Creating a Smart Future: 25 Leading Brands

Amazing
TAIWAN

Developing revolutionar y produc t s using the latest technology,
Taiwanese businesses are changing the world with their power and ingenuit y!

Taiwan is Creating

A NEW LI FESTYLEIn Taiwan, you don’t need a wallet to go shopping

thanks to a payment system the Taiwanese createdusing IoT devices (smartphones). You don’t needto own a bicycle to get around, either, thanks tothe sharing economy they’ve developed, with the
YouBike rental cycle system available throughout
town.
Among all the nations worldwide competing on
research and development to keep pace with the
Fourth Industrial Revolution, Taiwan is, incredibly,
already at a stage where one can feel the revolution
in factories and in citizens’ everyday lives.
One of the secrets to making this possible is the
speed of the public and private sectors, which havebegun working on the construction of an Asian
Silicon Valley, where they aim to achieve further innovation using information technology. Another secret lies in the personality makeup of the Taiwanesepeople, which is uniquely suited for the IT industry.
Up to this point, Taiwan has experienced an unusual and complex history, and actively absorbing
foreign cultures and technologies has become partof their DNA. The Taiwanese people, by nature,
tend to be open-minded and curious. Even people
who barely know each other talk freely, and people
love to study regardless of age, with many often
studying a foreign language or two. Both individuals and corporations invest in themselves. People
know there is no time to be afraid of failure if theywant to create a brighter future. Put simply, theseare fertile grounds for innovation through IT.
It is said that the Fourth Industrial Revolution willaffect everything, from future worldwide trends andsociety to human values. In this book, we will introduce the development of Taiwanese technologies
that will serve as the core of this revolution, such as
IoT devices, AI, and block chain technology, with aparticular spotlight on IoT. Take a self-driving taxi tovisit a fancy restaurant where food is prepared by arobot chef, then let an AI doctor monitor your blood
sugar level on the drive home—in Taiwan, this sci-fi
lifestyle is already becoming reality.
©shutterstock.com

4

5

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Amazing
TAIWAN

Part 2028

Taiwan is Creating A New Lifestyle

Part 1008
010

Building a Smarter World
The Astonishing Evolution of IoT in Taiwan

012

Smart Home

014

INTERVIEW >>030

Smart Transportation

018

INTERVIEW >>Smart Medical Care

022

INTERVIEW >>Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO)
Koji Kato
What is the Taiwan Excellence Award?

A multi-type Wi-Fi router that doesn’t get
jammed when multiple units are connected
Zyxel Communications Corporation
VR entertainment free from power cords
Micro-Star International Co.,Ltd.

036

Your phone is now your magic makeup mirror:
Virtually try cosmetics from top brands on your own face
Perfect Corp.

038

Stay by your pet’s side virtually wherever you go
The world’s first IoT starter kit
Acer Incorporated

040

A second-generation magic mirrorthat serves as a beauty advisor
Cal-Comp Big Data, Inc.

042

An IoT device that alerts you when it’s diaper-changing time
CviCloud Corporation

044

046

048

Sumitomo Corporation Tsuyoshi Ogata

020

The hanging LED light you’ve been looking forStudy together as a family with this child-friendly automatic light
BenQ Corporation

034

Noodoe John Wang

016

024

6

TakingCenter Stage:
Taiwan IoT 201825 Leading Companies

Smart Home

032

004

Taiwan’s Smart Revolution:

050

052
054

Connecting high-reliability smart water meters
wirelessly to the Cloud
ENERGY MANAGEMENT SYSTEM CO., LTD.

056

A government project transformed into a business model
An easy-to-configure office Wi-Fi system
for small to medium-sized enterprises
Edimax Technology Co., Ltd.
A high-powered electric mountain bike is born!
Darfon Electronics Corp.

088

Build business connections with a truly
Taiwanese dining experience!

060

LED streetlights with ingenious error reporting
A new business opportunity:microCT for pre-clinical trials
DELTA ELECTRONICS, INC.

090

Treat your weary body to the hands of a pro

092

Enjoy a good book after work

062

A drone with durable wings that soars above the competition
GEOSAT Aerospace & Technology Inc.

094

Refresh yourself with a hike in the hills

096

Hone your mind and spirit at a temple

064

A futuristic IoT dashboard for motorbike comfort and safety
AEON MOTOR CO., LTD.

