The University of Hong Kong

An interdisciplinary team of researchers from various Chinese universities have developed a miniature-sized continuous glucose monitoring system that works as effectively as market-leading systems. WHAT IT'S ABOUT The CGM sensor is made of an organic electrochemical transistor (OECT), which better amplifies signal-to-noise ratio than conventional sensors. It also features a minimally invasive microneedle array and a viscoelastic and diffusive hydrogel which stabilises the skin-device interface. WHY IT MATTERS In a study published in the peer-reviewed Science Advances journal, the OECT showed comparable sensitivity to the Dexcom G6, which was used as a reference device. "This fully integrated, wearable device promises enhanced antinoise ability, reliability, and wearability compared to traditional CGMs," claimed Shiming Zhang, study lead and a professor from The University of Hong Kong (HKU). Researchers noted that OECTs, based on organic mixed ion-electron conductors, "can operate in aqueous environments at low voltage with low power consumption while maintaining stable performance over months." This makes it "ideal" for detecting weak biosignals in living beings, they claimed. Until late, its practical application in wearable CGMs was unexplored. The research team, comprising professors from HKU, Zhejiang University, and Guangzhou Medical University, is now moving forward with the clinical application of their CGM system. MARKET SNAPSHOT In China, SiBionics and Zhejiang POCTech are known developers of globally accepted CGM systems. The world's leading CGM brand, Dexcom, has released the latest iteration of its device, which is progressively being made available across Asia-Pacific. It was recently announced that Dexcom G7 is set to provide direct Bluetooth connectivity to the Apple Watch. The device received the United States Food and Drug Administration clearance two years ago. Meanwhile, the latest innovation in wearable health technology in Singapore, a hydrogel-based sensor, utilises skin biomarkers to potentially monitor diabetes and heart conditions.

A research team from the Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine of the University of Hong Kong has developed an AI-powered mobile application that turns smartphones into a stethoscope to spot symptoms of heart diseases. HOW IT WORKS Called Vitogram, the app uses AI to analyse heart sounds, which are collected by placing the mobile phone on a user's chest. "Analysing heart sounds provides important health data comparable to that obtained by a doctor using a stethoscope," explained HKUMed associate professor Joshua Ho Wing-kei. Based on a clinical study at a public hospital in late 2023, the AI achieved an 81% accuracy in detecting valvular heart disease in approximately 363 study participants. Researchers now plan to expand their study to a larger, more diverse cohort and cover more heart disease symptoms. Meanwhile, Vitome, a spin-off company created to commercialise Vitogram, is preparing to launch their mobile stethoscope app overseas – particularly in Singapore and Malaysia – by partnerning with healthcare organisations. WHY IT MATTERS As of 2020, heart diseases rank third among common causes of death in Hong Kong. During the pandemic, many cases were said to be missed as people were restricted from getting in-person checkups. This inspired initial research at HKUMed to turn mobile phones into stethoscopes, enabling communities to conveniently spot heart diseases early. "This breakthrough technology has the potential to discover hidden valvular heart disease patients in the community, alerting them to seek early medical care," added Dr Wong Chun-ka, a cardiologist and a clinical assistant professor at HKUMed. By enabling regular self-checks, the app is also expected to help people take more control of their heart health and further prevent the potential progression of their existing heart conditions. MARKET SNAPSHOT A similar AI-enabled innovation in Singapore is a wearable stethoscope by Aevice Health. The device called AeviceMD detects and records chest sounds, which are screened for abnormalities related to respiratory diseases. Cleared in both Singapore and the United States, the smart stethoscope has been made available in Southeast Asia, enabled by Aevice Health's fund raise from East Ventures last year.

