Congratulations to the HUMAC Research Team for Securing an International Grant Worth USD199,900!

The Human Machine Collaboration (HUMAC) research team along with external industry and university partners (the Sarawak Forestry Corporation (SFC), the University of Technology Sarawak (UTS), and two Japanese companies: funlead Corp and Aerosense Inc.) have successfully secured a highly-competitive international grant from the Asia Pacific Telecommunity (APT) Union for the ICT Pilot Project for Rural Areas (Category II) 2022. This grant is funded by the Government of Japan, worth MYR 884,489 (USD199900) for 11 months project.

The proposed project will use advanced Vertical-Take-Off-and-Landing (VTOL) drone technology and hyperspectral approaches to create database of the protected mangrove forest, then use the machine learning technology to assess the health status of the protected mangrove forest in Kuching, Sarawak. This project is part of the initiatives for SDGs and Planetary Health, contributing to the Blue Carbon Ecosystems (BCEs) and providing solutions for co-benefits such as coastal protection and fisheries enhancement.

This project is a collaboration between Sunway University’s HUMAC Research Centre, the Sarawak Forestry Corporation (SFC), the University of Technology Sarawak (UTS), and two Japanese companies: funlead Corp and Aerosense Inc. This research team was also the driving force behind the successful APT Category I project secured in early 2022 that has been piloted in Belawai, Sarawak, using 4K camera and drone technologies to capture the images of mangrove trees for post data analysis utilizing AI-based engine, and artisanal fishing in the protected area. 

Refer to Kementerian Komunikasi dan Digital (‎previously SKMM), Sunway University is the only award recipient of Category 2 out of the total 17 applications from Malaysia to the Government of Japan under APT ICT Pilot Projects for Rural Areas 2022.‎ The team is grateful to work in the beautiful mangrove forest (with crocodiles) . Prof. Yap and the team members are stoked to receive the award by the Government of Japan to contribute to SDGs and Planetary Health.

HUMAC's project members: Prof. Yap Kian Meng (PI, SET), Dr. Steven Eu Kok Seng (SET), AP Dr. Lee Yunli (SET), AP Dr. Lin Mei-hua‎ (SMLS).