Pioneering Smarter, Safer Steps
Research, determination and a commitment to social good inspire inventor to create award-winning innovations to improve daily walking mobility
Leung is reimagining everyday mobility through innovative smart insole solutions that put people first.
With sensor-enabled smart insoles offering real-time guidance and gait monitoring, Leung transforms research into practical solutions for safer navigation and healthier movement.
Cecilia LEUNG, a distinguished alumna of CLASS, is transforming everyday mobility through innovation rooted in empathy and research. As the creator of Visionary Navigation Insoles and iWalk Smart Insoles, she recently won the Gold Award in the Undergraduate Category at the “Energy-saving and Low-carbon Innovation for Tomorrow’s Competition” organised by CLP Power and the Institution of Engineering and Technology Hong Kong.
The honour affirms her technical achievement and underscores her commitment to social impact—and her accomplishment has made the CLASS community proud.
Leung’s path to innovation has been anything but conventional. A graduate of the Department of Public and International Affairs (PIA) at City University of Hong Kong (CityUHK), she has successfully bridged the worlds of public policy and technology. “My journey combines digital marketing, UI/UX design, and a deep commitment to accessibility,” she says.
Rather than viewing her non-engineering background as a barrier, Leung embraced interdisciplinary learning, acquiring technical expertise through hands-on experimentation, collaboration with designers and developers, and user research.
She credits her academic training with sharpening her analytical thinking and helping to deepen her understanding of social needs—two perspectives that now inform her inclusive design philosophy.
Today, Leung serves as a core team member behind both projects and is a listed inventor on a patent application. She leads user research, product strategy and interface design, ensuring that key development decisions are grounded in real-world needs. From defining product direction to refining user interfaces, she remains closely involved at every stage.
“I am passionate about creating solutions that enhance the lives of visually impaired and elderly users,” she says.
Community engagement lies at the heart of Leung’s innovation process, directly informing the development of Visionary Navigation Insoles and iWalk Smart Insoles. “I truly enjoy engaging with participants, listening to their experiences, and translating their feedback into practical, user-centred design improvements,” she says.
Inspired by Hong Kong’s walkable urban landscape, she set out to create solutions that enhance everyday mobility. Visionary Navigation Insoles integrate sensors with real-time haptic feedback to guide visually impaired users safely, reducing reliance on traditional aids. Designed to fit seamlessly into any shoe, they connect to a smartphone app for GPS-based navigation, enabling greater independence and confidence.
Complementing this are the iWalk Smart Insoles, developed to support children’s foot health. Embedded sensors monitor walking patterns and provide corrective feedback through a companion app, helping detect and address gait abnormalities early.
Through these innovations, Leung shows how empathy-driven, interdisciplinary design can translate research into practical technologies that promote safer movement and improve people's well-being.