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Month: February 2023

UNAIR FTMM continues weather and air quality monitoring device development

Posted on by Universitas Airlangga News

Universitas Airlangga keeps making innovations in various fields. The latest research team from the Faculty of Advanced Technology and Multidiscipline (FTMM) has innovated through a weather and air quality monitoring device with an internet of things (IoT) system called AIRFEEL. This innovation obtained an IPR (intellectual property right) in 2021.

Prisma Megantoro, the research team leader, said that AIRFEEL is a device that can be used to measure weather conditions and air quality, equipped with various sensors.

“AIRFEEL can be used to measure temperature, air humidity, air pressure, wind speed and rainfall. This device is equipped with seven air sensors that are used to measure pollution, such as ozone, CO2, CO, hydrogen, methane, and others,” said Prisma to UNAIR NEWS, Thursday, January 19, 2023.

AIRFEEL is also equipped with a field station consisting of sensors and controllers whose measurement results will be uploaded to the internet server and base station for further storage.

 Research journey 

AIRFEEL development was in four versions. The first version was designed in 2020 before finally experiencing various developments as it is today.

“This research started in 2020, which was overseen by us, novice lecturers, and chaired by,” said Prisma.

The first version was then developed into a second version with broader functions and uses. It was followed by the establishment of a research center at UNAIR FTMM focusing on the visibility of renewable energy power plants in Indonesia.

The development of third version was started in 2022. AIRFEEL has added sensors to measure O2, CO2, and CO in this development. The third version of AIRFEEL was successfully used in ACHD UNAIR community service activities in Sumenep, Madura.

Meanwhile, the fourth version will continue to be developed with various additions and system updates.

“The fourth version will be developed more broadly. Later it will be equipped with Android and hardware versions,” said Prisma.

Benefits and uses 

According to Prisma, knowing the weather conditions and air quality is essential to anticipate the worst possible natural phenomena. With increasingly uncertain weather conditions and air quality, especially in Surabaya, AIRFEEL is really needed.

“First, of course, because it is important to know the condition of air quality in our environment. Therefore, the first trial of AIRFEEL was conducted at UNAIR Campus C,” said Prisma.

“Furthermore, weather monitoring from the AIRFEEL device is also important, especially related to knowledge of weather conditions and climate change,” he added.

In a broader sense, AIRFEEL can be used by academics, students, the public, and industry to measure weather conditions and air quality in various locations and under different conditions.

“It has many benefits. In the scientific field, for example, AIRFEEL can be used in the fields of instrumentation, environment, health, and other fields. AIRFEEL can also be used to measure the potential of wind energy and solar energy. And, AIRFEEL can be a research supporter for other fields of science related to weather and air quality,” said Prisma.

Even though he succeeded in creating this innovation, the research led by an FTMM UNAIR lecturer had its challenges. FTMM, at that time, was still a completely new faculty, so the research was carried out without the students’ support.

By the end of 2020, this research was carried out in collaboration with FTMM students so that development could be more extensive and sophisticated.

“At the end of 2020, students supported us. It will continue in 2021-2022 so that this device can be more sophisticated and its development can be more extensive,” said Prisma.

In the future, Prisma hopes that the development of AIRFEEL can continue with various additional innovations and more sophisticated systems. Apart from that, he also hopes that AIRFEEL can attract industry interest and bring benefit to a wider community.

“I hope this product can attract industry interest and be used as a supporting device. Secondly, I hope that this tool can be widely used in society and can improve people’s lives, such as for tourism and environmental needs, “he concluded.

LFW: M.C.Overalls launch grass roots collaboration with London College of Contemporary Arts

Posted on by Global University Systems

M.C.Overalls and London College of Contemporary Arts have united to create an immersive collaboration, giving the students the opportunity for insight and exposure into the workings, design and marketing of the UK’s oldest workwear brand. A customised collection of polycotton snap shirts that uniquely combines workwear and storytelling, championing the values of design, inclusivity, community and diversity.

