CityU Enterprises Ltd, the extension arm of City University that helps to commercialize research outcomes, technologies and innovations through technology transfer and the development of viable businesses in the community, has welcomed two new companies in the past few months.

Building automation work is the focus of City Universal Open Systems Ltd (CityUOS), a joint venture set up in April 2003 between CityU Enterprises Ltd and Southa Company Ltd, a local contractor specializing in building services equipment and engineering. CityUOS, the brainchild of the Head of CityU's Department of Building and Construction (BC) Professor Andrew Leung and Associate Professor Dr Albert So , focuses on design and consultancy projects that use LonWorks open system technology in building automation services. Open systems building services technology is gradually catching on in Hong Kong with more and more estate developers, building contractors and estate management companies opting for a non-proprietary, interoperable technology that enables key building sub-systems from multiple manufacturers-security, lighting, elevator, and HIVAC systems-to be integrated into a single smart building system. "The advantages of an open-system solution," said Dr So, "are cost and efficiency without the fear of being locked in to one particular vendor." CityU partners will provide the design, software and consultancy support, while Southa will carry out the installations.

The design and manufacture of a range of advanced motor control/driving devices is the main business line of DynaCity Technology (HK) Ltd, an associate company of CityU Enterprise Ltd. The demand for motion control and driving devices technology has risen phenomenally in the Pearl River Delta (PRD) as the region evolves into one of the world's largest workshops, especially in the area of surface mount technology (SMT) manufacturing, said Dr Sun Dong, Assistant Professor in the Department of Manufacturing Engineering and Engineering Management. The company's first generation product, now being commercialized, offers a host of distinctive features not found elsewhere: integration of high performance motion and a servo amplifier in compact size and with simplified wiring; digital controller and driver; and applicability The company is already working on its second generation product, which will feature a more flexible architecture and higher system performance.