HKU and Avnet Sign MOU to Establish EMUS Lab, Explore Brain-Robot Fusion
SingTao · 1 SOURCESabout 5 hours ago2 MIN
Summary
The University of Hong Kong has signed a memorandum of understanding with global electronics distributor Avnet to jointly establish the Emerging Microelectronics and Ubiquitous Computing Systems Laboratory (EMUS Lab), with the signing ceremony held at the Data Technology Centre. The partnership seeks to accelerate AI hardware commercialization and bridge the gap between academic research and industry applications. Beyond advanced research in areas such as edge AI, robotics, and brain-machine interfaces, the lab also aims to promote science literacy by engaging primary and secondary students through interactive programs like robot football challenges.
Key Points
- The EMUS Lab will focus on five key technology areas: edge artificial intelligence, physical AI, robotics, high-performance computing, and frontier microelectronics
- Laboratory Director Huang Yi projects that human-machine interaction technology will become mainstream within two to three years, enabling users to control home appliances through direct voice commands without complex manuals
- The lab has demonstrated embodied robots capable of performing daily tasks such as pouring water, with Macau University of Science and Technology also showcasing 3D positioning technology for precise robot navigation in confined spaces
- HKU's Engineering Faculty comprises students from diverse backgrounds: 45% local Hong Kong students, 29% from mainland China, and 25% from international regions
- Science outreach programs reach approximately 400 secondary students annually through robot football challenges, with plans to extend educational initiatives to primary school level
Why It Matters
This partnership directly supports the Policy Address objective of building Hong Kong into an international innovation and technology hub by providing a platform for research outcome commercialization. The EMUS Lab's low-altitude economy research, addressing GPS signal failures in dense urban environments through ultra-wideband chips and edge AI, could enable drone applications critical to Hong Kong's infrastructure inspection and smart city development .
This partnership directly supports the Policy Address objective of building Hong Kong into an international innovation and technology hub by providing a platform for research outcome commercialization. The EMUS Lab's low-altitude economy research, addressing GPS signal failures in dense urban environments through ultra-wideband chips and edge AI, could enable drone applications critical to Hong Kong's infrastructure inspection and smart city development .