XI'AN, April 27 (Xinhua) -- Her fingers gently touching the tip of her new nose, a hard-won smile spread across the face of four-year-old Lha Zin (alias). "Mama, is what I'm seeing real?" she asked, sitting in a medical laboratory in northwestern Chinese city of Xi'an.
This touching moment not only signified a personal transformation but also a breakthrough in China's rapidly advancing medical AI technology.
The Tibetan girl from Garze Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture in southwest China's Sichuan Province lost her nose in a weasel attack when she was just three months old. After years of unproductive hospital visits, her case finally landed in the hands of a medical engineering startup team.
"After learning about the child's situation, my heart remained unsettled for a long time," Wang Jing from Xi'an Jiaotong University in Shaanxi Province, also the founder of Maxwell Medical Technology, told Xinhua.
"The ultimate mission of medicine is not just to treat diseases, but more importantly, to help people find the beauty of life amid its uncertainties," added Wang, who took on the case free of charge.
AI-ENABLED
The child's family had approached West China Hospital of Stomatology, hoping to have surgery. However, due to the child's young age and the absence of the nose, surgery was not an option. Consequently, the hospital's dean reached out to Wang in 2023.
Leveraging an image-generating AI model and Maxwell's customized craftsmanship, Wang's team constructed a prosthetic nose that seamlessly fitted the girl's facial structure, down to the finest details of skin texture.
They used a 3D scanner to capture the girl's overall facial data, then employed the AI model to generate a nose design. Subsequently, they manually refined and 3D-printed the corresponding mold. Finally, they created the prosthetic nose through the molding process.
"Coloring technique is our specialty," said Wang. "We apply automated silicone coloring to ensure the nose matches the little girl's skin tone very closely."
As the child grows, the prosthetic nose will need to be replaced every few years, and Wang's team promised to keep a close watch on the situation.
The team has also crafted numerous custom-made prosthetic ears and breasts for clients. These bespoke medical products demonstrate how AI-driven bionic technology bridges cutting-edge research with tangible improvements in people's lives.
PIONEERING WORK
Wang's journey into medical customization began in 2018, when some surgeons repeatedly asked him to reduce the cost of prosthetic breasts, which sold for up to 500,000 yuan (about 68,550 U.S. dollars) for high-end versions in China.
With over 500,000 prosthetic breasts needed annually in China, the market was dominated by foreign companies.
"Breast cancer affects women both physically and psychologically," Wang said. "Many avoid surgery due to the emotional toll, even risking their lives."
However, the high costs of prosthetics make them inaccessible to many patients. This is why Wang decided to develop personalized medical solutions via what he called "optical-mechanical-electrical-computational-material" integration.
The very technology is capable of capturing not just shape, but also mechanical and optical properties of human tissues. "Even hair follicles, pores and blood vessels can be realistically presented," said Wang.
Maxwell's products achieve a resolution 20 times higher than those of its competitors, and compared to Japanese imports, their offerings deliver ten times better precision at just one-tenth the price, according to Wang.
ROBOT SKIN
With the rapid advancement of the humanoid robot industry in China, a new opportunity has opened up for him: crafting lifelike skin for these intelligent machines.
"In the future, robot skin will be equipped with a suite of sensing capabilities, including touch, temperature and pressure detection," Wang envisioned.
The team is on a mission to make skin that hugs the robot's frame like a second layer of life, merging with the robot's body to boost its performance and looks.
It will also allow the skin to flex and stretch in harmony with the robot's joints and body contours, all while keeping its keen sensory touch and sleek appearance, said Wang. Enditem
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