“During the SARS period, our equipment was low-end X ray machines, and those in hospitals were imported from foreign countries. Nowadays, the home-made Computed Tomography (CT) machines are widely used in Chinese hospitals and community health centers,” said Xue Min, chairman of a medical imaging equipment producer, during a forum held during the China Brand Day.

Xue’s company, United Imaging, was invited to take part in the China Brand Day event as a representative of Shanghai’s self-owned high-end brands.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, the company dispatched nearly 1,000 pieces of CT and DR (Digital Radiography) apparatus and over 300 engineers and clinical trainers to the frontline to help fight against the coronavirus across China. Together with its shareholders, it also donated medical equipment and services worth 110 million yuan (approximately USD 15 million).

The pandemic outbreak has led to the accelerated application of AI technology in medical sectors. Recently, United Imaging’s in-vehicle CT machine was put into use in the Maimonides Medical Center, the biggest hospital in Brooklyn, New York City. That is the first CT machine developed for COVID-19 in a US hospital, offering 24-hour services.

The Shanghai company’s products can also be seen in Ukraine and Thailand, chosen after rounds of selection. Early this month, the first batch of mobile DR and intelligent CT products departed from Shanghai and were shipped to medical institutions in both countries.

Besides, the company has received urgent orders from more than 10 foreign countries and is now going all out for maximum production. “AI technology has become a point of force for us to win competitiveness in the global high-end medical equipment industry,” said an R&D technician at United Imaging.

For future development, United Imaging aims to empower the entire process of high-end medical equipment and clinical diagnosis and treatment, by further utilizing AI technology, while speeding up its layout in wearable devices, surgical robotics, and medical cloud computing.

The manufacturing of large-scale medical equipment, like vehicle manufacturing, requires the support of various fields of science and technology and a strong production capacity. Once leading enterprises make breakthroughs and achieve strong growth, the integration within the industrial chain system will be facilitated to create a radiating effect.

“The next 5 to 10 years will be a key window period for Chinese enterprises to surpass their counterparts in the world,” said Xue with confidence. “The chance is for us to promote Chinese smart manufacturing to the world’s high-end value chain, so as to become a global industrial leader.”