PAIR Seed Fund Project: Ageing-Related Neuromusculoskeletal Diseases Screening | PolyU Academy for Interdisciplinary Research (PAIR)

PAIR Seed Fund Project Name:

Screening and Assessment of Ageing-Related Neuromusculoskeletal Diseases Using Ultrasound Imaging Powered by AI and Robotics

Objectives:

Ultrasound imaging has been commonly used for diagnosis and assessment for different diseases in medical services, with its radiation-free feature. The rapid development of artificial intelligence (AI) and robotics makes ultrasound particularly suitable for tackling some grand challenges in neuromusculoskeletal functions of elder population. This project aims to develop and apply novel ultrasound techniques empowered by AI and robotics for the study, screening, assessment, and outcome measurement of some major ageing-related neuromusculoskeletal diseases, including dementia, stroke, swallowing disorder, low back pain, osteoarthritis, sarcopenia, fall, and spine degeneration.

Major deliverables generated from the project include: (1) new technologies and inventions of ultrasound imaging for ageing related neuromusculoskeletal diseases, with data analysis supported with AI and ultrasound scanning facilitated by robotics; (2) screening and assessment protocols of using ultrasound for screening and assessment of these diseases; and (3) new insights of these diseases to facilitate better management for them.

Key Research Outcomes

Published ten papers based on the research results
Submitted proposals to external funding schemes including: Theme-based Research Scheme (TRS), Strategic Topics Grant (STG)
Further efforts to license the technologies developed to related start-ups and big companies are currently underway

