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Naming Ceremony of CUHK T Stone Robotics Institute
In appreciation of the generous donation made by T Stone Group Limited (T Stone Group) to the Robotics Institute, The Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK) has named the Institute ‘CUHK T Stone Robotics Institute’.
The naming ceremony was held recently at Cho Yiu Hall and officiated at by Mr. Xiao Jianhua, Chairman of the Strategic Advisory Committee of T Stone Group, Prof. Joseph Sung, Vice-Chancellor and President of CUHK, Prof. Fanny Cheung, Pro-Vice-Chancellor and Vice-President of CUHK and Prof. Liu Yunhui, Director of CUHK T Stone Robotics Institute. Prof. Satoshi Tadokoro, President of IEEE Robotics and Automation Society, was also invited to deliver a congratulatory address at the ceremony.
Prof. Joseph Sung expressed his deepest appreciation to T Stone Group for their generosity in supporting the development of the Robotics Institute. He remarked, “We look forward to collaborating closely with T Stone Group to identify venture capitalists to turn the research outcomes of the Institute into successful businesses which can benefit the community at large.”
In his speech, Mr. Xiao Jianhua admired the vision of the Robotics Institute in supporting outstanding researchers to develop state-of-the-art automation and robotics technologies for the betterment of mankind. Mr. Xiao strongly believed that innovative technology was one of the most significant strategic development goals of China. Researchers who engaged in innovative technology were chasing their personal goals and more importantly realizing the Chinese dream. He was confident that the Institute would become an important cradle of young entrepreneurs and world-class technology companies.
Prof. Liu Yunhui, Director of CUHK T Stone Robotics Institute, said, “The study of robotics is highly interdisciplinary which requires expertise from various fields including Engineering, Medicine and Social Science. Robotics is being considered as the technology, next to the Internet, that could change the world and human life. The Institute is dedicated to positioning itself as a world-class institute which plays a leading role in global robotics research and development and contributes to the technology and societal development of Hong Kong and the Mainland by knowledge transfer. With the support of T Stone Group, the Institute can further develop its strength in robotics research.”
To mark the official opening of CUHK T Stone Robotics Institute, a two-day Robotics Symposium was held after the naming ceremony. Renowned speakers from Nagoya University, the University of Tokyo and Tohoku University of Japan; the University of California, Berkeley of the United States; and the French Institute for Research in Computer Science and Automation, were invited to exchange ideas with local experts and professionals, and discuss the future directions of robotics research.
CUHK T Stone Robotics Institute
With the objectives of meeting the needs of Hong Kong and the Pearl Delta Area, and enhancing the strength in robotics research of CUHK and the region, the CUHK T Stone Robotics Institute focuses its research efforts on two major research areas: medical robotics and service robotics.
For medical robots, the Institute studies and develops surgical robots, rehabilitation and assistive robots as well as micro/nano medical robots. Research projects include innovative robotic surgical instruments, assistive surgical robots and image-guided robotic surgery. To speed the recovery of the motor and cognitive functions of stroke patients, the Institute is designing robotic hands and knee braces. The robotic brace can also assist the elderly with weak knee joints to walk. Aiming at next-generation medical robots, the Institute is also developing micro/nano robots that can move inside the human body to perform scarless inspection and surgery.
Hong Kong is facing an ageing population. There is an urgent need to invent robots for elderly care. Service robot for senior citizens is another major research area of the Institute. The Institute will develop service robots which can perform social interaction with senior citizens and monitor their health conditions.
The Institute will also encourage faculty members and students to establish robotics startups. In addition, the Institute will actively promote robotics innovation among undergraduate and secondary students by providing training courses and initiating robotics competitions.
About T Stone Group Limited
T Stone Group is an integrated group of companies which focuses on the development of emerging industries, such as artificial intelligence, clean energy and new materials, in developing markets. Apart from investing in these industries, the Company also provides investment advisory and management services to their clients, in addition to their own private equity investments. T Stone Group and its parent company and subsidiaries have made multiple donations to support the scientific research development of many universities and research institutes, including Peking University, Tsinghua University and Harvard University.
Prof. Joseph Sung, Vice-Chancellor and President of CUHK, expresses his heartfelt gratitude to Mr. Xiao Jianhua and T Stone Group in his welcoming address.
Mr. Xiao Jianhua, Chairman of Strategic Advisory Committee of T Stone Group, is pleased to collaborate with CUHK and support its innovation and technology development.
Prof. Satoshi Tadokoro, President of IEEE Robotics and Automation Society, delivers a congratulatory message at the ceremony.
Prof. Liu Yunhui, Director of CUHK T Stone Robotics Institute, introduces the development of the Institute.
Mr. Xiao Jianhua presents a cheque to Prof. Joseph Sung.
Officiating guests perform the unveiling ceremony of the CUHK T Stone Robotics Institute: (from left) Prof. Liu Yunhui, Prof. Joseph Sung, Mr. Xiao Jianhua and Prof. Fanny Cheung, Pro-Vice-Chancellor and Vice-President of CUHK.
