The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) has inaugurated the Research Centre for Assistive Technology (RCATech) to support people with disabilities and the elderly in the field of assistive devices design and technology, as well as rehabilitation research and development, with the aim of creating an inclusive and accessible society.

In addition, RCATech has entered into collaborative agreements with international research institutes and local industry partners in pursuit of its mission.

As the first research centre for assistive technology among Hong Kong educational institutions, RCATech has partnered with local non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and international educational institutions to advance multidisciplinary research and promote technology transformation for the benefit of industry and society more broadly.

RCATech and Rehabilitation Research Institute of Singapore (RRIS) of Nanyang Technological University (NTU) have signed an agreement for master research collaboration and project cooperation to advance rehabilitation research. One notable example is a feasibility study for the development of a normative ability database for individuals of Asian ethnicity with movement disorders and their healthy counterparts.

Additionally, PolyU Faculty of Health and Social Sciences has formed a partnership with Hong Kong Telecommunications (HKT) to provide support to the research projects conducted by Faculty of Health and Social Sciences (FHSS) academics, researchers and students on the PolyU campus leveraging HKT’s 5G network coverage and services. The cooperation also includes collaborative research activities aimed at benefiting the healthcare industry.