SPACEMAX Files IPO Prospectus: Pioneering XR-Driven Specialized Medical Education in the Post-Pandemic Era

Extended Reality (XR), a futuristic technology, is an amalgamation of Virtual Reality (VR), Augmented Reality (AR), and Mixed Reality (MR).

It is understood that the Society for Simulation in Healthcare (SSH) and the Society in Europe for Simulation Applied to Medicine (SESAM) are the world’s top two academic organizations in simulation medicine, enjoying global prestige. Both organizations encourage and support simulation-based training and research across various medical fields through diverse initiatives, continuously advancing the development and application of simulation in hospital quality management, medical education, and research. In June 2019, during the SESAM European Conference on Simulation in Medicine, Kongdao Technology, as the only Chinese simulation medicine team exhibiting at the event, attracted significant attention from overseas exhibitors and partners.

The outbreak at the turn of the year showcased the nation’s robust organizational capabilities, with healthcare workers upholding the Hippocratic Oath through their actions. Beyond this, however, numerous issues came to light: Why did it take medical support teams nearly half a day merely to train on donning and doffing protective gear? As humanity confronted an unknown virus, what qualitative improvements in treatment efficiency were driven by therapy protocols that continuously evolved based on clinical experience? These questions point to a critical consideration: Can technology provide greater support? How can we perform better during future outbreaks, achieving higher efficiency and lower losses?

Major historical events on the scale of the COVID-19 pandemic serve either as warnings or as guideposts. As practitioners in medical technology, Kongdao Technology leans toward the latter perspective, believing that “the essence of technological innovation lies in ‘overcoming challenges, responding to needs, extending life, and illuminating the future.’”

Founded in 2016, Spacemax Information Technology (Shanghai) Co., Ltd. (SPACEMAX; hereinafter referred to as “Spacemax Tech”) is a high-tech enterprise dedicated to providing comprehensive solutions for the application of AR and VR technologies in specialized clinical medical education. The company serves areas including clinical medical teaching, talent training in medical schools, enhancement of clinical technical operational proficiency, and 5G-enabled remote instruction.

As is well known, traditional medical training and surgical education faced significant challenges even before the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, a situation that was further exacerbated by the crisis. While medical standards continue to advance, viruses are evolving rapidly, and the threats posed by unknown diseases emerge with intense and unforeseen suddenness. Addressing this challenge requires a substantial reserve of medical professionals. Kongdao Technology believes that in the post-pandemic era, enterprises can leverage a combination of diverse electronic devices and traditional pedagogical theories to facilitate the convenient, large-scale, and efficient cultivation of integrated medical-technical talent. This approach aims to break down the silos between classroom instruction and clinical teaching, thereby achieving unity between theory and practice.

Fifteen years ago, the founding team of Kongdao Technology had already ventured into the field of virtual simulation, making it one of the few professionally trained technical R&D teams in China. Its core team boasts a comprehensive and diverse talent profile, with expertise in medical education and virtual reality technology development. Members hail from prestigious institutions and companies such as the Virtual Reality Laboratory at Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Crystal CG Medical, The New England Journal of Medicine, Tencent, and Ogilvy. This multidisciplinary workforce has provided strong complementary strengths to the development of Kongdao Technology.

In terms of external collaborations, Kongdao Technology also boasts abundant clinical expert resources from Grade A tertiary hospitals, gathering support from leading specialists at China’s top-tier Grade A tertiary hospitals and incorporating premier domestic simulation medicine courseware. This ensures the product’s cutting-edge nature, professionalism, and academic rigor.

As a long-standing ecosystem partner of Huawei’s iLab, Kongdao Technology leverages cutting-edge 5G technology and multi-cloud integration to deliver high-quality interactive simulations via mixed reality (MR). By codifying expert clinical skills through medical simulation technologies, the platform ensures that its technical foundation, operational efficiency, and iterative learning capabilities meet the surging demand for medical talent development in the post-pandemic era.

Both Kongdao Technology and Medtronic believe that there is broad scope for future collaboration in the areas of 5G-enabled environments, simulated mixed reality (MR) medical training, professional medical education, and medical visualization. On April 23, 2020, Kongdao Technology formally signed a special cooperation agreement with Medtronic’s Innovation Accelerator. In addition, Kongdao Technology has established a partnership with the Microsoft HoloLens team to jointly advance industry-specific solutions in the medical field.

Kongdao Technology has developed a specialized medical teaching system by integrating traditional medical simulators with 5G networks, haptic feedback technology, spatial positioning technology, and 3D image reconstruction technology. This system covers specialized medical training in ultrasound, neurosurgery, obstetrics and gynecology, orthopedics, public health (including epidemic prevention and control), and nursing, with ongoing expansion into additional specialties. Currently, Kongdao Technology primarily serves Grade A tertiary hospitals in China, having delivered a batch of simulation-based medical products that have received positive user feedback.

Simulated Ultrasound Virtual Simulation System:Leveraging medical manikins, the system simulates ultrasound instrument and equipment operation techniques for medical students and interns. By integrating real pathological data, it enables students to learn how to identify pathological features through data-driven imaging. Available in both PC and VR versions, the system covers multi-organ simulation training. The prototype was first unveiled at the inaugural China Ultrasound Medicine Development Conference in 2018 and garnered widespread attention upon its debut at the World Artificial Intelligence Conference in 2019.

