Neuro-X Seminar: Advancing Medical Intervention through Robotic Technologies

Abstract

Over the past decade, medical robotic technologies have crossed the chasm that lies between laboratory bench-top prototypes and commercial products, and made a significant clinical impact to the field of medical intervention such as the Intuitive Surgical’s da Vinci robots. Through the adoption of these technologies, a synergetic union of surgeon and robot has established and helped surgeons to overcome many limitations of the traditional treatment.  Next-generation medical robotic systems are now on the horizon and can significantly extend surgeons' ability to plan and carry out medical interventions more accurately and less invasively.
In this talk, we will review the background of the surgical robot, its present capabilities, limitations, and acceptance.  We will present some of our research efforts to extend the boundaries of medical intervention through advanced sensing, robotic technology, control algorithms, and AI.  We will also share some of the unique challenges in taking research concepts and prototypes toward medical products in a highly regulated healthcare industry. Particularly, we will share his personal experience in solving those challenges at Cornerstone Robotics(CSR) and discuss how CSR can potentially help to forge accessibility in robotic surgery.

Bio

Dr. Kwok Wai Samuel Au is currently a Professor of the Department of Mechanical and Automation Engineering and Department of Surgery (by courtesy) at CUHK, and the Founding Director of Multiscale Medical Robotics Center, InnoHK.  In Sept 2019, Dr. Au found Cornerstone Robotics and has been serving as the President and CEO of the company, aiming to improve the accessibility in robotic surgery.  Over four years, the company has grown from a few people to an over 400-people organization with three R&D centers, established in Hong Kong, Shenzhen, and Boston(USA).   Dr. Au received the B.Eng. and M.Phil degrees in Mechanical and Automation Engineering from CUHK in 1997 and 1999, respectively and completed his Ph.D. degree in Mechanical Engineering at MIT in 2007.  During his PhD study, Prof. Hugh Herr, Dr. Au, and other colleagues from MIT Biomechatronics group co-invented the MIT Powered Ankle-foot Prosthesis.
Before joining CUHK(2016), he was the manager of Systems Analysis of the New Product Development Department at Intuitive Surgical, Inc.  At Intuitive Surgical, he co-invented and was leading the software and control algorithm for the FDA cleared da Vinci Si Single-Site surgical platform (2012), Single-Site Wristed Needle Driver (2014), and da Vinci Xi Single-Site surgical platform (2016).  He was also a founding team member for the early development of Intuitive Surgical’s FDA cleared robot-assisted catheter system, da Vinci ION system from 2008 to 2012.

Dr. Au co-authored over 60 peer-reviewed manuscripts and conference journals, 17 granted US patents/EP, and 3 pending US Patents.  He has won numerous awards including the first prize in the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) Student Mechanism Design Competition in 2007, Intuitive Surgical Problem Solving Award in 2010, and Intuitive Surgical Inventor Award in 2011.