On December 18, Southern University of Science and Technology (SUSTech) has launched a joint medical robotics laboratory with Aisono. The Department of Mechanical and Energy Engineering (MEE), the SUSTech Education Foundation, and the Technology Transfer Center (TTC) were all involved in the launch.

SUSTech Chief Financial Officer Ye Qin, Aisono Chairman Sun Xi, MEE Head Chair Professor Rong Yiming, MEE Professor Wang Zheng, and SUSTech Education Foundation Secretary-General Tu Ronghui all attended the launch.

The signed agreement establishes a joint medical robotics laboratory, with Aisono creating a special fund with SUSTech for a Aisono Distinguished Professor to promote the joint laboratory. MEE Professor Wang Zheng will be the director of the SUSTech-Aisono Joint Medical Robotics Laboratory.

MEE Head Rong Yiming spoke about the development of the department and how it draws on the best practices of world-class universities. MEE faces the major strategic needs of the Greater Bay Area by conducting cross-disciplinary and industry-university research. He said that he hopes that this joint laboratory cooperation will become a model for interdisciplinary collaboration.

SUSTech Chief Financial Officer Ye Qin talked about the development of SUSTech in terms of its quest to become a world-class research university, rooted in China. SUSTech serves to the development of an innovative China and internationally modern Shenzhen. The rapid growth of SUSTech is inseparable from its work with all sectors of society. Aisono’s donation is the first titled professor fund of SUSTech.

Aisono chairman Sun Xi introduced his company to the audience, saying that industry-university research is essential to the transformation of scientific achievements and provide vital contributions to society. The SUSTech-Aisono partnership is the result of their complementary advantages to carrying out comprehensive cooperation in robotics, artificial intelligence, and smart medical treatment. Sun Xi also wanted to use his donation to contribute to the development of SUSTech’s postgraduate training.

MEE Professor Wang Zheng outlined the plans for the joint laboratory. It will focus on software robotics, flexible control, and intelligent interaction. Its previous iterations had succeeded in creating a prototype of passive soft joints and small-scale mass production. The next step will further conquer the active soft joints.

In the past two years, the Education Foundation has actively integrated school intellectual resources to build an industry-university exchange platform. It has promoted industry-university innovation and cooperation by helping enterprises solve practical problems and serve society.