Hong Kong Applied Science and Technology Research Institute

Hong Kong Applied Science and Technology Research Institute
Location Hong Kong SAR
Founded 2000
Chairman Mr Wong Ming-yam
Chief Executive Officer Dr Frank Tong
Field Information and Communications Technologies
Official website http://www.astri.org

The Hong Kong Applied Science and Technology Research Institute (ASTRI) was founded by the Government of Hong Kong SAR in 2000 to enhance Hong Kong’s competitiveness in technology-based industries through applied research.

Its R&D efforts traverse five main technological areas, namely:

  • Communications Technologies (CT)
  • IC Design (ICD)
  • Sensing & Integration (SI)
  • Software & Systems (SNS).

In April 2006, ASTRI was designated the Hong Kong Research and Development Centre for Information and Communications Technologies by the Innovative and Technology Commission with special goals to perform leading-edge R&D for technology transfer to industry, develop much needed technical human resources and act as a focal point bringing together industry and university R&D assets.

ASTRI established a wholly owned subsidiary, the ASTRI Science and Technology Research (Shenzhen) Co. Ltd, in Shenzhen in 2008 to extend its service in the Chinese mainland.

Development

  • The HKSAR Government established ASTRI in January 2000
  • ASTRI started operation in 2001
  • The Hong Kong Jockey Club Institute of Chinese Medicine was established as a subsidiary in May 2001
  • Filed the first U.S. patent application in October 2002
  • Recorded the first revenue dollar in June 2003
  • Completed the first spin-off of photonic technologies to SAE Magnetics (HK) Ltd in April 2004
  • Granted the first U.S. patent in March 2005
  • Spin-off of wireless technologies to Marvell Technology Group Ltd in Dec 2005
  • Spin-off of WiFi technologies to Altai Technologies Ltd in April 2006
  • Designated the Hong Kong Research and Development Centre for Information and Communications Technologies by the Innovation and Technology Commission in April 2006
  • Annual industry contribution started to exceed HK$10 million in 2007/08
  • A wholly owned subsidiary, the ASTRI Science and Technology Research (Shenzhen) Co. Ltd., was established in Shenzhen in 2008
  • Number of granted patents reached 50 in December 2009.
  • Received approval from MOST to establish the "Hong Kong Branch of the National Engineering Research Centre for Application Specific Integrated Circuit System" in collaboration with the Southeast University (SEU) in Nanjing in 2012.
  • Number of granted patents exceeded 500 in March 2015.

Patents

Since inception, ASTRI has filed over 900 patent applications in China, the U.S. and other countries. As at 28 February 2015, more than 500 patents have been granted to ASTRI. [1]

Technology Transfers

The following table compares ASTRI's performance in technology transfers in the last three financial years.

No. of technology transfers to industry in the form of: 2011/12 2012/13 2013/14
1) ITF-funded collaborative projects agreements signed 4 1 3
2) contract research project agreements signed 51 75 60
3) licensing agreements signed 28 37 24
4) Patent assignments N.A. N.A. 1
Total no. of technology transfers to industry 83 113 88

R&D Groups and Team

ASTRI’s core R&D competences in various areas are organized under 7 Technology Divisions, namely

| IC Design (Analog) | IC Design (Digital) | Opto-electronics | Electronics Components | Software and Systems | Security and Data Sciences | Communications Technologies.

References

External links

Coordinates: 22°25′27″N 114°12′46″E / 22.424098°N 114.212697°E