"You can check whether the baby in the womb is healthy with an artificial intelligence (AI) ultrasound."
On the morning of the 19th at COEX in Gangnam District, Seoul, at Korea's largest medical device exhibition, "KIMES 2026," the Samsung Medison Co. booth featured an AI ultrasound. The thing that matters most during pregnancy is the baby's health. You have to check whether all 10 fingers are properly attached, whether there are problems with the brain, and whether the blood flow being delivered to the fetus is adequate. For example, reduced blood flow can keep a fetus from growing well or affect its health. A Samsung Medison Co. representative said, "Because AI detects each finger joint in detail, you can closely examine the baby's health."
The device also used AI to identify the face of the baby soon to be born and showed it in detail. Even when you take a typical ultrasound photo, the umbilical cord often obscures the view. But this device analyzes an image with the umbilical cord removed and shows a face as close as possible to how the baby will look at birth, the company representative explained.
◇ "My heart is beating irregularly"… AI wristwatch detects arrhythmia
KIMES, which opened that day, runs for four days through the 22nd. The exhibition is hosted by the Korea Medical Devices Industry Association, the Korea Medical Devices Cooperative, and Korea E&EX, with support from the Ministry of Health and Welfare and the Korea Health Industry Development Institute (KHIDI), among others. It is considered a show where you can grasp the latest trends in medical devices at a glance. Minister Jung Eun-kyeong of the Ministry of Health and Welfare made a brief visit to look around the site.
About 1,000 companies attended the exhibition, ranging from large corporations such as Samsung Medison Co., LG Electronics, and Naver Healthcare to mid-sized companies and startups. They showcased some 3,500 products, including medical devices and hospital equipment. Even before opening, the exhibition was packed, with hundreds of people lining up.
The exhibition featured a variety of products that use AI to protect people's health and prevent disease. Seers Technology, together with the pan-ministerial medical device project group, unveiled a wearable medical device that detects arrhythmia with AI. Arrhythmia is an irregular heartbeat that, if prolonged, can lead to cardiac arrest.
For example, an inpatient receives a doctor's prescription and wears an oxygen saturation monitor and an electrocardiograph that look like a wristwatch. The device analyzes the patient's condition in real time and sends it to the medical staff's monitor. A normal heart rate is usually 60–80 beats per minute. If the number rises to around 100–120, the AI detects it and sends a real-time alert to the medical staff, according to the explanation.
A Seers Technology representative said, "We currently detect arrhythmia, cardiac arrest, and so on in real time when they occur," adding, "Our goal is to develop a function that detects arrhythmia five hours in advance."
◇ A robot handles urination and defecation on its own… preserves patient dignity
A robot that automatically handles urination and defecation for patients with limited mobility also stood out. Older adults and people with disabilities sometimes live with diapers in hospitals. But wearing diapers for a long time can leave excreta on the skin, causing rashes or bedsores. Curaco's CareBidet automatically handles such patients' urination and defecation.
The robot is largely divided into a body-worn unit and a main unit. The wearable part is attached between the patient's legs. When a spoonful of white tofu was put into the robot, sensors detected it and sucked it in, like a toilet flushing, in real time. Then a stream of water sprayed out like a bidet. It also has a drying function, according to the explanation. A caregiver only needs to empty the waste tank in the main unit once or twice a day.
CareBidet can reduce the shame felt by patients with limited mobility. It also eases the burden on caregivers. A caregiver for a stroke patient in her 70s said, "It's convenient because I don't have to change diapers in the middle of the night," adding, "There's no odor, so the ward has become more pleasant." The product is not currently registered as a medical device in Korea. A Curaco representative said, "It is a welfare aid that can protect patient dignity."
◇ "My shoulder hurts"… symptom consultation leads to hospital recommendation
Naver Healthcare introduced an easy way for patients to pre-screen themselves that day. When symptoms such as "My shoulder hurts" and "My arm is tingling" were entered in the Naver Healthcare app, the question "How long have you had the symptoms?" came back. After answering "For a long time," it linked to Naver Map and suggested nearby neurosurgery and orthopedics clinics to visit. It also inferred the diagnosis of cervical radiculopathy.
LG Electronics showcased high-resolution monitors that can be used for endoscopy or in operating rooms. An LG Electronics representative said, "During surgery, an unexpected situation such as blood splashing can occur," adding, "We put a transparent cover on the monitor to solve this problem."