INTERNATIONAL HUMAN CENTERED TECHNOLOGY CONFERENCE 2024

BIOGRAPHY

Prof. Dr. Gou-Jen Wang received the B.S. degree on 1981 from National Taiwan University and the M.S. and PhD degree on 1986 and 1991 from the University of California, Los Angeles, all in Mechanical Engineering. Following graduation, he joined the Dowty Aerospace Los Angeles as a system engineer from 1991 to 1992. Dr. Wang joined the Mechanical Engineering Department at the National Chung-Hsing University, Taiwan on 1992 as an Associate Professor and has become a Professor on 1999. From 2003-2006, he served as the Division Director of Curriculum of the Center of Nanoscience and Nanotechnology. From 2007 to 2011, he was the Chairperson of the Graduate Institute of Biomedical Engineering, National Chung-Hsing University. From August 2015 to July 2021, he was the Dean of the College of Engineering. His research interests include micro electro-mechanical systems (MEMS)/nano electro mechanical systems (NEMS), nanostructured biosensors, nanofabrication, and tissue engineering.

KEYNOTE’S ABSTRACT

Surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) is an advancement of Raman, which can solve the shortcomings of Raman signals that are difficult to generate, susceptible to fluorescence interference, and cannot be quantified. However, the key to advancement is to have a good sensing chip. The requirements for a good chip are: (1) rough structure to increase surface area; (2) nanostructure of noble metals (such as gold and silver). Compared with Raman, the signal detected by SERS is the most significant vibration mode signal perpendicular to the plasma direction on the surface of the precious metal. Therefore, materials with composite structures and metal surface plasma are currently the most effective chip structure. The research team of the Graduate Institute of Biomedical Engineering, National Chung Hsing University, Taiwan has developed a series of Composite SERS nanochips, (CSN). The characteristic of this type of chip is the use of different matrices combined with nanoparticles (needles) to provide unique three-dimensional LSPR and hot spots. The first one is silver nanoparticles deposited photoresist microcone array (CSN1). The second one is silver nanoparticles embedded PDMS hole substrate (CSN2). The third one is to combine silver nanoparticles with specific Raman reporters to form surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy tags, which are then combined with a stack of silver nanoparticles to become CSN3. Using the SERS characteristics of CNS1~3 chips, our research team successfully detected COVID antibodies, HbA1c, and Neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin (NGAL), achieving the goal of label-free and quantitative rapid screening. The developed biosensing technology integrating with a portable Raman spectrometer can be effectively used in Point of Care Testing (POCT).

BIOGRAPHY

Adj. Prof. Dato’ Dr. Suhaini Kadiman is a distinguished Cardiac Anaesthesiologist and the Head & Senior Consultant at the National Heart Institute (IJN) in Malaysia. He holds several high-management roles at IJN, including as a member of the Management Committee, the Director of Clinical Research, the Chairman of the Research Committee, and the Chairman of the Data Analytic and Insight Committee. Dr. Suhaini’s academic journey began as a holder for Bachelor of Medical Science in 1992, followed by a Medical Doctorate in 1994, and a Master of Medicine in Anesthesiology in 2000, all from Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia. He then furthered his fellowship at the Papworth Hospital Cambridge UK in 2003 and add his qualifications by obtaining the US National Board of Echocardiography as Diplomate since 2004. Throughout his career, Dr. Suhaini has been recognized with multiple prestigious awards. In 2009, he was honored with the Pingat Pangkuan Negara by the DYMM Yang Di Pertuan Agong XIII. Later, in 2016 and 2021, he received the Darjah Indera Mahkota Pahang (DIMP) from the DYMM Sultan Pahang and the Tokoh Perdana Maulidur Rasul Award from the DYMM Deputy YDPA.

In academia, Dr. Suhaini serves as an Adjunct Professor at both Universiti Teknologi Malaysia and Universiti Teknologi MARA. His involvement in professional boards spans across several prestigious organizations, including the Academy of Medicine of Malaysia, the American Society of Cardiovascular Anesthesiologists, American National Board of Echocardiography, Asian Society of Cardiothoracic Anesthesia, Malaysian Society of Anaesthesiologists, and the Malaysian Association of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery. Dr. Suhaini has been instrumental in pioneering various advanced medical programs in IJN, including the Heart and Lung Transplant Program, Intraoperative Transesophageal Echocardiography (TEE), Minimally Invasive Mitral Valve Surgery, and endovascular Structural Heart Program. His expertise and research interests encompass a wide range of areas such as organ protection in cardiac surgery, perioperative use of dexmedetomidine, computer-assisted surgery and diagnostics, mechanical assist devices, post operative neuro cognitive dysfunction and healthcare data analytics.

