Over 20 Industry Experts to Share Insights at the Dalinghao Bay Orthopedic Surgery Robot Forum

Orthopedic Surgical Robots: A Technological Innovation on the Cutting Edge

Its clear imaging system, intelligent surgical planning system, and flexible robotic arms enable physicians to perform complex surgeries using minimally invasive techniques with a shorter learning curve. As a key direction for the future development of orthopedic medicine, orthopedic surgical robots offer advantages such as minimal trauma, high precision, a reduced learning curve for surgeons, and standardized surgical procedures. These benefits not only effectively alleviate the current shortage of medical professionals but also lower surgical difficulty and risk factors, enhance surgical precision and safety, and truly reduce the incidence of patient complications.

Although the development of domestically produced surgical robots in China has slightly lagged behind their international counterparts, the advancement of domestic mechanical engineering technologies and the maturation of precision medicine concepts, coupled with the successive release of policies such as "Made in China 2025," the "13th Five-Year Plan Outline for the Development of the Orthopedic Robot Industry," the "Development Plan for the Medical Equipment Industry (2021–2025)," and the "Guidelines on Improving Pricing and Related Policies for Auxiliary Procedures Including Orthopedic 'Surgical Robots' and '3D Printing' (Draft for Comment)," have facilitated the transition of Chinese-made orthopedic surgical robots from unregulated growth to standardized and market-oriented development, with excellent solutions continually emerging. Nevertheless, the industry still requires more time to address challenges related to supporting consumables, regulatory and patent issues, accumulation of clinical case data, ecosystem establishment, and large-scale commercialization.

To promote the development of core key technologies, industrial implementation, and practical applications of orthopedic surgical robots,Shanghai Jiao Tong University Institute of Medical Robotics held the “Grand Bay Area Orthopedic Surgical Robotics Special Summit” concurrently with the 2023 Spring China International Medical Equipment Fair (CMEF) in Shanghai, under the theme of “Innovative Intelligent Orthopedic Surgical Robots.”, aiming to promote and facilitate technological advancements and innovative applications of orthopedic surgical robots, guide industry development, foster consensus among stakeholders in industry, academia, research, clinical practice, and regulatory sectors, achieve mutual benefits and win-win outcomes, and accelerate the clinical adoption of orthopedic surgical robots.

This forum will be held from 14:00 to 17:00 on May 14 in the AI Conference Room, Hall 4.2, National Exhibition and Convention Center (Shanghai).

Shanghai Jiao Tong University Institute of Medical Robotics (hereinafter referred to as the “Institute”) is a university-level multidisciplinary research platform established by Shanghai Jiao Tong University in December 2017. Aligning with the national strategy of “Healthy China” and the strategic needs for the development of the high-end medical device and equipment industry, the Institute focuses on major national medical needs, serves the growth of the broader health industry, and targets international frontiers in medical robotics technology. It aims to build a domestically leading and internationally first-class R&D platform for core medical robotics technologies, support Shanghai’s establishment of a key technology translation platform for the medical robotics industry, and promote innovative research, technological translation, and industrial development of medical robotics in China.

Meanwhile, the Institute actively fosters collaborations with local governments and enterprises, promoting the integration of industry, academia, research, healthcare, and engineering to accelerate the translation of research outcomes. It aims to become a key platform for Shanghai’s “Southern Science and Technology Innovation Center,” thereby supporting Shanghai’s development into a global science and technology innovation hub and serving the growth of China’s medical robotics industry.

Over 20 leaders from top Chinese universities, premier hospitals, and the investment and industrial sectors shared in-depth insights, covering six key spheres: industry, academia, research, clinical practice, management, and investment. The event created an interactive platform for innovation in orthopedic surgical robots, linking resources across the entire industry chain while exploring development directions from multiple dimensions.

The forum brought together a distinguished group of experts, including Tian Wei, Academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering and Beijing Jishuitan Hospital; Wang Shuxin, Academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering and Chongqing University; Guang-Zhong Yang, Fellow of the Royal Academy of Engineering (UK) and Director of the Medical Robotics Institute at Shanghai Jiao Tong University; Zhang Changqing from the Sixth People's Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiao Tong University; Wang Tianmiao from the Robotics Institute at Beihang University; Zhu Yue from the First Hospital of China Medical University; Sun Lining from Soochow University; Song Zhijian from Fudan University; Hao Dingjun from the Honghui Hospital Affiliated to Xi'an Jiaotong University; Lin Jin from Peking Union Medical College Hospital; Li Huiwu from the Ninth People's Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiao Tong University; Ye Xiaojian from Tongren Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine; Shen Hongxing from Renji Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine; Wang Yu from Beijing Rosenbot Technology Co., Ltd.; Lu Zhentao from Shenzhen Xinjunte Intelligent Medical Device Co., Ltd.; as well as Chen Weidong and Zheng Guoyan from the Medical Robotics Institute at Shanghai Jiao Tong University.

The Institute of Medical Robotics at Shanghai Jiao Tong University conducts fundamental and applied research in medical robotics for a wide range of healthcare applications, including minimally invasive surgery, rehabilitation therapy, and daily living assistance. Spanning multiple disciplines such as biology, medicine, mechanical engineering, materials science, information technology, control systems, and computer science, the Institute integrates research, education, development, clinical practice, technology transfer, and services into a unified platform.

Moreover, based on the three major research directions of surgical robots, rehabilitation and assistive robots, and hospital automation robots, the Institute has established ten centers: Surgical Robotics, Rehabilitation and Assistive Robotics, Hospital Automation and High-Throughput Robotics, Micro-Nano Systems, Perception and Cognition, Intelligent Composite Materials, Biophotonics, Bioelectronics and Brain-Computer Interfaces, Precision Mechatronics and Manufacturing, and Robotic Vision and Image-Guided Navigation. It holds profound insights into the development of domestically produced orthopedic surgical robots.

The keynote report, combined with a roundtable discussion, delved into multiple topics, including “New Advances in Orthopedic Robotics,” “Exploration and Development Trends of Remote Robotic Surgery,” “Evolution and Innovation in Orthopedic Intelligence,” “Clinical Applications of Joint Replacement and Spinal Surgery Robots,” and “R&D and Product Certification of Orthopedic Surgical Robots.” The discussion comprehensively explored the development direction of orthopedic surgical robots, covering market dynamics, latest advancements, existing challenges, clinical needs, and product certification.

Forum Time: May 14, 14:00-17:00

Forum Venue: AI Conference Room, Hall 4.2, National Exhibition and Convention Center (Shanghai)

Organized by: Institute of Medical Robotics, Shanghai Jiao Tong University; Shanghai Technology Innovation Center for Medical Robots; Medical Device Branch of the Alumni Association of Shanghai Jiao Tong University

Co-organizers of the Forum: Sinopharm Reeds Exhibition Co., Ltd., Shanghai Nanxie Robotics Technology Development Co., Ltd., and Shanghai Huigu High-Tech Entrepreneurship Center