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29th Congregation_01

The 29th Congregation

The 29th Congregation – Faculty of Engineering BME session was held successfully on 22 November! BME is proud to congratulate the graduates from the Master of Philosophy, Master of Science in Biomedical Engineering, Master of Science in Biomedical Engineering (Digital Health), Master of Science in Biomedical Engineering (Rehabilitation Engineering) and Bachelor of Science in Biomedical Engineering degree programmes. BME wishes all graduates every success as they embark on their new chapter! Congratulations also go to Ir Choi Pong Chi, Alex, Senior Electronics Engineer, HKSAR Department of Health, who received the Outstanding Alumni Award of PolyU Department of Biomedical Engineering! Ir Choi obtained the BSc in Health Technology in 2003 and MPhil in Biomedical Engineering in 2009 from PolyU. This award recognizes his professional achievement and significant contribution to the Department, PolyU and the community.

22 Nov, 2023

Asics Seminar_01

Chairman of Asics China Trading Dr Tsuyoshi Nishiwaki speaks at "Distinguished Sports Research Seminar Series - Sports Footwear Science"

Organised by the Research Institute for Sports Science and Technology (RISports), and co-organised by The Hong Kong Polytechnic University - Samaranch Sports Development Centre, and PolyU BME, the "Distinguished Sports Research Seminar Series - Sports Footwear Science" delivered by Dr Tsuyoshi Nishiwaki, Chairman of Asics China Trading and Senior Managing Director of Asics Greater China was successfully held on 17 November, which attracted over 150 PolyU staff and students, professionals and friends from the sports industry. This seminar covered the designs of performance running shoes and track spiked shoes based on gait analysis, computer aided structural modelling, specific functions and materials required. Latest innovations like the world’s lightest midsole material and application of 3D printing were also shared by Dr Nishiwaki.

17 Nov, 2023

Smart Ageing Hub Project Achievement Sharing Day_01

Jockey Club Smart Ageing Hub Project Achievement Sharing Day Summarises the fruitful results of six years to promote the applicationn of local gerontechnology

