Two CityU enterprises have been recognized for excellence in industrial performance. e. Energy Technology Ltd, founded by Professor Ron Hui and Dr Henry Chung of the Department of Electronic Engineering (EE), and Plasma Technology Ltd, led by Professor Paul Chu of the Department of Physics and Materials Science (AP), received the Consumer Product Design Award, and the Technological Achievement Certificate of Merit, respectively, at the presentation ceremony of the 2004 Hong Kong Awards for Industry, 15 November.   

 

e. Energy Technology is awarded for its innovative product—Dimmable Electronic Ballast, a breakthrough “voltage-control” dimming method that allows power consumption and electronic losses to decrease simultaneously, while retaining flicker-free, eye-friendly functions. It received a US patent in 2002. In the case of conventional household fluorescent lamps, when brightness is dimmed, energy consumption is reduced but energy loss at the ballast is increased. The breakthrough of the Dimmable Electronic Ballast is that, it allows the light to be dimmed and at the same time eliminates flickering, thus achieving the double merits of saving energy and reducing eyestrain.

 

Plasma Technology is recognized for its advanced plasma immersion ion implantation and deposition systems. Its plasma equipment has wide applications in industrial cutting blades, artificial hip joints, artificial heart valves, and silicon-on-insulator

substrates. Its innovations have received eight US and three Chinese patents. The company also offers consultation services to universities, R&D laboratories as well as the industrial sector on the application of plasma surface treatment technologies, and the design of plasma-based equipment. It also co-owns Chengdu PulseTech Electrical Company  Ltd which specializes in the design and production of switching and pulsing power supplies for industrial equipment such as coating and welding machines, based in Chengdu, China.

 

The Hong Kong Awards for Industry is an annual event led by the HKSAR government to recognize successful practices and strategies in industrial performance. This year, there are 78 winners out of 317 entries from a wide range of industries spanning from electronics to sports equipment. Officiating the awards presentation ceremony this year is the Financial Secretary of the HKSAR government, Mr Henry Tang.