Taiwan medical university alumnus shines at Paris invention expo

台灣醫大友閃耀巴黎發明展

Yeh Chin-yu's SMARC AI Training System and Rehabilitation Chair win gold medals


TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Chung Shan Medical University alumnus Yeh Chin-yu (葉晉毓) won two gold medals at the 124th Concours Lepine, an international invention exhibition in Paris, CNA reported on Wednesday.

Yeh won the awards with two rehabilitation devices: the SMARC AI Functional Training System and the SMARC Rehabilitation Training Chair.

Yeh said the training system is designed based on the concept of a physical therapist's hand. Patients simply need to sit and perform a 90-second set of simple movements, during which the system uses motion recognition and AI analysis to assess the range of motion, muscle strength, and coordination.

The system then provides real-time training recommendations, Yeh said. It also supports cloud-based recordkeeping and rehabilitation progress tracking to assist caregivers in long-term health management.

The training chair features adjustable levels to accommodate individual abilities, enabling targeted training of the lower limbs, pelvis, and core muscles. Yeh said the chair is particularly suitable for the elderly or individuals who need to improve squat control, as it offers fall-prevention-focused and functional training.

Chung Shan Medical University said the two devices passed safety certifications and have been introduced in care institutions in Taiwan and Japan. The university's affiliated hospital will also adopt the equipment as tools for rehabilitation and muscle function assessment.

Yeh noted the use of AI and big data can help slow physical decline and reduce the burden on medical resources.

The university added the exhibition is one of the oldest invention competitions worldwide. This year, it attracted more than 250 patented inventions from around the globe, with the Taiwan delegation winning six gold, 10 silver, and 45 bronze medals.

Taiwan is the largest foreign exhibitor at this year's event, with 35 companies and 61 patented inventions on display. Among them, products such as the fluorescent protein extracted from algae for precision medicine, a waterproof car coating inspired by the lotus leaf effect, and a multifunctional emergency shelter bag attracted significant attention from visitors.