What drew you to this field of pediatric disability research?

I felt a drive to serve people and help others my entire life. That’s what led me to go into biomedical engineering. During my university years, I was deciding on whether to pursue med school or go into research. When I learned about the work that my professor, Dr. Jan Andrysek, was doing, it made me realize that my ultimate goal was really just to serve people and make a difference in their lives.

What was your area of research at the PROPEL Lab?

Traditionally, creating prosthetics and orthotics is a very manual and labour-intensive process where all the models are created by hand using plaster. Where my research comes in is integrating digital technologies, like 3D scanning, to create computer models of prostheses and 3D printing to produce prosthetic components, into current practice.

For the past five years, the research team at the PROPEL Lab have worked closely with the orthotics and prosthetics clinic to introduce these digital technologies into their workflow*. We’ve developed protocols to scan the arms of clients with upper limb differences in mere seconds. We’ve developed protocols to scan the legs of clients with lower limb differences to create a 3D model for an ankle-foot orthosis. We’ve also created a diagnostic tool called the Transradial Prosthesis Assessment System (TPAS) that clinicians are using now when designing a prosthetic device for clients with upper limb differences that is both comfortable and functional.

*Learn more about the Digital Technology project here

What did you enjoy most as a research trainee in the PROPEL Lab?

I’m always passionate about research. One of the reasons is the work that Dr. Jan Andrysek was doing—designing affordable prosthetic knee joints for people so they can use it in developing countries. I remember being so inspired and it made me believe that applied research and design can help make an enormous difference in people’s lives. I’ve felt fortunate and grateful to have been able to be involved in these projects including the Digital Technology project. We can see these things actually being applied and interact with clients so we can get their feedback and continue to optimize it.

The second highlight for me has been to work with all the researchers, students, clinicians and clients to co-create all of these processes and products. I’m motivated when I see a product being used and that it can actually help make people’s lives better.

What do you hope to do after you finish your training?

The one thing that hasn’t changed is the desire for me to serve so that passion will always remain within me. I’ve valued all of the soft skills I’ve learned such as how to communicate with people, product design and product cycle – all of these skills are transferable.

How do you think your research has impacted clients and their families at Holland Bloorview?

I grew up in Hong Kong and moved here when I was 13 and lived with my cousins. I know what it feels like to be an outsider. I know being included is really important and extending it to others is really important to me. So having a prosthesis is not just having the ability to walk again, but also being able to act independently, enjoy activities and have more confidence. This allows kids just be kids. Just imagine a world where a person in a rural area can use their cell phone to take a picture of their arm, send it to the cloud and there can be an automated process where a prosthetic device can be designed, downloaded and printed to be used right away by that person. Just imagine the access of care that would be dramatically improved. I would love to be able to get to that point.