Workshop

Dr Reed is an Associate Professor in the Department of Mechanical Engineering at USF. He is currently a Fulbright Scholar at Hong Kong Polytechnic University with a dual appointment in Rehabilitation Sciences and Biomedical Engineering. His research focuses on rehabilitation: on restoring abilities in individuals with asymmetric impairments, such as from stroke or unilateral amputations, and haptics: thermal responses of the skin, coordinated motions, and human-robot interaction. He has published over 75 peer-reviewed conference and journal papers as well as over 40 published abstracts and invited presentations. He is Associate Editor for IEEE Transactions on Haptics and Senior Member. He has been a member of National Academy of Inventors (NAI) since 2016 and was recently awarded Senior Member status as one of 66 in the inaugural class. He has 18 patents issued or pending, and three of them have been licensed with the intention for commercialization. 

Dr Timothy Kwok graduated from University of Leicester in the UK and received specialist training in Geriatric and Internal Medicine in St George’s Hospital in London before returning to Hong Kong, to join the Department of Medicine & Therapeutics in the Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK). He obtained his doctorate in Medicine in 2004, and was promoted to professorship in 2006. He is director of Jockey Club Centre for Positive Ageing, a comprehensive care centre for people with dementia, and the Jockey Club centre for osteoporosis care and control. His research interests include dementia, fracture prevention, nutrition and physical activity in old age.

Professor Arlene Astell is a psychologist researching how technology can support active ageing. She has more than 20 years of experience co-creating innovative solutions with older adults, including those living with dementia. As Chair of the ISTAART Technology Professional Interest Area of the US Alzheimer’s Association, Arlene has been leading on development and adoption of accessible, user-friendly technologies for dementia. These are summarized in her latest book for researchers, families and care staff: “Using technology in dementia care: A guide to technology solutions for everyday living” (2019: Jessica Kingsley Publishers).

Mr Anders Hansen is a Danish entrepreneur, inventor and co-founder of inmutouch.com. He holds a MSc in Computer Engineering. Together with his wife he invented the inmuRELAX - an intuitive multi-sensory tool that through haptic stimulation and relaxing interactive music provides peace, improves sleep and ease the daily care. The invention was based on their personal family experience with dementia.

inmuRELAX is first sensory tool in the world to use interactive music - music mirrors the users touch and movement.

Dr Thomas Linner is a senior scientist and lecturer in building realization and robotics at (TUM). He has supervised and managed several major multi-partner research projects, with a focus on the Technical University of Munich development and deployment of advanced technology in the construction, smart buildings, manufacturing/work place, and health care/assistive technology sectors. He is a specialist in systems engineering (including stakeholder and requirements management, system modularity, standardisation, Intellectual Property Rights, etc.) for complex socio-technical solutions. Dr Linner is the scientific director and project manager of a large university-industry collaborative project, REACH (17 partners including the major players in the European health care industry) funded with 6 million Euros by the European Commission in the Personalised Health Care (PHC) track. He is a regular evaluator for projects handed in for national funding schemes and is active as a reviewer for several international conferences and Journals. Currently Dr. Linner serves as the convenor of both WG2/ ISO TC 314 Ageing Scieties and the German national standardisation committee DIN NA 023 BR-01 SO.

The computer scientist Dr Bettina Horster is responsible for business development at the VIVAI Software AG especially in the area of Industrial Internet and the Internet of Things. She is currently heading the project “Smart Service Power - autonomous living for the elderly”, which was awarded with the RegioStars Award of the EU-Parliament, the Information Society Prize of the Diplomatic Council ( a United Nations NGO) and was finalist of the World Society World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) of the United Nations. She is in the Digital Advisory Board of the Minister for Economy of NRW. For many years she advised the German Ministry of Economic.

Dr Horster studied computer science in Germany and the United States (University of Dortmund and University of California, Berkeley) and she holds a PhD from the University of Münster in the Department of Business Administration.

Mr George Wong has been practicing as a physiotherapist for more than two decades after graduated from PolyU. He is always interested in the rehabilitation of the senior citizens and obtained his master degree in clinical gerontology from CUHK later. He has wide spectrum of experience in the physiotherapy, from settings in public hospital and general outpatient clinic, to Sichuan, Mainland China. His next challenge would be the rehabilitation service in the community. He is also currently a part-time visiting lecturer of BSc Physiotherapy of PolyU.

Mr David Chung is currently a Senior Project Manager at the Logistics and Supply Chain MultiTech R&D Centre (LSCM).  He manages various technologies R&D and contract research services, ranging from Logistics and Supply Chain technologies, Gerontech to Lawtech.

Prior to this position, David worked in a Singapore listed commercial company, with focus on wireless R&D products.  The wireless VoIP platform developed has been included as one of the Microsoft Windows CE reference platforms.

Dr Ivan SU is Senior Manager of Professional Development at SAHK and Director of the SAHK Institute of Rehabilitation Practice. Dr SU joined SAHK in 1987 and specialised in curriculum development for adults with developmental disabilities and recently in community-based rehabilitation service development for individuals living with acquired chronic conditions. He served as an Advisory Committee member on Rehabilitation Sciences, PolyU from 2012-14 and is currently an appointed Management Committee member of the Kwai Tsing District Health Centre, FHB; Appeal Board member of Standardised Assessment for Residential Services, SWD; and Programme Accreditation Panel member of Physiotherapists Board.

