RExpert to discuss latest advancements in musculoskeletal bioengineering at NCKU International Symposium

The 4^th International Symposium and Workshop on Virtual Interactive Musculoskeletal System, organized by National Cheng Kung University, Taiwanese Society of Biomechanics and Taiwanese Society of Biomechanics in Sports, is held on October 28^th and 29^th in International Conference Hall, Kuang-Fu Campus, National Cheng Kung University (NCKU), Tainan, Taiwan,

“The Virtual Interactive Musculoskeletal System developed by Prof. Chao is internationally renowned, and it is our honor to have recruited him as Adjunct Chair Professor at National Cheng Kung University.”

Congress Chair and Emeritus Prof. Edmund Y. S. Chao first expressed his welcome to all the participated guests and attending teachers and students on behalf of the organizing committee, "We expect the exchange of research idea and experience among the participants will stimulate the application of technology in musculoskeletal bioengineering. The conference has gained supports from several well-known scholars in United States and they will give keynote lectures in the conference. We anticipate that the keynote lectures and all the presentations will also promote close links among bioengineering communities in different countries."

NCKU Senior Executive Vice-President Hwung-Hweng Hwung revealed in his opening remark, "National Cheng Kung University is one of the top comprehensive universities and has the best engineering college in Taiwan. The College of Engineering is close to the College of Medicine, thus providing an excellent opportunity and environment for the cultivation of medical engineering research talents."

Vice-President Hwung-Hweng Hwung also praised Prof. Edmund Y. S. Chao to be an internationally renowned expert in field of medical engineering and the research of fracture and bone repair, bone reconstruction and joint replacement surgery after bone tumor resection, "The Virtual Interactive Musculoskeletal System developed by Prof. Chao is internationally renowned, and it is our honor to have recruited him as Adjunct Chair Professor at National Cheng Kung University."

Adjunct Chair Prof. Edmund Y. S. Chao of National Cheng Kung University, the Emeritus Professor of Johns Hopkins University, U.S., expressed in his talk, "The ability to combine human physiology, engineering modeling and analyses capabilities with advanced computer graphic visualization has made the vision of the 'Virtual Human' a reality. This technology is defined as 'Simulation' which can perform complex experiment and efficacy validation study without the use of life-size prototypes or living human beings."

Prof. Edmund Y. S. Chao mentioned, "A robust computational library is made available to perform static, kinematic, kinetic, and stress analyses under varying boundaries and loading conditions on a general simulation software platform, the VIMS (Virtual Interactive Musculoskeletal System). A manageable database containing long bones, orthopaedic implants, interventional devices, physical properties of connective tissue and implant materials, and representative sets of joint functional activities and loading conditions including their pathologic variations are also available for a wide spectrum of experimental studies. This database can be modified, updated and expanded."

Prof. Edmund Y. S. Chao further explained, "The application software is available to allow end-users to perform biomechanical analyses interactively. Examples using these models and the computational algorithms in a virtual laboratory environment demonstrate the utility of these unique database and simulation software. This integrated simulation software and database will impact on medical education, basic research, device development and clinical patient care."

Congress Co-Chair Distinguished Prof. Fong-Chin Su of NCKU Institute of Biomedical Engineering addressed in his speech, "Modern technological devices, such as personal computers, cellular phones and portable media players like iPod have become most popular nowadays. The thumb plays an important role in our daily life because of its opposition to other fingers to perform various manipulations. The activity opening jars is a common but challenge task for those who could not provide the sufficient twisting torque. They could be the female or the aged or patients with hand injuries."

Prof. Fong-Chin Su explained, "For job opening study, a novel device was developed to measure the actual three-dimensional loads of the thumb and fingers during jar opening and then use these data to reveal the joint loads of the digits using the developed biomechanical model. For biomechanical analysis of trigger fingers, a custom device was developed to measure the resistance forces of the flexor tendons for the trigger fingers. In terms of the measured finger tip forces in passive movement of trigger fingers, a muscle model of the trigger finger was developed to predict the resistance force between the flexor tendons and A1 pulley and the extensor tendon forces. A motion analysis system was used to capture the motion trajectories of the fingers while fingers moving actively and passively."

Prof. Fong-Chin Su believed, "The biomechanical model of the hand provided an objective and quantitative method in functional evaluation of fingers. These results will be helpful to verify the clinical study, new classification, and innovation treatments."

The purpose of the International Symposium and Workshop on Virtual Interactive Musculoskeletal System is to encourage interchange of the experiences in the application of computer simulation technology in musculoskeletal biomechanics in orthopaedic surgery, rehabilitation and sports. The scientific and technical information and findings in areas of computer simulation in musculoskeletal biomechanics, such as human movement, motor control, and medical device design, are of highest interests.