Prof. Tam Haw Yaw has been awarded the Thailand Award for the Best International Invention & Innovation and the Gold Medal with Congratulations of the Jury at the 50th International Exhibition of Inventions Geneva (Geneva Inventions Expo). These accolades recognize his ground-breaking project, “Hearing Hope: A Smart Sensor for Enhanced Safety and Precision in Hearing Restoration Procedures.”
Prof. Tam Hwa Yaw (left) and Dr Cui Jingxian (right) at the award ceremony.
Prof. Tam, who serves as Chair Professor of Photonics and Associate Director of the Photonics Research Institute (PRI), developed a smart sensor-integrated cochlear implant (CI) system that enhances the safety and precision of cochlear implantation surgeries, the primary treatment for severe to profound sensorineural hearing loss. Current surgery procedures lack real-time feedback on CI positioning and contact force during insertion, risking tissue damage and suboptimal outcomes linked to cognitive decline and socioeconomic barriers.
Dr Cui presented the invention to visitors.
Prof. Tam’s team integrated polymer optical fiber sensors into electrode arrays of the CI, enabling real-time, high-resolution monitoring of contact force and precise spatial localization during cochlear implantation surgery. By providing surgeons with critical tactile and navigational feedback, the system aims to minimize intracochlear trauma, improve placement accuracy, and enhance postoperative outcomes.
Prof. Tam and his team showcased the invention.
10x scale model of cochlear implant electrode array positioned in the scala tympani of the human inner ear.
“Our goal is to transform cochlear implantation surgery into a safer, reproducible procedure,” said Prof. Tam. This innovation also lays the foundation for robot-assisted CI, promising standardized precision, reduced costs, and expanded access to this transformative procedure, particularly in resource-limited regions.
Celebrating its 50th edition, the Geneva Inventions Expo attracts over a thousand entries from nearly 40 countries and regions. By merging photonics, medical engineering, and data analytics, Prof. Tam’s team highlights how interdisciplinary innovation can tackle pressing human challenges, turning scientific breakthroughs into tools for hope.
