Guangdong University of Technology

The University of Hong Kong's Faculty of Dentistry has launched a community-based programme to detect oral health diseases among the elderly using mobile AI. WHAT IT'S ABOUT The Dental AI Community Care Project features an AI-powered mobile application for detecting gum inflammation. It will train community volunteers, comprising dental students and community residents, to provide personalised advice on oral care backed by GumAI, a technology developed by a team of university researchers in China and Malaysia. The mobile application presents gum analysis results in colours to easily identify potential oral issues: red for poor oral health, yellow indicates caution, and green shows good health. HKU Dentistry aims to expand the project, which currently runs for an initial three months, across the 18 districts of Hong Kong. The project is backed by an elderly-focused trade union and a support organisation; it also received support from law and district officials. WHY IT MATTERS Over a decade-old government survey noted that nearly nine in 10 seniors in the city had signs of gum disease or periodontitis while almost half of the elderly had untreated dental caries. Hong Kong seniors have increasingly accessed dental services over the past decade with the utilisation rate at 37% based on the latest government statistics in 2019. The Research Office of Hong Kong's Legislative Council Secretariat attributed this to the government's effort to increase service accessibility, including free dental care for seniors receiving long-term or day care services. However, dental services remain limited, partly due to the low availability of dental professionals – approximately 3.7 dentists serve every 10,000 residents in the city. THE LARGER TREND In June last year, HKU Dentistry announced its research demonstrating AI's detection of gum inflammation or gingivitis in intraoral images of over 500 individuals. Findings, which were published in the World Dental Federation's International Dental Journal, showed that the AI detected redness, swelling, and bleeding along the gum margin with over 90% accuracy. HKU Dentistry researchers collaborated with those from Hong Kong Chu Hai College in Hong Kong, China's Guangdong University of Technology, and the National University of Malaysia for this study. Beyond oral care, another research team from HKU Dentistry also developed a generative AI model for designing dental crowns. Their novel approach, called 3D-DCGAN (3D-Deep Convolutional Generative Adversarial Network), acquaints AI with good designs of natural and healthy dentitions. "During the training process, natural teeth morphological features were learned by the algorithm, so that it can design dental crowns comparable to a natural tooth — both morphologically and functionally," co-research investigator Dr Hao Ding explained. The research sought to address the limitations of current computer-aided design and manufacturing digital workflows, particularly considering labour and time.

Researchers have successfully demonstrated the use of artificial intelligence (AI) in detecting gum inflammation, also known as gingivitis, from intraoral photographs. A groundbreaking study led by researchers at the Faculty of Dentistry of the University of Hong Kong (HKU), in collaboration with multiple international institutions has successfully demonstrated the use of artificial intelligence (AI) in detecting gum inflammation, also known as gingivitis, from intraoral photographs. This cutting-edge technology can revolutionise early detection and prevention of oral and systemic diseases linked to gum inflammation, such as tooth loss, cardiovascular diseases, and diabetes. The study, published in the International Dental Journal, an official journal of the World Dental Federation (FDI), shows that AI algorithms can analyse patients' intraoral photographs to detect signs of inflammation like redness, swelling, and bleeding along the gum margin with over 90% accuracy, matching the visual examination of a dentist. This innovative technology enables population-wide monitoring of gum health and paves the way for more personalised dental care. The study was conducted by researchers from the HKU Faculty of Dentistry, the Department of Computer Science at Hong Kong Chu Hai College, the School of Information Engineering at Guangdong University of Technology, and the Faculty of Dentistry at The National University of Malaysia. It involved developing and testing an AI model using a dataset of over 567 images of gums with varying degrees of inflammation and is one of the first to explore the use of AI in detecting gum inflammation. Dr Walter Yu-Hang Lam, the study's leading HKU researcher, emphasises the significance of the findings for the early detection and management of gum disease. "Many patients do not attend regular dental check-ups, and they only seek dentists to alleviate pain when their teeth are at the end stage of dental diseases, in which tooth loss is inevitable, and only expensive rehabilitative treatments are available. Our study shows that AI can be a valuable screening tool in detecting and diagnosing gum disease, one of the key indicators of periodontal disease, allowing earlier intervention and better health outcomes for the population." He said. The use of AI in dentistry has been gaining momentum in recent years, with researchers exploring various applications of the technology, from detecting cavities to predicting treatment outcomes to biomimetic design of artificial teeth. The use of AI in gum inflammation detection is a promising development that could revolutionize how gum disease is detected, treated, and even prevented. Dr. Reinhard Chun-Wang Chau, an HKU co-investigator of the team, pointed out the benefits of using intraoral photographs in conjunction with AI technology and said: "Based on these intraoral photographs, patients can address the area that they did not clean well and seek dentist' help at an earlier stage." The collaborative nature of this study is a testament to the power of interdisciplinary research and knowledge exchange. By bringing together experts from different fields and regions, the researchers can develop an AI model that could accurately detect gum inflammation, with important implications for public health and wellbeing. For the project's next stage, Dr Lam plans to utilize the AI system for community services, making the technology more accessible to elderly and underserved communities, with the aim of improving oral health outcomes and reducing health disparities.

