Taiwan’s Industrial Technology Research Institute (ITRI) and a Taiwan-based tech company jointly announced that they will collaborate on a next-generation integrated electrosurgery system and co-develop a hybrid energy system for minimally invasive surgery.
This collaborative project, supported by the Department of Industrial Technology (DoIT), Ministry of Economic Affairs (MOEA), combines ITRI’s software-hardware integration ability and Catcher Technology’s expertise in material manufacturing to jointly develop advanced medical device applications. The aim is to foster an ecosystem of med-tech industrial cluster in Taiwan, increase the value of medical devices, and seize the smart and precision medicine markets.
Laparoscopic and minimally invasive surgery has become popular due to small wounds and quick recovery. However, most imported surgical devices only have a single function such as cutting or hemostasis. This increases the time and risk when changing between different surgical instruments, and obscures the surgeons’ vision during operation due to electrosurgical smoke.
– Edwin Liu, ITRI President
ITRI and the tech company on the next-generation integrated electrosurgery system can fulfill clinical needs by providing one instrument with multiple functions, and thus bring more benefits to clinicians and patients alike. As Taiwan has a complete ICT industrial cluster and high-quality medical system conducive to the development of personalised medicine, mHealth and telemedicine, industries can explore the new value and market opportunities from multidisciplinary cooperation and integration.
Given the opportunity of working hand in hand with ITRI, the company looks forward to leveraging its strengths in material science and manufacturing, working with ITRI’s experienced R&D capabilities, and incorporating the opinions of doctors to develop a novel hybrid system for minimally invasive surgery.
Combining both bipolar and ultrasonic energies, the system dynamically provides different energy types and levels for the surgical scalpel, effectively solving the shortcomings of traditional electrosurgical units. This instrument can be mainly used in minimally invasive surgery for the abdomen with its capabilities of vessel sealing, coagulation, cutting and dissection, and can be simultaneously deployed to fulfil different clinical needs with a customisable design.
The company has accumulated considerable technology and capabilities in the smart healthcare industry. Catcher is optimistic about the development of Artificial Intelligence (AI) smart care systems and minimally invasive surgery. ITRI and the company hoped that the innovative system can be widely used in Taiwan and then tap into the international market, providing a successful example of how the ICT industry can integrate its strengths into the biomedical fields.
As reported by OpenGov Asia, ITRI also partnered with a U.K. manufacturing and research company signed a cooperative research project on the development of next-gen compound semiconductors. This agreement will help develop a new industry chain for compound semiconductors in Taiwan to create new opportunities in the global market as well as complement the R&D capacities of both sides. ITRI and the U.K. manufacturing company began cooperation on precision testing analysis 15 years ago and have achieved excellent results in multiple fields
This collaboration will enhance the growth of next-gen semiconductor supply chain in Taiwan, allowing research and development to be implemented in system integration and multidisciplinary innovation. This will further boost the industrial transformation and economic development of Taiwan.
This collaboration in compound semiconductors will open the door to some really exciting advanced technologies including electric vehicles, 5G and other wireless technologies, and even the power converters on wind turbines.
The company’s R&D base established at ITRI in 2011 has allowed the company to accelerate its technology program and better support its customers across Asia. With the new agreement signed, the company and ITRI will combine the innovation, technological and end-market knowledge to drive the advances in semiconductor and power devices that will enable a greener, healthier, more connected, advanced and sustainable society.
