Rejoice – no more worrying about battery levels or scrambling for spares. Two CUHK inventions are bringing a battery-free future closer to reality. One powers computer keyboards using energy generated simply by pressing the keys, while the other – a smart insole – harvests energy from walking to monitor gait patterns, transforming medical diagnosis and patient care.

From the robust textures of the Great Wall’s ancient bricks to the meticulous assembly of Roman arches, masonry has long stood as a testament to human ingenuity and aesthetic vision. A cross-disciplinary team at CUHK has reinterpreted traditional craftsmanship through technology—CU-Brick. By integrating cable-driven robotics and automated programming, this innovation breathes new life into traditional bricklaying techniques in the digital age. The system accurately replicates the profound understanding of geometric structures mastered by historical artisans and sparks a dynamic interplay between modern engineering and creative inspiration. Bricklaying transcends mere repetitive stacking, evolving into an innovative dialogue that bridges engineering, architecture, and art—unleashing unprecedented creative potential for future architectural masterpieces.

Plants stretch toward sunlight in photosynthesis, their leaves curving to seize every beam. A CUHK team has harnessed this dance with light to shape soft, magnetic materials. Their revolutionary technology using lasers and magnets—precisely calibrating light intensity during 3D printing—transforms a flat magnetic hydrogel into a dynamic 3D surface. Beyond personalised medical patches, this breakthrough also enables human face replication, information storage, and biomimetic soft robots—all through tailored light adjustments.