Hangzhou, September 3 — "At present, we have completed the in vitro performance testing and hemolysis performance testing of our pediatric artificial heart product. The test results have reached the international advanced level, and the next step is to conduct animal trials," introduced Zhao Changlong, an engineer at the Children's Health Innovation Research Center of the Binjiang Institute of Zhejiang University.

　　Recently, the author followed the Zhejiang University New Quality Productive Forces Media Research Tour into the Binjiang Institute of Zhejiang University, the Institute of Intelligent Innovative Drugs, and the Institute of Advanced Equipment of Zhejiang University, to feel the pulse of cutting-edge technological innovation and explore the new industries, new models, and new drivers spawned by scientific and technological innovation.

　　The Binjiang Institute of Zhejiang University focuses on the fields of information and life health and has five major research centers. Among them, the Children's Health Innovation Research Center is led by Shu Qiang, Party Secretary of the Children's Hospital Affiliated to Zhejiang University School of Medicine, and aims to bridge the "last mile" of technological innovation and achievement transformation in children's health protection and major disease prevention and control.

　　"In China, about 40,000 minor patients are hospitalized each year due to heart failure, and the five-year mortality rate of children with end-stage heart failure is as high as 80%," Zhao Changlong introduced. "Targeting the clinical medical challenge of end-stage heart failure in children, we have integrated multiple disciplines and, based on the 'small and refined' characteristics of children's hearts, developed an artificial heart product that meets the needs of pediatric heart failure patients."

　　According to reports, the team has built a simulation computing platform, a CNC machining platform, and an in vitro testing platform, and the product has achieved independent R&D and independent processing and production of core components. "We hope to solve the shortage of donor hearts for pediatric heart transplantation as soon as possible and save more children's lives," Zhao Changlong said.

　　In recent years, various research institutes of Zhejiang University have connected the relevant links from scientific and technological innovation to pilot incubation and then to industrial application. With a relatively flexible mechanism, they enable universities and enterprises to communicate face to face, which not only accelerates the "landing and monetization" of scientific research achievements but also helps enterprises with technical breakthrough needs find scientific research and innovation forces.

　　"We combine the needs of enterprises in China Medical Port, closely follow the R&D chain and industrial chain of innovative drugs, and feature the integration of artificial intelligence technology with new drug development to help the transfer and transformation of scientific and technological achievements in the biopharmaceutical field," introduced Cao Ji, deputy director of the Institute of Intelligent Innovative Drugs of Zhejiang University.

　　Cao Ji gave an example: the institute customized molecular and cellular activity evaluation methods for enterprises, helping them complete target validity verification and achieve high-throughput screening of candidate molecules. At present, multiple candidate new drug varieties have smoothly entered the clinical research stage.

　　In addition to accelerating the biopharmaceutical industry's "from 0 to 1" innovation through digital empowerment, Zhejiang University also continues to increase its investment in the field of advanced equipment to help enterprises achieve "from 1 to infinity" breakthroughs.

　　Railways, highways, subways, undersea tunnels... With the orderly advancement of large-scale infrastructure construction projects, large shield tunneling machines have been widely used.

Large shield cutterhead and cutter inspection snake-like inspection robot. Photo courtesy of the Institute of Advanced Equipment of Zhejiang University

　　"Large shield tunneling machines face extreme operating environments such as high temperature, high pressure, and high humidity during excavation, and manual cutterhead and cutter inspection operations involve safety risks." Inside the Institute of Advanced Equipment of Zhejiang University, Wang Cheng, head of the Special Robot Department, introduced while debugging the large shield cutterhead and cutter inspection snake-like inspection robot independently developed by the team.

　　The robot has a reach of 2.4 meters, a total of 13 degrees of freedom, and an end positioning accuracy of 1 millimeter. With a linear slide, it can achieve flexible obstacle avoidance and high-precision operations in complex spaces.

　　"Referring to the snake skeleton structure and tendon-driven principle, this robot can not only enter the chamber to clean cutters under high-pressure, high-temperature, and high-humidity environments, improving the operating efficiency of the shield tunneling machine, but also analyze the wear state of the cutterhead, predict cutter life, and provide a decision-making basis for cutter replacement," Wang Cheng said.

　　In addition, to actively play the role of scientific and technological incubation and accelerator, the Institute of Advanced Equipment of Zhejiang University has successfully incubated two on-campus team projects and established a 30 million yuan achievement transformation fund to incubate high-quality projects of on-campus expert teams. Up to now, four projects have been approved.

　　"The institute not only provided us with start-up funds but also gave support in office space, scientific research equipment, policy guidance, administrative services, and other aspects. It provides strong guarantees for researchers to concentrate on research and for enterprises to develop with peace of mind," said a relevant person in charge of Hangzhou Yinsheng Medical Technology Co., Ltd., a representative of an on-campus team project.