Disclaimer: Perpustakaan Tun Abdul Razak,UiTM
This material may be protected under Malaysia Copyright Act which governs the making of photocopies, reproductions or copyrighted materials. You may use the digitized materials for study or research.
A robot in every Hong Kong hospital? One man’s vision to tackle surgeon shortfall
By EDDIE LEEThursday, 01 Sep 2022 4:00 PM MYT
Professor nominated in innovation category of Hong Kong Spirit Awards for making a difference in the healthcare system. Researcher plans to put at least one affordable, safe and effective surgical robot in every hospital in the country. — SCMP
Professor Samuel Au Kwok-wai envisions a future powered by medical robots that can tackle surgeons’
shortfalls in Hong Kong. And he intends to build them himself.
Headline A robot in every Hong Kong hospital one mans-vision to
tackle surgeon shortfall Language English
Media Title The Star Section/Page No Education
Date September 1, 2022 Journalist Christina Chin
Source https://www.thestar.com.my/tech/tech- news/2022/09/01/a-robot-in-every-hong-kong- hospital-one-mans-vision-to-tackle-surgeon-shortfall
Remarks Robotic Engineering, Biomedical Engineering.
Disclaimer: Perpustakaan Tun Abdul Razak,UiTM
This material may be protected under Malaysia Copyright Act which governs the making of photocopies, reproductions or copyrighted materials. You may use the digitized materials for study or research.
The researcher from the Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK) said he was concerned that the demand for surgeons’ services kept outstripping supply, not only locally but also in mainland China, with an aging population and more elderly people needing surgery, while training in the field remained inadequate.
“It’s a nationwide problem,” Au noted, adding that this capacity challenge motivated him to carry out research into medical robotics.
The researcher said many academic studies and clinical trials showed that surgical robots, which could perform delicate and complex tasks and help less experienced surgeons hone their craft, might increase productivity and resolve the healthcare system bottleneck.
But he pointed out that the high prices of imported state-of-the-art models could put off potential users, especially underfunded hospitals on the mainland.
“That prompted me and my team to reflect on whether we can do more for patients,” he said.
In 2019, the researcher founded a start-up to develop a system aimed at facilitating the wider practice of robotic surgery in cancer treatment. The start-up is called Cornerstone Robotics.
Disclaimer: Perpustakaan Tun Abdul Razak,UiTM
This material may be protected under Malaysia Copyright Act which governs the making of photocopies, reproductions or copyrighted materials. You may use the digitized materials for study or research.
Au said his team attached importance to affordability when developing safe and effective surgical robots. “We designed about 90% of the parts ourselves and had them manufactured on the mainland,”
he said, explaining how he lowered production costs.
He said an increased capacity made possible by the availability of affordable surgical robots could help the healthcare system meet patient needs.
“It is satisfying to see our robots have an impact on patient’s quality of life,” Au said.
His efforts to make a difference in the healthcare system have earned him a nomination in this year’s Spirit of Hong Kong Awards.
The annual event, co-organized by the South China Morning Post and property developer Sino Group, honour the achievements of remarkable people whose endeavor’s may otherwise go unnoticed.
Professor Philip Chiu Wai-yan of CUHK’s medicine faculty recommended Au for the innovation award category, which recognizes individuals behind breakthrough technologies or innovation that benefits society.
Au, a faculty member at Chinese University’s department of mechanical and automation engineering, said he always had a keen interest in building robots.
When developing the robotic surgical system, he said it was important to identify clinical requirements and translate them into well-defined engineering criteria before working out a solution.
The researcher said he had bridged the gap by connecting the two professions.
Noting the potential for surgery automation, he said he would continue to improve products and keep them affordable.
“I hope there will be at least one surgical robot at every hospital,” Au said. – South China Morning Post
