Kwok Wai Samuel AU

Kwok Wai Samuel AU

Hong Kong

Professor

The Chinese University of Hong Kong

Dr. Kwok Wai Samuel Au is currently a Professor of the Department of Mechanical and Automation Engineering and Department of Surgery (by courtesy) at CUHK, and the Founding Director of Multiscale Medical Robotics Center, InnoHK. In Sept 2019, Dr. Au found Cornerstone Robotics and has been serving as the president of the company, aiming to create affordable surgical robotic solution. Dr. Au received the B.Eng. and M.Phil degrees in Mechanical and Automation Engineering from CUHK in 1997 and 1999, respectively and completed his Ph.D. degree in Mechanical Engineering at MIT in 2007. During his PhD study, Prof. Hugh Herr, Dr. Au, and other colleagues from MIT Biomechatronics group co-invented the MIT Powered Ankle-foot Prosthesis. Before joining CUHK(2016), he was the manager of Systems Analysis of the New Product Development Department at Intuitive Surgical, Inc. At Intuitive Surgical, he co-invented and was leading the software and control algorithm for the FDA cleared da Vinci Si Single-Site surgical platform (2012), Single-Site Wristed Needle Driver (2014), and da Vinci Xi Single-Site surgical platform (2016). He was also a founding team member for the early development of Intuitive Surgical’s FDA cleared robot-assisted catheter system, da Vinci ION system from 2008 to 2012. Dr. Au co-authored over 60 peer-reviewed manuscripts and conference journals, 17 granted US patents/EP, and 3 pending US Patents. He has won numerous awards including the first prize in the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) Student Mechanism Design Competition in 2007, Intuitive Surgical Problem Solving Award in 2010, and Intuitive Surgical Inventor Award in 2011.

My research interests are in the design, system dynamics, and control of advanced robotic systems with applications to rehabilitation, medical intervention, and human-centered machine. I focus on developing new methods of synthesis, analysis, and optimization of novel robots and mechanism, as well as control principles. In addition, I also like to leverage the design and control knowledge, together with medical science and biomechanics to create novel robotic solutions to address fundamental clinical questions, overcome limitations of existing medical devices, as well as enable new medical treatment. Ultimately, I hope to provide profound impacts in the quality of life of patients through technologies.

PhD, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 2000 - 2007(Thesis Supervisor: Prof. Hugh Herr, Thesis Committee Chair: Prof. Kamal Youcef-Toumi) MPhil, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, 1997 - 1999 (Thesis Supervisor: Prof. Yangsheng Xu) Bachelor of Engineering (MAE)(1st Hons), The Chinese University of Hong Kong, 1994 - 1997

1. 2023 Science and Technology Entrepreneurs, 36Kr Holdings Inc., 2023 2. China Future Healthcare Rankings 2023 - Top 100 Medical Device Companies and Best-Performing Companies in Valuable Fields, the 7th Top 100 Future Healthcare Conference, 2023 3. 2022 Top 50 Enterprises with the Most Investment Value in Healthcare, CHC Medical Treatment Consultation and CITIC Securities, 2022

1. J. Huang, X. Chu, X. Ma, and K. W. Samuel Au, “Deformable Object Manipulation With Constraints Using Path Set Planning and Tracking”, IEEE Transactions on Robotics, 2023. (Accepted). 2. X. Chu, C. H. Lo, T. Proietti, C. J. Walsh, and K. W. Samuel Au, “Opposite Treatment on Null Space: a Unified Control Framework for a Class of Underactuated Robotic Systems with Null Space Avoidance,” IEEE Transactions on Control System and Technology, 2021 (accepted). 3. Y. Wang, H. W. Yip, H. Zheng, H. Lin, R. H. Taylor, and K. W. Samuel Au, “Design and experimental validation of a miniaturized robotic tendon-driven articulated surgical drill for enhancing distal dexterity in minimally invasive spine surgery,” IEEE/ASME Transactions on Mechatronics, vol. 26, issue 4, pp. 1858-1866, 2021.(IF: 5.303, JCR Rank: Q1 in [Automation & Control Systems], [Engineering, Electrical & Electronic], [Engineering, Mechanical]). 4. H. Lin, C. W. Vincent Hui, Y. Wang, A. Deguet, P. Kazanzides, and K. W. Samuel Au, “A reliable gravity compensation control strategy for dvrk robotic arms with nonlinear disturbance forces,” IEEE Robotics and Automation Letters, vol. 4, no. 4, pp. 3892–3899, 2019. (IF: 3.74, JCR Rank: Q1 in [Robotics]) 5. S. K. Au, Weber J., and Herr, H., “Powered ankle-foot prosthesis improves walking metabolic economy,” IEEE Transactions on Robotics, vol. 25, issue 1, pp. 51 - 66, Feb 2009. (IF: 5.567, JCR Rank: Q1 in [Robotics])