Academic Profile - Dr. Che-Wei Lin

Dr. Che-Wei Lin is an Associate Professor at the Department of Biomedical Engineering, National Cheng Kung University (NCKU), Taiwan. He also holds joint appointments at the Institute of Gerontology, Institute of Medical Informatics, and Department of Biotechnology and Bioindustry Sciences at NCKU.

Dr. Lin completed his PhD in Electrical Engineering at NCKU in 2011, following a Master's degree in Information Technology from the University of Milan, Italy (2009), and a Bachelor's degree in Electrical and Control Engineering from National Chiao Tung University, Taiwan (2006). He joined NCKU as an Assistant Professor in 2016 through the Ministry of Education's "Advanced Personnel Special Faculty Project" and was promoted to Associate Professor in 2021.

His research focuses on artificial intelligence-based biomedical signal processing and embedded computing, as well as virtual reality medical-based assistive systems. Over the past five years, Dr. Lin has led several key research initiatives:

1. Development of AI algorithms for cardiac valve and arrhythmia detection using radial artery pressure waves, achieving 95.70% accuracy. His work has resulted in patents, international collaborations, and multiple awards including the 2022 IFMBE Student Competition Silver Award.
2. Creation of single-lead ECG-based sleep apnea detection algorithms using deep learning frameworks and time-frequency analysis, receiving recognition including the 2024 MATLAB & Simulink Second Place Award.
3. Implementation of gait identification algorithms for neurodegenerative disease patients using vertical ground reaction force signals and deep learning, achieving 96.37% accuracy in multi-class gait identification.
4. Development of electronic nose (E-nose) sensing systems with AI for pathogen detection and disease screening, reaching over 99% accuracy in bacterial classification.
5. Design of a virtual reality mirror therapy (VRMT) rehabilitation system for stroke patients, which received FDA Class II medical device registration (Product Code: QKC), becoming Taiwan's first VR rehabilitation software with such certification.

Dr. Lin's research has been published in 18 high-impact international journals (12 Q1 and 6 Q2) in the past five years. He has secured significant international industry collaborations totaling over NT$15 million, primarily with Taiyo Yuden Co., Ltd. of Japan, and has been granted multiple patents.

He serves the academic community as the Secretary-General of the Taiwanese Society of Biomedical Engineering, a guest editor for several journals including Sensors and Biomedicines, and as an Officer of Student Activities for the IEEE Tainan Section.

Dr. Lin has received numerous honors, including the 2024 Young Investigator Competition Silver Award at the International Conference on Biomedical and Health Informatics, the 2024 National Innovation Award for Clinical Innovation, and the 2024 NHQA National Medical Quality Award.

Beyond research, he led the development of an acute stroke patient referral system for NCKU Hospital, significantly reducing transfer and imaging assessment times for thrombectomy patients across 13 emergency hospitals in Tainan City. This project exemplifies his commitment to translating academic research into practical healthcare solutions that directly benefit society.

Dr. Lin's laboratory, affiliated with the Department of Biomedical Engineering, is dedicated to developing innovative technologies for medical applications, effectively bridging advanced research and practical clinical needs.

Technology Development Focus

The laboratory concentrates on four primary technological areas:

1. AI Algorithms for Biomedical Signal Processing: The team specializes in creating sophisticated AI algorithms that address challenges inherent in biomedical signal analysis, particularly data imbalance issues between pathological and normal samples. Researchers employ techniques such as data augmentation and penalty-based mechanisms to enhance algorithmic accuracy and reliability.
2. Lightweight AI Models for Edge Computing: Recognizing the importance of deploying AI in resource-limited settings, the laboratory emphasizes developing lightweight AI models suitable for IoT and edge computing environments. Their research prioritizes balancing model efficiency, size, accuracy, and minimal resource requirements.
3. Application-Specific AI Optimization: The team customizes AI solutions by integrating advanced feature engineering and tailored deep neural networks, ensuring models initially optimized for servers can effectively operate on compact computing platforms. Such optimizations include improvements in computational efficiency, reduced model size, memory footprint, while maintaining high performance.
4. Virtual Reality for Rehabilitation: Researchers explore innovative VR applications, particularly in neurological rehabilitation, such as upper limb recovery for stroke patients. By generating visual stimuli not present in the physical environment, their VR-based systems facilitate neural regeneration and functional recovery.

Research Groups

The laboratory's work is organized into four specialized research groups:

• Electrocardiogram Processing Group: This team develops AI-driven techniques for rapid cardiac disease diagnosis, enabling immediate myocardial infarction detection in critical scenarios such as ambulances and intensive care units.
• Sleep Signal Analysis Group: Researchers focus on improving the efficiency of sleep staging analysis through advanced computing methods, significantly reducing manual interpretation tasks. They also investigate relationships between heart disease and sleep apnea by analyzing ECG data.
• Electronic Olfaction Analysis Group: This team leverages sensor-based electronic olfaction technologies to detect diseases through odor analysis. Their work includes cancer detection via urine analysis, differentiation of respiratory illnesses through breath analysis, and earlier identification of infectious diseases via odors emitted during bacterial cultivation.
• Digital VR Rehabilitation Group: The group develops virtual reality systems that simulate scenarios unattainable in real life, such as providing movement sensations to patients with impaired motor functions. This technology aims to stimulate brain plasticity and enhance rehabilitation outcomes.

Laboratory Culture and Student Development

New students undergo an initial 3–6 month training period, utilizing textbooks and online resources with weekly progress evaluations. They subsequently collaborate with senior students on projects, gradually gaining practical experience. Students ultimately select research topics aligned with their interests from the laboratory's portfolio to pursue deeper, independent research.

Through multidisciplinary expertise in AI and VR technologies, Dr. Lin's laboratory continues to drive forward biomedical innovations that significantly enhance healthcare delivery and patient outcomes.