Obstetric Simulation System:Leveraging VR devices, Kongdao Technology provides a complete simulation teaching and assessment system for cesarean section. This system fully simulates the operational steps of a cesarean section, enabling doctors to efficiently learn procedures such as palpation, delivery, hemostasis, and uterine incision through detailed breakdowns and explanations of core maneuvers. In addition to interactive operations, the system integrates key theoretical concepts and includes theoretical knowledge assessments, thereby combining hands-on practice with theory comprehensively. Furthermore, the simulation incorporates intraoperative emergencies to train users’ ability to respond effectively in real-time scenarios. In 2019, this product was exhibited at the SESAM European Society for Simulation in Healthcare conference.

Neurosurgery Virtual Simulation System:A Mixed Reality (MR)-Based Virtual-Real Fusion Simulation System for Neurovascular Interventional SurgeryBy integrating MR headsets, a physical digital patient model with a pathological database, and interventional simulation devices, this system enables neurosurgeons to conduct fully simulated neurosurgical procedures. It includes pterional approach entry and interventional simulation therapy, faithfully replicating the interventional surgical environment and equipment operation. Real pathological data are imported to allow students to learn and identify pathological features through diagnostic imaging and to complete procedural drills based on these characteristics. The system is available in both mobile and MR versions, covering practical training for multiple neurointerventional techniques. From 2019 to 2020, the system was deployed in collaboration with the neurosurgery departments of several renowned Grade III Class A hospitals.

Cardiovascular Specialty Virtual Simulation System:Simulation-based training for interventional cardiovascular therapy has primarily relied on an apprenticeship model, in which junior physicians perform procedures directly on patients under the supervision of senior clinicians, inevitably increasing the risk of procedural complications. By integrating MR (mixed reality) glasses, a physical digital simulator with a pathological database, and interventional simulation equipment, this system fully replicates real-world clinical environments and pathological data. It enables pathological analysis and simulated surgical training tailored to complex clinical scenarios, such as intricate coronary interventions. The system is available in both mobile and MR mixed-reality versions, covering practical training for multiple cardiovascular interventional procedures. From 2019 to 2020, the system was deployed in collaboration with the cardiovascular surgery departments of several renowned tertiary Grade A hospitals in China.

Virtual Medical Education and New Product Launch Live Streaming System:Jointly developed by Kongdao Technology and Datavideo, the system utilizes the high-specification BC-100 camera for image capture. Equipped with a 4/3-inch image sensor and 12-bit image processing technology, the BC-100 renders color with exceptional fidelity. When combined with professional broadcast-grade green screen chroma keying, it seamlessly integrates instructor footage with medical teaching materials, creating a visual effect akin to on-location filming.

To simplify screen switching for users, the system has been upgraded with a new 7-inch smart interactive touchscreen. With just a light touch, users can switch to their desired display combination mode, enabling single-person virtual studio scene direction. Integrated with an extensive library of medical teaching materials and simulated scenarios, the system provides healthcare professionals with a professional live-streaming experience akin to product launch events.

Epidemic Prevention Simulation Teaching System:To provide frontline healthcare workers, medical school faculty, and students with a comprehensive operational guide for epidemic prevention and control, Kongdao Technology’s domestic expert team urgently developed the “Epidemic Prevention and Control System.” Leveraging fully immersive XR-based medical simulation training, this system equips medical personnel with the capabilities and experience to handle unknown challenges across the entire continuum—from laboratory settings to clinical practice and finally to the frontlines of epidemic response. The system is also integrated into the company’s public health platform, covering subjects such as hand, foot, and mouth disease, viral hepatitis, Japanese encephalitis, cholera, and HIV.

Nursing Simulation Teaching System:Comprehensive VR Teaching and Training Platform for Nursing: An Online VR Nursing Education Platform Providing Immersive Skills Training for Students in Nursing and Medical Schools, as Well as Hospital Nursing Staff. Training Modules Include: Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) in Emergency Care, Urinary Catheterization Training, Puncture Simulation Training, Sengstaken-Blakemore Tube Management, Endotracheal Intubation, Closed Thoracic Drainage, Perioperative Nursing for Breast Cancer, and Perioperative Pressure Ulcer Management.

In addition to the aforementioned products,Sky Island Technology also partnered with Medtronic’s Cardiovascular (CVG) division in late 2019, with its first-phase products set to launch soon.Kongdao Technology revealed that this product is the first lightweight AR solution in China’s cardiovascular field, primarily serving frontline clinicians and academic experts across the country. Leveraging network connectivity, the product provides specialized introductions to cardiovascular medicine and clinical pathology, integrating theoretical knowledge with practical operations through AR technology.

The integration and collaboration between specialized medicine and society as a whole were fully demonstrated during this epidemic. As an application-oriented enterprise serving as an intermediary layer between the two, Kongdao Technology stated that it will leverage cutting-edge technologies—particularly in multi-user collaborative interaction via MR and VR, 5G communications, and intelligent data imaging—to develop and deliver solutions and products tailored to the needs of specialized medical practice.