Shanqi Intelligence Submits IPO Prospectus: Gait Analysis Solution Achieves Over 99% Accuracy, Capturing 300+ Metrics in Under Two Minutes
In late August, the summer heat in Chongqing began to subside. Amidst a light drizzle, VCBeat arrived at the Chongqing International Medical Innovation Center, a medical research facility nestled within the city’s bustling commercial district.
On January 10, 2019, the Chongqing Municipal Science and Technology Bureau, the People’s Government of Yuzhong District, and Chongqing Medical University jointly awarded a plaque to the Chongqing International Medical Innovation Center. This initiative aims to build an innovation ecosystem for the medical industry around Chongqing Medical University and its surrounding areas, thereby promoting the incubation of medical innovation projects.
As a key component of the innovation ecosystem surrounding Chongqing Medical University, the Chongqing International Medical Innovation Center will attract a large number of internationally advanced medical talents, projects, and enterprises to settle in the park. Shanqi (Chongqing) Smart Healthcare Technology Co., Ltd. (hereinafter referred to as “Shanqi Smart Healthcare”) has become one of the first batch of tenants, taken root in the park, and is currently experiencing strong growth momentum.
On August 28, the 2019 “Zhibo Cup” Youth Big Data and Intelligent Innovation and Entrepreneurship Competition, hosted by the Organizing Committee of the 2019 Chongqing Smart China Expo, came to a successful conclusion. Shanqi Intelligence stood out from more than 400 participating teams and advanced to the finals as the only medical enterprise in the startup category. After intense competition, Shanqi Intelligence won the third prize in the startup category with its “Gait Code: Intelligent Gait Diagnosis and Treatment Integrated Solution.”
Tang Li, founder and general manager of Shanqi Wisdom, told VCBeat that gait diagnosis and treatment have broad applications but have not received due attention. Shanqi Wisdom aims to create more favorable conditions for the healthy growth of the next generation through its detection technology and comprehensive solutions.
Shanqi Intelligence, established in June 2018, is a high-tech enterprise dedicated to providing comprehensive solutions for gait diagnosis and treatment. Committed to addressing abnormal gait development in children, preventing sports injuries, and preventing diabetic foot complications, Shanqi Intelligence has pioneered an integrated intelligent solution for gait diagnosis and treatment.
Gait Diagnosis and Treatment: A Concept Similar to Orthodontics, Yet Largely Overlooked. In fact, most injuries and pain in the lower back, knees, and hip joints are associated with abnormal gait patterns, making gait correction both urgent and essential.
Dr. Hu Ning, Associate Chief Physician in the Department of Orthopedics at the First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, told VCBeat that current pediatric growth charts in China mainly include height and weight, with only a small proportion of parents paying attention to bone age. Many parents do not place sufficient importance on issues related to children’s gait health.
Some children exhibit gait abnormalities, but with self-correction and parental intervention, these issues may not be visibly apparent during daily physical activities. In cases of severe gait abnormalities (visible to the naked eye), parents often limit their involvement to routine supervision without attaching sufficient importance to the condition. In fact, maintaining poor postures such as kneeling while sitting or sleeping prone can lead to lower limb developmental deformities in children, causing harm to their skeletal system.
It is understood that among children aged 2 to 14, the prevalence of foot pronation, foot supination, flat feet, high arches, genu valgum (knock-knees), and genu varum (bowlegs) is very high. Abnormal gait not only affects postural aesthetics but also impairs skeletal and joint development, leading to serious conditions such as anterior pelvic tilt and scoliosis.
Among them, the calcaneus begins to ossify and the foot arch starts to form in children aged 3–7 years; by age 7, foot structural development is close to that of adults. This stage represents the golden period for gait correction. Between ages 8 and 12, children’s muscular coordination becomes complete, and they exhibit an adult-like gait. Therefore, ages 3–7 constitute a critical period for foot development.
Visual observation is a traditional method of gait analysis. Physicians observe the patient’s walking process and then derive preliminary analytical conclusions based on their overall impression or by evaluating specific observational items item by item. However, visual observation is qualitative rather than quantitative. During observation, physicians must assess the movement of each joint, muscle, and the pelvis, as well as the coordination of overall posture, from three perspectives: lateral, anterior, and posterior. This type of gait analysis fails to provide quantitative information and has many limitations due to factors such as the speed and complexity of human ambulation.
