Lingnan University Hosts “Gerontech Incubation Lab cum Design Competition” GS Postgraduate Students Promote Human Centred Technology

Lingnan University (Lingnan)’s “Jockey Club Gerontechnology and Smart Ageing in Place Project” organised the “Gerontech Incubation Lab cum Design Competition” during the Term 1 of the 2025/26 academic year. The competition aimed to encourage students to design gerontechnology products and services using artificial intelligence (AI) and digital technologies to support older adults with cognitive impairment and their caregivers, thereby responding to the pressing needs of Hong Kong’s ageing society.

The event attracted enthusiastic participation from postgraduate students from the School of Graduate Studies. The competition, held on 29 November, invited judges from the Hong Kong Science & Technology Parks Corporation, social welfare organisations, and a property management company. Participants joined individually or in teams, presenting their innovative designs through demonstrations and pitching sessions, showcasing Lingnan’s students’ commitment to interdisciplinary innovation and social responsibility.

In the individual category, “Remember Me”, developed by Miss Huang Huanhuan, a student in the Master of Science in Smart Ageing and Gerontology (SAG) programme, won second runner-up. The project is an interactive picture book that combines sound and images, designed to help older adults with cognitive impairment record daily life moments and strengthen interaction with family members and caregivers. Huang explained that the book also incorporates “reminiscence training” to enhance older adults’ memory. She remarked, “When designing gerontechnology products, they should not be overly complex. We must begin from the perspective of older adults and understand their psychological needs; otherwise, complicated technology may discourage them from using it.”

In the team category, “AI Leisure Map”, led by Miss Zhang Hanyi from the Master of Science in Health Analytics and Management (HAM) programme, won the championship. The project was inspired by coursework in “Gerontechnology and Innovation in Health Services” (HAM505). Using a design-thinking approach, the team observed the daily needs of older adults in the community and created an AI application to help them locate nearby resting spots and plan convenient routes, ensuring safe arrival at their destinations. The team expressed hope that the design would provide older adults with greater security and autonomy in daily life. Zhang added that many older adults in Hong Kong often lack clear guidance when travelling and struggle to find suitable routes. With AI suggestions, the application can offer them a more relaxed travel experience.

Prior to the competition, Lingnan arranged for participating students to visit the Christian Family Service Centre in October, where they interacted with older adults to gain a better understanding of their technological needs. During these exchanges, students gathered valuable feedback and reflected on how technology design could be better aligned with seniors’ daily needs.

Miss Min Wenwen from the SAG programme shared, “The activity allowed me to meet many older adults who were eager to learn new technologies. We introduced gerontechnology while also brainstorming competition ideas in groups. The suggestions from seniors were very insightful, deepening my understanding of gerontechnology products and highlighting the importance of designing innovative solutions for the elderly community.”

Miss Zhang Yingjun from the HAM programme added, “It was a great honour to participate in Lingnan’s competition. The event nurtured our innovative thinking and sense of social care, while promoting the development of gerontechnology in Hong Kong to provide more thoughtful support for older adults and caregivers.”

Dr Chloe Siu Pui-yee, Senior Lecturer at the School of Graduate Studies at Lingnan and instructor of HAM505, who also served as the competition organiser, commented, “I believe this event provided students with a valuable platform for entrepreneurial development. They were able to apply what they had learnt, considering not only the design of gerontechnology but also how to meet the daily needs of older adults. During the competition, students showcased their creativity and entrepreneurial ideas to professional judges, who recognised that their work addressed current service demands. After the competition, judges actively engaged with students to explore how their innovative ideas could be implemented in practice. We hope these ideas will bring new perspectives to the development of elderly services.”