 KEYNOTE’S ABSTRACT

The integration of real-world data (RWD) into healthcare decision-making has revolutionized patient care, complementing the traditional clinical trials, infact with better valuable insights. RWD, sourced from electronic medical records, patient registries and wearable devices, provides a comprehensive view of patient demographics, treatment effectiveness and long-term health outcomes. This paper highlights how the use of RWD at Institut Jantung Negara (IJN) enhances patient outcomes by facilitating personalized treatment plans, optimizing clinical workflows and supporting predictive analytics. Several case studies at IJN demonstrate the successful application of integrated RWD across various systems, yielding significant improvements. These include reductions in operating theatre (OT) cancellations, intensive care unit (ICU) length of stay and patient mortality and morbidity. Additionally, improvements in turnaround time for primary Percutaneous Coronary Intervention (PCI), reductions in heart failure patient readmission rates and the development of a patient bill estimation calculator based on individual risk assessments were achieved. These case studies illustrate how RWD can enhance disease management, streamline clinical operations, reduce healthcare costs and drive innovation in treatment approaches. Furthermore, this paper explores the challenges associated with RWD, such as data quality and privacy concerns, while also discussing the opportunities it presents for healthcare providers, researchers and policymakers to optimize patient care.

BIOGRAPHY

Prof. Dr. Jia-Jin J. Chen received the B.S. degree from Chung Yuan Christian University, Chung-Li, Taiwan, in 1980, and the M.S. and Ph.D. degrees from Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, in 1987 and 1990, respectively, all in biomedical engineering. He currently holds Distinguished Professor of Department of Biomedical Engineering, National Cheng Kung University (NCKU), Tainan, Taiwan. He was the founding chairman of the undergraduate biomedical engineering program in 2011 after 22 years of graduate school only program at NCKU. Prof. Chen is pioneer in promoting neural engineering in Taiwan. His previous work has been focused on control strategy of FES-cycling as well as brain mapping using near infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) for investigating neural plasticity of stroke subjects. His recent works involved in neuromodulation for rodent animals of parkinsonism as well as human subjects under various brain neuromodulation schemes. Prof. Chen was Editor-in-Chief of Journal of Medical and Biological Engineering (JMBE), published by Taiwanese Biomedical Engineering Society. He has promoted the JMBE to be listed in Science Citation Index, published by Journal Citation Reports in 2008 and ranked as one of the best regional journals on biomedical engineering. Before joined Supra Integration and Incubation Center (Si2C) to help organizing startup teams in a hub of biotech as Chief Technology Officer in 2013, he served committee member for Department of Industrial Technology (DoIT), Ministry of Economic Affairs. This position allowed Prof. Chen to review the grant proposals for medical device development in Taiwan. He also serves as Member of National Health Research Institute (NHRI, Taiwan) extramural research committee and was appointed as the organizer for biomedical engineering division, Department of Engineering and Applied Sciences, National Science Council, Taiwan, in 2013. He also served as two-term BioTaiwan Committee, Executive Yuan, policy platform for mapping out blueprints on biomedical industry and future development strategies in 2018 and 2020.

