“The secret of getting ahead is getting started,” Mark Twain said. The Innovation Academy is excited to have three pitching winning teams to share how they get inspired and start their journey in turning ideas into a real project. You may also grasp the chance to join the teams and grow the community together. Come and join us!

Date: April 14, 2022 (Thursday)

Time: 3:00-4:00pm

Moderator: Dr May Chui, Associate Head, Innovation Academy, Faculty of Engineering, HKU
Mode: Zoom

About the projects:

Vera is an AI-powered mobile application that uses machine learning, big data and AI to provide accurate and immediate diagnosis and fun treatment for children suffering from speech sound disorders wherein patients have difficulties in articulation and phonology. It was one of the winners of the inaugural pitching competition of the Innovation Academy. The team won the first runner-up in “Pitching InnoTech Solutions” organized by HSBC and HKFYG. They have received Cyberport Creative Micro Fund and Seed grant from Start-Up of Social Innovations for Sustainable Communities (Cohort Two) supported by HSBC to support our development.

MotOral was one of the winners of Pitching 2022 and also named “The Best Presenter” in the competition. It is a mobile application that assists speech therapists in providing preventive measures of swallowing disorders for at-risk older adults. Through the app, the users could strengthen their oral motor muscles by doing exercises. Face tracking technologies are incorporated to monitor the degree of movement of muscles and provide biofeedback. Games will also be included to raise the users’ interests in using the application. Progress of the users will be monitored and analysed continuously.

CityMyth is one of the winners of Pitching 2022. It is a gamified AR city tour guide app that aims at reinvigorating the travel industry during and after the pandemic. Different from other travel apps, CityMyth integrates customized itinerary, AR experience, and scripted game（劇本殺）to familiarize travelers with the stories behind the city and add more amusement. Our product fits the needs of several user categories under the current situation of travel restrictions. For city dwellers, they can have a deeper understanding of their own city culture and history, while having an innovative form of entertainment. For travelers, they can utilize their limited travel time more efficiently and have more engagement during the trip. Regarding technology, we make use of Augmented Reality, Bluetooth Low Energy indoor positioning to realize our features. Our product is an unprecedented combination of these elements, so we believe a fad can be foreseen.