Students from BA Fashion design and marketing designed five unique polycotton snap shirts along with marketing and social media campaigns in tandem. All products have been either individually painted or re-worked using recycled or sustainable fabrics.

All the bespoke works will be on display at the M.C.Overalls Store at 21 Brewer Street, Soho on 20 February, for one evening only during London Fashion Week. Selected students will also have the opportunity to contribute designs to M.C.Overalls’ future collections.

M.C.Overalls now plan to collaborate with LCCA on an annual basis helping to nurture other young creatives, providing an ongoing and live forum for fashion design, retail and marketing exposure to help develop the grassroots fashion industry.

“We are thrilled that BA Fashion, BA Fashion Management and Marketing students at LCCA collaborated on a design sprint with British heritage brand, M.C.Overalls,” said Sadie Clayton, BA Fashion Course Director. “This project will shape our students’ perceptions of the industry and what it means to be a sustainable and ethical designer. We’re excited to partner with a brand eager to celebrate and nurture the skills of grassroots designers by not only providing them with opportunities to gain practical industry experience and showcase their redrafted pieces in-store, but also focusing on themselves, their pathways into the industry and what drives their creative decisions.”

 

About M.C.Overalls

M.C.Overalls is a brand driven by a simple idea: We Work Hard. It’s a belief that has guided us since 1908 when Morris Cooper founded a workwear company on Middlesex Street in London. We produce classic, hard wearing, everyday staples, reviving our original ethos of making “durable uniforms for contemporary workers”. M.C.Overalls values industry and endeavour, the simple done well, and beauty in the everyday. Creating clothes with an enduring style and quality that are gender neutral.

WE WORK HARD

https://mcoveralls.com / @M.C.Overalls

Further information: [email protected]

Novel electrocatalysts for hydrogen production offer hope for solving the energy crisis

Posted on by Editorial Team

Two efficient and inexpensive novel electrocatalysts for hydrogen production offering sustainable green solutions for the energy crisis have been developed by City University of Hong Kong (CityU).

Hydrogen is a clean and sustainable alternative to fossil fuels while the production of low-cost, high-performance hydrogen evolution catalysts is a core problem in the energy field.

A research team co-led by CityU materials scientists has recently developed an innovative, ultra-stable and highly efficient hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) electrocatalyst. Electrochemical HER is a widely used hydrogen-generation method. Commercial HER electrocatalysts are made from expensive precious metals. A promising type of HER electrocatalyst intensively studied by scientists is single-atom catalysts for their potential in catalytic HER applications because of their high activity, maximised atomic efficiency, and minimised catalyst usage. However, the fabrication of single-atom catalysts is generally complicated, and requires a lot of energy and time.

The new electrocatalyst is based on two-dimensional mineral gel nanosheets and does not contain any precious metals. It can be produced on a large scale and help achieve a lower hydrogen price in the future.

“Compared with other common single-atom substrate precursors, such as porous frameworks and carbon, we found that mineral hydrogels have great advantages for the mass production of electrocatalysts owing to the easy availability of the raw materials, a simple, environmentally friendly synthetic procedure, and mild reaction conditions,” said Professor Lu Jian, Chair Professor in the Department of Mechanical Engineering (MNE) and the Department of Materials Science and Engineering (MSE) at CityU, who led the research.

The experiments found that the new catalyst exhibits excellent electrocatalytic activity, long-term durability and ultra-stability.

The findings were published in Nature Communications under the title “Two-dimensional mineral hydrogel-derived single atoms-anchored heterostructures for ultrastable hydrogen evolution”.

Another breakthrough by Professor Lu’s team is a new type of hydrogen evolution catalyst.

“Using a simple method called magnetron co-sputtering, my research team has successfully produced a high-performance, low-cost substitute for platinum-based electrocatalysts, providing an effective solution to this problem,” said Professor Lu.

The new electrocatalyst, based on AlMnRu (aluminium, manganese and ruthenium) films, has a crystalline-amorphous (non-crystalline) dual-phase nanostructure. Dual-phase materials are needed because each phase has separate benefits: the local chemical inhomogeneity, short-range order and severe lattice distortion in the nanocrystalline phase are desirable, while the amorphous phase offers abundant active sites with a lower energy barrier for hydrogen evolution reaction.

