INGENIEUR
INGENIEUR
can make Malaysia a better place . His research interests revolve around the establishment of new medical imaging and bioinstrumentation solutions to enable automated , intuitive and non-invasive properties in early detection and classification of diseases .
Ir . Dr Lai and his team carried out research work on many health issues such as sleep quality , blood circulation , osteoarthritis and cardiovascular diseases . Among the devices he came up with are IOT Enabled Scoliosis Diagnosis Digital Device , OsteoKneeclass and Low Cost Powered Upper Limb Prosthesis . His inventions have been recognised with many international and national awards . For instance , Ir . Dr Lai was awarded an ACU Fellowship by the Association of Commonwealth Universities by UK in 2021 for his research on the risk of hospital readmission among recovered COVID-19 patients .
In 2019 , he coveted the Best Inventive Award for Scoltech by IET International Aceic 2019 : International Automation & Control Enhancing Innovation . The Ingenieur Vol 95 featured this invention of a non-invasive scoliosis assessment device . He progressed to commercialisation becoming the Chief Technical Officer and founder for Biosight Sdn Bhd , which markets this device . The company is supported by UMXcelerate ( UMX ) under the UM Innovation Incubator Complex .
After securing 17 patents for various inventions , Ir . Dr Lai asserts that it is not easy to spearhead R & D in universities and later commercialise inventions due to financing and career development constraints . He explains that local universities do not have separate tracks for career advancement , where professors can choose to focus purely on research or teaching . Teaching and student supervision take priority presently among lecturers in Malaysia .
Besides impressive research work , Ir . Dr Lai finds teaching very rewarding . He supervises 55 post graduate students . ‘ The exchange of knowledge and experiences in guiding them has been a reciprocal process , shaping their academic journey and my own educational philosophy . It ’ s a testament o the symbiotic relationship that exists in mentorship – a continuous cycle of learning and growth ,” he acknowledges . He notes that his goal in teaching is to empower students to become leaders in their chosen field , emphasising critical
Ir . Lai busy in a research project
thinking , creativity , teamwork and communication skills .
With advancements in IOT , Machine Learning and Artificial Intelligence , he believes there will be a lot of productivity improvement in medical devices that will help doctors in diagnosis and treatment . Concurrently , biomedical engineers will be needed to operate and maintain modern devices . Medical tourism in Malaysia will be an added boost . Ir . Dr Lai also sees potential in developing locally-made biomedical equipment as many of the high-tech ones are currently manufactured abroad . When repairs are needed , replacement of parts is time consuming and expensive .
Ir . Dr Lai believes he is living his purpose in both teaching and spearheading research . He intends to use his engineering training to help young engineers . “ Wearing the hat of success , I am now driven by a profound motivation to pay it forward . I am eager to guide and support young individuals who share the same aspirations that fuelled my journey . My hope is to provide them with the support and mentorship that was instrumental in my own success , helping them navigate their paths to achievement .”, he explains . As both educator and leader , he wants to bridge the gap between academic knowledge and practical applications .
Ir . Dr Lai ’ s message to aspiring engineers - “ Be consistent and confident , no matter what happens . Be present in every moment of your life . Seize all the opportunities and just do it . Profound transformations may occur when one embraces the unexpected and acts decisively to pursue opportunities .” - Inforeach
8 VOL 98 APRIL - JUNE 2024