2024 International Conference on Rehabilitation Engineering and Assistive Technology & the 1st World Rehabilitation Robot Convention Kicks Off in Shanghai

August 24, 2024The International Conference on Rehabilitation Engineering and Assistive Technology & World Congress on Rehabilitation Robots Grandly Opens in Yangpu District, Shanghai.Conference Duration8Month23Day-26On [date], jointly hosted by the Asian Alliance for Rehabilitation Engineering and Assistive Technology, the China Association of Rehabilitation Aids, and the University of Shanghai for Science and Technology, the world’s largest academic organizationIEEETechnical Organizer, Chinese Association of Rehabilitation Medicine,Chinese Society of Biomedical EngineeringCo-organized by the China Association of Rehabilitation for Disabled Persons and the World Federation for Neurorehabilitation; supported by the Professional Committee on Rehabilitation Engineering and Industry Promotion of the Chinese Association of Rehabilitation Medicine, the Professional Committee on Rehabilitation Equipment of the China Association of Assistive Technology, the Shanghai Association of Rehabilitation Aids, the Shanghai Engineering Research Center for Rehabilitation Equipment, the Ministry of Education Engineering Research Center for Intelligent Traditional Chinese Medicine Rehabilitation, and the Shanghai Biopharmaceutical Industry Promotion CenterCo-organized by.Professor Yu Hongliu, President-Elect of the Asian Alliance for Rehabilitation Engineering and Assistive Technology, served as the Conference Chair.

The conference was attended by one foreign dignitary, four presidents of international organizations, several leaders of domestic academic societies and associations, and more than ten Chinese and foreign academicians. It brought together over 300 distinguished experts and scholars from more than 20 top-tier international universities—including Harvard, Oxford, Imperial College London, UC Berkeley, Columbia University, and ETH Zurich—as well as from over 50 renowned Chinese universities. In addition, approximately 1,000 attendees, including prominent entrepreneurs and rehabilitation professionals from China and abroad, participated in the event. Ms. Zhang Haidi, former Chairperson of the China Disabled Persons’ Federation and President of Rehabilitation International, also attended the conference to provide guidance.

At the opening ceremony, more than 30 Chinese and foreign academicians and renowned experts attended the conference, including Academician Zhuang Songlin of the Chinese Academy of Engineering, Academician Chu Junhao of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Professor Robert Riener from ETH Zurich (known as the father of the Cybathlon and a world-renowned expert in rehabilitation robotics), Professor Jose L. Pons from Northwestern University (a renowned expert in rehabilitation robotics), Professor Etienne Burdet from Imperial College London (a world-renowned expert in rehabilitation robotics), and Professor Sunil K. Agrawal from Columbia University (a world-renowned expert in rehabilitation robotics). The President of the Global Assistive Technology Alliance also attended the event. Distinguished guests such as Academician Dong Erdan, Academician Gu Yudong, and Academician Dai Kerong of the Chinese Academy of Engineering, Chen Lidian, President of the Chinese Association of Rehabilitation Medicine, and Peng Yi, Secretary-General of the Chinese Society for Biomedical Engineering, sent video congratulatory messages to the conference.

Zheng Yuanchang, Party Secretary of the National Research Center for Rehabilitation Technical Aids; Kong Deming, Director of the China Assistive Technology Center for Persons with Disabilities; Zhang Yinliang, Vice Chairman of the China Disabled Persons’ Federation; Peng Mingqiang, Party Secretary and Executive Vice President of the Chinese Association of Rehabilitation Medicine; Cao Yuejin, Executive Vice Chairman and Secretary-General of the China Association of Rehabilitation of Disabled Persons; Xu Jianguang, Chair of the Education, Science, Culture, Health and Sports Committee of the Shanghai Municipal People’s Congress and Director of the Ministry of Education Engineering Research Center for Intelligent Traditional Chinese Medicine Rehabilitation; Du Songquan, Chairman of the Shanghai Disabled Persons’ Federation; Zhou Haiying, District Mayor of Yangpu District; Zhang Yanping, Deputy Secretary of the Party Committee of the Shanghai Municipal Education and Health Work Commission; Cao Hongming, Second-Level Inspector of the Shanghai Municipal Science and Technology Commission and Director of the Biomedical Industry Division; Shen Min, Deputy Director of the Shanghai Municipal Civil Affairs Bureau; Wang Hao, Deputy District Mayor of Yangpu District, Shanghai; Wang Lingyu, Party Secretary of the University of Shanghai for Science and Technology; Zhang Zhong, Vice President of the University of Shanghai for Science and Technology; He Yongzheng, Chairman of Xiangyu Medical Equipment Co., Ltd.; Shuai Mei, Chairman of Beijing Daai Robotics Technology Co., Ltd.; Peng Zhifeng, Chairman of Shenzhen Zuowei Technology Co., Ltd.; and Xing Jinqiu, Chairman of Guangzhou Yikang Medical Equipment Co., Ltd., along with other elites from government, industry, academia, and research sectors, gathered in Shanghai to jointly herald the most resonant voice of the rehabilitation era.

Zhang Zhong, Vice President of the University of Shanghai for Science and Technology, presided over the opening ceremony of the conference.

Professor Yu Hongliu, as the Conference Chair, delivered a welcome address at the opening ceremony of the conference.

Professor Sarun Sumriddetchkajorn, President of the Asian Federation for Rehabilitation Engineering and Assistive Technology, delivered an address.

Wang Lingyu, Party Secretary of the University of Shanghai for Science and Technology, delivered an address.

Zhou Haiying, District Mayor of Yangpu District, Shanghai, delivered a speech.

Yan Heping, President of the China Rehabilitation Appliances Association, delivered a video address.