Dr. Hu Ning also mentioned that, at present, lower limb alignment has not received significant attention either in China or internationally, and unlike the knee and hip joints, it lacks accurate quantitative standards. Taking flat feet as an example, the standards for the arch index have remained unchanged since the 1980s.
Clinical needs provide direction for technological R&D. Shanqi Wisdom has developed an integrated intelligent gait diagnosis and treatment solution, collaborating with major teaching hospitals and advanced manufacturing enterprises to build an industry-academia-research platform. This initiative truly addresses clinical challenges, transforms solutions into products, and serves the general public.
The core founding team of Shanqi Zhihui comprises frontline orthopedic surgeons and professionals with strong academic research backgrounds, supported by a specialized team of master’s and doctoral graduates from prestigious universities, bringing extensive R&D experience and channel management expertise.
Shanqi Zhihui’s comprehensive gait diagnosis and treatment solution comprises multiple product modules, including the 3D Smart Diagnostic Instrument, portable pressure gait sensors, China’s first large-scale database for pediatric gait analysis, single-nozzle dual-extrusion FDM 3D printers, and an intelligent algorithm-based 3D modeling product library.
The 3D Smart Diagnostic Device is used to evaluate foot type and arch flexibility, as well as to collect and analyze 3D foot model data. Portable pressure gait sensors are employed for gait analysis. Furthermore, Shanqi Smart leverages patented 3D technology to resolve technical challenges such as insole edge lifting and unsupported printing, enabling personalized customization with varying levels of firmness and angles.
According to the introduction, musculoskeletal or neurological issues are reflected in gait parameters, such as the bilateral gait cycle, three-plane symmetry, center of pressure (COP) trajectory, bilateral plantar pressure distribution, and foot progression angle. The Shanqi Wisdom portable pressure-based gait sensor can detect over 300 gait-related characteristic data points within 1–2 minutes, with a detection accuracy of up to 99%, and enables assessment of sports injury risk.
“Testing is the primary development direction for Shanqi in the next phase,” said Tang Li. In its early days, Shanqi Wisdom focused primarily on product marketing, similar to most companies. However, during its development, Shanqi Wisdom came to recognize that gait abnormality detection is the most critical stage in gait diagnosis and treatment.
Currently, the company’s gait analysis and assessment services have been included in the national fee schedule. Its functional children's shoes and insoles, as well as 3D-customized foot orthoses, have obtained Class I medical device certification from the National Medical Products Administration (NMPA). The company is currently applying for Class II medical device certification for its 3D intelligent diagnostic system and portable pressure-based gait sensors.
According to Tang Li, users can visit partner hospitals and medical institutions for offline gait and skeletal assessments. These institutions utilize gait sensors to capture various gait metrics, including basic parameters (gait speed, cadence, and step length), range of motion, stance phase moments, and lower limb joint angles. The diagnostic data is uploaded in real time to a cloud-based data center, where neural network algorithms perform computational analysis to generate diagnostic reports, which are then transmitted back to the testing sites and users. For users requiring corrective interventions, medical institutions leverage this data to directly design and 3D-print customized products.
Users regularly visit testing centers for physical examinations, generating data that is then organized and analyzed by the cloud center. Through this process of data organization and analysis, Shanqi Wisdom has employed statistical methods to establish a new set of quantitative standards for differentiating the severity of gait abnormalities in users, thereby better guiding clinical treatment. As this cycle repeats, the volume of data increases and algorithmic accuracy improves, ultimately establishing a robust and flexible data system. This constitutes a comprehensive, deep-loop ecosystem spanning from initial detection to product services and subsequent evaluation.
Currently, Shanqi Wisdom has established deep collaborations with the Children’s Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Yuboshi Pediatric Chain Clinics, and Chongqing Jintongjia Children’s Hospital, with its diagnostic and treatment centers covering all nine main urban districts of Chongqing. After solidifying its presence in the greater Chongqing market, Shanqi Wisdom plans to expand its products nationwide. Tang Li also mentioned that future commercialization efforts will focus on orthopedic rehabilitation, diabetic foot prevention, maternal and infant care, the consumer market for custom-made children’s shoes, adult sports injury protection, fall prevention for the elderly, and protection for individuals who stand for prolonged periods. To support these initiatives, Shanqi Wisdom is currently seeking financing.
Notably, on August 30, Shanqi Intelligence’s comprehensive gait diagnosis and treatment solution achieved another milestone by successfully advancing to the finals of the inaugural Bairuike Guojian Cup “Direct to Cleveland” International Medical Innovation Competition.