KEYNOTE’S ABSTRACT

With the advent of new technologies, digital health has recently begun to gradually transform the healthcare landscape. The digital health technologies include various information communication technology (ICT) tools and systems, such as electronic health records (EHRs), telemedicine, wearable devices, mobile apps, and artificial intelligence (AI) applications. We will first briefly review recent developments in the hierarchical subsets of digital health, namely digital medicine and digital therapeutics, from regulatory and validation perspectives. Compared to digital medicine focusing evidence-based software or hardware for diagnostic clinical decision-making, digital therapeutics (DTx) provides patient-centered interventions to treat and manage a broad spectrum of diseases and disorders. Especially, DTx might aim to change patient behavior and provide remote monitoring as homecare devices which should be regulated and demonstrated through robust clinical trials. Additionally, DTx emphasizes patient-centered and data-driven ecosystem to involve engagements of patient, clinician, and payer in healthcare reimbursement policy or insurance system.
Current development statues of DTx among several countries as well as future trend of DTx on technological advancements and expansion to new therapeutic areas with considering regulatory focuses will be reviewed. Updating DTx technologies for various clinical applications such as diabetics/oncology disease management, rehabilitation and mental health will be surveyed. In addition, our development of DTx beyond traditional areas on brain neuromodulation has been applied for stroke recovery and anxiety studies. Compared to invasive deep brain stimulation and bulky repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation, our DTx utilizes noninvasive brain neuromodulation using high-definition transcranial electrical stimulation (HD-tES) for intervention. In addition, portable functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) device has been developed for monitoring HD-tES treatment and for digital cognitive behavior therapy (dCBT). To fulfill unmet clinical needs and benefit patients, the ultimate goal of our DTx development is to commercialize these novel brain technologies through evidence-based clinical trials and by overcoming regulatory and reimbursement challenges. 

BIOGRAPHY

Prof. Ir. Ts. Dr. Ahmad Athif Mohd Faudzi is a distinguished researcher and engineer specializing in robotics, mechatronics, and system integration. He holds a B.Eng. in Computer Engineering and an M.Eng. in Mechatronics and Automatic Control from Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, as well as a Dr.Eng. in System Integration from Okayama University. His extensive industry experience includes his work with Koganei Corp. fellowship with Ericsson Malaysia Sdn. Bhd. Prof. Ahmad Athif is a Professional Engineer with a practicing certificate (Peng-PEPC), a Chartered Engineer (CEng), and a member of IEEE Robotics and Automation Society (IEEE-RAS) Malaysia and Persatuan Saintis Muslim Malaysia (PERINTIS). From 2019 to 2023, he served as the Director of the Centre for Artificial Intelligence and Robotics (CAIRO) at Universiti Teknologi Malaysia. His significant contributions to the field of robotics were recognized with the Top Research Scientist Malaysia (TRSM) award in 2020. Prof. Ahmad `Athif’s research primarily focuses on field robotics and bio-inspired robotics, where he has developed numerous tele-operated mobile robots and soft mechanism actuators. In 2022, he founded A2TECH Sdn Bhd, a spin-off company dedicated to tele-operation robotics solutions, bridging the gap between research and commercialization. Prof. Ahmad `Athif continues to drive innovation in robotics, making a substantial impact on both academic research and practical applications.

KEYNOTE’S ABSTRACT

Tele-operation robotics has emerged as a transformative technology in field robotics, enabling precise and efficient operations in challenging and hazardous environments. A2Tech, a pioneering UTM spin-off company, has developed advanced tele-operated robotic systems tailored for various applications, including ducting inspection, search and rescue, and agricultural mechanization. One of A2Tech’s notable innovations is the INSPECTo unit, designed for ducting inspection and maintenance. This system leverages tele-operation to navigate and inspect complex duct systems, ensuring thorough assessments without exposing human workers to hazardous conditions. Equipped with AI-assisted inspection capabilities, INSPECTo enhances the accuracy and efficiency of maintenance tasks. For early reconnaissance in search and rescue missions, A2Tech introduces the X3CAToR. This tele-operated robot is engineered to traverse difficult terrains and detect dangerous gases and radiation sources during disaster response scenarios. Its modular design allows for rapid deployment and customization, making it an invaluable tool for locating and assessing victims in disaster-stricken areas. In the agricultural sector, A2Tech’s RHINo robot revolutionizes palm oil mechanization. Utilizing tele-operation and AI, RHINo performs tasks such as loose fruit collection and fruit picking with improved efficiency. This innovation significantly reduces the need for manual labor, increasing productivity and safety in palm oil plantations. A2Tech’s commitment to advancing tele-operation robotics is evident in their modular approach and integration of AI technologies. These systems are designed to adapt to various field conditions, providing reliable and advanced solutions for inspections and operations in some of the most challenging environments. Through continuous innovation, A2Tech is setting new standards in the field of tele-operation robotics.