HONG KONG, July 17, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- In June 2024, a surgical team led by Professor Richard Y. Su and Dr. Jane J. Pu from the Faculty of Dentistry at The University of Hong Kong, in collaboration with United Imaging Intelligence (UII), has achieved a groundbreaking AI-assisted oral and maxillofacial reconstructive surgery using uAI MERITS platform. uAI MERITS platform, which stands for Metaverse Ecosystem for Robotic Intervention, Therapy, and Surgery, is powered by a large multimodal model for medicine. Overcoming Challenges in Oral and Maxillofacial Reconstructive Surgery Continue Reading Dr. Pu marks the perforator vessels for the fibula flap based on the projected 3D reconstructions of bones and vessels. The perforator vessels are visualized in purple. The intraoperative use of uAI MERITS This surgery helped a patient who had lost part of her mandible due to cancer by successfully reconstructing the mandible and restoring normal aesthetics and functions. The surgery involved the transplantation of a free fibular flap from the patient's lower leg, which encompassed bone, and soft tissue, to reconstruct the missing mandible and oral mucosa. At the same time, dental implants were placed in the newly transplanted bone, restoring the patient's masticatory functions, anatomical structures, and facial aesthetics. Maxillofacial reconstruction surgeries have been constrained by the complexity of anatomical structures, the high demands for aesthetics and functionality, and the necessity for surgical precision. In this case, the accurate identification and localization of perforator vessels within the soft tissue were pivotal to the success of mandibular reconstruction using a free fibula flap. In traditional approaches, it is imperative for surgeons to possess an exceptionally high-level of expertise and extensive surgical experience to minimize errors when localizing perforator vessels. Historically, physicians have relied on auxiliary tools such as ultrasound to estimate the location of these perforator vessels, a method that often lacks precision and fails to achieve optimal surgical outcomes. Moreover, the surgical process demands a significant expenditure of time and effort from the surgeons, who must manually compare and delineate between conventional cross-sectional CT images and the surgical site. This process poses considerable challenges to the efficiency and accuracy of the surgery. AI-Assisted Oral and Maxillofacial Reconstructive Surgery Achieves Outstand Results For the first time, Professor Su's team successfully completed an oral and maxillofacial reconstructive surgery with the assistance of a large multimodal model for medicine. The innovation of this technology lies in its ability to address the clinical challenge of surgeons relying on empirical knowledge and best estimates to locate perforating vessels during free flap harvesting surgery. This solution is achieved through a robust, large-scale transformer model trained on a diverse array of medical images for precise segmentation preoperatively, and a large multimodal model for 3D image and video registration, prospective projection, and dynamic visual tracking intraoperatively. This integrated approach significantly improves surgical efficiency and accuracy. Empowered by AI, the mandibular reconstruction surgery utilized the UII Discover - Runoff CTA system, an advanced intelligent system for evaluating the arteries of the lower extremity. This system facilitated rapid and automatic reconstruction of a comprehensive 3D model of the lower limb's arteries, bones, and skin, offering a multimodal, 360° rotational view. It intelligently identified and outlined the perforator vessels in the leg, and displayed them in various colors, which streamlined the preoperative planning process and enhanced surgical efficiency. During the surgery, the uAI MERITS system, which integrates advanced AI technologies such as large multimodal models and digital twins, played a pivotal role in enhancing precision and efficiency. It provided real-time projection of anatomy that intelligently and dynamically aligned the 3D reconstruction from the CTA system with the patient's surgical site, seamlessly adapting to patient movement without compromising the accuracy of the procedure. This goggle-free approach allowed for the rapid and precise delineation of the surgical field, significantly improving the precision and success rate of the surgery. The success of this oral and maxillofacial reconstructive surgery is a testament to the integration of cutting-edge technologies, such as AI and large multimodal models, with real-world medical use cases. It also marks the world's first oral and maxillofacial reconstructive surgery driven by a large multimodal model for medicine. Currently, the team has successfully completed three oral and maxillofacial reconstructive surgeries using the uAI MERITS platform. Notably, distinct from the first two free fibula flap surgeries, the third surgery marked a milestone by introducing another groundbreaking technique of harvesting the anterolateral thigh flap for the first time. At the International Society for Oral and Maxillofacial Rehabilitation Conference held in Hong Kong in June, Professor Su shared a successful case of using uAI MERITS for oral and maxillofacial reconstructive surgery, which garnered widespread attention from the attending experts and clinicians. Additionally, James J. Xia, M.D., Ph.D., Chief Medical Officer at United Imaging Intelligence, shared the latest advances of AI technology in the field of medicine. He expressed that the company will continue to collaborate with medical professionals to discover more clinical use cases and develop more clinical applications leveraging large model technology, thereby expanding possibilities for physicians and patients worldwide. Disclaimer: Products and features mentioned herein may not be commercially available in all countries. Their future availability cannot be guaranteed. SOURCE United Imaging Intelligence