The "InnoCarnival 2026," organised by the Innovation and Technology Commission of the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, was held from 24 October to 1 November at the Hong Kong Science Park. A team led by Dr Lai Leo Chan, Associate Director of the State Key Laboratory of Marine Environmental Health (SKLMEH) at City University of Hong Kong (CityUHK), showcased the team's self-developed AquaLink integrated service platform and Remotely Operated Vehicle (ROV) technology. The exhibition attracted numerous primary and secondary school teachers and students to experience the technology on-site, opening up a new pathway for citizen science and marine education.
Professor Dong Sun, Secretary for Innovation, Technology and Industry of the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR); Ms Lillian Cheong, Under Secretary for Innovation, Technology and Industry of the HKSAR Government; Mr Feng Lyu, Deputy Director-General of the Economic and Financial Department II of the Liaison Office of the Central People’s Government in the HKSAR; and Mr Philip Har, Deputy Commissioner for Innovation and Technology of the HKSAR Government, visited the CityUHK pavilion. Dr Leo Chan introduced the latest progress of the "Protecting Sharp Island Coral Communities" Marine Citizen Science Program. Dr Jing Hu and his team member, together with students from ELCHK Lutheran Secondary School used remote control technology to demonstrate the Sharp Island coral communities to the guests, providing them with an intuitive understanding of the local underwater ecology.
Dr Chan said: "We hope to use Sharp Island as a demonstration to explore the integration of marine technology, citizen science, and marine education, so that more people can see the ocean, understand it, and join us in protecting it."
The waters around Sharp Island in Sai Kung possess large areas of coral communities, with hard coral coverage in some areas remaining consistently above 70% for years. However, official surveys and news reports indicate that the area has recently faced dual pressures from rising seawater temperatures and increased visitor activities. To address the shortage of long-term ecological monitoring data, the laboratory team innovatively launched the marine citizen science project, expecting to use technology as a bridge to deepen community awareness of coral conservation and enhance participation through the collaboration between professional teams and the public.
At the event, Mr Lik Chak Wong, Research Assistant at SKLMEH, introduced the ROV technology to reporters from Radio Television Hong Kong (RTHK). Through the real-time footage transmitted by the ROV, visitors could see local corals and the seabed without getting into the water. He noted: "We hope this exhibition will encourage more primary and secondary schools to join the program, allowing students to truly participate under professional guidance and raise public awareness of local marine ecology."
Currently, the remote monitoring system is still in its development and testing phase, primarily accumulating experience and data through training and trials. To date, 8 schools have joined the pilot project. The team has successfully conducted 4 underwater drone operation courses, with 36 teachers and students completing the assessment, and 17 of them earning the "Ecological Aquanaut" qualification. Building upon preliminary field data, the team has also opened trial classes in underwater mapping and image processing for certain secondary schools, gradually extending technical experiences into classroom learning.
.png?rev=22e75b5988ac47ab9fbae1dcaa99d4d4&hash=0477D547418AE5CC1E1FAD55867DC797)
/distinguished-lecture-2-social-media-eng-v1-yt.png?rev=d45bea34936e46b394550c75de75f8d2&hash=A25B564997F290CAD7A11D83BD53FE6F)
