CUHK Research: Changing the world

Catching the network coding wave Network coding has already made an impact on academic research. As an interdisciplinary subject, it is heavily studied by leading research labs and universities around the world. “But the impact of network coding in the real world is only at its infancy,” he observes. Perhaps not for much longer. “ Peop l e a r e pu t t i ng mo r e a nd mo r e computational power inside networks. That favours the implementation of network coding, in particular BATS code,” he says. Meanwhile, his growing list of potential BATS applications includes the Internet of Things, satellite networks, underwater communication networks and blockchain. One potential application particularly intrigues him. “In Mongolia, sheep overgraze certain pastures, which causes soil erosion and sandstorms. A study shows that shepherds always gather where there is network coverage. By spreading Wi-Fi access, BATS could offer a sustainable solution.” In 2018, seven years after creating BATS, Professors Yeung and Yang established n-hop technologies, a start-up next door to CUHK at the Hong Kong Science Park, as a vehicle for pursuing pilot projects with the Hong Kong government, public-private partnerships, and for commercial ventures. The unique BATS system, which comes in a compact, portable metal box, has since been successfully deployed in local trials of “smart lampposts”; in an experiment to extend potentially life-saving Wi-Fi coverage to remote hiking trails; in a power station where heavy machinery blocks cell phone signals, and for communication on construction sites where optical fibre cables have not yet been laid. Networkcoding is a completelynew wayof transmitting information through a network. 22