The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) hosted the Jockey Club Smart Ageing Hub Project Achievement Sharing Day on 3 November 2023, aiming to share the fruitful achievements of the Project with stakeholders in the gerontechnology (gerontech) field. The event brought together cross-disciplinary experts to share their experience and best practices and to discuss the future development of Hong Kong’s gerontech ecosystem. The welcome ceremony was officiated by Mr Chris SUN, Secretary for Labour and Welfare of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, Mr Bryan WONG, Head of Charities (Positive Ageing & Elderly Care) of The Hong Kong Jockey Club and Dr Miranda LOU, PolyU Executive Vice President. The event was attended by more than 300 cross-disciplinary representatives from the gerontech field including stakeholders from the elderly care industry, academia, and the business sector. An HKSAR Chief Executive’s Community Project since December 2017, the Jockey Club Smart Ageing Hub received a donation of over HK$47 million from The Hong Kong Jockey Club Charities Trust and is currently managed by the PolyU Department of Biomedical Engineering. The Project aims to tackle issues related to Hong Kong’s ageing population through the establishment of a cross-disciplinary network, in order to promote not only innovative gerontech solutions for elderly care, but also to enhance quality of life for the elderly. In her welcome remarks, Dr Lou stated, “PolyU is not an academic silo, but rather an integral part of the Hong Kong community. Whether it is scientific research or knowledge transfer, we must ensure that we contribute to the well-being of Hong Kong citizens. As an international city with an ageing population, we believe that utilising PolyU’s knowledge and technology to address the societal needs of the elderly is the most appropriate strategy for us. The Jockey Club Smart Ageing Hub aims to advance gerontech in order to foster a smart and age-friendly community. A Day Experience Centre is located on the PolyU campus to provide information on gerontech for elderly people and caregivers, and six elderly care service and rehabilitation service units have been invited to join as strategic partners in the development of Real-life Hostels. These Hostels are equipped with gerontech to enhance the quality of life for service users, who include the elderly and aged individuals with disabilities. This initiative aims to promote the application of technology in the industry, ultimately optimising the continuum of care.” In his welcome remarks, Mr Wong stated that The Hong Kong Jockey Club is committed to supporting older people to age with dignity and respect, and working with different partners to improve the elderly’s quality of life. “The Jockey Club Smart Ageing Hub Project has made remarkable achievements. We are very grateful for the efforts of the PolyU team and all the organisations and volunteers involved in the project. As gerontech becomes popular, the next step is to enhance the application of these tools. In the next three years, the Club will continue to cooperate with PolyU to improve the services of residential care homes for the elderly through technology,” Mr Wong said. Enhancing quality of service for the elderly and disabled individuals with gerontech solutions To improve the continuum of care services for the elderly and individuals with disabilities, the Project aims to reinforce the application of gerontech tools based on the specific needs of each elderly person and disabled service units, and to facilitate on-site visits at the Real-life Hostels by elderly care industry representatives with a view to encouraging the industry to effectively leverage technology to improve service quality. Furthermore, innovative PolyU technology solutions have been implemented in multiple Real-life Hostels. These solutions include the eNightLog bed-leaving monitoring system for enhancing overnight residential services, the smart toilet sensing system to ensure the safety of the elderly during toileting, and a detachable laser indicator to assist older adults in gait training activities. These gerontech solutions have not only benefited 3,500 elderly and disabled individuals, but also alleviated the burden and pressure on frontline healthcare workers. At the same time, through the practical experience of applying gerontech in six Real-life Hostels, the industry has gained valuable reference and insights on the application of gerontech solutions. Promoting gerontech applications in the community The Project team has established a Day Experience Centre on the PolyU campus, showcasing over 2,000 gerontech tools collected from around the world and integrated them into a categorised resource library. They have also organised over 1,200 activities for public education on gerontech, including guided tours, workshops and exhibitions. To further enhance public awareness of gerontech in Hong Kong, the Project team regularly organises the “Health Care Day” to provide health assessments, encouraging the public to utilise technology for their own personal health management. They have also collaborated with 12 District Health Centres (DHC) and DHC Expresses to establish “Gerontech Corners” and co-organised 35 thematic exhibitions with over 500 gerontech and assistive devices on show. In addition, community outreach activities have been conducted in partnership with various organisations promoting the use of technology in preventing chronic diseases. The Project has invited around 60 elderly care units to participate in trial programme of the PolyU research achievement the Smart Companion Robot. In total, these various activities have benefited over 40,000 individuals in Hong Kong, contributing to the widespread application of gerontech. The Project team has made remarkable contributions to the promotion and development of gerontech, earning widespread societal recognition and garnering support from The Hong Kong Jockey Club Charities Trust. In the next three years, the Project team will continue to provide gerontech support to the community and work hand in hand with 11 self-financing residential care homes for the elderly operated by small-to-medium NGOs. This collaboration aims to create more intelligent residential care homes, furthering the advancement of the elderly care industry and the community in embracing gerontech in response to the challenges presented by an ageing population.

9 Nov, 2023

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Dr Xiaoling Hu and research team develop first-of-its-kind multimodal robot empowering post-stroke ankle-foot telerehabilitation