“This aluminium-based alloy electrocatalyst has unique bonding states, a small lattice size, and crystalline/amorphous coexistence, providing a structural basis for achieving high catalytic efficiency,” Prof Lu explained. “We use aluminium rather than a noble metal as the principal element of the catalyst, and ruthenium, which is cheaper than platinum, as the noble metal component.”

The innovation was published in the top academic journal Science Advances, titled “A crystal-glass nanostructured Al-based electrocatalyst for hydrogen evolution reaction”.

 

HKBU launched novel art-tech project to transform the future of cinema

Posted on by Editorial Team

The cinema, just like filmmaking technology, is always evolving. An array of rapidly developing technologies, ranging from the virtual reality and augmented reality to artificial intelligence, offer tremendous potential for the future of cinematic experience. Hong Kong Baptist University (HKBU) is leading a visionary research project that will create technological breakthroughs and unprecedented cinematic experiences, taking people’s appreciation of the arts to a new level. 

The novel art-tech project entitled “Future Cinema Systems: Next-Generation Art Technologies” is being led by HKBU in collaboration with City University of Hong Kong and École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne in Switzerland. It is a pioneering attempt to develop and construct a “Future Cinema System” (FCS), an integrated system for artists and the creative industries to meet the growing demand for new interactive immersive forms of cultural experience, as well as entertainment and education.  

Powered by advanced technologies, including artificial intelligence, computer vision, deep learning and virtual reality, the FCS comprises three-dimensional interactive immersive visualisation environments that integrate all forms of real-time and pre-recorded content with a broad range of wearable sensors and biometric devices. 

The project leader, Professor Jeffrey Shaw, Chair Professor of the Academy of Visual Arts at HKBU, says: “This vanguard project opens the door to boundless applications in the arts and creative industries. The FCS will create profound virtual experiences for tangible and intangible cultural heritage; innovate performative platforms for theatre, dance, music and sports; and transform the world’s multimedia archives into explorable post-cinematic encounters.” 

As the FCS harnesses three integrated technological breakthroughs in the fields of visualisation, human-computer interaction and co-evolutionary narrative with the involvement of HKBU’s artificial intelligence expert Professor Liu Jiming and his team, Professor Shaw can explore the future experience of archive, place and performance.  

Novel immersive experience can now be enjoyed at the Visualisation Research Centre, one of the key deliverables of the project. Home to the world’s first 360-degree immersive LED Visualisation Cinema and the 180-degree iDome Cinema, this newly established facility will provide innovative platforms for theatre, dance, music and sports, and transform multimedia archives into post-cinematic encounters that people can explore and experience. 

With the new facilities in place on campus, Professor Shaw and his team are working to produce scaleable outcomes that can be experienced by the general public. The deliverables of the Future Cinema Systems project will first be deployed at selected facilities in Hong Kong, such as the Hong Kong International Airport, M+ Museum and Tai Kwun. 

“We are about to experience something truly transformative, as the Future Cinema Systems project opens the door to boundless new horizons in the arts and creative industries,” says Professor Shaw. 

Professor Jeffrey Shaw and his team are taking people’s appreciation of the arts to a new level through the novel art-tech project “Future Cinema Systems: Next-Generation Art Technologies”. 

Thammasat students receive first prize in Global Student Innovation Challenge

Posted on by Thammasat University

Teams of Engineering Students, Thammasat University won the first prize in the Global Student Innovation Challenge (gSIC 2022). NSTDA was in collaboration with CREATe Asia cooperation group to organize the 15th international academic conference on rehabilitation engineering and facilities technology (i-CREATe 2022) at the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region in a hybrid format.