100

Taiwan’s Smart Revolution
25 Leading Companies

066

An innovative electronic toll collection systemsought after by emerging countries
Far Eastern Electronic Toll Collection Co., Ltd.

Smart Medical Care
072

Stress-free treatment of kidney stones using
precision shock waves
Lite-Med Inc.

074

A mixed reality headset to help surgeons navigate
Taiwan Main Orthopedics Biotechnology Co.,Ltd.

076

A smartphone pregnancy support kit
that sold out in spectacular time
iXensor Co., Ltd.

Diagnostic support software that prevents optical illusions
to detect thyroid tumors early
AmCad BioMed Corporation

078

An unobtrusive ECG patch with a specially designed shirt thatseamlessly measures accurate heart rate
Kinpo Electronics Inc.

080

A spherical gaming PC case that moves with you
In Win Development Inc.
An intelligent robot partner, your Moving Monitor Guardian
Robotelf Technologies Co., LTD.

086

Not Just Business:
Experience
the True Taiwan

058

Hands-off air control with an infrared
sensor and automatic power-saving motor
TAIWAN SAKURA CORPORATION

An adorable robot that houses a touchstone of machine learning
ADATA Technology Co., Ltd.

Part 3

Smart Transportation

082

An innovative, stress-free spinal dischernia surgical procedure
Wiltrom Co., Ltd.
Eliminating excess power cords from hospital rooms
Advantech Co., Ltd.

SPECIAL
026

Experience the Real Dealat the Taiwan Excellence Pavilion

068

Touring Taiwan on Bicycle

084

Taiwan Good Design098

Taiwanese Business Culture

Legend…Address…Telephone number…Business hours / regular business holidays…Access…Website* Regular business holidays exclude public holidays
and extraordinary holidays.

A m a z i n g Ta i w a n

7Part 1Taking Center Stage
Part 1

Taiwan IoT 2018

About ten years have passed since the advent of the original IoT device, the smartphone. Today, we have entered an era when all kinds

region hosted in Singapore, two of the six products nominated for the Excellence Award were made by Taiwanese companies. Of these,of devices are connected to the internet, and data is shared to the Cloud. In Taiwan, where economic growth has been spurred by

one received the IoT Excellence Award. Taiwanese startup companies have experienced remarkable success, with Taiwanese companies

manufacturing done by small- and medium-sized enterprises along with active pursuit of overseas expansion, innovative IoT businesses

claiming prestigious awards at events such as Slush Asia, a startup event held in Japan, and FbStart 105, hosted by Facebook. In Partare springing up in rapid succession, drawing attention from all over the world. At IoT Asia 2018, an exhibition for IoT in the Asia Pacific

1 of this book, we will take a look at the Taiwanese businesses that have brought new life to the IoT industry, and their vision for the future.

IoTPart 1Taking Center Stage Taiwan IoT 2018

Building a Smarter WorldThe expanding IoT market is taking the world by storm

The Astonishing Evolution of IoT in Taiwan
Sweeping change: the fields IoT will revolutionize

What's so great about IoT?

processes. First, sensors are attached to objects. Second, informa-

There’s yet another element to this plan. The concept of the smart

range of these efforts are so broad, and it is said that it will affect

The topic seems difficult, and many people are embarrassed totion gathered by these sensors are sent to the Cloud via the inter-

city is being promoted in nations around the world, including Taiwan

almost everything involved in lifestyle and society.

ask at this point, so let’s get the basics out of the way. IoT stands fornet. Third, information is analyzed using AI and other technologies.

and Japan.

These smart cities are upgraded by IoT. In short, smart cities haveInternet of Things, and it refers to the concept that different objects

Fourth, this analysis allows for improvement in the object’s function“Smart City” refers to the concept of city building using advanced

evolved to go beyond simple digitalization and efficiency improve-

all around the world are connected by the internet. IoT is changing

as well as predictions of consumer behavior. While certain aspects

technology, such as IT, to solve social issues. This will also solve tan-ments, to the point where everything is connected to the internet

lifestyles and business, and these days is featured not only in tech-remain controlled by people, the majority of the process is auto-

gible issues such as energy efficiency, waste and recycling, trafficand data is accumulated and analyzed, making things smarter andnical journals but newspapers and magazines with general reader-mated. Machines communicate with each other automatically, incongestion, water supply efficiency, and disaster prevention, as wellmore intelligent to automatically change behaviors and drasticallyship as well.

turn making them more useful to people. By analyzing the massive

as intangible things such as improving nursing and medical care,

improve the convenience of daily life.

