We are pleased to announce that our postgraduate students received 6 prizes, namely one Grand Prize, one First Prize, two Second Prizes and two Merit Prizes, at the 9th Hong Kong University Student Innovation and Entrepreneurship Competition.

Innovation grand prize and first prize: A MR Safe RCM Constrained Robotic Needle with Bellow-based Hydraulic Actuators for Spine Procedures

Metal and electrical materials affect the Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) process, which makes conventional robotic systems unusable. Under the supervision of Professor Cheng Shing-shin, Qiu Yufu and his team members Yan Junyan, Chen Jibiao and Fang Haiyang from the Department of Mechanical and Automation Engineering have countered that with the MRI-safe robotic system using a bellows-based hydraulic actuator that they have developed, which does not contain any metal or electronic components in the MRI chamber. The system has a 2-DOF (two-degree-of-freedom) RCM (remote centre-of-motion) mechanism and a 1-DOF needle insertion device, which can be fixed on the patient’s back and placed in the MRI scanner to perform various percutaneous interventional spine procedures with real-time image guidance. Equipment outside the MRI chamber drives the robot, providing pressure that expands and contracts the bellows.

Mr. QIU Yufu (centre), Ph.D. student of MAE Department, receives the grand prize in the innovation category.

Congratulations to all awardees!

CUHK Press Release: Click here!