The Global Student Innovation Challenge (gSIC 2022) has inventions from students who have been selected and participated in the final competition from 5 economic zones, namely Thailand, the Republic of Singapore, the People’s Republic of China, and Hong Kong and Taiwan Special Administrative Regions, with a total of 40 entries. The contest is divided into 2 categories: Innovations for people with disabilities and the elderly (Technology Category) and Innovative design works for people with disabilities and the elderly (Design Category)

As a result, a team from Thammasat University received a Gold Award for innovative design for the disabled and the elderly in the work “New design power wheelchair for easy transfer” developed by Ms. Thanrada Wiriyasubudom, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Mr. Supasin Somboondee, Department of Mechanical Engineering and Mr. Kavin Sirichantakul, Department of Mechanical Engineering, TEP Program, having Asst. Prof. Dr. Banyong Rungrueangduayboon, Lecturer at the Faculty of Engineering, Thammasat University as an advisor.

Ms. Thanrada Wiriyasubudom revealed that the idea starts from the fact that we see that the movement of people with disabilities nowadays is difficult, especially moving from a wheelchair to a chair or toilet seat in which people with disabilities have to exert a lot. This gave us the idea of whether it was easier or not if a disabled person can move from behind and are able to get in and out of the wheelchair without having to lift their bodies up.

This innovation is an electric wheelchair for paraplegics. This electric wheelchair can be accessed from behind. There is a stand system to increase the convenience of disabled people in their daily life and remote control of electric wheelchairs via mobile to facilitate retrieving or removing the wheelchair.

Mr. Supasin Somboondee said that it increases the convenience for the disabled in every aspect, whether it is designed to allow them to enter and exit the vehicle and move with minimal force, as well as with a seat height adjustment system so a handicapped person can adjust the height of the chair or toilet seat to suit their mobility.

Mr. Kawin Sirichantakul added that this electric wheelchair has been used by people with disabilities and it generally works fine. However, there are still bugs that need to be addressed. We have begun planning to develop a smaller wheelchair that can be used even in confined spaces and is easier to move. With our work as a front-wheel drive, it may take some time for the users to be familiar with controlling the wheelchair so that people with disabilities or the elderly can access our wheelchairs more easily.

“The very first feeling after receiving the first prize was shocking. But when it was gone, we were very happy. The tiredness or difficulty in working in the past is completely gone. By the time of receiving the award, we felt that people have seen the benefits of our wheelchairs and it is really worth designing and building the wheelchair,” said Kawin.

In addition, another team of students from the Faculty of Engineering, Thammasat University also won a Gold Award for technology for people with disabilities and the elderly from the same stage in the work “Design and development of physical therapy upper limb device with symmetrical reflections mechanism” developed by Mr. Methasit Kiatchaipha, Master’s degree student, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Ms. Thanyaporn Wongwatcharanon, Ph.D. student, Medical Engineering and Mr. Abul Kashem Tahmid Shahriar, Master’s degree student, Department of Mechanical Engineering, having Asst. Prof. Dr. Banyong Rungrueangduayboon, Faculty of Engineering and Assoc. Prof. Dr. Patcharee Khunkhamchu, Faculty of Allied Health Sciences, Department of Physical Therapy as advisors.

 

More older adults fearful of being unable to afford basic necessities, new study reveals

Posted on by Valerie Won

A new study by the SMU Centre for Research on Successful Ageing (ROSA) revealed that nearly 1 in 3 older adults in Singapore felt there was at least a 50 percent chance that they would be unable to afford basic necessities or have difficulties paying bills.

This latest study, “Concerns over the cost of living among older adults in Singapore”, which polled 6,839 Singaporeans aged 57 to 76 in August 2022, showed a marked increase in the number of seniors who expected their financial situation to worsen. Almost half of the respondents surveyed (45 per cent) felt that they would be forced to lower their standard of living, up from 38 per cent who felt the same way in May 2020 during the circuit-breaker.

The three items respondents were most worried about being able to afford were (in order of most to least) (i) medical services, (ii) utilities, and (iii) prescription medication.