Peng Mingqiang, Secretary of the Party Committee and Executive Vice President of the Chinese Association of Rehabilitation Medicine, delivered an address.

Zhang Yanping, Deputy Secretary of the Party Committee of the Shanghai Municipal Education and Health Work Commission, delivered a speech.

Opening Remarks by Zhang Haidi, President of Rehabilitation International (RI)

The 2024 International Conference on Rehabilitation Engineering and Assistive Technology (ICREATe) and the Launch Ceremony of the World Rehabilitation Robotics Conference (WRRC) were officially inaugurated by Academician Zhuang Songlin of the Chinese Academy of Engineering, Academician Chu Junhao of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Conference Chair Yu Hongliu, Sarun Sumriddetchkajorn (Chair of CREATe Asia), Xu Jianguang (Former President of Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine and Co-Chair of the ICREATe Conference), Fang Guoen (Former President of the Chinese Association of Rehabilitation Medicine and Director of the Association’s Expert Committee), Du Songquan (Chairman of the Shanghai Disabled Persons’ Federation), Shen Min (Deputy Director of the Shanghai Civil Affairs Bureau), Professor Robert Reiner from ETH Zurich (Co-Chair of WRRC), Wei Tech Ang (Co-Founder of CREATe Asia and Co-Chair of WRRC), Wang Hao (Deputy District Mayor of Yangpu District, Shanghai), and Cao Hongming (Director of the Biomedical Division of the Shanghai Municipal Science and Technology Commission and Second-Level Inspector).

This highly anticipated event has returned to Shanghai, China, after a six-year hiatus. From the 2018 theme of “Cooperation and Innovation – Making the World Accessible” to this year’s theme of “Technology Empowering the Future of Rehabilitation,” the central axis of technological innovation has illuminated the path forward for rehabilitation. Centered on the theme “Technology Empowering the Future of Rehabilitation,” this conference focuses on foundational issues in rehabilitation engineering and assistive technologies within the fields of rehabilitative therapy, rehabilitation nursing, and accessible interaction design. It also highlights cutting-edge technological trends, including intelligent rehabilitation and rehabilitation robotics, technology-enabled elderly care and smart caregiving robots, future rehabilitation and humanoid robots, technological innovation in rehabilitation and TCM-based intelligent rehabilitation, regenerative rehabilitation and bionic prosthetics, rehabilitation robotics and standardization, as well as home-based rehabilitation and the Internet of Things (IoT) for rehabilitation. By bringing together top global experts in rehabilitation engineering and medicine, alongside industry leaders from government, industry, academia, research, and healthcare sectors, the conference aims to create a premier global event with greater international influence, jointly exploring the development of the rehabilitation engineering industry, supporting the silver economy, and co-creating a better future.

Shanghai serves as a key platform for showcasing cutting-edge technologies in the rehabilitation sector, both in China and globally. At this year’s conference, the three main segments—conference forums, exhibitions, and innovation and entrepreneurship competitions—comprehensively highlighted advanced rehabilitation technologies. Among these, the conference forums invited10Numerous Chinese and foreign academicians, as well as experts from Harvard University, the University of Oxford, Imperial College London, the University of California, Berkeley, Columbia University, ETH Zurich, and other institutions20Numerous top international universities and domestic50Experts and scholars from numerous prestigious universities, as well as representatives from a wide range of industry enterprises and the medical sector,Established platforms for academic exchange, industrial investment, integration of medicine and engineering, and cross-sector collaboration, providing a rich and conducive environment for the translation of rehabilitation technology achievements into practical applications and their industrial development!

The conference featured a paper competition for educators, a challenge competition for university students, and an entrepreneurship competition for social teams, thereby further empowering the discovery and aggregation of rehabilitation talent. i-CREATe 2024 received 168 submissions, accepted 115 papers, and awarded 16 Best Paper Awards across 14 categories and 5 Best Presentation Awards across 2 categories. WRRC 2024 received 71 submissions, accepted 47 papers, and awarded 13 Best Paper Awards across 11 categories and 4 Best Presentation Awards across 2 categories. The Innovation and Entrepreneurship track received over 200 projects; 72 projects advanced to the finals of the Challenge Competition, with 48 ultimately receiving awards such as Gold, Silver, Bronze, Best Poster Award, and Best Pitch Award. Forty-two projects advanced to the finals of the Entrepreneurship Competition, with 24 ultimately receiving awards such as Gold, Silver, Bronze, Best Poster Award, Best Pitch Award, Most Market-Valuable Award, and Excellence Award.

The Finals of the Global University Student Challenge

Finals of the Global Rehabilitation Robotics Startup Competition

During the conference, the finals of the Global University Student Challenge and the Global Rehabilitation Robotics Entrepreneurship Competition were held, with numerous projects vying for attention and showcasing the new vitality in the development of rehabilitation technology.

The number of exhibiting companies, highlight exhibits, and debut new products at this conference far exceeded expectations. The exhibition focused on three core segments—core technologies, intelligent terminals, and application empowerment—with an emphasis on key areas such as upper-limb rehabilitation, lower-limb rehabilitation, and robotics. It showcased a batch of the latest achievements in “Smart+” innovative applications and highly anticipated innovative products. More than 50 companies participated, with enterprises from outside Shanghai and international companies accounting for over 50%. The exhibition floor presented vivid scenes that demonstrated the latest practices in the field of rehabilitation. Industry leaders such as Xiangyu Medical, Yikang, and Qianjing displayed their robust product capabilities, while emerging players like Fourier Intelligence and Zhuodao made their full appearance.

Xiangyu Medical Releases Intelligent Assistive Walking Robot.

Fourier Intelligence Unveils Fourier GR-1 General-Purpose Humanoid Robot.