So you might ask: why is it so important that a book featuring

amounts of data collected by sensors, one can predict what people

performing remote medicine, education, electronic payments, andAs you’ll see going forward, many areas are already, in fact, cov-

Taiwanese industry has been created?

want and when they want it, allowing for the creation of goods andadministrative services. To solve these problems, cities themselves

ered by IoT. The amazing Taiwanese technologies introduced in thisIn short, IoT in Taiwan is flourishing right now.

services that will sell in today’s market.

will be “smartened” and optimized. Doing so will improve quality ofguide are broadly divided into Home, Transportation, and Medical

Using the Internet of Things to generate profits requires several

This graph vividly shows the possibilities of global IoT market.

life and create new business opportunities.

Care. From here, we will introduce three areas: Smart Home, Smart

This is why they are testing smart cities all over the world. The

Transportation, and Smart Medical Care.

Global IoT
Market Size
Forecast

3000(million of dollars)2925.787

2500

Gartner

2000

Enhancing social
welfare

1700

1500

Source:Gartner (Jan 2017),“Internet of Things Market toReach $1.7 Trillion by
2020:IDC” (The Wall Street
Journal, Jun 2015), Markets
and Markets (Jun 2017)

Energy conservation
and CO2 reduction

1379.505

IDC

1000

SMART
CITY

655.8
500

561.04Markets & Markets

170.57

0
2014

2015

2016

2017

2018

2019

2020

2021

2022

Smart
recycling

Smart green
architecture

Health care monitor
systemRemote medicine
network

Medical and emergency
alert system for remoteareas

A wide range of government-backed initiatives
With such a promising market, countries all over the world havetechnology is catching up fast.

created policies to support IoT technology. Taiwan is no exception.

For the last twenty years, the high growth of the Taiwanese elec-

In Taiwan, the Tsai administration inaugurated in May 2016

tronics industry could be attributed to two things: original equipment

launched its Five Major Innovative Industries policy. This policy aims

manufacturing and dependence on China for production and as ato shift the country from existing economic growth models to newmarket. With the emergence of Chinese industry, the situation will

economic development models, focusing on five areas: creating adeteriorate unless measures are taken. This is why Taiwan seeks to

Silicon Valley in Asia, smart machines, green energy, biomedical,

replace the conventional growth model with a development modeland the defense industry. With “smart machines,” the connection

called the 5+2 Industrial Innovation Plan, of which IoT is a crucial

is obvious, but in fact the idea of creating an Asian Silicon Valley ispillar.

also, in fact, an IoT promotional measure.
It is well known that electronics are one of Taiwan’s strengths.

s Policytive Industrie
5 Major Innova
S i l i c o n Va

Taiwan took the world by storm with original equipment manufac-

1

turing (OEM) from for electronics brands from the United States,

2

Smart Mac

3

Green Ene

Europe, and Japan. Hon Hai Precision Industry, which acquired
Sharp in 2016, is famous as an OEM manufacturer for Apple, and10*A world-class industrial technology research facility established in 1973

TSMC, a spinoff of the Industrial Technology Research Institute(*), is4

now the world's largest semiconductor foundry. That said, China's

5

Biomedica
Defense In

lley in Asi

Smart Home alertand emergency systems

Electronic
government services

Smart EV system

Smart transportation

Energy-saving smart
communities

Electronic payment
systemShort-distance wirelesscommunications services using
mobile phones

Smart gridaCollaborative education platform

Actualization of IoT

hines

rgy

l

dustrySource :Nihon Keizai Shimbun,
19 Jun. 2016

Source: The Republic of China Taiwan Investment Channel (Nomura Research Institute, Feb 2012)

A m a z i n g Ta i w a n

11

IoT

Part 1Taking Center Stage Taiwan IoT 2018home through IoT is the manifestation of a simultaneous emergenceof many innovations, talents and achievements.
Let’s take a look at some of the specific products that are bringing
about this revolution.

Smart Home

The PAWBO Munch, developed by Acer, lets you check in on yourpet in HD while away from home using your smartphone. This
device lets you talk to your pet, feed it, and even play games with
it—making it perfect for dog and cat lovers looking to reduce thestress of loneliness felt by their pets.