“As intuitive as they may sound, these results warrant closer attention given that economic expectations are an important predictor of well-being. With these findings, we are kept abreast of how rapid inflation and rising costs are shaping the economic concerns and consumption decisions of older Singaporeans. These findings also highlight older adults as a demographic group that is particularly vulnerable to the rising cost of living, and help us to better identify measures that effectively help vulnerable seniors cope with the pinch of rising living costs in line with national efforts to promote successful ageing,” said Professor Paulin Straughan, Director, ROSA.

This study uses data from the Singapore Life Panel®, a population representative monthly online survey of Singaporeans aged 57 to 76 in 2022 that has been conducted since 2015. This study was made possible through the generosity of The Ngee Ann Kongsi and the support of the Ministry of Education.

Full details of the report can be accessed here.

Key findings and recommendations:

1.       Of those surveyed, 45 per cent anticipated that they would be forced to lower their standard of living. This is up from 38 per cent who felt the same way in May 2020 during the circuit-breaker, suggesting that older adults are more concerned now about their financial situations than they were during the circuit-breaker.

2.       32 per cent of respondents surveyed in August 2022 expected that they would be unable to afford basic necessities or have difficulties paying bills, up from 22 per cent in May 2020.

3.       The following demographic groups had the highest expectations of negative financial impacts, where they expected that they would be forced to lower their standard of living or be forced to use their savings or liquidate their investments, and anticipated being unable to afford basic necessities or having difficulties paying their bills:

i.            Respondents who were unemployed, laid off, or on sick leave

ii.            Respondents with primary or no education

iii.            Respondents living in 1-3 room HDB flats

Based on the above findings, ROSA makes these policy recommendations for consideration:

1.       Support for older adults should be targeted at those likely to experience more severe financial difficulties (older adults with low-SES, as well as older adults who are unemployed, laid off, or on sick leave).

2.       Financial support should focus on providing for necessities (utilities, groceries, and healthcare needs), as respondents were most concerned about the affordability of such items.

3.       Effective communication of the government’s mitigation measures for the inflation and impending GST hikes is warranted to buffer the psychological impact of older individuals’ financial concerns.

USU’s Faculty of Engineering processes palm oil mill waste through pyrolysis technology

Posted on by Editorial Team

Indonesia holds one of the largest palm oil commodities in the world, occupying 12.76 million hectares with a sizable area of oil palm estate in the North Sumatra Province and producing 36.59 million tonnes of Fresh Fruit Bunch (FFB) in 2018. Effective waste management is crucial for the life cycle of the industry in addition to its environment. Processing 100 tonnes of FFB produces waste in the form of 5 tonnes of Oil Palm Shell (OPS), 22 tonnes of Empty Fruit Bunch (EFB), 14 tonnes of Oil Palm Fiber (OPF), and Palm Oil Mill Effluent (POME). POME is a highly pollutive liquid waste and accounts for an estimated 60% of the processed FFB produced substantially nationally. The combined amount of pollutants calls for better waste management that can contribute to a circular economy, especially in oil palm estates.

A team of researchers at the Faculty of Engineering, Universitas Sumatera Utara, led by Dr. Eng Taufiq Bin Nur, S.T., M.Eng.Sc., have come up with an optimal waste processing technology by using pyrolysis, which can also increase the commercial value of the waste by utilizing its EFB and sludge. Applying this technology supports the realization of food security by producing organic fertilizers and, therefore, new renewable energy derived from biomass.

Pyrolysis is a thermochemical decomposition of biomass into a range of valuable products either in the total absence of oxygen or with limited oxygen. The heat needed by the process is obtained through burning biomass in the form of unused wood and EFB. The process can produce biochar, liquid smoke (bio-oil), and syngas from biomass raw materials in one production by maintaining the working temperature of the reactor constant as needed up to 550°C. The pyrolysis process increases the calorific value of the waste compared to its raw state, rising to 36.5% in the case of EFB and coffee dregs or 65% in coconut shells. When applied to EFB raw materials, at the moment, the test results at the Indonesian Oil Palm Research Institute in Medan show that the biochar also had the following composition: Nitrogen (0.82%), P2O5 (0.83%, total), K2O (11.57%), Organic C (35.24%), and 0.80% Organic N.

