Around 90 creative technology projects completed by students from the College of Science and Engineering at City University of Hong Kong (CityU) are showcased in an exhibition held on campus on 27-28 May. Putting creativity and technology into everyday-life situations, the students turned their interesting ideas into practical devices covering a wide range of topics.

The projects are accomplished by students from various departments of the College as well as from the Division of Building Science and Technology and the Co-operative Education Centre, displaying CityU students’ creativity and skills at using new technologies.

The Interactive Tai-chi System designed by Chong Wai-lam, student from the Department of Electronic Engineering, is a motion game that simulates Tai-chi movements, a popular form of Chinese kung fu. It can help busy working people stay healthy through exercise by playing the game. “This system is designed to help working people keep fit,” Chong said. “With the system’s built-in instructions on Tai-chi movements and real-time analysis of the actions, the user can easily practise Tai-chi with the aid of a webcam and a computer.”

Chiu Man-hin, student from the Department of Manufacturing Engineering and Engineering Management, made use of the robot in the department to design the Playing Chess with a Robot System. “My project aims to solve the problem for people who want to play chess or tick-tack-toe but can’t find a fellow player. With my computer solution, you can enjoy the fun of chess or tick-tack-toe along with a robot and try your best to beat artificial intelligence,” he said.

Kelp and seaweed are two common ingredients in food like sushi and green bean soup. Absorbing too much of them, however, may result in excessive intake of elements like arsenic, bromine, iodine and strontium, which in turn may cause vomiting, goitre and skin allergy. Ng Hoi-ni, student from the Department of Physics and Materials Science, devised the Simplified Method for the Measurement of Trace Elements in Foods. Based on standard addition and dilution methods, she developed a simple, convenient and low-cost test to measure the concentration of trace elements of kelp and seaweed in food from mainland China, Taiwan, Japan and Korea so as to help control their intake.

The Student Project Exhibition has attracted more than 700 secondary school students. CityU students explained their creative ideas and concepts to the young visitors, helping them understand how technology can be applied to our daily life. Many visitors said they had learned a lot from the exhibition.

Professor Henry Chung Shu-hung, Associate Dean of the College, said the exhibition not only displayed the projects developed by CityU students, but also highlighted the College’s emphasis on both teaching and research as well as the students’ creativity and love for research. In addition, the exhibition will advance ties between CityU and secondary schools, giving the secondry students a better idea of CityU’s academic programmes and allowing them to have an initial taste of university education.