[Asia Economy Reporter Hyunseok Yoo] NeoFect, a specialized company in innovative medical solutions, announced on the 21st that it has been selected for the ‘Core Technology Development Project for the Robot Industry’ hosted by the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy.
Through this project, NeoFect will collaborate with Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST), Seoul National University, Bundang Seoul National University Hospital, and the National Rehabilitation Center to develop a wearable upper limb rehabilitation robot and a non-face-to-face home rehabilitation platform that can be individualized according to the patient’s condition. Approximately 7 billion KRW in government funding will be provided for research and development and clinical trials.
A NeoFect official stated, “Rehabilitation requires continuous management and treatment, but it is practically difficult for all patients to continue treatment at hospitals.” He added, “Remote rehabilitation systems linking hospitals and homes are becoming necessary not only due to COVID-19 but also for economic reasons and efficiency.”
KAIST (Professor Hyungsoon Park’s lab) and Seoul National University (Professor Kyu-Jin Cho’s lab), which possess world-class robotic technology, will develop wearable upper limb rehabilitation robot design and driving technology, as well as AI-based rehabilitation status monitoring and evaluation technology. In particular, Professor Hyungsoon Park of KAIST has extensive research experience at the world-renowned rehabilitation hospital Shirley Ryan AbilityLab in Chicago, USA, and the National Institutes of Health, which is expected to create significant synergy.
Bundang Seoul National University Hospital (Rehabilitation Medicine Department, Professor Namjong Baek’s research team), which has the best clinical infrastructure and capabilities in Korea, plans to advance the non-face-to-face home rehabilitation software platform together with the National Rehabilitation Center (Brain Neurorehabilitation Department, Head Junho Shin’s research team) and conduct clinical trials on the remote upper limb rehabilitation robot system.
NeoFect CEO Hoyoung Ban said, “NeoFect was the first in the world to develop and commercialize an AI smart rehabilitation system, and last year, through regulatory sandbox approval, we are preparing a remote rehabilitation pilot service.” He added, “Through this project, we will advance a patient-customized non-face-to-face home rehabilitation platform without spatial and temporal constraints to provide rehabilitation services and content that can enhance treatment effects for more patients.”
He continued, “Currently, there are almost no digital therapeutic devices and services for home rehabilitation in Korea, so mainly American and European products are used.” He said, “We will succeed in productization and enter the global rehabilitation market with reasonably priced and high-quality services.”
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