Smart home products thatconnect the entire householdto the internet are winning the Taiwan
Excellence Award one after the next

The PAWBO Munch from Acer, famous aroundthe world for its PCs. This device lets you stayvirtually by your pet's side even when you are
physically away from home. g p. 38

AI speaker auxiliaries, VR, robots,
and AI home electronics abound

The VR Gaming Backpack PC from MSI (Micro-Star International
Company Limited) is a backpack PC that lets you experience VR without
cumbersome cables or cords. Its battery packs can be swapped duringuse, allowing you to enjoy your VR game without interruption. The heatgenerated by the PC as it processes the enormous amount of data re-

The VR Gaming Backpack PC from MSI, famous abroad for its gaming PCs. Unbound byelectric cords, the user can move about freely with this specialized VR backpack PC. g p. 34

quired for VR is dispersed through the cooling power of its powerful fan.

suited to your skin, this device teaches you makeup techniques using

Then there is the HiMirror Plus, developed by Cal-Comp Big Data.

video when you select a makeup style you wish to try. It’s like having

This is the next generation HiMirror, already known among women ofyour own personal cosmetic advisor in the comfort of your home.

discerning taste at home and abroad. In addition to saving a historyof your skin condition and recommending cosmetics particularly

From the house to the community:
building smart cities
The Smart Home concept has
existed in the United States since

When people hear the term “Smart Home,” many imag-

both in the public and private sec-

home security and disaster-prevention devices. In fact,

tors in Japan with a focus primari-home electronics such as lighting and air condi-

ly on energy supply, such as smart

tioning, too, have become even moregrids and smart communities. Part

convenient through IT, and helper robotsof this is due to vivid memories ofare available for purchase as well.

the energy conservation measures

In addition, energy and heat supply,

taken after the Great East Japanenergy storage, sewage treatment, and gas

Earthquake of 2011. In Taiwan,

are all undergoing smartification. Several internal

smartification of various devices

parts of the home are going smart as well, including thehas advanced further with gov-

panel construction used for ventilation systems or in the walls

ernment backing, for the reasonsof buildings, as well as windows, doors, and locks, which until

mentioned previously.

recently did not feature electronics.

It is not just about connecting all kinds of household items toJust looking at the winners of the 2018 Taiwan Excellence

the internet, making life more convenient and comfortable. It alsoAwards, the sheer breadth of areas covered is remarkable. In

involves optimizing the supply of utilities such as electricity andaddition to those mentioned above, fields include

water in the larger unit of the community or town. This is one of theeverything from pet care, beauty, pregnancy sup-goals of the Smart City vision. Advanced countries worldwide areport, education, and entertainment products todeveloping and testing technologies to see how smartification can

network equipment such as routers that makehelp to conserve resources.

smartification possible.

The Smart City concept also includes services such as transportation

The reason for the success of these life-and Medical Care. The elimination of traffic jams, more efficient logistics,

style-related electronics lies in the manufacturing

more efficient medical care even with a limited number of doctors, andindustry, one of Taiwan's strengths. The smartification of the

medical care for remote locations—these are all natural target areas that

A helper robot from Robotelf Technologies. Robelf offers high-level performance such as
discipline for children, nursing care and shopkeeper support for under ¥100,000. g p. 54

12

the 1990s, and has progressed

ine efficient electricity through IT, or internet-enabled

The HiMirror Plus from Cal-Comp Big
Data is a vanity mirror for those who truly
want to untap their beauty. This device
keeps a record of your skin condition andcan even help you manage the usage ofyour current cosmetics g p. 40

larger communities such as towns and cities seek to make more efficient.
In the section to follow, we’ll take a closer look at Smart Transportation.

