HKUST Achieves Record-Breaking Results at 50th International Exhibition of Inventions Geneva

The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST) achieved a record-breaking success at the 50th International Exhibition of Inventions Geneva concluding today.   Thirty-seven HKUST teams won a total of 38 awards, including two special grand prizes, 22 Gold Medals (of which seven received Congratulations of the Jury), and multiple Silver and Bronze Medals, showcasing the University’s outstanding performance across different fields including life and health technologies, artificial intelligence (AI) and data science, advanced manufacturing, new energy technologies and aerospace engineering. HKUST outshone other local universities and smashed its own record with this extraordinary haul of awards, reaffirming its status as a powerhouse of creativity and invention.

Among the accolades, the research team led by Prof. SUN Qingping from the Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering (MAE) won the Prize of the Technical University of Cluj-Napoca – Romania, as well as the Gold Medal with Congratulations of the Jury, for developing new elastocaloric freezing technology. Their solid-state sub-zero Celsius freezer can replace vapor-compression refrigerators, potentially reducing up to 650 million tonnes of carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions every year if adopted worldwide. Another winning team led by Prof. Hao LIU, an HKUST alumnus from the Department of Computer Science and Engineering who is currently an Assistant Professor of the Artificial Intelligence Thrust at HKUST (Guangzhou), received the special Swiss Automobile Club Prize – ACS and a Gold Medal. The team has developed an AI-based traffic signal control system that could optimize urban traffic flow by using Large Language Models to process real-time traffic data. 

Many of this year’s submissions are impactful projects arising from partnerships with government departments and industry, demonstrating the University's commitment to translating research into practical solutions. These cross-sectoral cross-disciplinary innovations, including three developed by the AI Chip Center for Emerging Smart Systems (ACCESS) and the Hong Kong Generative AI R&D Center (HKGAI) – HKUST-led research center participated by international institutions under the InnoHK initiative, aim to build a stronger foundation for resolving real-life challenges in medicine, climate predictions, automotive and robotics, traffic management, flood monitoring system and passenger behavior, among other areas. 

HKUST Vice-President for Research and Development Prof. Tim CHENG expressed excitement about this remarkable achievement on the international stage. “AI is transforming every aspect of our lives. As a leading institution in AI education and research, HKUST is committed to driving advancements with the latest AI technologies in areas such as health, medicine, electronics and sustainable energy. Nearly 40% of our submissions this year have deployed AI solutions, and our significant achievements at the Geneva Inventions are a testament to our global reputation for translating innovations into impactful results.  As we continue to strengthen collaborations with governments, industries, as well as research and academic partners, we seek to further contribute to the development of new quality productive forces, ultimately aiming to create a positive, sustainable future for all,” he said.  

The 50th International Exhibition of Inventions Geneva – the world’s largest annual event devoted exclusively to inventions, showcased nearly 1,050 submissions from 35 countries and regions of inventors, universities, institutes and companies during April 9 to 13 this year in Switzerland, among which 299 inventions come from Hong Kong. 

Please refer here for details of all HKUST’s inventions showcased at the 50th International Exhibition of Inventions Geneva.