The AI Chip Center for Emerging Smart Systems (ACCESS) is a multi-disciplinary research center under the InnoHK initiative of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government. Founded by The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST) in collaboration on research with world-renowned local and overseas universities, ACCESS aims to make remarkable contributions to the advancement of AI technologies for advanced chip/ hardware design and will advance Hong Kong as a driver for innovation in the global map of AI hardware.
Given the growing demand for research and higher education talents in the thriving global artificial intelligence (AI) chip industry, nurturing excellent research talents has been one of ACCESS’ key objectives. In response to the request for a visit from St. Paul’s Co-educational College (SPCC), the Center recently arranged a tour of its laboratory, allowing the students to learn about the development of artificial intelligence chips in Hong Kong and how ACCESS plays a leading role in fostering international collaborations in related research fields.
During the visit, Dr. Luhong LIANG, the Executive Director of ACCESS, introduced the students to the four major research areas of the center, as well as how the center facilitates research collaborations, technology transfer to the industry and incubation of startups. For students who are facing decisions on university majors and establishing career directions, ACCESS has provided them with a window to understand the work involved in the research and development of AI chips, along with insights into potential career development pathways.
Following the introduction was a lab tour and discussion session in which ACCESS’ research team demonstrated and explained the Center’s research achievements to the students. This included fundamental knowledge about integrated circuits and AI chips, AI chips for healthcare applications, edge computing and the Internet of Things (IoT), etc. Students were able to closely observe the operation of AI chips and see how they are extensively applied to improve people’s daily life.
Through active interaction with the research team, students had also enriched their understanding of the cutting-edge developments and innovative technologies related to AI chips. In the future, ACCESS will continue to organize similar activities, enabling students to get closer to the latest knowledge about AI chip and system development, and have a better understanding towards Hong Kong's innovation and technology ecosystem, contributing to the cultivation of research talents in Hong Kong.