A m a z i n g Ta i w a n

13Part 1Taking Center Stage Taiwan IoT 2018

Special Interview 1
Surviving the IoT Era

To accomplish this, we created two innovations. First, a small LCD

A future humanenvironment made smarter

screen would be placed on the dashboard, displaying helpful notifications, such as incoming messages, from your smartphone. Of
course this would only display when you’re stopped, for example
at a red light. When you step on the accelerator, the notifications
automatically disappear. This solution will prevent you from missing“Today, many things are getting smarter and more connected. The
opportunity for businesses to take advantage of this change is immense,” explains John Wang, one of Taiwan’s most prominent innovators. Today, he looks at how his companies can inject magicalexperiences into industries like hospitality, transportation, EV, homecare, and more importantly how businesses operating in those industries can improve their revenue, brand equity and customer loyalty. What follows is our discussion with John Wang about his initiatives in these areas.

notifications because you were on your scooter and couldn’t check

Entrepreneur, IT Innovator

the moment you left the scooter will be stored on your smartphone.

before your competition does, you need innovation capabilities that

When you return to find your scooter, a compass-like arrow will

integrate user experience design, cloud services, software design,

guide you to your parking spot.

industrial design, electronic hardware design, firmware design, RF

your smartphone, and will also eliminate the annoyance of constantly receiving and not being able to check notifications while riding.
Another innovation is a way to help people find their vehicles. We
started with the insight that scooters look very similar. It is very

KYMCO Noodoe. Optimized for a scooter, this navigation device shows directions on a roundcolor display located in the center. Noodoe developed the product with KYMCO. The user
can display clocks and photos on the round display and can be customized using skins andother self-or community-created designs.

difficult to find your scooter in a dark parking lot at night. By pairing
your scooter with your smartphone, GPS data of your location fromJohn Wang

We are also developing a navigation system with KYMCO, the(radio frequency) technologies, mechanical engineering, manufac-

of unresponsiveness can be the factor that terminates that order.

world’s leading scooter manufacturer. The screen design is opti-

turability engineering, marketing, and brand strategy.

That is why we developed the Noodoe Ordering Block and Waiter

mized for a scooter, and is completely different from that of a car.

This is exactly what is needed for a business in an industry going

Wristband, two key components of Noodoe Swift. Customers flip the

A scooter does not have the space for a large display, and the fact

through a technological transformation, that wants to come out of it

Ordering Block to “drink”, and this triggers the corresponding Waiterthat the user is wearing a helmet restricts hearing and field of vi-

light-years ahead.

Wristband to vibrate and display the table number and the desire tosion. We’ve designed a scooter-centric countdown-style screen withIn this respect, Taiwan is truly blessed. This is not only because it

order drinks. There is literally no time between the moment of im-messages such as “Turn left at the third intersection” and “one moreis recognized as an “electronics heaven.” We have an abundance ofpulse and the moment of taking the order. Utilizing this technology

intersection” to better guide two-wheel riders to their destination.

engineers in every innovation field. We are also very inquisitive andgives waiters 360-degree vision. Noodoe Swift allows staff to “see”
customers' requests even when they are not physically looking attheir tables.

Watching over elderly people living alone
with unobtrusive sensor technologies

The end result is not only improved customer satisfaction, but

always in search for new ideas. The fact that Taiwan has become a
global leader in EMS/ODM is in no doubt thanks to our rich humantalents. Noodoe is very much a reflection of this way of thinking.
Noodoe’s world-class expertise is the rare combination of arts andbetter cost efficiency in running the restaurant and, as a result, in-Elderly people living alone may harbor fears about falling and be-engineering. We have the passion to discover insights, invent breakthroughs, build magical experiences, and implement state-of-the-art
technologies.

creased revenue. Data analysis of requests occurring during shifts

ing unable to get help. Their families, too, feel anxiety about not

Noodoe Swiftcan be used to optimize staffing so that potential orders are neverbeing able to help their loved ones in time. We’ve come up with a

Noodoe Swift is an order notification system that speeds up beverage sales by making
ordering a zero-wait process. For hotels, restaurants, bars, and clubs, Noodoe Swift
increases alcohol and drink revenue. Just turn it to your desired waiter request, such asordering a drink or dessert, requesting more water, or getting the check.

lost again. Noodoe is continuing to attract attention overseas. In

solution that utilizes an unobtrusive ToF (Time of Flight) sensor to

2016, Noodoe was chosen as market researcher Gartner’s Cool

help serve as a guarding angel in this situation.