The research team sees multiple advantages in implementing this innovative smokeless pyrolysis system in oil palm estates. Firstly, it helps minimize the environmental impact of the waste because it is smokeless, and up to 250 kg of EFB can be processed further per 5 hours, producing biochar, bio-oil, and syngas, as shown in Figures 1 – 2. Biochar and bio-oil could be an alternative to organic fertilizer. Furthermore, flue gas from the combustion can be treated further to minimize CO2 emissions in the plantation area. The heat from the system can also dry the POME sludge, allowing easier processing.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Figure 1. Biomass Pyrolysis System.

 

This pyrolysis technology innovation from USU Faculty of Engineering researchers can help overcome the Palm Oil Mill (POM) waste problem while increasing the sale value. Their goal is to operate a start-up industry producing organic fertilizer while dealing with POM waste in North Sumatra, building a sustainable industry enriched with better waste management and promoting a circular economy by cooperating with the rural enterprise.

Lingnan research teams prioritise humanitarian outcomes

Posted on by Editorial Team

For Lingnan University, one of the most gratifying measures of success is when the results of academic research provide solutions to real-world problems.   

That explains the attention being paid to “Humanitarian Innovation” projects, which make use of the latest advances in design and technology to improve people’s lives in practical ways and open up all kinds of new possibilities.   

Recently, a number of these projects, backed by the Lingnan Entrepreneurship Initiative (LEI), have gone on to win a range of prestigious international awards. Overall, what has impressed the judges on these occasions is how the various inventions apply hard-won knowledge, have the potential to be scaled up, and may lead to the development of new business models. 

But equally important in other respects is that each of the breakthroughs also contributes to the advancement of one or more of the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), thereby adding to Lingnan’s reputation as a “caring” university and pointing the way for future research initiatives. 

As an example, one LEI-supported project aimed to improve indoor air quality for families living in sub-divided apartments, and did so by applying a combination of book learning, design thinking, and some relatively simple technology. 

The initial idea sprang from a visit made by a group of students taking a service-learning course on the Psychology of Human Performance and Technology to meet residents of the overcrowded district of Sham Shui Po. 

Wanting to understand the everyday challenges and find ways to help, the students decided on a low-cost air purifier which would be compact and cheap to run. They assembled and tested prototypes, made necessary modifications, and now have a product which can markedly improve the living environment of many people at the lower end of the social spectrum. 

In collaboration with the local authorities, a team of volunteers distributed 1,000 free air purifiers to needy families in the run-up to Christmas. And, together with universities in the Philippines, plans are now taking shape to supply these low-cost, energy-efficient, portable units to communities in developing countries in Asia.    

Another similarly successful LEI project is the CREW wheelchair control system. By incorporating a force-sensing feature, it is able to improve the safety of both wheelchair users and carers by intelligently predicting the carer’s intentions, which leads to better control and positioning of the wheelchair. 

The system, which is plugged into the wheelchair’s handles, makes it easier to change direction or manoeuvre in a tight space, while also providing additional forward or braking power when going up or down a slope. And, when moving, the kinetic energy being generated can be used to recharge the batteries. 

Other highly commended projects include a disinfection service using intelligent sensors and Ultraviolet-C germicidal light plus a transparent surgical mask which allows the hearing-impaired to lip-read and detect facial expressions. 

“Our mission is to come up with highly effective but low-cost products by bringing together innovative concepts and mature technology, thereby improving the lives of the needy,” said Professor Albert Ko Wing-yin, Director of the LEI. 

EdUHK language research receives Hong Kong-France research grant

Posted on by eduhk

Dr Wang Cong, Assistant Professor at the Department of Chinese Language Studies, The Education University of Hong Kong (EdUHK), has been awarded funding of HK$1.95 million under the French National Research Agency (ANR) and the Research Grants Council (RGC) of Hong Kong Joint Research Scheme, to support her project ‘Language Contact and Areal Diffusion of Sinitic Languages in the Greater Bay Area (GBA)’. Parallel funding of about €226,000 was awarded to Dr. Qi Chong at Université Paris Cité, the co-principal investigator of the project.

