KE Stories - About KE - HKU Knowledge Exchange

New App for a Healthy Voice

Anyone who has had to talk for a prolonged period will know the problem of voice fatigue, especially teachers and others whose voices are central to their professional life. A new app developed at HKU aims to help them prevent problems and develop a healthy voice.

Technology with a Social Purpose

Dr Vincent Lau of the Department of Computer Science has been developing new technology products for more than 20 years and he is enthusiastic about the possibilities of today's advances to change lives for the better, especially among the impaired people. At the same time, he has been puzzled that many young people do not have similar enthusiasm. His KE project has tried to change that.

Screening Tool for Disaster Volunteers

When the Sichuan earthquake struck in 2008, more than one million volunteers were reported to have flocked to the scene to offer their help. That outpouring of support, however, brought its own logistical problems and burdens, prompting Dr C. Harry Hui, Associate Professor of Psychology, to wonder what could be done about it.

Mentoring Matters

Mentoring has a powerful impact on personal development. It helps build a student's confidence, inspire them and raise their aspirations. Mentors are the navigators in the maze of life, acting as both a guide and friend to their mentee.

Hong Kong Seeks to Update Animal Welfare Laws to International Standards

A 2010 review of animal welfare legislation done by The University of Hong Kong highlighted inadequacies in Hong Kong's out-of-date animal protection laws and recommended a more humane approach in line with international guidelines and practices. While it is a long, complicated process to amend laws, the 2010 review has received widespread support for the introduction of an animal welfare-friendly policy reflecting the authors' recommendations.

New Twists for Public Parks

Two projects involving students and staff of the Faculty of Architecture helped to introduce new ideas on the use of public space in Hong Kong's parks.

The Language of Genetic Counselling

Two pregnant women in their late 30s are at a higher risk of having a Down's Syndrome baby. The healthcare professional who counsels them is steering them towards taking a test for Down's Syndrome. But the clients have very different priorities.

Keeping the Blood Flowing

The health and medical needs of an ageing population mean Hong Kong has to store up increasing amounts of fresh blood products. This year alone, the Hong Kong Red Cross Blood Transfusion Service (BTS) needs 3.4 per cent more units of whole blood, plasma and platelets than it collected last year, when demand increased by 4.4 per cent.

Protecting Babies' Teeth

Good oral health starts from infancy, as dentists are well aware. But getting that message to parents and caregivers is both a challenge and a necessity: many children do not visit a dentist until primary school age, when problems may already be entrenched. A project in the Faculty of Dentistry is working to change that situation.