Team spirit:
Four talented City University scientists working together on the invention and applications of antennas for more than a decade have been granted a second class technological invention award in the 2011 State Science & Technology Awards.
Life saver:
This square antenna helped save thousands of lives after the Sichuan earthquake in 2008.
Way forward:
The science team is looking forward to applying its antenna inventions in other ways, such as in medical treatment and road safety
HK antenna experts win national award
February 15, 2012
Four talented City University of Hong Kong scientists working together on the invention and applications of antennas for more than a decade have been granted a second class technological invention award of the 2011 State Science & Technology Awards.
In an interview with news.gov.hk, Prof Xue Quan said the most satisfying application of their work was in the wake of the Sichuan earthquake in 2008, enabling the rescue of thousands of lives.
As terrestrial communication systems were essentially wiped out in the disaster, officials turned to the BeiDou Navigation Satellite System. The City University team’s advanced antenna model was applied to a mobile tracking receiver device.
The first rescue troops of 1,000 soldiers each carried one of these small, square devices deep into the quake-stricken areas to search for victims, and many lives were saved within the first 72 hours.
The advanced antenna enabled data transfer among the devices, and rescue teams could report the actual situation in the areas they searched and receive further commands from headquarters, Prof Xue explained.
Another member of the science team, Prof Luk Kwai-man, described the main challenge in studying antennas.
Everyone prefers smaller antennas, and today’s antennas are wireless, and as tiny as a pill, he said. However, the smaller size decreases the device’s bandwidth, making it less powerful in transferring data in wireless communication.
Global outreach
He is excited about receiving the award, for many reasons.
“This is a very important award in our country, and this is recognition not only for us but also for City University as a whole, because our research in antenna designs has made outstanding contribution to the advancement of antenna technology to China and also to the world,” Prof Luk said.
“I hope through this award we can establish more connections or collaborations with various institutions, universities or industries in China, and hopefully we can produce more useful output in the near future.”
Dr Wong Hang, the youngest of the four, was a student of the other three team members, and joined the science team upon his graduation. Local students are not particularly interested in learning science these days, he says. Receiving the technological invention award might encourage Hong Kong students to participate more in local science studies.
“This is a very good example to show to the local students that the research output in Hong Kong can have a very good contribution, particularly in some very big projects with the China Government,” Dr Wong said.
Future challenges
Apart from enhancing communication, the science team is looking forward to applying its antenna inventions in other ways. Team member Prof Chan Chi-hou says they are now studying ways to use antennas in vehicle collision-avoidance systems, and as a wave guide inside a human body to direct treatment of different kinds of cancers.
These challenges are difficult and large-scale, but the team is committed.
“I believe that endurance and perseverance are the two important motives for us, since we had to work together and we had to work hard in order to achieve something that we wanted to achieve. Team work is very important for us,” Prof Chan said.