The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) has achieved another breakthrough in rehabilitation device development. The Mobile Ankle-foot Exoneuromusculoskeleton is the first-of-its-kind multimodal robot for ankle-foot rehabilitation specifically designed for stroke patients with hemiplegia, which helps improve the motor function of their lower limb and walking ability. Powered by Internet of Things (IoT) technology, the device enables telerehabilitation for remote management of patients’ rehabilitation progress and allows them to undertake self-help rehabilitation exercises at home. Therapists can remotely monitor the rehabilitation progress of multiple patients. In recent years, Hong Kong has seen around 50,000 new cases of stroke annually, with 85% of patients experiencing varying degrees of impaired physical mobility. Regular, repeated and intensive rehabilitation training is critical for restoring the physical mobility of stroke patients, thereby alleviating post-stroke symptoms such as disability. However, due to overwhelming demand, access to daytime outpatient rehabilitation services in local hospitals and rehabilitation clinics is challenging. Consequently, stroke patients are often unable to undergo timely and routine rehabilitation exercises. Common functional impairments among stroke patients include foot drop and inversion, which significantly disrupt their daily lives. Developed by a research team led by Dr Hu Xiaoling, Associate Professor of the Department of Biomedical Engineering of PolyU, the Mobile Ankle-foot Exoneuromusculoskeleton is an innovative multimodal wearable robot for ankle-foot rehabilitation that integrates the advantages of exoskeleton, soft pneumatic muscles, tactile sensory feedback and neuromuscular electrical stimulation technology in one system. The device can not only correct foot drop and foot inversion effectively, but also improve the gait of stroke patients. Additionally, it can help improve balance while walking and contribute to rehabilitative neuroplasticity in the long term. Stroke patients with hemiplegia generally have weakened muscle strength and discoordination at their affected lower limb, especially in the foot and ankle. The Mobile Ankle-foot Exoneuromusculoskeleton can automatically detect patients’ gait events including the standing state, heel strike, heel off and toe off. The multimodal assistance from the device can help a patient stand firm on their affected foot with mechanical support from the exoskeleton and soft pneumatic muscles, learn to balance the plantar pressure and exert propelling force when walking with the vibration tactile feedback and neuromuscular electrical stimulation, and improve foot drop with the neuromuscular electrical stimulation. The Mobile Ankle-foot Exoneuromusculoskeleton features a lightweight design weighing about 400g which, together with its sportswear features, makes it more suitable for the hemiplegic patients to wear it unilaterally on their own. This device also has the advantage of low power consumption and can be used continuously for four hours with a 9V rechargeable battery, enabling patients to practice anytime, anywhere – at home, outdoors, or indoors. Other exoskeleton lower-limb robots available on the market, which rely solely on external force to assist patients in walking, they are of very limited value in improving ankle joint and muscle coordination for stroke patients with hemiplegia. These robots are also limited to use in hospitals and rehabilitation clinics due to their high weight and power consumption. As for conventional ankle-foot orthoses, these are prone to causing muscle atrophy and interference to patients regaining voluntary motor control over the ankle of the affected leg. Dr Hu stated, “Combining the research capabilities of the Department of Biomedical Engineering, Industrial Centre, School of Fashion and Textiles and Department of Computing, the Mobile Ankle-foot Exoneuromusculoskeleton is a testament to PolyU’s exceptional strength in interdisciplinary research. This research achievement provides stroke patients a better option for lower limb rehabilitation training, incorporating the training into their daily activities. It also enables therapists to provide tele-supervision of the rehabilitation progress of multiple patients. We hope such flexible self-help training can effectively supplement traditional outpatient rehabilitation services, helping stroke patients achieve more efficient rehabilitation progress.” Dr Hu’s research team is collaborating with several local and Mainland hospitals and rehabilitation clinics to conduct clinical studies on the Mobile Ankle-foot Exoneuromusculoskeleton. Research studies have confirmed that rehabilitation training for stroke patients using the device is 40% more effective for stroke rehabilitation than applying external mechanical forces alone. Among the 12 patients participating in the clinical studies who completed a 1.5-month training programme consisting of 20 one-and-a-half-hour sessions, ankle dorsiflexion improved from an initial five degrees to 10 degrees without equipment assistance, approaching the normal level of 15 degrees. In addition, more than 90% of the patients successfully corrected their foot inversion. The research team also utilised IoT technology to record patients’ rehabilitation progress via a mobile app. This approach, incorporating functions such as real-time monitoring and progressive evaluation, as well as personalised guidance and reminders, enables patients to effectively engage in rehabilitation training even without the physical presence of a therapist, thereby improving patient engagement and treatment outcomes. The rehabilitation progresses of multiple patients can be matched to each other via the app for fostering mutual support and companionship throughout their training journey. It also enables therapists to provide remote monitoring and supervision on the progress of multiple patients, ensuring that rehabilitation proceeds smoothly. Dr Hu’s research team plans to commercialise the Mobile Ankle-foot Exoneuromusculoskeleton next year. In 2021, she co-founded the startup Thecon Technology (HK) Limited, which has been supported by the Incu-Bio Programme of Hong Kong Science and Technology Parks. Last year, the startup successfully launched a mobile exoneuromusculoskeleton for upper limb rehabilitation, the “Mobilexo Arm”, onto the market. This product has been adopted by a number of local and Mainland hospitals and rehabilitation clinics.

