2019 TIE Future Technology Pavilion Provides Opportunities for Industrial Transformation

Taiwan Innotech Expo’s (TIE’s) Future Technology Pavilion opens today (Sep. 26). In response to the current AI trend, the Pavilion features an array of new AI applications in Taiwan, including a decision support system that can screen diabetic retinopathy (DR) by detecting the four major symptoms, and an AI mobile video system for law enforcement which uses wearable devices to capture images in crowded areas and compare facial characteristics with edge computing. The Future Technology Pavilion offers over 100 domestically developed technologies, all of which are the innovation efforts from the Industrial Development Bureau (IDB), Department of Industrial Technology (DoIT), Small and Medium Enterprise Administration, Ministry of National Defense, and National Development Council. The event, executed by IDB and Industrial Technology Research Institute (ITRI), presents the fruitful results of the government’s 5+2 Industrial Innovation Plan, and exposes enterprises to opportunities for upgrades and value creation.

This year, the Future Technology Pavilion focuses on Smart Factory, Digital Services, and Smart City, and exhibits the R&D capacities of many government sectors. New technologies and applications from robust local research agencies and corporations such as Industrial Technology Research Institute (ITRI), Metal Industries Research & Development Centre, ChungHwa Telecom, Advantech Co., and Wistron Corporation are also shown at the venue. The Pavilion presents a new lifestyle with innovative technologies, and moreover, offers an interaction platform for the industries. TIE 2019 has also set up an international zone, inviting 51 organizations such as Nissan Motor, National Science and Technology Development Agency of Thailand, and Fraunhofer to exhibit. It is expected that the venue can become a bridge that facilitates technological exchanges between the Southeast Asia markets and the advanced economies, generating cooperative opportunities in IP and technology development.

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The Future Technology Pavilion includes three theme sections. In the Smart Manufacturing Section, the Metal Industries & Research Development Centre’s automated guided vehicle (AGV) features wireless design, flexible usage, and all-directional mobility. With intelligent connection technology, multiple vehicles can work together like a swarm of ants to transport objects of various sizes and shapes and can handle most kinds of loads, from large storage containers to common packaging materials. The AGV can also move through narrow indoor spaces with its all-directional wheels, removing the mobility constraints of conventional AGVs.

In the Digital Services Section, Bovia presents its AI mobile video system for law enforcement, which can capture images in crowded areas and compare facial characteristics. The system can send the identification results immediately to both frontline officers and the cloud platform for data management, storage, and relational inference, and reports to related divisions. This technology can resolve issues including low-quality images, backbone network deployment problems, and delayed response time. It also provides an effective solution for police officers at spot check points and protesting venues who may encounter situations such as onsite wiring and infrastructure difficulties, dim lighting, and time-consuming individual questionings. Currently the system is employed by over 20 law enforcement units, including the police, security and investigation agencies in Taiwan and Singapore.

In the Smart City section, ITRI showcases the world’s only AI-based diagnostic system that can detect four main DR symptoms and identify lesion locations. The system can assist non-ophthalmologists in DR screening, eliminate the need of referral, and facilitate early diagnosis and treatment. The increase of the early detection rate for potential patients may reduce healthcare and social costs. Meanwhile, FREE Bionics presents its exoskeleton robot FREE Walk. Available in Japan, Malaysia, and several European countries, FREE Walk has obtained EU’s CE marking and domestic TFDA certifications and can provide functional training (for sitting up, standing, and walking) and living assistance to patients with paralysis or lower limb immobility.

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The Future Technology Pavilion is opened from September 26 to 28, 2019 at the Taiwan Innotech Expo held in Taipei World Trade Center, Exhibition Hall 1. Admissions are free and enterprises are welcome to visit.

Technical Briefs

AI Mobile Video System for Law Enforcement

In the Digital Services Section, Bovia presents an AI mobile video system for law enforcement which uses wearable devices to capture images and compare facial characteristics in crowded areas with edge computing. The results can be immediately displayed to frontline crews, delivered to the cloud platform for data management, storage, and associated inference, and reported to relevant staff. This new technology can overcome challenges including unstable streaming quality, network deployment problems, and delayed response time. Therefore it can prevent officers against problems such as difficulty in wiring, dim lighting, and time-consuming investigations when handling protest movements and street events. Currently the system is employed by over 20 law enforcement units, including the police, security and investigation agencies in Taiwan and Singapore.