Mr Laurence Lien is the Co-Founder and CEO of the Asia Philanthropy Circle, a membership-based platform for Asian philanthropists to exchange, learn and collaborate. Laurence is also the Chairman of Lien Foundation, which is well-regarded for its forward-thinking approach in education, eldercare and the environment. Laurence previously led the National Volunteer & Philanthropy Centre in Singapore from 2008-2014, and chaired the Community Foundation of Singapore from 2013-2019. Prior to this, Laurence served in the Singapore Government. Laurence holds degrees from Oxford University, the National University of Singapore, and Harvard University. He was also a Nominated Member of Parliament in Singapore from 2012-2014.

Adam is an experienced entrepreneur and business developer that focus on reaching his goals in life and help others to do the same. He has a MaSc in Mechanical Engineering but his career has taken him more to the innovation, marketing, sales and executive direction. He is a creative visionary and always has the ability to think “outside the box”. He has the ability to engage people around him with enthusiasm and energy. He knows the essence of business and know how to focus on the important issues, especially if the goal is international operations.  Adam is an experienced speaker both internationally and among decision makers in Sweden.

Prof Raymond Kai-yu Tong is a Biomedical Engineer and he is currently a Professor and Chairman in the Department of Biomedical Engineering, CUHK. His research interests include Rehabilitation Robotics (e.g. Hand of Hope), Brain-Computer Control Interface (BCI), Neural Engineering, Functional Electrical Stimulation (FES) and Cognitive Assessment Software. His research, innovation and service have received Awardee of the 2013 Hong Kong Ten Outstanding Young Persons; the Grand Prix Award (the highest honor) of the International Exhibition of Inventions of Geneva 2012; Winner Award (e-Health) in the Asia Pacific ICT Award 2012; and HKIE innovation awards for young members(2008), gold awards in international invention exhibitions (2004/ 2007/ 2010/ 2015/ 2016).

Dr Lam Ching-choi is a specialist in paediatric and community medicine and is currently the Chief Executive Officer of Haven of Hope Christian Service.  Under his leadership, Haven of Hope Christian Service is one of the pioneers in the provision of holistic care for the elderly in Hong Kong.

He is a non-official member of the Executive Council of the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region. He also serves as the Chairman of the Elderly Commission to advise the Government on the related policies.  He is also the Supervisory Board Member of the HK Housing Society

Dr Lam has been honored by the HKSAR Government with the Justice of Peace in 2003 and Silver Bauhinia Star in 2019 respectively.  In 2018, apart from receiving Honorary Fellowship from Lingnan University, he was also given the Ageing Asia Global Ageing Influencer Award for his devotion to public services and his influence on policy-making for the global ageing trend.

Ms Julianne Parkinson was appointed CEO of the Global Centre for Modern Ageing (GCMA) in April 2018. With more than 25 years’ experience in leadership roles, including KPMG, EY and South Australian Government. Julianne specialises in strategic planning, business sector development and complex stakeholder engagement.

Julianne has worked extensively with clients operating in government, corporate and private sectors and undertaken engagements across Australia and the South-East Asia region.

Julianne is a fellow of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.

Jennene is the Chief Executive Officer of Feros Care and member of the Aged Care Industry Information & Technology Council in Australia. Jennene’s last 19 years at Feros has seen this organization expand from a single locality, residential provider of 95 clients to one of the fastest growing aged, disability and community care services in Australia, supporting now over 60,000 people are year.

Jennene was inducted into the Aged Care IT Hall of Fame in 2016 and the company has won a many national and international awards for their innovation and digital transformation.

Cameron is a Non-Executive Director of Australian bedding retailer Forty Winks and more recently the Chief Executive Officer of technology company, Sleeptite. He has spent over a decade investigating new technologies and innovations in the healthcare, bedding and retail landscapes with the single-minded goal of improving the wellbeing and health outcomes for Australians of all ages through innovations in sleep monitoring. This is perhaps best evidenced by a recent $1.7 million Federal Government grant for a project with RMIT University and manufacturer Sleepeeze Australia into developing flexible sensors for non-invasively monitoring aged care residents at night.

Co-developer of whole body electric neuro-stimulation
Expertise in the vast field of chronic pain syndromes and neuroplasticity
 

Chwee Foon Lim has more than 25 years of international experience in Healthcare & Life Science sector, having worked and lived in Asia, Europe and the Americas.  She is currently CEO, Asia Pacific, at Ekso Bionics, a robotics company providing novel exoskeleton technology for healthcare, industrial and defence sectors.

Prior to Ekso Bionics, she was Head of Healthcare, APAC for The Linde Group. Linde Healthcare is a global leader specialising in integrated respiratory care combining pharmaceutical gases, medical devices and clinical services from hospital to home.  Chwee Foon has significant operational experience in China, Healthcare digitalisation and respiratory step down care model in post-acute and home settings.  She holds an MBA (with Distinction) from INSEAD, France, and B Accountancy (First Class Hons) from the National University of Singapore. 

Dr Karen Chan is an Associate Professor and Director of the Swallowing Research Laboratory at the Human Communication, Development and Information Sciences, The University of Hong Kong. She received her speech-language pathology training and PhD from the University of Hong Kong. Dr Chan is an experienced clinician and researcher in the area of voice and swallowing disorders. Her current research interests are on assessment and treatment for motor speech disorders and swallowing problems in the elderly, post stroke individuals, and head and neck cancer survivors. Dr Chan works closely with local community partners to promote the awareness of swallowing safely in elderly.