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The fifth Hong Kong Science Fair has drawn enthusiastic participation, with more than 500 entries from primary and secondary schools. Since its inception in 2021, the fair has attracted over 400 local schools and nearly 9,000 students and teachers, with more than 2,200 creative inventions submitted.
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Gold award winners included Tin Shui Wai Methodist Primary School's "Park & Easy Toll" (Primary Division), Diocesan Girls' School's "Clamming away Microplastics" (Junior Secondary), and Chinese International School's "Automated Rail Sanitiser" (Senior Secondary).
The primary division winning team created an intelligent meter system combining licence plate recognition and toll technology to detect parking duration and charges. Students said they spent six to nine months on the project, learning programming and presentation skills.
The junior secondary gold winner developed a microplastic removal system using clams as a natural filter medium and coffee grounds as a low-cost absorbent. The student said she was inspired by beach clean-up activities and aimed to protect marine ecosystems.
The senior secondary winner designed a solar-powered autonomous robot to disinfect handrails in train carriages, equipped with a three-wheeled stabilising structure.
International Exhibition of Inventions Geneva jury chairman David Taji-Farouki said this year's entries showed significant improvement, with students capable of identifying real-world problems and developing solutions without the constraints of adult thinking. Many projects had potential for commercial application.
Hong Kong Academy of Sciences president Shum Ho-cheung noted that AI applications had become more sophisticated, with students using AI not just for basic understanding but to process specific problems and optimise results. He said AI lowers the technical barrier, allowing primary and secondary students to handle complex tasks.
