Annual Report 2014–15

Magic Carpet Initiated by Prof. Hendrik Tieben of the School of Architecture and Prof. Anthony Fung of the School of Journalism and Communication, ‘Magic Carpet’ is a novel approach to community participation and empowerment. This outreach project, implemented in Sai Ying Pun and Tin Shui Wai, was aimed at cultivating a sense of belonging for residents in the two communities. Teenagers from local high schools were trained to create video interviews about their neighbourhood. They then used screenings, gatherings and social media to engage residents to restore the identity and reshape the public space in their respective communities. Tree Guard Incense trees are so valuable that they have become the target of illegal felling. This unwelcome development has prompted Prof. Chiu Siu-wai ( right ) of the School of Life Sciences, Prof. Cheng Chun-hung ( left ) and a team of students and staff from the Department of Systems Engineering and Engineering Management to develop the Tree Guard Monitoring System. The monitoring system consists of a series of sensors integrated into a hardware device with wireless communication capabilities. When the device is mounted on trees, it alerts the control room if it senses anomalous events such as sawing and hammering. The system allows round-the-clock surveillance against tree theft, as well as risk of collapse for sick and tilt trees. The system can be adopted by country parks, property management and garden management authorities. 妙想氈開 建築學院田恒德教授與新聞與傳播學 院馮應謙教授發起的「妙想氈開」， 是創新的社區參與和賦能項目，落區 在西營盤及天水圍實行，旨在凝聚居 民的社區歸屬感。項目團隊教導參加 活動的中學生攝錄採訪，為自己的 社區製作錄像，通過放映會、聚會及 社交媒體，策動居民重塑社區的特 色，共同構思如何利用區內的公共 空間。 護樹監控系統 珍貴的土沉香樹近年屢遭非法砍伐。 生命科學學院趙紹惠教授（右）與 系統工程與工程管理學系鄭進雄教授 （左）遂領導研究團隊，研發出護樹 監控系統。 該系統由多種不同類型的傳感器組 成，集成到備有無線通信功能的硬件 設備。系統安裝在樹木上，偵測到異 常活動，例如樹木被鋸或錘 擊等，就會發出警報，通知 監控中心。除了可防止珍貴 樹木被盜，該系統也能監控 斜樹、病樹的倒塌風險，可 用於郊野公園、物業及花園 管理等。 香港中文大學年報 CUHK Annual Report 2014 – 2015 39