Initiated by three leading Hong Kong industry associations: Hong Kong Electronics Industry Council (HKEIC) of the Federation of Hong Kong Industries (FHKI), Hong Kong Electronic Industries Association (HKEIA) and Hong Kong Wireless Technology Industry Association (WTIA), the WiMAX & DTV Industry Consortium was formally inaugurated on 15 April.

With technical support from Hong Kong Applied Science and Technology Research Institute Company Limited (ASTRI) and Hong Kong Productivity Council (HKPC), the Consortium plans to organise seminars and networking functions for its members with a view to furthering the development of applications, contents, services and products in the areas of WiMAX and DTV, two leading technology areas with strong market potential.

Following the Small Entrepreneur Research Assistance Programme (SERAP) Experience Sharing Forum in March for tertiary students, another forum targeted at SMEs and those wishing to start their own technological business will be held on 13 May (Tuesday) at 5-7 pm at the Exhibition Hall of the Hong Kong Productivity Council (78 Tat Chee Avenue, Kowloon Tong).

ITC will brief participants on details of the SERAP, in particular the relaxed application criteria and streamlined procedure just launched in April. Three entrepreneurs whose companies have made substantial achievements with SERAP funding will also be there to share their real-life experience and provide tips for starting up new business.

Interested parties please send an e-mail to registration_serap@itc.gov.hk for registration. For enquiry, please call 2737 2409.

The Working Group on Energy Saving and Environmental Protection, comprising experts from Hong Kong and the Mainland, convened a meeting on 28 March in Shenzhen to explore areas for collaboration on air quality and water environment protection. The Working Group on Major National Science and Technology Programmes, with government officials from both sides, also met in Shenzhen on 10 April and discussed ways to involve Hong Kong experts in the national technological and research projects.

Both working groups are formed under the Mainland/Hong Kong Science and Technology Cooperation Committee which was set up in 2004 with the aim to strengthen exchange and cooperation in technologies and related industries.

HKAS also operates the Product Standards Information Bureau (PSIB). PSIB provides information related to standards to the public, including operating a public library of standards, providing free public enquiry service relating to standards and is a sales agent for certain standards. PSIB also nominates experts to the International Organisation for Standardisation (ISO). Over 40 local experts from the commercial, academic and government sectors have already registered in over 30 ISO technical committees.

Details of HKAS accreditation and PSIB services are respectively available at
http://www.itc.gov.hk/en/quality/hkas/index.htm and http://www.itc.gov.hk/en/quality/psis/index.htm.

At the meeting of the Legislative Council Panel on Commerce and Industry on 15 April, Mr Eddy Chan, CIT and Mr Allan Chiang, Chief Executive Officer of the Hong Kong Design Centre (HKDC), briefed members on HKDC’s work in 2007 and its future plan.

Collaborating with local and international industry and business partners as well as design and educational institutions, HKDC, with a government funding of $100 m granted in 2007, launched over 30 programmes including the world-renowned Business of Design Week, to nurture design talents and enhance the public awareness of design. A wide range of events to showcase Hong Kong’s design knowledge and expertise, as well as to develop talents will continue to be held in the coming years with a view to raising the importance attached to design by the business sector and developing Hong Kong into a regional design centre.

SCL has also launched new calibration service for temperature chambers, which can be calibrated in accordance with the International Standard IEC 60068-3-5 in respect of the accuracy of a chamber’s set point as well as the chamber’s temperature stability and uniformity. On-site service is available from SCL of the measurement range from -30 °C to 100 °C.

Members of the Youth Innovation Club (YIC) had a unique opportunity to learn about the advanced technology - radio frequency identification (RFID) in a seminar specially arranged for them on 25 March in Science Park. They also visited the Supply Chain Innovation Centre (SCIC) to see the latest business applications of RFID in the clothing, retail, logistics and manufacturing industries.

YIC is a club for student-winners of science and technology competitions, set up in 2006 by ITC and the Hong Kong Federation of Youth Groups. With a view to nurturing young innovative talents, technology seminars, summer internship at universities and overseas exchange programmes are organised for YIC members, both to enhance their interest in science and technology and to broaden their horizon.

149 teams from 62 schools will showcase their invention or investigation projects at the Initial Judging cum Exhibition of the Hong Kong Student Science Project Competition (HKSSPC) 2008 to be held on 10 May (Saturday), from 9am - 5pm in the Exhibition Chamber of InnoCentre (72 Tat Chee Avenue, Kowloon Tong). All are welcome to join and see the hard work of the students.

Entering its 10th anniversary, HKSSPC has identified many young talents in science and technology throughout the years. Mr Steven Lau Tak-shing (second left) and Mr Ivan Lau Tak-kin (third left) of Maryknoll Father’s School, who won the championship of the Invention Project Category of HKSSPC 2007 with an innovative Anti-bumping Lock, have just been awarded the Championship in the International Category of the National Danish Science Contest held in Demark in early April.

At the Award Ceremony (6 April) of HK Youth Science and Technology Invention Competition 07/08, Mr Eddy Chan (first right), CIT, shared his views on innovation and technology with past award winners, including Mr Huen Yin-fan (first left) and Mr Chan Ka-kin (second left).

Mr Huen was awarded ‘Little Scientist of Tomorrow’ in 2007 in a national event jointly organised by the Ministry of Education, China Association for Science and Technology and the H.S. Chau Foundation. Mr Chan had an asteroid named after him after he won the Environmental Management Category Award in the 2007 Intel International Science and Engineering Fair.

In response to the requests from some teachers and students, the deadline for registration for the 3D Animation Competition will be extended to 13 June (Friday). A briefing on the competition will be held on 9 May (Friday) at 5pm in Classrooms 1-3 at G/F of InnoCentre (72 Tat Chee Avenue, Kowloon Tong). All are welcome.

Those interested in participating in the competition please complete the entry form and return it to the Hong Kong New Generation Cultural Association Science Innovation Centre by mail or by fax 2792 0286. For details please visit http://www.itc.gov.hk/en/news/
space_games_2108.html.

Don’t miss the opportunity to showcase your design and technology talent!