Health and Well-being Week
The Future of Healthcare: Transportable Surgical and Medical Pods for the World’s Most Vulnerable
Australia
Panel discussion with leading Australian researcher in healthcare.
Recorded video available
Discussion
- Measures against infectious diseases
- Well-being
- Healthy life expectancy
| Transmission of simultaneous interpretation | To be determined |
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| Language of interpretation | To be determined |
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Track Programme
- Time and
Date of
the event -
-
2025.06.26[Thu]
11:00 ～ 11:45
(Venue Open 10:45)
-
- Venue
- Pavilion
- Australia Pavilion
Programme details
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How can we deliver emergency care to people when hospitals are inaccessible or destroyed? SABRN’s modular LifePods are designed to be rapidly deployable, digitally connected, and vehicle-agnostic solutions that can be air-dropped, driven, or shipped into disaster zones. Designed for extreme environments—from flood-affected villages to conflict-ravaged cities—these Pods would act as mobile hospitals, surgical units, and isolation zones to save lives and build resilience in vulnerable communities. In this presentation, Professor Abe Chandra shares SABRN’s global vision, and outlines the partnerships and innovations helping to drive the future of scalable, equitable healthcare delivery.
Reports
【Reflection】
This programme featured a panel discussion led by Professor Abhirash Chandra, a leading Australian researcher, on the development and future prospects of the mobile modular medical pods known as "SABRN," designed to address the challenges of disaster and remote-area healthcare.
Currently, over half of the world’s population lacks adequate access to healthcare services, with particularly severe challenges faced in disaster zones, conflict areas, and remote locations. In response, the SABRN pods have been engineered as rapidly deployable, transportable medical units capable of functioning as operating theatres and isolation zones, deployable by land, sea, or air.
The pods incorporate advanced safety features to manage chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear (CBRN) risks. The programme also highlighted practical training for medical professionals utilising VR, AR, and 3D printing technologies. Notably, the remote guidance system enables expert support in environments with limited communications, such as disaster sites.
It was also revealed that multinational collaboration is progressing on both technological development and the establishment of community-based disaster healthcare systems. The project, currently at Technology Readiness Level 5, received high praise for its innovative efforts, including future ambitions for space medicine and AI-driven autonomous pods.
Overall, this programme provided a valuable opportunity to showcase new possibilities for medical provision in disasters and remote areas, emphasising SABRN’s commitment to realising healthcare as a human right.
【Post EXPO Initiatives】
Following the programme, the SABRN project will continue to strengthen multinational partnerships while advancing technological development and conducting further validation trials. Particular emphasis will be placed on collaboration with regional disaster prevention communities, such as Japan’s "BOKOMI," to enhance community-centred disaster healthcare systems.
Ongoing training for medical personnel, utilising VR, AR, and remote guidance systems, will support the development of skilled responders capable of immediate intervention in disaster and remote settings, thereby improving the quality and speed of healthcare delivery.
Looking ahead, the project aims to realise AI-enabled autonomous medical pods, suitable for space medicine and extreme environments. These initiatives are intended to reduce healthcare disparities and promote equitable access to medical services worldwide.
Furthermore, by establishing cost-effective mass production methods, the project seeks to expand deployment to low- and middle-income countries and remote regions, contributing to the creation of a sustainable global healthcare system.
Leveraging the insights and international partnerships gained through the Expo programme, the SABRN project will continue to deliver innovative solutions at the forefront of healthcare.
Cast
Speakers
Professor Abhilash (Abe) Chandra
Founder and Managing Director of the SABRN Group of Companies, Adjunct Industry Professor at the University of South Australia’s Future Industries Institute
Professor Abhilash (Abe) Chandra is a Vascular, General and Military Surgeon, as well as an academic. He is the Founder and Managing Director of the SABRN Group of Companies and is an Adjunct Industry Professor at the University of South Australia’s Future Industries Institute. He has had over two decades of service in the Australian Army—including roles as infantry, medic, medical officer, and trauma surgeon. Through SABRN, he is developing compact, transportable and scalable medical and surgical Pods to help deliver advanced healthcare and emergency response capability to communities affected by natural and man-made disasters in remote, austere, hostile, and overwhelmed environments. His work is trying to shape a future where healthcare can be made available and affordable, especially for underserved communities. His objective is to enable healthcare to reach anyone, anywhere—regardless of infrastructure, geography, or threat.
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Health and Well-being Week
The Future of Healthcare: Transportable Surgical and Medical Pods for the World’s Most Vulnerable
Panel discussion with leading Australian researcher in healthcare.
-
2025.06.26[Thu]
11:00～11:45
(Venue Open 10:45)
- Pavilion
- * Programme times and content are subject to change. Any changes will be announced on this website and via the ticket booking system.
- * The schedule is subject to change depending on the organiser's circumstances.
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