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Assistant Professor

Department of Digital Innovation and Technology
PhD (UHH, Germany), MPhil (PolyU), BEng (SCUT, China)

Contact details

Email: jonizhong@thei.edu.hk

Phone: +852 3890 8315

Junpei ‘Joni’ Zhong is a researcher and educator at the intersection of artificial intelligence, cognitive neuroscience, and robotics. His work develops human-centered AI, multimodal machine learning systems, and adaptive human-robot interaction frameworks, with a strong focus on translational applications for ageing societies and inclusive healthcare. He actively bridges academic research with community impact through NGO partnerships, government deployments, and technology entrepreneurship.

TEACHING AREAS
  • AI and Robotics
  • Machine Learning and Big Data
  • Human-Computer / Human-Robot Interaction
  • Assistive Technologies and Smart Healthcare
  • Cognitive Science and Neuroscience
  • Programming
  • Computer Vision
  • Electronic Devices and Circuits
  • Critical Thinking and AI Literacy
2015

PhD in Computer Science, University of Hamburg, Germany

2009MPhil in Electrical Engineering, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University
2006B.Eng in Control Science and Engineering (Minor in Computer Science), South China University of Technology

 

2026 – PresentAssistant Professor, Technological and Higher Education Institute of Hong Kong
2023 – PresentCo-founder and Chief Technology Officer, Dailove Limited
2024 – 2026Assistant Professor, UOW College Hong Kong
2020 – 2024Research Assistant Professor, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University
2019 – 2020Independent Research Fellow / Lecturer, Nottingham Trent University, UK
2017 – 2019Research Scientist, AIST, Japan
2016Junior Researcher, Waseda University, Japan
2015Postdoctoral Researcher, University of Plymouth, UK
2014Research Assistant, University of Hertfordshire, UK
  • Human-robot interaction
  • Brain-inspired AI
  • Affective Computing
  • Assistive robotics
  • AI for cognitive health and ageing populations
  • TUM Visiting Professor Fellowship, Technical University of Munich, 2025
  • TVB ESG Award 2025 (CTO & Co-founder, Dailove Limited)
  • HK Science Park Incubation Award, 2024
  • Innovation Award and Finalist, The 2nd City I&T Grand Challenge, 2023
  • Hong Kong ICT Awards 2023 (Supervisor of Student Award)
  • Rutherford Fellowship, Sussex University, UK, 2019
  • Nottingham Trent Independent Research Fellowship, 2019
  • UGC-Faculty Development Scheme (PI): Optimizing Interventions for Mild Cognitive Impairment: Exploring the Impact of Robotic Therapy and Delivery Modality on Cognitive Outcomes, Jan 2026 – Dec 2028

  • Germany-HK Joint Research Scheme (PI): Socio-demographic variables to embodied and emotional experiences in virtual nature: a cross-country study, Jan 2023 – Dec 2023

  • Hospital Authority Data Lab Collaboration (PI): Research on Dementia Journey from Electronic Clinical Data in Hong Kong, Jan 2023 – Dec 2023

 

      Associate Editor

  • International Journal of Advanced Robotic Systems
  • Frontiers in Robotics and AI

      Chair

  • Task Force on Action and Perception, IEEE CIS Technical Committee on Cognitive and Developmental Systems
  • K. T. H. Au-Yeung, W. W. L. Chan, K. Y. B. Chan, D. Ran, H. Jiang, and J. Zhong. “A Pilot Study on the Comparison of Prefrontal Cortex Activities of Robotic Therapies on Elderly with Mild Cognitive Impairment”. IEEE Transactions on Affective Computing, 2024. (Q1, IF: 9.6)
  • R. Dong, Q. Chang, M. J. Er, J. Zhong, and S. Ikuno. “Motion Capture-Based Robotic Imitation: A Keyframeless Implementation Method Using Multivariate Empirical Mode Decomposition”. IEEE/ASME Transactions on Mechatronics, 2024. (Q1, IF: 6.1)
  • M. M. Chan, C. X. Choi, T. C. Tsoi, J. Zhong, and Y. M. Han. “Clinical and neuropsychological correlates of theta-band functional excitation-inhibition ratio in autism: An EEG study”. Clinical Neurophysiology, vol. 163, 2024, pp. 56–67. (Q1, IF: 3.7)
  • A. Naser, A. Lotfi, M. D. Mwanje, and J. Zhong. “Privacy-Preserving, Thermal Vision With Human in the Loop Fall Detection Alert System”. IEEE Transactions on Human-Machine Systems, vol. 53, no. 1, 2023, pp. 164–175. (Q1, IF: 4.1)
  • B. Wu, J. Zhong, and C. Yang. “A Visual-Based Gesture Prediction Framework Applied in Social Robots”. IEEE/CAA Journal of Automatica Sinica, vol. 9, no. 3, 2021, pp. 510–519. (Q1, IF: 15.3)
  • A. Naser, A. Lotfi, and J. Zhong. “Multiple Thermal Sensor Array Fusion Toward Enabling Privacy-Preserving Human Monitoring Applications”. IEEE Internet of Things Journal, vol. 9, no. 17, 2022, pp. 16677–16688. (Q1, IF: 8.2)
  • C. Ling, J. Zhong, W. Li, R. Dong, and M. Dai. “Pyramidal Predictive Network V2: An Improved Predictive Architecture and Training Strategies for Future Perception Prediction”. Big Data and Cognitive Computing, 2025. (Q1, IF: 3.7)
  • J. Zhong, M. Peniak, J. Tani, T. Ogata, and A. Cangelosi. “Sensorimotor Input as a Language Generalisation Tool: A Connectionist Model for Generation and Generalisation of Noun-Verb Combinations with Sensorimotor Inputs”. Autonomous Robots, vol. 43, no. 5, 2019, pp. 1271–1290. (Q2, IF: 3.7)