1 Nov, 2023

HK Arthritis Day_01

2023 Hong Kong Arthritis Day raise public awareness of arthritis

On 15 October, the 2023 Hong Kong Arthritis Day (2023 香港關節健康日) took place on PolyU campus and was attended by over 200 senior citizens and the general public who are concerned about the arthritis-related challenges. Arthritis is a widespread condition that affects millions of people worldwide, causing chronic pain and discomfort. Co-organised by PolyU BME and HKU Department of Orthopaedics and Traumatology, this event aimed to raise public awareness of arthritis and its impacts on individuals, families, and communities. The event began with the welcome speeches from Ir Prof. Yongping Zheng, Chair Professor of Biomedical Engineering and Director of Research Institute for Smart Ageing and Jockey Club Smart Ageing Hub at PolyU, Dr Lewis Chan, Clinical Associate Professor of HKU Department of Orthopaedics and Traumatology and Dr Chunyi Wen, Associate Professor of PolyU BME. Dr Lewis Chan, Dr Chor-yin Lam, Clinical Associate Professor, and Dr Lawrence Lau, Clinical Assistant Professor of HKU Department of Orthopaedics and Traumatology delivered education talks on the introduction to arthritis and the treatment and pain management. Mr Desmond Yeung, Advanced Practising Physiotherapist of MacLehose Medical Rehabilitation Centre, hosted the patient’s sharing session and demonstrated physiotherapy management for osteoarthritis of the knee. Ms Terri Ng, Department Manager (Occupational Therapy) of MacLehose Medical Rehabilitation Centre, demonstrated the Qigong practice with mobile application, and recommended some joint protection and leisure activities. The experts later joined together to answer the questions from the participants at the open forum. Exhibition booths were also set up at the Logo Square which showcased the gerontechnology products and devices, as well as medical devices and equipment.

18 Oct, 2023

Dexter_IAAM

Dr Dexter Wong admitted as Fellow of International Association of Advanced Materials

Dr Dexter Siu-hong Wong, Research Assistant Professor of BME, was admitted as the Fellow of International Association of Advanced Materials (IAAM) in recognition for his contribution to “Advancement of Materials to Global Excellence”. Dr Wong was invited to deliver IAAM Fellow Lecture on “Nanobiomaterials for Biomedical Diagnosis, Engineering and Therapy” in the 55th Assembly of Advanced Materials Congress from 28 to 31 August 2023 at Stockholm, Sweden. IAAM is a renowned non-profit international scientific research organization active in the world of advanced materials. The organization works to facilitate a highly interactive community of advanced materials researchers and to stimulate partnerships, collaborations, and joint ventures that can translate into the rapid development of the scientific world. The Fellow of IAAM is recognized as a prestigious title that is only conferred upon deserving researchers who have made significant contribution to the world of Advanced Materials Science, Engineering, and Technology. By honouring the researchers and scientific elites with this coveted title, IAAM recognizes their hard work and also hopes to motivate the young and upcoming researchers to take research up as a long-term career. Dr Wong has also recently published the research article “Mechanical manipulation of cancer cell tumorigenicity via heat shock protein signaling” on “Science Advance”.

