Moxibustion Robots: How AI-Driven TCM Breaks Global Standards

At a time when the global TCM market has exceeded US$50 billion in output value, traditional moxibustion therapy is achieving leapfrog development with the help of artificial intelligence technology. As an important carrier of TCM culture, the innovation of moxibustion robots not only solves the pain points of cumbersome operation and lack of standardization of traditional moxibustion, but also promotes the accelerated integration of TCM into the international health industry system with technology empowerment.

1. International standards build industry discourse power

The international standard for TCM infrared moxibustion instrument (ISO 20493), led by Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, has for the first time clarified the technical parameters and clinical application specifications of TCM infrared equipment. After 41 months of demonstration by experts from five countries including China, Australia and Canada, the standard successfully transformed the efficacy characteristics of traditional moxibustion such as "heat penetration and heat expansion" into quantifiable technical indicators. As of 2024, my country has led the release of 31 international standards for TCM, covering acupuncture instruments, quality of Chinese medicinal materials and other fields, laying a standardized foundation for the global promotion of moxibustion robots.

2. Scenario-based applications open up the international market

At the 2024 China International Fair for Trade in Services, moxibustion robots, TCM constitution testing, chiropractic robots, etc. together formed the "Smart TCM" exhibition area, attracting professional visitors from more than 70 countries to experience. German TCM practitioners demonstrated Wu's acupuncture and robot collaborative treatment on site, intuitively showing the potential of combining Chinese and Western medicine. Data shows that Zhimei Kangmin moxibustion robots have been exported to Southeast Asia, the Middle East and other countries along the "Belt and Road", serving more than one million people in total. The annual purchase volume of medicinal moxa sticks in the Japanese market has exceeded 2,000 tons, confirming the international community's recognition of the value of moxibustion health preservation.

3. Industry collaboration promotes sustainable development

In order to break through the application bottleneck in specialized fields such as tumors, the China Institute of Atomic Energy has cooperated with medical institutions to develop an intelligent collaborative system to reproduce the personalized moxibustion method of famous old TCM doctors through deep learning. The system can support the treatment of 5-10 patients at the same time, freeing doctors from repetitive operations and focusing on the diagnosis and treatment of complex cases. In addition, the industry is exploring the "robot + Internet hospital" model to achieve cross-border health management services through remote diagnosis and treatment platforms.

4. Challenges and the future

Despite its strong development momentum, moxibustion robots still face challenges such as core algorithm optimization and long overseas certification cycles. In the future, it is necessary to strengthen multidisciplinary cross-innovation, establish an international clinical evaluation system, and tell the story of traditional Chinese medicine through the dual-wheel drive of "culture + technology". With the continuous improvement of ISO standards and the deep integration of AI technology, moxibustion robots are expected to become the "intelligent messenger" of traditional Chinese medicine culture output and contribute Chinese solutions to global health governance.

From standardization construction to clinical application innovation, the development process of moxibustion robots reflects the epitome of the modernization of traditional Chinese medicine. When millennium wisdom meets artificial intelligence, this technological change not only injects new vitality into traditional therapies, but also opens up a distinctive development path on the international health stage.