OPPO and Hong Kong Polytechnic University renew cooperation to upgrade innovation research center and expand new boundaries of AI imaging

November 4, 2024, Hong Kong, China - OPPO Guangdong Mobile Communications Co., Ltd. (OPPO) and the Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) held a cooperation renewal ceremony to further deepen cooperation based on the cooperation agreement signed by the two parties in 2022, and promote the integrated development of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area. OPPO will work with PolyU to expand the scale of capital and technology investment, upgrade and establish the "Hong Kong Polytechnic University-OPPO Joint Innovation Research Center", and write a new chapter for the in-depth cooperation between the two parties in the field of AI imaging technology.

OPPO and PolyU representatives signed a cooperation agreement

The signing ceremony of the framework agreement for the Joint Innovation Research Center was held on the campus of the Hong Kong Polytechnic University last Friday (November 1). Witnessed by Professor Jin-Guang Teng, an academician of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and President of PolyU, and Mr. Jinsong Liao, Director of OPPO Research Institute, Professor Ru-Heng Zhao, Vice President (Research and Innovation) of PolyU, and Mr. Zheng Qin, Head of Industry-University-Research Affairs of OPPO, signed the agreement on behalf of both parties. Under the framework of the agreement, the "Hong Kong Polytechnic University-OPPO Joint Innovation Laboratory" will be upgraded to a "Joint Innovation Research Center"; in addition, OPPO will invest no less than RMB 30 million in the next five years to expand the scale of joint training of doctoral and postdoctoral students, promote OPPO's technology development and exploration in the direction of imaging algorithms, and further deepen the industry-university-research cooperation between OPPO and PolyU in the field of AI imaging.

Liao Jinsong, President of OPPO Research Institute, said: "In the three years of cooperation between OPPO and PolyU, we have witnessed the joint laboratory's many technological breakthroughs and remarkable achievements in talent cultivation. Adhering to the mission of 'Technology for People, Good for the World', we look forward to further deepening the deep integration of industry, academia and research in the field of AI with PolyU through this renewal, and bringing more innovative smart imaging experiences to users around the world."

Professor Jin-Guang Teng, President of the Hong Kong Polytechnic University, said: "In order to meet the opportunities and challenges of the era of artificial intelligence, PolyU will officially establish the 'School of Computer and Mathematical Sciences' in January 2025. This is an important measure for our university to implement the innovative development strategy, aiming to meet the growing demand for science and technology and help cultivate talents. The Department of Electronic Computing, to which the Joint Innovation Research Center belongs, will also join the new school. The new structure will effectively promote in-depth communication and collaboration among research teams and produce more influential results. We believe that this in-depth cooperation with OPPO will fully seize opportunities and actively promote technological innovation and knowledge transfer."

The signing ceremony of the framework agreement was held on the PolyU campus

In 2022, in response to the country's strategic initiative to build the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area and promote in-depth cooperation between Guangdong and Hong Kong, OPPO and PolyU signed an agreement to establish the "Hong Kong Polytechnic University-OPPO Joint Innovation Laboratory". In just three years, the joint laboratory has achieved a series of innovative results, and has developed and implemented a number of leading imaging algorithms: AI telephoto super-resolution technology has been successfully applied to a number of OPPO products, significantly improving the image quality of telephoto photography; the deployment of full-focus HDR imaging algorithms allows users to take high-quality photos under different lighting conditions, greatly improving the photo-taking experience.

Recently, OPPO released the new generation of annual imaging flagship Find X8 series, which is equipped with a new "AI Thousand Miles Telephoto" algorithm, which is the implementation of the innovative results of both parties. The Find X8 series puts the most cutting-edge AI big model into a precise periscope telephoto lens, challenging the physical limits of optics and bringing subversive clarity improvement to mobile phone telephoto.

In addition, the joint laboratory is also actively exploring cutting-edge technology fields in the industry, such as image restoration and detail enhancement technology based on generative models and interactive image editing and video editing technology, aiming to improve the quality and stability of image generation and provide more possibilities for image and video post-processing. In addition, the joint laboratory's investment in talent training has also achieved remarkable results, and has trained a number of doctors and postdoctoral fellows active in OPPO AI imaging technology, providing a strong driving force for continuous technological innovation.

The upgraded cooperation between OPPO and PolyU will promote the further development of AI imaging technology and provide new impetus for technological innovation and talent cultivation in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area. Looking ahead, both parties will continue to strengthen the collaboration between industry, academia and research, and fully explore and promote the innovative application of AI imaging technology.