26 Sep, 2023

Cambodia Trip 2023_1

BME completed the first international service-learning trip in Cambodia

BME hosts the service-learning subject “Reducing the Scientific Divide in Primary and Secondary Students through STEM Projects”, and completed the first international service-learning trip in Phnom Penh, Cambodia from 16 to 28 August 2023. Led by Dr Hin-chung Lau, Senior Teaching Fellow and Ms Jessie Kar, Instructor of BME, the trip was joined by 23 PolyU students from 14 academic departments. The service-learning subject aims to raise students’ awareness of the difficulties and challenges faced by children and teenagers studying in underprivileged schools, educate students about the impact of scientific thinking and literacy on young people and the general community, enhance students’ generic competencies of innovative problem solving, communication and teamwork and nurture their sense of social awareness, responsibility and engagement. BME partnered with Royal University of Phnom Penh (RUPP) and Cambodian Organization for Living and Temporary-care (COLT) to organise three main service projects, including (i)the STEM Fun Day with around 100 rural children, (ii)four half-day STEM Workshops for 32 three- to six-year-old underprivileged children from COLT and (iii)a robotic car workshop and competition for 40 COLT students which spent around four half days. In addition to the service projects, community understanding programme, historical programme and team building activities were also included in the 13-day trip. For example, the students visited the garbage dump and slum, the S21 Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum and the PBC Norodom. Before they left Cambodia, the PolyU students and their RUPP groupmates conducted final presentations and made videos to recap the service projects and their reflection on understanding the needy, the impact of the project and their learning. Students expressed how meaningful the projects were which allow them to dedicate their time, effort and knowledge to guide and inspire the children at the workshops, and hopefully created a long-lasting positive impact on them to pursue learning in the future.

14 Sep, 2023

Germany Study Tour 2022-23 (1)

Fourteen students joined BME Study Tour 2022/23 in Germany

In June 2023, fourteen students from the BME 2021 Cohort embarked on a Study Tour in Germany. They visited the trade fair REHAB to discover the latest advancements in rehabilitation technology and engaged with esteemed institutions like the Technical University of Darmstadt and the Berliner Hochschule für Technik to broaden their engineering knowledge. The students also explored the Berlin Museum of Medical History of the Charité and the Deschutes Museum to gain insights into the evolution of healthcare practice. These immersive experiences have inspired the students enormously and fueled their passion in the continuous pursuit of innovation in the field of Biomedical Engineering.  

13 Sep, 2023

YP_Forbes Asia

Ir Professor Yongping Zheng’s startups listed on Forbes Asia 100 To Watch 2023

Three startups nurtured by The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) have been listed in the newly-released Forbes Asia 100 To Watch 2023. Two of them - Eieling Medical Limited and Telefield Medical Imaging Limited - were co-founded by Ir Prof. Yongping Zheng, Henry G. Leong Professor in Biomedical Engineering, Chair Professor of Biomedical Engineering, and Director of Research Institute for Smart Ageing at PolyU. This year’s Forbes Asia 100 to Watch list spotlights small companies and startups that are targeting underserved markets or applying new technologies. Thirteen countries and regions are represented across 11 categories, including biotechnology and healthcare, e-commerce and retail, and finance. The PolyU-nurtured companies are among 15 startups from Hong Kong. Established in 2018, Eieling is a technology development company in advanced medical ultrasound imaging devices. Prof. Zheng and his PolyU research team combined transient elastography diagnostic technology with a real-time ultrasound image guided system to develop a solution called Liverscan® for liver fibrosis assessment. Liverscan® is a low-cost, palm-sized, and wireless device, allowing medical staff to perform liver checkups on patients anytime, anywhere. Eieling has been supported by the Incu-Bio Programme of Hong Kong Science and Technology Parks and the PolyU Tech Launchpad Fund, as well as secured funding from an industrial partner and several private investors. Clinical trials are now being conducted on the device in several major hospitals in Mainland China and Hong Kong, with a plan for local release this year, registration in Mainland China in 2024 and the United States in 2025, and a full-scale worldwide launch in 2026. Prof. Zheng said, “I have been working in the area of ultrasound for over 30 years, and the innovations in medical ultrasound have the potential to benefit many people in need. I have tried different ways to do technology transfer, including consultancy projects, patent licensing, and collaborative research. I have decided to further engage in technology transfer to enable our university inventions to generate a greater impact and provide more opportunities to my team members through startups. While the process is challenging, we can have better control over the initial development of the product and gain a better understanding of what the real world actually needs, which will guide us in planning for future research and development. I am very happy that our approach fits very well with PolyU’s strategic mission to be an innovative world-class university. Meanwhile, I learned that a start-up needs a CEO with professional experience to operate it when it enters a certain stage, and it is important for further growth.” Founded in 2012, Telefield is a leading global provider of 3D ultrasound imaging technology, equipment and solutions. Prof. Zheng and his PolyU research team have developed a safer and more cost-effective scoliosis assessment system, applying 3D ultrasound imaging technology to generate a radiography-like image of the spine. This breakthrough in assessing spinal deformity, especially in adolescents, is behind the pioneering medical system Scolioscan®. With more than 120 filed or granted patents, Scolioscan® can measure spinal curvature as accurately as X-ray. As the world’s first and only ultrasound scoliosis assessment system, Scolioscan® is currently in use in hospitals and clinics in countries and regions including Australia, Bosnia, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Poland, Thailand, Romania, Malaysia, Thailand, Mainland China, Macao and Hong Kong, and has helped reduce harmful exposure to radiation for more than 20,000 scoliosis patients worldwide. Telefield has so far secured more than HK$100 million in funding for this innovative project. In April 2023, Telefield achieved the Pre-A round financing totalling nearly HK$40 million, with investors including Fosun Pharma, AEF Greater Bay Area Fund (managed by Gobi GBA), PolyU Entrepreneurship Investment Fund and other industry investors. As an innovative world-class university driven by its motto, “To learn and to apply, for the benefit of mankind”, PolyU is committed to creating societal impact by advancing knowledge transfer and entrepreneurship. The University has been providing staunch support to students, alumni and faculty members, to enable them to pursue interdisciplinary research in addressing the world’s most pressing challenges and nurture impactful innovation, as well as translate PolyU’s research excellence into practical real-world applications. To date, PolyU has nurtured more than 480 startups, including over 60 academic-led initiatives, four unicorns and quite a number of ponies.

