Our latest workshop involved participants from across India who came together with the aim of developing research challenges identified through our previous work.
The team from the UK comprised of Peter Evans & Steven Hollisey-McLean from the Maxillofacial Lab at Morriston Hospital, Swansea, Dr Katie Beverley, Emily Bilbie and Prof Dominic Eggbeer from PDR, Cardiff Metropolitan University. The team started with a visit to WiPro3D in Bangalore. WiPro3D are a leading additive manufacturing (AM) company who have developed expertise in the production of critical components primarily for the automotive and aerospace. They are also collaborators on numerous research projects and offer training on design for AM production through their AddWize programme. They're a promising partner for future research projects.
From Bangalore, the team flew to Lucknow for the primary purpose of the trip, a 3 day workshop and programmes of knowledge exchange.
Prof Divya Mehrotra from the Maxillofacial Unit has established a state-of-the-art in hospital 3d design and fabrication facility since the first CoMeddi visit. This gave workshop participants the opportunity to learn first-hand about the potential applications of technology in patient care in addition to developing research projects. A combination of technologies were showcased: 3d scanning using a Structure Sensor connected to an iPad Mini, CT scan data processing and Geomagic FreeForm computer sculpting. These were used to create a custom prosthesis and illustrate the potential in burns splint production and body prosthetics.
Numerous medical specialists from disciplines such as plastic surgery, dentistry and prosthetics were consulted during the workshop period.
We were also joined by Dr Anuja Arora, Associate Professor from Jaypee Institute of Information Technology, Deemed University. Her research interest includes Deep Learning, Artificial Neural Network, Social Network Analysis and Mining, Social Media, Data Science, Machine Learning, Data Mining, Web Intelligence, Web Application development and Web Technologies, Software Engineering, Software Testing and Information Retrieval Systems. Her presentation illustrated how these methods could be used to dramatically improve the efficiency of medical data processing and device design.
Over 3 days, the participants worked in interdisciplinary groups to refine projects that addressed the need for regionally-appropriate methods that will enable the provision of custom made devices used to correct facial deformity to a greater number of people in India.
By the end of the workshop, 5 ideas were conceptualised ready for refinement. The final day provided an opportunity to review local and international funding opportunities that could see the projects developed.
The workshop was blessed with a fantastic range of highly motivated participants with a diverse range of skills. As organisers, we were grateful for positive feedback.
"I would like to thank you all for a wonderful conference and for all your efforts made by organizing team to make it happen. It was very interesting and stimulating for me, in terms of its content, the participants and beautiful surroundings of KGMC. I think it turned out to be a great success."
Dr Abdul Hameed
We will continue to work with the participants and a wider range of stakeholders to develop research and training programmes that build upon the CoMeddi project.