Pudong companies take lead in intelligent healthcare sector

While China's healthcare industry is ramping up artificial intelligence applications in disease diagnosis and healthcare, Pudong companies are taking a leading role in exploring solutions for other applications in the AI-related healthcare sector.

Fourier Intelligence -- a technology startup located in Shanghai Zhangjiang Hi-Tech Park that provides products and services for injured people's physical rehabilitation -- launched Fourier M2, an exoskeleton robot designed for the rehabilitation of the upper limbs in 2016.

Ever since then, the company has gained momentum with its intelligent rehabilitation technologies and introduced a series of self-developed products including ankle rehabilitation robots, intelligent electric training vehicles and the Fourier X1, a lower-limb exoskeleton to assist people who have had a stroke or spinal injuries to walk.

Gu Jie, CEO of Fourier, said that the company has built a new intelligent rehabilitation platform by leveraging AI technology, which can greatly improve the rehabilitation efficiency and personalize traditional rehabilitation therapy.

Now, many of the company's intelligent solutions have been applied in top rehabilitation centers, freeing therapists from repeated work.

Another AI + healthcare player is Synyi AI, a company that specializes in the use of artificial intelligence for automatic analysis of medical texts and secondary applications of data.

Established in 2016 in Zhangjiang High-Tech Park, the company focused on hospital demand for scientific research data and developed a smart analytics platform to help researchers collect and analyze medical data by leveraging machine learning and natural language processing technology. Their products have been used by multiple medical centers in China.

Now the medical AI startup has announced that it has raised 250 million ($36.35 million) in Series C funding led by Chinese tech giant Tencent.

With cutting-edge technologies such as AI rapidly developing, the intelligent upgrade in the healthcare industry is inevitable, according to one investor. He said that he believed that innovative companies in Pudong New Area will bring about more quality products and technologies, so as to boost the overall development of the sector.