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ROBOTICS AND
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Message from
the Head

Welcome to the Robotics and Autonomous Systems (ROAS) Thrust!

We are living in an era of unprecedented innovation and transformation, where robotics and autonomous systems are reshaping industries, transportation, healthcare, and every facet of human life. As pioneers in this field, you stand at the forefront of technological advancement while bearing the responsibility to drive societal progress.

Here at ROAS, you will:
• Be guided by leading scholars across disciplines to explore the frontiers of knowledge.
• Gain hands-on experience through cutting-edge experimental platforms, industry collaborations, and a global academic environment that bridges theory and real-world problem-solving.
• Leverage the strategic advantages of the Greater Bay Area, while collaborating with HKUST Clear Water Bay Campus and world-class institutions to expand your international horizons.

In the years ahead, we encourage you to stay curious and dare to go beyond the border. Pursue innovation while always considering the ethical implications of technology.

Together, let us shape the future!

Qiang HUANG
ROAS Thrust

Introduction of the Head

Qiang HUANG

PhD in Mechanical Engineering Waseda University, 1996

Prof.Huang earned his Bachelor's and Master's degrees in Electrical Engineering from the Harbin Institute of Technology, followed by a Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering from Waseda University, Japan in 1996. He subsequently worked at Japan's Ministry of International Trade and Industry Industrial Science and Technology Program, and the University of Tokyo. In 2001, he joined Beijing Institute of Technology. In 2025, he joined The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (Guangzhou), where he currently serves as Professor and Acting Head of the Thrust of Robotics and Autonomous Systems. He has led more than ten national-level research projects with total funding exceeding several hundred million RMB, and has been the principal investigator in developing the "Hui Tong" series of humanoid robots. His honors include several national-level talent awards, one Second Prize of the National Technology Invention Award, two First Prizes of the Ministry of Education Technology Invention Award, and the IFToMM Award of Merit. He holds over 100 authorized national invention patents and more than 10 international patents (including U.S. patents), and has published over 150 SCI-indexed papers. He is the Founding Executive Editor-in-Chief of the international journal Cyborg and Bionic Systems, and previously served as the Conference Chair of the 2018 IEEE-RAS International Conference on Humanoid Robots (IEEE-Humanoids). His main research directions include humanoid robots, multi-scale bionic functional units and systems, and embodied intelligence.