Vendor of the Year, and also received the ITpro Expo Award fromThe Noodoe solution uses a sensor to measure the distance be-

Nikkei BP. The latter award was given to S-cubism, a company that

tween an object and the sensor by emitting waves and measuring

employs Noodoe’s solutions as part of their service offerings.

the time it takes to return to the sensor after being reflected by anobject. When placed on the ceiling of a bathroom and combined

Efficiency and optimization opportunities

Noodoe Navigation

No more wandering around in search ofyour scooter

with our proprietary intelligent analysis software it can effectively
monitor and identify when an accident such as an elderly person

ChairmanJohn WangJohn holds an MBA from Harvard Business School and a bachelor's degree in electricalengineering from MIT. He joined HTC as it was still a company trying to establish itself. His
focus early on was on innovation and later marketing, and his leadership helped HTC
become a thriving global technology brand, being recognized as one of the world’s top 100
brands by Interbrand in 2010. After leaving HTC, he established Noodoe and Hooloop in
2014. Noodoe is an innovation company that focuses on transforming businesses. Hooloop
is a VR/AR solutions and content boutique consultancy.

falling occurs in the area. Furthermore, since it is Cloud-connected,

14

How can we break through the status quo in existing businesses

In the transportation field, Noodoe’s focus has been on linking theit provides notifications to family members if the affected elderly

by utilizing the connectivity, sensor capabilities, and computational

intelligence and connectivity of the smartphone with the scooter. In

individual doesn’t respond in time to turn off the auto alert. Most

power of today’s electronic components along with some creative

Taiwan, a place where scooters are so commonplace that they areimportantly, this solution doesn’t use video or audio recording, so it

juices of our insightful solutions team? This is what I spend my days

often referred to as the “legs” of the Taiwanese, people often ask

is a non-invasive way to ensure the safety of your elderly loved ones.

thinking about. Let's start with something familiar to everyone, forus if that means that scooters will send warnings and notifications

instance, eating out at a restaurant. When you have an impulse toabout things like tire pressure or remaining gas to people's smart-order a drink, you have to get the attention of your server, but callingphones. But this does not address the true needs of the consumer.

out in a loud voice for such a small thing can be a hassle. Even

We think there is a much more compelling opportunity. We asked,

worse, from the perspective of the business owner, the slightest hint

what if your smartphone could send information to your scooter?

NoodoeChairman ： John Wang
Established ： 2014
Business ： Design and sales of IoT devices, services, and content
Number of Employees ： 60（2017、including affiliate companies)

Creating a platform for transformational
business solutions
In order to create truly unique and meaningful user experiences

15

IoT

Part 1Taking Center Stage Taiwan IoT 2018

An ETC system revolutionized by IoT
IoT is revolutionizing society to make life even more convenient.

Smart Transportation

What speaks most eloquently to this in the transportation field isthe smartification of Taiwan’s electronic toll collection (ETC) system.
On the highways of Taiwan, there are no manned toll gates tocause congestion. What kind of technology is behind this? Drivers
place a small seal containing an IC tag on their windshields, andthis alone enables IoT on your vehicle. As you drive smoothly along

Leading the Way in Bicycle
Sharing and Free-flow ETC:
Taiwanese Advancements
in Smart Transportation

Pterosaur™, an ultralightdrone created by GEOSAT,
features fixed wings like astealth aircraft. One might
think that it would be difficult
to operate, but according to
the developer, basic
operations can be masteredin only ten minutes. Its
landing mechanism, which
mitigates shock by deploying
a parachute to flip over thedrone, is popular amongprofessionals. g p. 62

the highway and pass through an arch like the one shown on theright, a sensor attached to the arch scans the seal and automaticallycharges the toll.
When a car without a seal passes through, a photo is taken of thelicense plate and a bill is sent to the home of the driver. There is noroom for error.
This system has reduced traffic congestion, and installation andoperation costs are less than that of a conventional toll booth sys-

An ETC system employed on
highways in Taiwan. Just passthrough the sensor installed above
the road to pay your toll. This
innovation has made manned tollgates unnecessary in Taiwan.
g p. 66

tem. For this reason, Taiwan has received inquiries regarding thissystem from all over the world.

Solving traffic problems with IoT
Population concentrates in cities, overloading traffic infrastructures with unrelenting congestion—these problems, too, can besolved with IoT and the “smartification” of traffic. While measures
to decentralize and form smoother connections between different
modes of transportation are being taken around the world, Taiwan isputting these plans in operation ahead of other countries.
Famously, they have smartified bicycles and scooters. YouBike tookhold in the city of Taipei, making bicycle sharing possible throughdigital management of usage information. Even more recently, they
have started such services as scooter sharing, showing a remarkable shift from ownership to sharing. Furthermore, they have introduced on a trial basis “smart parking lots,” which allow users to
confirm lot vacancy, and the country is rushing to adjust regulationsfor Smart Logistics using drones and self-driving vehicles.

