Our university's Hubei Provincial Key Laboratory of Optical Information and Pattern Recognition, guided by the principle of serving the development of the optical electronic information industry in Hubei Province, focuses on four major research directions: fundamental research in optical information, spectral technology and optical functional materials, optical sensing and information acquisition, and pattern recognition and intelligent systems. It has continuously enhanced its scientific research innovation capabilities and talent construction levels, achieving remarkable progress in laboratory construction. Recently, in the 2024 performance evaluation of key laboratories announced by the Hubei Provincial Department of Science and Technology, the laboratory was rated as an "excellent and benchmark laboratory". Meanwhile, in 2025, the laboratory has made breakthroughs in scientific research innovation, talent team building, and serving industrial development.

In terms of scientific research and innovation, the laboratory has achieved internationally influential results by focusing on cutting-edge research directions. Dr. Ma Liang, a young backbone of the laboratory, published the first Science sub-journal paper of the university as the first author. In terms of talent team building, the laboratory adheres to the concept of "parallel emphasis on introduction and cultivation, and coordinated development", actively introduces and cultivates high-level innovative talents and young scientific research backbones, and continuously improves the talent echelon structure. By 2025, the laboratory will introduce and cultivate more than ten outstanding talents, including one full-time national-level young talent and one part-time national-level specially-appointed expert, and cultivate two young backbones to be selected into the talent plan of the provincial science and technology department. In terms of serving industrial development, Professor Tong Weijun's team of the laboratory successfully developed the first domestic 10-kilowatt atmospheric pressure microwave plasma preform external deposition equipment, overcame the technical difficulties of local multi-physical field regulation of plasma, achieved high-quality preparation of large-sized and irregular preforms, and effectively solved the technical bottleneck in the field of special optical fiber material preparation.

Looking to the future, the laboratory will continue to focus on innovative research in the fields of optical information and pattern recognition, strengthen the output of original achievements and breakthroughs in key "bottleneck" technologies, and strive to build itself into a benchmark platform for regional scientific and technological innovation.