Dept. of MAE, CUHK

🎉🎉On 19 June 2026, a joint research team from the 𝗖𝗼𝗹𝗹𝗮𝗯𝗼𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗩𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗹𝗲 𝗥𝗼𝗯𝗼𝘁𝘀 𝗟𝗮𝗯𝗼𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆 (𝗹𝗲𝗱 𝗯𝘆 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗳. 𝗙𝗲𝗶 𝗖𝗵𝗲𝗻) in CUHK’s Department of Mechanical and Automation Engineering and the Hong Kong Centre for Logistics Robotics received the 𝗕𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝗣𝗮𝗽𝗲𝗿 𝗔𝘄𝗮𝗿𝗱 at the 20th IEEE International Conference on Control and Automation (𝗜𝗖𝗖𝗔 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟲) in Almaty, Kazakhstan.👏👏

🧑🏻‍🔬𝗔𝘄𝗮𝗿𝗱𝗲𝗲𝘀: 𝗗𝗶𝗮𝗻𝘅𝗶 𝗟𝗶, 𝗭𝗵𝗶𝗽𝗲𝗻𝗴 𝗗𝗼𝗻𝗴, 𝗭𝗵𝘂𝗼 𝗟𝗶, 𝗪𝗲𝗻𝗿𝘂𝗶 𝗟𝗶𝘂, 𝗙𝗲𝗶 𝗖𝗵𝗲𝗻

📚Paper Title: Towards Efficient Robot Learning: Diffusion-style Skill Learning and Transfer on Platform with Multi-modal Perception and Force Feedback

The work addresses precise, contact-rich bimanual manipulation by connecting force-feedback demonstration, multimodal data collection, diffusion-style skill learning and transfer, and large-language-model-guided skill scheduling in a complete path from human teaching to real-world ex*****on.

𝗥𝗲𝘀𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗰𝗵 𝗛𝗶𝗴𝗵𝗹𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁𝘀
🔷𝗙𝗼𝗿𝗰𝗲-𝗳𝗲𝗲𝗱𝗯𝗮𝗰𝗸 𝗯𝗶𝗺𝗮𝗻𝘂𝗮𝗹 𝘁𝗲𝗮𝗰𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴
Four Franka arms form a leader-follower platform that lets the demonstrator feel contact while synchronized vision, point-cloud, force/torque, and robot-state data are recorded.

🔷𝗘𝗳𝗳𝗶𝗰𝗶𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗱𝗶𝗳𝗳𝘂𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻-𝘀𝘁𝘆𝗹𝗲 𝘀𝗸𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴
Compact 3D representations, stochastic-interpolation-based policy refinement and transfer, action-sequence inpainting, and task-completeness prediction improve skill reuse, continuity, and switching.

🔷𝗟𝗟𝗠-𝗴𝘂𝗶𝗱𝗲𝗱 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗹-𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗹𝗱 𝗱𝗲𝗽𝗹𝗼𝘆𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁
Natural-language understanding, task decomposition, and skill-library scheduling are combined to execute ingredient dispensing, water addition, congee cooking and serving, table wiping, and robustness tests in a congee-shop scenario.

The result demonstrates how force-aware teaching, multimodal learning, and intelligent task planning can work together to turn high-quality demonstrations into reusable robot skills for real contact-rich tasks.

Congratulations to the authors and the joint research team.👏🏻

🔗Learn more: https://bit.ly/3TXDzA3

#中大工程 #香港中文大學

🎉Congratulations to 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗳𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗼𝗿 𝗟𝗶𝗮𝗼 𝗪𝗲𝗶-𝗛𝘀𝗶𝗻, Choh-Ming Li Professor of Mechanical and Automation Engineering, on being awarded a prestigious fellowship under the Research Grants Council (RGC) 𝗦𝗲𝗻𝗶𝗼𝗿 𝗥𝗲𝘀𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗰𝗵 𝗙𝗲𝗹𝗹𝗼𝘄 𝗦𝗰𝗵𝗲𝗺𝗲 (SRFS) 2026/27. The accolade recognises his distinguished research achievements and provides major funding to drive breakthrough research with global impact.👏🏻

