Lingnan University develops real-time GeoAI platform for mosquito-borne disease control in three Housing Society estates to help prevent chikungunya transmission

In response to the global surge in chikungunya cases and other recently imported infections in Hong Kong, Lingnan University has taken a pioneering step in applying technology to community-level mosquito control. Lingnan’s research team has developed Hong Kong’s first live GeoAI (Geospatial Artificial Intelligence) platform for mosquito-borne disease control, which integrates Geographic Information Systems (GIS) with Artificial Intelligence of Things (AIoT) to provide actual and predictive mosquito risk analyses.

The platform is now operational at Kwun Lung Lau in Kennedy Town, and there are plans to extend it to Healthy Village in North Point, and Lai Tak Tsuen in Tai Hang - altogether covering eight mosquito monitoring points. It gives frontline property management staff current data to improve mosquito control operations and reduce the risks of mosquito-borne diseases such as chikungunya and dengue fever.

Prof Paulina Wong Pui-yun, Head and Associate Professor (Presidential Early Career Scholar) of the Science Unit, who led the development of the GeoAI platform, explained that the initiative began in July 2025 in partnership with the Hong Kong Housing Society. In addition to technical support, Lingnan University provides data analytics services, including mosquito species identification from captured samples, and three-day risk forecasts, and generates risk maps for targeted control.

“This allows estate management teams to ‘act by the map’, deploying resources in advance in identified high-risk areas for more effective and proactive mosquito control,” Prof Wong said. “More than 70 mosquito species have been identified in Hong Kong. With rising urban density and climate change, the risk of mosquito-borne disease transmission is only set to increase. Through our GeoAI platform, we are translating academic research into real-world impact, empowering frontline personnel with actionable insights. It’s a compelling example of how knowledge and technology transfer can directly support public health.”

Developed by Lingnan University’s Science Unit, the GeoAI platform combines technologies, from GeoAI, AIoT-enabled devices, and GIS to government open data, to generate a Mosquito Risk Index (MRI), and real-time risk maps accessible to stakeholders.

The platform consists of two key AIoT components: an Intelligent Mosquito Killer Lamps system, which captures mosquitoes and records species data and quantity, and microclimate monitoring stations, which collect information on the weather such as temperature, humidity, and rainfall. Each device is powered by solar panels and equipped with rechargeable lithium batteries, enabling uninterrupted operation even under limited sunlight, and ensuring continuous surveillance in all weathers.

The platform classifies mosquito species, including those responsible for transmitting dengue and chikungunya, and provides scientific data to support policymaking and early intervention strategies.

As part of its ongoing mission to link academic research with societal needs, Lingnan University has already deployed over 50 smart mosquito devices across all 18 districts of Hong Kong in collaboration with schools, government departments, and community organisations. This initiative welcomes smart mosquito control as an essential element of the city’s new public health normal. The government-industry-academia-research cooperation has received a grant of HK$3.3 million from the Innovation and Technology Fund (ITF) Partnership Research Programme of the HKSAR Government and its partner in the project, Triple Faith Engineering & Supply Limited. 

Members of the public can visit Lingnan University’s Mosquito Risk Platform to obtain up -to-date and predicted mosquito conditions in various districts, and avoid going to areas with serious mosquito problems.