On June 8, 2025, the 2025 EIT International workshop was successfully convened at the Tsinghua University Electronic Engineering Building, hosted by the Department of Electronic Engineering. Centered on the theme "Building Bridges Between Engineering R&D, Clinical Practice, and Commercial Translation," the event gathered global experts, scholars, clinicians, industry representatives, and investors in the field of Electrical Impedance Tomography (EIT). Together, they explored cutting-edge advancements and emerging trends in EIT technology for medical monitoring and cross-disciplinary applications.

Professor LI Maokun, Associate Chair of Tsinghua University's Department of Electronic Engineering, delivered the opening address. In his remarks, Prof. Li emphasized that EIT – as a highly interdisciplinary field – urgently requires deep integration and close collaboration across engineering, medical, and industrial sectors to fully realize its clinical potential and industrial development.

Prof. Maokun Li delivering welcome address

The keynote lecture was delivered by Prof. Andy Adler from Carleton University, Canada. As the founder of the EIDORS open-source platform, Prof. Adler shared a comprehensive overview titled "The Global Expansion of EIT: From Intensive Care to Public Health Innovation", reviewing over 30 years of development and real-world impact in the field.

Prof. Andy Adler delivering keynote

The morning session, “EIT in Respiratory Care: From Diagnosis to Rehabilitation,” featured leading clinical and engineering experts:

· Prof. Huaiwu He (Peking Union Medical College Hospital, China): “Application of Pulmonary EIT Imaging in Bedside Diagnosis of Respiratory Failure”

· Dr. Baldassare Ferro (Livorno, Tuscany Region, Italy): “New Perspectives in EIT Diagnosis Through Clinical Cases”

· Prof. Hongying Jiang (Beijing Rehabilitation Hospital, China): “EIT in Pulmonary Rehabilitation”

· Prof. Zhanqi Zhao (Guangzhou Medical University, China): “Clinical Applications of EIT in COPD”

Experts agree: EIT’s bedside, real-time, radiation-free advantages deliver critical solutions for respiratory management, advancing precision medicine. Global innovators are accelerating R&D of smart, non-radiologic imaging devices to expand multi-department, multi-indication applications, benefiting clinicians and patients worldwide.

The afternoon program began with a keynote speech by Dr. Feilong Nie, Deputy General Manager of CICC Capital, titled “Commercialization Pathways and Investment Strategies in China’s MedTech Sector.” He provided strategic insights into the current landscape of medical technology investment and innovation in China.

Dr. Feilong Nie presenting

The first panel discussion, moderated by Ms. Mengdi Jin, Healthcare Analyst at CICC Capital, focused on “Extending EIT Applications Beyond the Hospital”. Discussions centered on the opportunities and challenges of EIT in non-hospital settings such as home rehabilitation, primary care, and remote monitoring. Panelists included: Prof. Andy Adler(Carleton University, Canada), Dr. Feilong Nie (CICC Capital, China), Mr. Changying Li (Chairman, Aeonmed, China), Dr. Gaopeng Chen (Investment Director, Prosperity7 Ventures)

Panel 1 discussion – Beyond the Hospital

The second panel was chaired by Dr. Ke Zhang (Infivision Medical Imaging) and brought together clinical experts and researchers from both China and abroad. The discussion focused on “Trends and Innovations in EIT Technology and Clinical Integration”.

Panel 2 discussion – Innovation and Clinical Integration

The workshop attracted participation from clinical experts, researchers, industry professionals, and faculty/students across China, Canada, Italy, Japan, Thailand, Russia, Indonesia, Kazakhstan, and other countries. Over 300 global experts in EIT convened both online and offline, comprehensively representing the full spectrum of "industry-academia-research-medicine" stakeholders. This gathering established a premier platform for global exchange and collaboration in advancing EIT technology development.

Group photo of all attendees

Following the workshop, the organizers arranged visits for attendees to the special exhibition The Era of Radio Waves at Tsinghua University Science Museum, complemented by campus cultural tours. These activities provided deeper insights into Tsinghua's centennial development journey and rich legacy in scientific research.

The successful conclusion of the 2025 EIT workshop leveraged Tsinghua University's platform to effectively foster cross-border integration and collaborative innovation in EIT technology worldwide. This event has laid a solid foundation for future in-depth cooperation across industry, academia, research, and medical fields.

Visit to "The Era of Airwaves" exhibition

Contributed by: Lana Chen