Ultrasound Imaging - noval AI powered technique

Noval Ultrasound Technologies

Swallowing Disorder Assessment

Dementia Assessment

Publications of this PAIR Seed Funding Project

Principal Investigators	Projects	PAIR Constituent Research Units	Published Articles	Impact Factor / Remarks
Prof. ZHENG Yongping	Screening and Assessment of Ageing-Related Neuromusculoskeletal Diseases Using Ultrasound Imaging Powered by AI and Robotics	Research Institute for Smart Ageing Research Institute for Artificial Intelligence of Things	Li, S., Shea, Q.T.K., Ling, Y.T., and Zheng, Y. (2024), "Investigation of 3D Vessel Reconstruction Under Doppler Imaging with Phantoms: Towards Reconstruction of the Circle of Willis", published in Ultrasonics.	IF: 3.8
Prof. ZHENG Yongping	Screening and Assessment of Ageing-Related Neuromusculoskeletal Diseases Using Ultrasound Imaging Powered by AI and Robotics	Research Institute for Smart Ageing Research Institute for Artificial Intelligence of Things	Wong, M.N., Wang, B.X., Sun, Y., Song, Z., Ng, H.Y., Lam, H.C., and Zheng, Y. (2024), "A Preliminary Study Estimating the Articulatory Space of Cantonese-Speaking Healthy Adults Using Ultrasound Tongue Imaging", Paper presented at Ultrafest XI.	N/A
Prof. ZHENG Yongping	Screening and Assessment of Ageing-Related Neuromusculoskeletal Diseases Using Ultrasound Imaging Powered by AI and Robotics	Research Institute for Smart Ageing Research Institute for Artificial Intelligence of Things	Luo, Y., Jie, Y., Luo, C., Li, M., Zheng, Y., Wong, M.S., and Ma, Z. (2024), "Investigating a Novel Non-Surgical Management for Adolescent and Adult Scoliosis Using Digitalized 3D Correction and Ultrasound Assessment: A Preliminary Feasibility Study", Paper presented at IRSSD 2024.	N/A
Prof. ZHENG Yongping	Screening and Assessment of Ageing-Related Neuromusculoskeletal Diseases Using Ultrasound Imaging Powered by AI and Robotics	Research Institute for Smart Ageing Research Institute for Artificial Intelligence of Things	Chan, M.S., Lam, W.Y., Kwong, E., Poon, S.S., Zheng, Y., and Yip, L.C. (2024), "Visualising Swallowing Muscle Wasting Through Patterns in the Muscle Morphology and Contraction Sequences on Ultrasound Imaging in Healthy and Ageing Individuals: A Pilot Study", Asian Journal of Gerontology and Geriatrics, 19(1), pp. 38-39.	IF: 0.133
Prof. ZHENG Yongping	Screening and Assessment of Ageing-Related Neuromusculoskeletal Diseases Using Ultrasound Imaging Powered by AI and Robotics	Research Institute for Smart Ageing Research Institute for Artificial Intelligence of Things	Lam, W.Y.S., Chan, M.S.W., Kwong, E., Rai, S., Leung, R.C.K., Zheng, Y., Poon, S.Y.S., Tsui, W.F., and Wong, T.S. (2024), "Effect of Ageing on Swallowing Movement Sequencing, Velocities, and Muscle Contraction Based on Non-Invasive Multimodal Swallowing Examination: A Pilot Study", Asian Journal of Gerontology and Geriatrics, 19(1), pp. 40.	IF: 0.133
Prof. ZHENG Yongping	Screening and Assessment of Ageing-Related Neuromusculoskeletal Diseases Using Ultrasound Imaging Powered by AI and Robotics	Research Institute for Smart Ageing Research Institute for Artificial Intelligence of Things	Huang, C., Song, Z., Luo, Y., Wong, Y.L., Yang, L., Zheng, Y., Fu, S.N., and Ma, Z. (2024), "Effect of Ultrasound-Imaging-Based Visual Feedback System for Ankle Dorsiflexor Strengthening in Stroke Survivors", Paper presented at ISPRM 2024.	N/A
Prof. ZHENG Yongping	Screening and Assessment of Ageing-Related Neuromusculoskeletal Diseases Using Ultrasound Imaging Powered by AI and Robotics	Research Institute for Smart Ageing Research Institute for Artificial Intelligence of Things	Lam, W.Y.S., Kwong, E., Chan, H.W.T., and Zheng, Y.-P. (2024), "Using Sequence Analyses to Quantitatively Measure Oropharyngeal Swallowing Temporality in Point-of-Care Ultrasound Examinations: A Pilot Study", Journal of Clinical Medicine, 13(8):2288.	IF: 4.96
Prof. ZHENG Yongping	Screening and Assessment of Ageing-Related Neuromusculoskeletal Diseases Using Ultrasound Imaging Powered by AI and Robotics	Research Institute for Smart Ageing Research Institute for Artificial Intelligence of Things	Zhou, E.F.M., Wong, A.Y.L., Zheng, Y.P., Lam, K.H.S., and Fu, S.N. (2024), "Reliability of Ultrasound Shear Wave Elastography for Evaluating Psoas Major and Quadratus Lumborum Stiffness: Gender and Physical Activity Effects", Ultrasound in Medicine and Biology, vol. 50, no. 4, pp. 564-570.	IF: 2.4
Prof. ZHENG Yongping	Screening and Assessment of Ageing-Related Neuromusculoskeletal Diseases Using Ultrasound Imaging Powered by AI and Robotics	Research Institute for Smart Ageing Research Institute for Artificial Intelligence of Things	Duan, A., Yang, C., Zhao, J., Huo, S., Zhou, P., Ma, W., Zheng, Y., and Navarro-Alarcon, D. (2024), "Safe Learning by Constraint-Aware Policy Optimization for Robotic Ultrasound Imaging", IEEE Transactions on Automation Science and Engineering, pp. 1-12.	IF: 5.6
Prof. ZHENG Yongping	Screening and Assessment of Ageing-Related Neuromusculoskeletal Diseases Using Ultrasound Imaging Powered by AI and Robotics	Research Institute for Smart Ageing Research Institute for Artificial Intelligence of Things	Kang, H., Wang, X., Sun, Y., Li, S., Sun, X., Li, F., Hou, C., Lam, S.K., Zhang, W., and Zheng, Y.P. (2024), "Automatic Transcranial Sonography-Based Classification of Parkinson's Disease Using a Novel Dual-Channel CNXV2-DANet", Bioengineering (Basel, Switzerland), 11(9), 889.	IF: 3.8