News & Stories

Researchers at The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST) have developed a high-resolution bionic eye that integrates full-color imaging, an aberration-corrected field of view exceeding 160 degrees, and event-driven motion detection. Inspired by the curved retina of biological eyes, the system offers a promising pathway toward compact vision sensors for future robots and autonomous systems, enabling machines to capture environmental information while significantly reducing the data required for motion recognition.

Researchers at The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST) have discovered a previously unknown specialized organelle structure in a deep-sea mollusc living at cold seeps in the South China Sea. Dedicated to maintaining bacterial symbiosis, this newly identified survival mechanism provides new insights into how deep-sea organisms adapt to nearly oxygen-free environments and opens new directions for research on chemosymbiosis, organelle evolution, and deep-sea ecosystems.

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) affects approximately one in every 100 children worldwide, yet many families face lengthy waits for professional assessment and intervention services, often missing the critical window for early support. To address this challenge, researchers at The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST) have developed "ASD Super Agent", Asia's first integrated AI platform for autism support. By integrating three core functions—early screening, personalized intervention, and continuous family follow-up—the HKUST team hopes this innovative research will help parents identify potential autism risks earlier, access evidence-based professional recommendations, and precisely seize the key timing for early intervention, providing families with immediate and comprehensive support.

A research team led by Prof. LU Haipeng, Professor of the Department of Chemistry at The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST), has achieved a major breakthrough in preserving spin information for optoelectronic technologies. The team has developed a perovskite chiral multiple quantum wells systems that maintain spin polarization approximately 300 times longer at room temperature. The study opens new possibilities for future quantum technologies and next-generation spin-based applications. The study was published in the prestigious journal Nature Photonics under the title “Perovskite chiral multiple quantum wells with extended spin lifetime via efficient spin cascade."

As global demand for cooling continues to grow, the urgent need for sustainable refrigeration technologies is becoming increasingly evident. Conventional vapor-compression systems remain energy-intensive, while the refrigerants can contribute to the greenhouse effect. The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST) research team has manufactured a low-cost, ultra-durable elastocaloric refrigerant structure inspired by the stacked porous architecture of honeycombs that operated for more than 100 million cooling cycles with an estimated service life of over 10 years.

The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST) and The Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA) today (2 November) launched the Post-Quantum Cryptography (PQC) Toolkit (Toolkit), with support from industry participants. The Toolkit sets out a structured and comprehensive framework to guide banks in planning and advancing their PQC transition journeys.The Toolkit supports banks in establishing clear governance and accountability, assessing cryptographic exposure, identifying transition needs, as well as monitoring implementation progress.  The Toolkit also brings together key planning considerations to facilitate an orderly and risk-based transition.

A research team at The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST) has developed a dynamic integrated interface engineering strategy that enhances the energy density and stability of anode-free lithium metal batteries by reconfiguring key battery interfaces. A pouch cell using the strategy achieved a specific energy of 467 Wh kg-1, comparable to conventional commercial batteries. A full coin cell retained 90% of its capacity after 200 cycles. The study opens a new pathway towards lighter and longer-lasting next-generation batteries. 

A research team at The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST) has developed an Embodied Sensorimotor Robotic Arm (EmArm) capable of whole-arm tactile sensing and adaptive manipulation. By embedding a soft optical tactile skin directly into a robotic skeleton and integrating it with a real-time decision-making algorithm, EmArm can perceive and analyze contact information across its upper and lower arms, enabling human-like tactile perception and adaptive object manipulation. The system can also distinguish between different touch interactions, such as tickling and patting, respond in real time, and avoid obstacles through tactile feedback, opening new possibilities for the development of embodied intelligent robots.