🔷Project Title: 𝗔𝘂𝘅𝗲𝘁𝗶𝗰 𝗦𝘁𝗿𝘂𝗰𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲𝘀 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗘𝗻𝗲𝗿𝗴𝘆 𝗛𝗮𝗿𝘃𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗔𝗯𝘀𝗼𝗿𝗽𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻

📝Introduction:
This project develops innovative multifunctional structures that can both absorb mechanical energy and harvest electrical energy, improving safety, efficiency, and sustainability in engineering applications. By leveraging auxetic structures – advanced materials that expand laterally when stretched – the research enhances impact resistance while simultaneously converting mechanical deformation into usable electrical power. The technology is designed for both one-time impact events, such as crash protection systems, and reusable applications that harvest energy from repeated impacts or vibrations. Potential uses include self-powered impact-warning devices, wearable sensors, health-monitoring systems, and smart infrastructure. Combining advanced materials design, additive manufacturing, computational modelling and machine learning, the project aims to create next-generation structures that provide mechanical protection while generating renewable energy, opening new opportunities for resilient and sustainable technologies.

🔗Learn more: https://bit.ly/4yxoW6s

#中大工程 #香港中文大學

【𝗠𝗔𝗘𝗚𝟯𝟬𝟲𝟬 𝘅 𝗔𝗥𝗖𝗛𝟮𝟮𝟮𝟮 𝗜𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗱𝗶𝘀𝗰𝗶𝗽𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗿𝘆 𝗖𝗿𝗼𝘀𝘀-𝗖𝗼𝘂𝗿𝘀𝗲 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗷𝗲𝗰𝘁】

We are happy to share that we have just concluded our first year of a new collaborative teaching initiative between the Department of Mechanical and Automation Engineering and the School of Architecture: the 𝗜𝗖𝗖𝗣 — Interdisciplinary Cross-Course Project between the courses MAEG3060 Introduction to Robotics and ARCH2222 Digital Media.

Unlike a typical course project, in the ICCP, students from both courses formed a joint group of 7 students to complete a project together, where each sub-group has their own responsibilities. Architecture students from ARCH2222 proposed the creative idea for the project, used computational design skills to generate artistic commands for the robot arm, and was responsible in documenting the project into a 1-minute video. Engineering students from MAEG3060 turned those ideas into robotic demonstrations using UR robotic arms, programming, and hands-on prototyping, allowing the students to implement fundamental course concepts like DH tables, trajectory planning, and inverse kinematics into practice — not just on paper, but on actual robotic systems.

Beyond technical knowledge and learning outcomes, students had to learn how to cooperate and communicate across different disciplines and backgrounds, mimicking how the real-world works. Together, the students produced project results that went well beyond what one discipline could typically achieve on its own.

To show the very hard work and dedication of the students, this series will showcase the winning groups of our course project competition.

🎉🎉Congratulations to the following five students in the MAE Department on being awarded the 𝗩𝗧𝗲𝗰𝗵 𝗜𝗻𝗻𝗼𝘃𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗦𝘂𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗯𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗔𝘄𝗮𝗿𝗱 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟱/𝟮𝟲 for their outstanding final-year projects with elements of “Innovation” and “Sustainability”💡🌏!

🥇Champion: NG Lok Hin (EEEN)
Project: e-Platform Construction for Recycling Facilities at CUHK Smart Garden

🥈1st Runner-up: LAM Ngo Tin Gideon (EEEN)
Project: Improving Aqueous Zinc Rechargeable Batteries through Electrolyte and Electrode Modifications

🥉2nd Runner-up: WONG Siu Ching (EEEN)
Project: Characterizing Aggregate Flexibility of Microgrids with Distributed Energy Resources

🏅Honorable Mention: NG Lok Kim (EEEN)
Project: Optimal Energy Management of Charging Stations with Energy Storage

🏅Honorable Mention: CHAN Myae Yamon Thwin (EEEN)
Project: Mitigation of Renewable Power Uncertainty by Energy Storage

The VTech Innovation and Sustainability Award is the initiative of VTech Corporate Services Limited (VTech) to promote innovation and awareness of sustainability.