The three-year project aims to examine language contact and language endangerment through a large-scale typological study of languages in the GBA based on Cantonese, Tankas, and Southern Pinghua to uncover the relationship between Cantonese and other Sinitic languages, and the typological features of languages in the GBA. In studying language origins and gene-related languages in the GBA, this project will also contribute significantly to humankind’s evolution by providing rich data of Tankas and Southern Pinghua for the communities.

This is the second Hong Kong-France joint project for which Dr Wang has obtained funding from RGC. It was preceded by a two-year project, ‘Inclusive and Exclusive: Language Contact between Sinitic Languages and Altaic Languages’ (2021-2023), under the PROCORE-France/Hong Kong JRS.

The ANR/RGC Joint Research Scheme aims to strengthen collaboration between French and Hong Kong research communities. The proposed projects need to fully meet the requirements in application for the RGC General Research Fund in Hong Kong, as well as those stated by the ANR in France. This year, only two projects have been awarded by the ANR/RGC joint research scheme; and in France, Dr. Wang’s project stood out from thousands of projects from 12 countries and regions.

No easy way to communicate risks of climate change, new research finds

Posted on by Valerie Won

New research from the Singapore Management University shows that having individuals visualise the shock of future climate change failed to motivate them to change behaviour. Research insights demonstrate the importance of customising communication strategies to different groups, from climate sceptics to individuals already living sustainable lives. This research paper is newly published in PLOS Climate, an open-access journal that furthers understanding of climatic impacts and solutions

There is no easy way to engage with the general public to communicate the risks of climate change, according to a new study. Contrary to the adage of ‘seeing is believing’, individuals who saw what the future impacts of climate change may look like were not positively motivated to make behavioural changes. This was particularly true for climate sceptics[1] and for individuals who already live more climate-friendly and sustainable lives.

Led by Assistant Professor Terry van Gevelt from the College of Integrative Studies, Singapore Management University (SMU), this research investigated the use of immersive virtual experiences to communicate the risks of climate change to the general public, with a focus on coastal cities in Asia. This latest study, “Using virtual simulations of future extreme weather events to communicate climate change risk”, is based on experimental survey data from 1,500 respondents in Hong Kong, conducted in 2021.

Elaborating on the research methodology, Assistant Professor Terry van Gevelt said: “We created a completely feasible and rigorous model of an extreme weather event amplified by the expected impacts of climate change. This extreme weather event – a super typhoon –was then modelled to hit an Asian coastal city (Hong Kong, in this case) and we created a virtual simulation of the event. This virtual simulation was used as a risk communication vehicle, or a way to experientially communicate the future impacts of climate change.”

The authors underscored the importance of not overestimating the effectiveness of immersive visualisations to communicate climate risks.

“Visualising the devastating impacts of climate change play out in the cities we live in should provide the wake-up call needed to modify individual behaviour and support costly climate adaptation and mitigation measures. Unfortunately, our results suggest that ‘seeing is not believing’, especially for climate sceptics,” said Assistant Professor van Gevelt. “This goes to show that there is no easy solution to communicating climate change risk. Instead, we need to accept complexity and see highly targeted and contextual immersive experiences as one component within a comprehensive engagement strategy.”

These research findings were published on 1 February 2023 in PLOS Climate, a Californian-based non-profit and Open Access journal with a focus on collaborative, interdisciplinary and multidisciplinary research to combat climate change. The research was conducted in collaboration with Duke University, Nanyang Technological University, University of Hong Kong, University of Macau, Hohai University and Sun Yat-sen University.

This work was supported by the University Grants Committee of Hong Kong (ref: 17601221), the University of Hong Kong (ref: 104005971.101497.30100.301.01 and ref: 202009002) and an Epic Games MegaGrant. Ethical approval was granted by the Human Research Ethics Committee at the University of Hong Kong (Ref: EA200187).

[1] Climate sceptics refer to individuals who do not think anthropogenic climate change is happening.