CSE Students Sweep Three Awards in the 11th Challenge Cup

The 11th Challenge Cup was held at the Beihang University (BUAA) from 15th to 20th, October, 2009. The bi-annual Challenge Cup is considered the premier national competition of extra-curricular technological projects of university students. Students of The Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK) won the Hong Kong and Macau Cup again, the forth gold cup CUHK has got in four consecutive competitions. This is also the first time a higher institution got a forth gold cup.

The Challenge Cup, organized by several National departments, is regarded as the Olympics of Chinese university students in science and technology. More than 2 million university students from all over China joined the competition and 1387 pieces of their work entered into the final round after selections. Students from the department won three awards, including the First Prize with “A Virtual Reality Simulator for Ultrasound Guided Organ Biopsy”, the Second Prize with “A novel Web-based system for typhoon analysis and prediction” and the Third Prize with “Everywhere Communication”.

“A Virtual Reality Simulator for Ultrasound Guided Organ Biopsy” was designed by MPhil. student Chan Wing-Yin and supervised by Prof. Heng Pheng Ann. Ultrasound-guided biopsy is a medical test commonly performed in sampling of cells or tissues of liver, kidney, spleen, lung, etc. for examination and in prenatal diagnosis. However, there has been a lack of effective and safe training method for the surgery. A virtual reality simulation system has thus been proposed simulating the procedures of the real surgery, including the provision of ultrasonographic images, breathing and touching reactions, to facilitate the training of students in this procedures, permitting repeated practices with no danger to patients. It has been designed to world-class standards with mature techniques to respond to the need of training equipments of the medical sector.

“A novel Web-based system for typhoon analysis and prediction” was designed by CE students Chan Chun-sin, Ho Ho-fai, Hung Yuet-mui and Li Wing-yin, Yvonne of the CS department and supervised by Prof. Leung Yee (from the Department of Geography and Resource Management), Prof. Leung Kwong Sak and Prof. Wong Man Hon. Highly commended by the Hong Kong Observatory, the system was developed using the Google Map and constructed an integrated, multisource, multiscale and multilevel typhoon database. Through dynamic modeling and data mining, the system allows the analysis, tracking, prediction and visualization of typhoon tracks, landfalls, and recurvatures. It is a basis ready for further development of a full-fledged system and with a user-friendly interface for professional use and general public consumption to reduce the casualties and economic loss caused by typhoons.

“Everywhere Communication” was designed by CE students Fung Kam-keung and Lee Cheuk-sum of the CS department and supervised by Prof. Leung Kwong-sak. The project made use of the GPS function of mobile phones so that users can display their own positions or the positions of their friends and even save the whole travel route. It can encourage users to share about their lives, enhance understanding between friends and encourage mutual helping. The project may also be applied for the administration of field workers, searching of missing persons and large-scale co-ordinations and rescue missions through technology transfer.