With a generous donation from VTech, the Award recognizes and rewards students for their final-year projects that demonstrate excellence in developing innovative technology for the sustainable development of the world.

🔗Learn more: https://bit.ly/4aKpbAU

#中大工程 #香港中文大學

✨𝗠𝗔𝗘 𝗢𝗻𝗲-𝗗𝗮𝘆 𝗖𝗮𝗺𝗽𝘂𝘀 𝗘𝘅𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗪𝗼𝗿𝗸𝘀𝗵𝗼𝗽 – 𝗥𝗖 𝗥𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿✨🚗
Organized by the MAE Department, the “One-Day Campus Experience Workshop” was successfully held on 25 April 2026 for secondary school students from Form 3 and above. Participants took part in an interactive RC Rover Workshop🚗, where they explored engineering concepts through hands-on 3D design and assembly, experiencing the fun of engineering design and problem-solving 🤖⚙️.

Through this activity, participants not only gained a preliminary understanding of the Mechanical and Automation Engineering curriculum but also enjoyed the beautiful scenery of the CUHK campus 🌳🏞️, giving them a taste of university life.

The workshop aimed to deepen students’ understanding of STEM and engineering while fostering their interest in innovation and technology 💡.

Please stay tuned for our future workshops! 🔜
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✨MAE一日校園體驗工作坊 — RC Rover✨🚗

MAE Department於2026年4月25日舉辦了「一日校園體驗工作坊」，對象為中三及以上學生。參加者透過RC Rover工作坊🚗，動手進行3D設計及組裝，體驗工程設計與解難的樂趣🤖⚙️。

透過是次活動，參加者除了初步了解機械與自動化工程學課程內容，亦能欣賞中大校園的優美景色 🌳🏞️，體驗一下大學生活。

是次工作坊旨在加深同學對STEM及工程學的認識，並培養他們對創新科技的興趣💡。

MAE Department將定期舉辦不同主題的工作坊，敬請期待！🔜

#中大工程 #香港中文大學

🎉🎉 Congratulations to CUHK’s robotics team “Power Builder” (功無不克) on receiving the 𝗙𝗶𝗿𝘀𝘁 𝗥𝘂𝗻𝗻𝗲𝗿-𝘂𝗽🥈 at the 𝗥𝗼𝗯𝗼𝗰𝗼𝗻 𝗛𝗼𝗻𝗴 𝗞𝗼𝗻𝗴 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟲! Additionally, the team “Power Shuttle” (巧奪天功) finished in fourth place and received the 𝗕𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝗘𝗻𝗴𝗶𝗻𝗲𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗔𝘄𝗮𝗿𝗱.👏🏻👏🏻

The two robotics teams are comprised of students mostly from engineering, including Mechanical and Automation Engineering (MAE).

Organised by Hong Kong Science and Technology Parks Corporation (HKSTP), the “Robocon Hong Kong Contest 2026” concluded successfully on 21 June 2026. As the annual flagship innovation and technology (I&T) competition for the tertiary education sector, this year’s contest adopted the theme “Kung Fu Quest” to celebrate traditional Chinese martial arts, bringing together 15 elite teams from 9 local tertiary institutions and more than 300 student participants.

As Hong Kong proudly hosts the ABU Asia-Pacific Robot Contest (ABU Robocon) this year, the two top-ranked teams from Hong Kong, including the CUHK team, will represent Hong Kong on home turf at ABU Robocon in August 2026.

Stay tuned for the CUHK team’s performance at ABU Robocon 2026! 🔜

🔗Learn more: https://bit.ly/3SEDMrr

Power Shuttle 巧奪天工, CUHK Robocon Team

#中大工程 #香港中文大學