3D Sensing Solution

The 3D sensing solution developed by LIPS Corp. uses the depth camera and machine vision technologies to enable various applications. It can measure object volume, providing automated high-precision geometric measurement for logistics or warehouse management. It can offer a face anti-spoofing solution for the top level security system to enhance facial recognition access control. Moreover, its real-time full-body skeleton motion tracking software can benefit medical care or augmented reality.

Advantech’s AI Driving Safety Solution

Advantech’s AI Driving Safety Solution enables real-time surveillance and fleet management with on-board terminals, intelligent cameras, and advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS). Built-in sensors collect intra-vehicle data and provide a detailed record of vehicle driving operation, while the intelligent voice recognition technology allows for hands-free operation. Furthermore, all data can be instantly transmitted to the cloud for fleet managers to enhance driving efficiency and safety.

Autopilot Operation & Information Integration Platform

Chunghwa Telecom and Wistron Corp. co-developed an autopilot operation and information integration platform for autonomous vehicles. The information of sub-components including sensors, states of brake, steering, and fuel gauge is all integrated into a fully functional system. Vehicular and roadside data are also collected to reflect real-time autopilot operation and provide a record for authority supervision.

Exoskeleton Robot

FREE Bionics is a leading designer and manufacturer of innovative exoskeleton devices that supports human strength and mobility in sports, medical and industrial fields. Its FREE Walk obtained CE, MDSAP, and TFDA approvals, and has been distributed to Japan, Malaysia, and many European countries. FREE Walk assists patients with spinal cord injuries and those with lower limb weakness to stand, walk, and perform functional training. The new product KneeBO could help patients with stroke or joint problems and to increase muscle endurance and strength.

Automated Guided Vehicle

The Metal Industries & Research Development Centre‘s automated guided vehicle (AGV) features wireless design, flexible usage, and all-directional mobility. With intelligent connection technology, multiple vehicles can work together like a swarm of ants to transport objects. The AGV can also move through narrow indoor spaces with its all-directional wheels, overcoming the mobility constraints of conventional AGVs.

Decision Support System for Diabetic Retinopathy Screening

ITRI’s decision support system for diabetic retinopathy (DR) screening is the only AI detection technology in the world that can detect the main four retinal lesions (Microaneurysms, Hemorrhages, Soft Exudates, Hard Exudates) and clearly label the corresponding locations to assist doctors in determining DR severity levels. This system provides a classification model for the five severity scales of diabetic retinopathy (No DR, Mild NPDR, Moderate NPDR, Severe NPDR, and PDR), and produces a binary classification model regarding the decision for referrals to ophthalmologists.

Mass Casualty Incident Management Simulation System 

This simulation software is designed for disaster medical training. With voice recognition technology, the system allows the operator to use voice commands to control the emergency rescue process and simulate a large number of disaster scenes. The user can act as an incident commander and watch the whole scene with free angle of view. Adopting the system to cultivate command personnel of mass casualty incident management can help reduce casualties.

Robelf the Smart Robot

Robotelf Technologies developed the brand Robelf, a smart robot that has its own operating system and semantic recognition technology, NLP Cloud. Robelf currently aims at pre-school education and hopes to become a standard AI teaching assistant in kindergarten classes. The company has distributors in South Korea, China and Taiwan, and co-worked with Korea’s largest software company HANCOM and Taiwan’s SYSTEX Corporation in the development of AI software services in education and banking.

Smart Factory Technology

The Singapore-based company DataKrew Pte. Ltd. has developed four software products that can act as an industrial doctor to monitor the health and performance of factory equipment. By using secure wireless IoT sensors to gather real-time data from factories, the technology enables machine learning, automated decisions and optimized production. DataKrew can also tailor solutions to customer needs to enhance manufacturing safety and efficiency.

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