Professor Joanne Yip, Associate Dean
Professor Joanne Yip, Associate Dean, garnered two prestigious awards at the 2024 Silicon Valley International Inventions Festival (SVIIF), including the Prize of the Korea Invention Promotion Association and one gold medal.
Professor Yip’s awarded project titled “Development of Intelligent Nighttime Brace with Smart Padding to Treat Adolescent Idiopathic Scoliosis” introduces an intelligent nighttime brace for Adolescent Idiopathic Scoliosis (AIS) patients with a Cobb’s angle of 10 to 25 degrees, using soft robotics and smart padding. Integrating clinical research, material science, and wearable technology, the brace features a smart system that automatically adjusts corrective forces and positioning, ensuring optimal spinal correction. Covered with sweat-wicking and breathable textiles, and equipped with an air-bag support belt for additional tractive forces, the brace promises comfort and efficiency. Real-time sensors monitor body-brace contact and sleeping posture, allowing dynamic adjustments to the wearer's movements, enhancing correction effectiveness, and minimising discomfort.
The invention offers significant advantages: personalised treatment, improved patient compliance due to comfort, and reduced risk of skin issues. Its impact lies in providing a more effective, comfortable, and user-friendly solution for AIS treatment, potentially improving the quality of life for adolescents with scoliosis. Ongoing clinical trials aim to optimise this innovative brace, highlighting a commitment to advancing scoliosis management.
SVIIF, which is the largest event of its kind in the United States, this year drew participation from approximately 30 countries and regions, representing a wide array of academic institutions, research institutes and enterprises. Supported and attended by multinational corporations, investors and entrepreneurs, the event serves as a crucial platform for inventors and the business community to explore commercialisation opportunities and seek partnerships.
