PolyU FENG AI & Robotics Club
Q&A
Questions students ask before and after joining
A demanding, high-intensity club
We hold members to the standard of the world's leading university robotics teams, such as those at MIT and Stanford: regular weekly hours, firm deadlines, design reviews, and robots that must work on real hardware, not only on slides. Expect to be stretched. Come prepared to commit real time and effort; members who do will see real results.
Commitment and club rules
- Keep your commitment. At the interview you agree how much time you will give to the club. We expect you to keep it. Members who repeatedly fall short will be advised to leave the club.
- Follow the club rules, always. Every member completes safety training and signs the club's safety, equipment and membership rules before working in the Industrial Centre. A first violation brings a written warning and retraining; a second violation means removal from the club. A single serious breach can lead to immediate removal.
- Book all space and keep to your booking. Workbenches, the practice field and machines are shared and must be booked in advance. Follow the booking rules strictly: repeated booking violations lead to removal from the club.
Joining
Hands-on work with world-leading AI, embodied AI and robotics technology; projects based on real industry needs; first-class mentorship from PolyU staff, PhD-level mentors and our External Advisory Board; company visits, internships and job-market exposure; and, for outstanding members with a strong GPA, recommendation for PhD study at PolyU, other leading universities or Advisory Board labs. See what you gain and a typical path through the club.
Very. The club is high-intensity by design and follows the standard of leading university robotics teams such as those at MIT and Stanford: regular weekly hours, firm deadlines, design reviews and testing on real hardware. Please be ready to commit real time and effort before you apply.
No. Beginners are placed in Tier 3 and start with guided workshops and foundation tasks. Experience helps with placement, but curiosity, consistency and willingness to learn matter most.
PolyU students from any department who are interested in robotics and AI. Members work in one of four technical groups: mechanical design, electronics and embedded systems, perception and sensors, or software and AI.
Apply online through the QR code on the recruitment poster, take a short baseline written test, then attend a structured interview. Successful applicants are placed into a tier and a technical group, attend an induction, and complete safety training and sign the club rules before working in the Industrial Centre. See the Join page.
The club recruits once a year, in September. If you missed this year's round, you will need to wait for the next September intake. Follow the News page for the announcement.
Commitment and rules
At the interview you tell us how much time you can give, and that becomes your commitment. Tier 2 members join regular bi-weekly training; Tier 1 members carry project and competition work with deadlines. We expect every member to keep the commitment they made. Members who repeatedly fall short will be advised to leave the club.
Every member completes safety training and signs the club's safety, equipment and membership rules. These cover safe working, keeping the workspace clean and exits clear, returning tools and equipment, signing out, and using funds and equipment responsibly. You must follow the rules at all times.
A first violation brings a written warning and retraining, and access may be restricted. A second violation means removal from the club, including loss of workspace and team access. A single serious breach, such as deliberately unsafe conduct, dishonesty or misuse of funds or equipment, can lead to immediate removal.
Tiers and promotion
- Tier 3, General Member: seminars, salons, company visits and introductory workshops. No external competition representation.
- Tier 2, Training Member: structured bi-weekly training and supervised hands-on work; can form or join project and competition teams.
- Tier 1, Advanced Member: leads project and competition teams, mentors junior members and represents PolyU when selected.
Every promotion needs a fresh assessment and interview and the approval of the supervisors and the mentor team; past membership does not give automatic promotion. To move from Tier 3 to Tier 2 you normally need at least 70% attendance, a passed foundation assessment in one technical area, real project participation and a recommendation. To move from Tier 2 to Tier 1 you need outstanding results: strong project outcomes, or a strong result in a competition. See the promotion rules.
Yes. Tiers are reviewed regularly and are not permanent. Low attendance, insufficient contribution, repeatedly missed commitments, abandoning a project, unsafe conduct or misuse of facilities can lead to demotion or removal after a documented review, in which you can respond. If you have academic difficulties, the club can reduce your workload or pause your participation.
Projects and competitions
In 2026–27: a UAV for building inspection and patrol, a robotic guide dog, an autonomous ground vehicle, the Robocon 2027 competition project and RoboCup 2028 preparation. See the Projects page.
Start with the group that interests you most: mechanical design, electronics and embedded systems, perception and sensors, or software and AI. Project teams combine members from several groups.
You must be at least a Tier 2 member: only Tier 1 and Tier 2 members can form a team to enter a competition or apply for a project. Tier 3 members can take part in open activities but cannot enter external competitions. Each team submits a written proposal with a target result and budget and defends it in a presentation. If more than one team wants to represent PolyU, an internal competition decides who goes. See How Projects Run.
The club is exploring credit routes for project and competition members, such as the Undergraduate Research and Innovation Scheme (URIS), free electives and capstone projects. Training and workshops are 0-credit. Details will be announced when confirmed.
The Director of the Robotics Club is Prof. Weisong Wen of the Department of Aeronautical and Aviation Engineering. Staff-level supervisors from AAE, EEE and ME, the Industrial Centre's Coach Advisor and a PhD-level mentor team support the technical work. See the Team page.
Contact and collaboration
Club activities are posted on the News page. Members also receive updates through the club's internal channels after joining.
Yes. Please email airoboticsclubpolyu@gmail.com and copy Prof. Weisong Wen at welson.wen@polyu.edu.hk with a short description of your organisation and what you have in mind, such as a talk, a site visit, competition sponsorship or a joint project.
Please email airoboticsclubpolyu@gmail.com and copy Prof. Weisong Wen at welson.wen@polyu.edu.hk.
Didn't find your answer?
Please email airoboticsclubpolyu@gmail.com and copy Prof. Weisong Wen at welson.wen@polyu.edu.hk, with your name, programme and year, and your question. Questions that come up often will be added here.