深圳 2023年4月12日 /美通社/ -- 3月28日，A股上市公司理邦仪器（300206.SZ）发布2022年年度报告，交出了韧性增长、稳健向好的成绩单。理邦2022年实现营业总收入17.42亿元，同比增长6.48%；实现归母净利润2.33亿元，同比增长0.67%，营收净利润双增长。 六大业务板块协同发力，相互赋能，在产品升级创新、品牌传播和为客户创造价值上持续发力，助推理邦行稳致远。在全球化战略深化推进下，理邦将继续加强在技术研发和产能建设上的投入，未来业绩持续稳健增长可期。 多元业务加速发力，筑基未来增长新引擎 从具体业务表现来看，理邦整体营收较去年同期实现增长，病人监护业务与去年同期相比跌幅大幅收窄，超声影像业务、体外诊断业务、妇幼健康业务、心电诊断及智慧医疗业务均同比实现增长，其中超声影像业务同比增幅超过34%，体外诊断业务同比增幅超过19%。凭借强大的技术创新能力和高效的服务能力，理邦核心业务保有规模稳步增长，超声、体外诊断等新生业务发展迅速、市场占有率持续攀升，整体业务呈现良性发展态势。 作为理邦最具发展势能的业务板块之一 ， 超声产品覆盖高中低等多层次用户需求，实现了高性能、高灵活度和低延迟的智能超声影像技术，产品技术水平和竞争力在行业内较为突出，临床和市场认可度不断提升。2022年重磅推出自主研发的Acclarix LX9推车式高端智能全身型彩超，其拥有酷冷和聚能层两项探头专利技术，高效精准 ， 提升医疗工作效率。 报告期内，理邦还发布了iX系列监护仪、i20血气、血氧、电解质分析仪、分子诊断产品CL30、FECG1胎儿母亲动态心电检测仪、SE-1200 Pro/SE-1201 Pro数字式心电图机、H60S CRP&SAA血细胞分析仪等一大批战略新品，产品综合竞争实力不断增强。 此外，理邦已积极布局家用医疗器械市场，自主研发的指式H10血氧仪、SD1胎心多普勒仪市场占有率持续提升，并获得广大家庭用户一致好评。随着新一代SD2胎心多普勒仪、家用手持式生物刺激反馈仪的上市，将进一步巩固理邦在家用医疗器械市场领域的竞争实力。 研发投入持续提升，科技创新驱动高质量发展 理邦深知研发创新对未来发展的重要性，坚持科技创新驱动高质量发展，一直以来高度重视自主知识产权的研发，长期保持高强度的研发投入，通过推进技术创新战略，夯实核心竞争力，提升盈利能力。经过多年的研发积累，理邦已在生理信号检测、医用换能器、主控平台、血气电解质、微流控、磁敏免疫、超声影像等多个方面掌握了多项核心技术，持续的研发创新能力已成为理邦的核心竞争力之一。 理邦自上市以来，每年研发投入大幅增加，累计研发投入超过20.22亿元，其中报告期内研发投入为29,753.54万元，同比增长17.95%，占本期营业收入17.08%。长期、持续性的高研发投入目前已进入收获期。截至报告期末，理邦持有有效的海内外授权专利1,044项；本报告期内，新获得的海内外授权专利144项。 2022年7月，理邦与广东工业大学共同作为专利权人的“一种基于非负盲分离胎儿心电瞬时心率识别方法及系统”专利被国家知识产权局授予“第23届中国专利奖银奖”；同年10月理邦被评为国家知识产权优势企业，研发实力、知识产权积累进一步得到肯定，长期战略价值凸显。 理邦将继续保持研发的持续性投入，围绕自身技术优势和研发积累，结合行业发展趋势，依托现有的研发中心做好新品开发和原有产品的换代升级。一方面，源于临床所需开发多样化新品，以市场需求为导向，以研发创新为核心，致力于为医疗机构提供贴近临床需求的优质产品和解决方案；另一方面，顺应医疗科技发展潮流，聚焦重症，并结合“信息化+人工智能”不断研发创新产品，丰富ICU应用方案，加大在智慧医疗领域的投入，以集团现有的五大硬件产线为基础，为客户提供一整套的信息化综合解决方案。 聚势产能扩增，全球化深入布局，打开成长空间 理邦新设的肯尼亚、泰国、秘鲁子公司已开始运营，全球化的产能布局渐趋完善。一方面能够更好地贴近市场需求，为推动项目落地交付奠定基础；同时以各子公司为中心，辐射周边国家和地区的市场，打开海外市场增长新空间。通过不断拓展新的海外客户，培育新的利润增长点，理邦在市场竞争中快速反应能力、全球优质资源整合能力持续加强。 深入全球化布局的同时，理邦注重加强国际市场的本地化建设，除了保证设备高质量交付，也注重打造售后服务本地化体验，铸就集生产、销售、服务于一体的闭环生态链，布局完善的全球化营销网络体系，实现业务链条闭环、供应链自成体系，为后续更多的产品渗透打下坚实的基础。 为进一步提升在全球医疗器械供应链中的竞争优势，理邦对现有产能提前进行深远布局，理邦仪器产业大厦项目于2022年12月正式开工，实现对各产品线进行自动化改造，产能将全面扩增。同时，随着二期项目的落地，也将全面推进血气测试卡800万片/年产能建设项目，满足血气业务快速增长的需求。 展望未来，理邦保持战略定力，锚定长期发展。坚持“创新性、平台型、国际化”的发展战略，以市场需求为导向，以研发创新为核心，将继续深挖服务价值，强化服务品质，多元业务协同发展，实现稳健扩张。 关于理邦 理邦立足健康产业，以全球化的视野、持续的创新和卓越的服务，成为知名的医疗健康产品、解决方案和服务提供商。涵盖病人监护、心电诊断、超声影像、妇幼健康、体外诊断、智慧医疗六大业务板块。在中国，理邦辐射全国市场的服务网络，已为超过40000家医疗机构提供了创新型、高品质的产品和服务。在全球设立四大研发中心、18个子公司，产品远销170多个国家和地区。理邦坚持有价值的创新，致力于为医疗机构提供贴近临床需求的优质产品和解决方案。理邦仪器 SHE:300206。