4 Sep, 2023

PO Forum01

Prosthetics & Orthotics practitioners and researchers gather at P&O Forum

With aims to review the developments of prosthetics and orthotics in Hong Kong and the vicinity from different stakeholders (education, service & research), and to nurture more collaboration opportunities with different stakeholders, the Prosthetics & Orthotics Forum was organised by PolyU BME on 18 August 2023 on PolyU campus, and was attended by over 50 P&O practitioners, researchers and research students. Convened by Ir Professor Ming Zhang, Head of Department and Chair Professor of Biomechanics of BME, and Professor M. S. Wong, Professor of BME and President of the International Society for Prosthetics and Orthotics Hong Kong, the Forum began by having Prof. Zhang giving an overview of BME and introduction P&O developments in the Department to the participants. Ms Margaret Ho, P&O COC Coordinator of the Hospital Authority (HA), talked about the P&O developments in the public sector, and how it shifted the focus from survival to functional, then to the quality of life. She also introduced the clustering of P&O service in HA, and the advanced service developments in P&O and the advanced biomedical technology. Mr Mario Chan, Chief P&O of the Allied Health Rehabilitation Centre, was not able to join the Forum in person, but presented the P&O developments in the private sector through a vivid video. He shared how he started his career in the Mainland China in 2004 and the challenges he faced. He then moved back to Hong Kong in 2012 and applied his experience and skills to provide efficient services to patients in the private sector, who highly value quality, performance and effectiveness. Mr Wilson Chan, President of the Hong Kong Society of Certified Prosthetist-Orthotists (HKSCPO), talked about the P&O developments in the local professional society. He first introduced the Society, such as the certification requirement, membership growth, professional and academic trainings, CPD schemes, etc. Mr Chan also talked about the development trend in different aspects, including image/data capture, components, scope, manufacturing and materials. He also displayed the current applications of 3D printing in P&O which was regarded as a new trend. At last, Prof. M. S. Wong introduced the P&O developments in the international professional society. The vision, mission and recent activities of the International Society for Prosthetics and Orthotics were introduced. The recent conferences held in Asia via online meetings and the coming physical meetings were also mentioned and promoted. Some trends of P&O developments have been introduced such as application of big data analytics and artificial intelligence to P&O research and services. Close collaborations among different stakeholders have been highly recommended. After the presentations from the speakers, the participants were then engaged in an open discussion regarding the P&O practices in the public and private sectors and how different practices are in different countries and regions. The Forum was concluded with a dinner joined by the speakers and participants.

21 Aug, 2023

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