percent reduction of chlorine demand – with significant savings of chemicals and reduction of carbon footprint of 1170 tonnes/year. The technology is generally applicable to chlorine disinfection of primary effluent in many developing countries.