Dr Andy Tai Recognised for His Contributions to Advancing Immersive Digital Health Education and AI-Driven Marketing Innovation

Dr Andy Tai, Associate Division Head of the Division of Business and Hospitality Management of PolyU CPCE, played a coordinating role in the research project titled “MetaRoundWorm: A Virtual Reality Escape Room Game for Learning the Lifecycle and Immune Response to Parasitic Infections”.

Led by Prof. Lik-Hang Lee, Assistant Professor of PolyU’s Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering and Director of the PolyU-NewHuaDu AI Joint Lab for Digital Marketing, and conducted by his research team, the project received the “Honourable Mention – Best Paper Award” at the IEEE International Symposium on Mixed and Augmented Reality (ISMAR) 2025 in recognition of its pioneering integration of virtual reality (VR) into biomedical education.

Designed to make abstract public health concepts more approachable, MetaRoundWorm is an immersive VR escape room that simulates the lifecycle of Ascaris lumbricoides and immune responses within anatomically accurate virtual environments. Dr Tai’s coordination of interdisciplinary expertise helped demonstrate that VR-based gamification is a promising approach for teaching complex biomedical concepts and advancing digital health education.

Beyond his contributions to health education, Dr Tai also serves as a Co-Investigator of the PolyU-NewHuaDu AI Joint Lab for Digital Marketing, where he leads the business and digital marketing initiatives. His strategic vision and deep understanding of both academic and commercial environments have been instrumental in bridging research with real-world applications. Through his tireless efforts, the Lab secured its first contract valued at HK$ 8 million, a significant milestone in its development.

Dr Tai remarked, “I am deeply honoured to be part of the research team. Our collective efforts have further strengthened my belief in the power of cross-disciplinary collaboration to translate research into real-world impact.”

For more information about the lab, please visit: www.polyu.edu.hk/ise/news-and-events/news/2025/20250804-polyu-newhuadu-joint-lab.