Media

THE RISE OF AI

ChatGPT and other generative artificial intelligence technologies burst on the scene this year seemingly all of a sudden. AI scholar Dr Qi Liu and Professor Yiu Siu-ming, developer of the new spinoff, Stellaris AI, explain where these technologies came from and where they are going.

THE THREAT OF HARM

AI’s capacity to be harnessed for harm is an unknown – all the more reason to get better governance controls in place before it is too late, argues philosopher Dr Nathaniel Sharadin.

AI FOR SOCIAL GOOD

Artificial intelligence models developed at HKU are helping identify early-stage biomarkers for Alzheimer’s Disease, as well as air pollution at the individual street level.

BETTER ACCESS TO BETTER DRUGS

Dr Shirley Li Xue of the Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine combines real-world data, simulation modelling and decision analytics to show policymakers, healthcare professionals, the pharmaceutical industry and the public how new, seemingly expensive medicines can achieve cost-effectiveness for improving health.

TESTING INNOVATION

AI could determine how innovative an invention is. It may one day also have the potential to create new inventions itself. Dr Ryan Whalen has been looking at the ramifications for the law and innovation policy.

A CHALLENGE FOR CREATIVES

With the help of AI, you can press a button and, voila, create a new song in seconds. That technology
is a promise to some, but a nightmare for others. Musicologist Dr Rujing Stacy Huang has been exploring this dilemma.

TEAMWORK AT THE NANOSCALE

Dr Tang Jinyao of the Department of Chemistry is showing that nanoparticles created by humans can
behave as communities – much like bees and ants – to achieve more as a unit than individually.

ABOVE AND BEYOND

A team from the Department of Mechanical Engineering have developed PULSAR, a new uncrewed aerial vehicle (UAV), which is revolutionary for its single actuation, flight efficiency, and fully autonomous navigation with an extended sensor field of view (FoV) via self-rotation.

SHEDDING LIGHT ON THE DARK

A study has provided the most direct evidence yet that dark matter does not constitute ultra-massive particles, as is commonly thought, but instead is made up of particles so light that they travel through space like waves.

EVERYTHING UNDER THE SUN

Scientists have developed a catalyst that turns the damaging greenhouse gas methane into an essential
chemical, formaldehyde, using the power of sunlight.

SKIN AND BONES

Bioanthropologist Dr Michael BC Rivera uses ancient skeletons to reveal the lives of peoples from the past. He
also brings that expertise into present-day conversations about race and diversity.

WEATHERING EXTREMES

Cities need new ways of assessing the impact of extreme weather events and responding to their
growing frequency, says Dr Chao Ren, who has done groundbreaking applications in this field.

MORE THAN SKIN DEEP

HKUMed scientists have invented a novel microneedle patch that treats skin infections such as acne through
the minimally invasive, transdermal delivery of ultrasound-responsive antibacterial nanoparticles.

LABELLED WITH DIAMONDS

The novel use of diamond microparticles to create sophisticated high-security labels is set to have a
major impact in the battle against counterfeit goods.