Smart transportation products

An electric assist bicycle from Darfon that allows for smart and convenient cycling throughtown, or over long distances. It comes with a powerful battery and motor, as well as IoT
mechanisms that let you check such things as battery life and current position using an app.
In addition to the City Cycle shown in the photograph, they offer mountain bikes and bikes forolder riders, all in a wide range of colors. gp. 58

16

surveying, analysis, and urban planning, in addition to monitoring
traffic volume. It is both safe and easy to operate.

There is huge potential for IoT in the field of transportation alone.

You also have the high-powered electric assist mountain bike de-This technology is being used not only to make things more con-veloped by Darfon (p. 58). The various built-in sensors and linked

venient, but also to support research and analysis on traffic volume

smartphone app allow you to monitor heart rate and calories burned,

and land use, and even for leisure as well.

and it also includes a navigation function. Its powerful battery could

For example, the ultra-light drone from GEOSAT (p. 62) lets you

expand the range of activities one can do. One can only imagine thecapture vivid images with its mirrorless camera. For this reason, it isunlimited possibilities for traffic and vehicles, including the potential

being employed in a wide range of fields, including agriculture, landfor excavators, fire engines, strollers, and more.

A m a z i n g Ta i w a n

17Part 1Taking Center Stage Taiwan IoT 2018

Special Interview 2
Capital alliance between
Sumitomo Corporation and Taiwan’s Gogoro

An environmentally-friendly
scooter sharing system to meetsociety’s needs
A scooter is reflected in the clear blue sky and sea. Sumitomo
Corporation has, from an early stage, been keeping a close
eye on the electric scooters made by Gogoro, an innovativeand rapidly growing company in Taiwan. Sumitomo partneredwith Gogoro and started a new service in February 2018 on
the Japanese island of Ishigaki. Why did Sumitomo do so?
What was it about Gogoro that won them over? We asked a
key figure at Sumitomo to tell us more.
Sumitomo Corporation
Deputy General Manager
Mobility Service Business Dept No.1

A Go Station, where used batteries can be exchanged with ease.

Tsuyoshi Ogata

Introducing a new service on Ishigaki
Island with Taiwanese eco-technology
leader Gogoro

hundred scooters made by Gogoro in Taiwan.

“Making electric scooters more commonplace can mitigate

All of Gogoro’s scooters are electric with replaceable batteries.

these issues. The project received approval from the city of

Riders can visit any of four unmanned battery stations on the

Ishigaki, and there is even a battery station in the parking lot of

island to exchange empty batteries for fully charged ones at any

Ishigaki City Hall.”In February 2018, a sharing service called Go SHARE was in-time.

troduced to Ishigaki Island, Okinawa, featuring a fleet of one

Overseeing operations is e-SHARE Ishigaki, a company founded by Sumitomo Corporation. Having partnered with Gogoro, theAdapting to local needs and exploring
partnerships with other companies

company has introduced a system in which both bikes and bat-

An electric scooter with a replaceable battery made by Gogoro, Inc. Battery replacement
can be performed at unmanned battery stations called Go Stations, and takes just a few
seconds.

18

teries can be shared.

The scooter sharing system itself, however, is slightly different

Since the service was launched in Taiwan in 2015, they havefrom Taiwan’s, in that Ishigaki’s Go SHARE program is aimed

sold nearly 60,000 electric scooters and have established moreprimarily at tourists.

than 500 battery stations. Tsuyoshi Ogata, Deputy General“In Taiwan, scooters are purchased and batteries are shared

Manager of Sumitomo’s Mobility Service Department, has had

in a flat-rate system, whereas in Ishigaki, scooters are rented

his eye on Taiwan’s scooter sharing system for a while.

on a time-based system. This decision was made for Ishigaki“Taiwan is renowned worldwide for its technological capabil-

because of its many tourists, but should the service expand toities, starting with its semiconductor manufacturers. Recently,

other cities, we intend to tailor the system in a way that suits

companies are working on building next-generation services

that particular region."making use of these technical capabilities. An example of this is

Ogata believes that Gogoro’s scooter sharing service has huge

the efforts put forth by Gogoro. Gogoro has received government

future potential.

aid to promote green energy to eliminate discharge of carbon“In the future, I would like to collaborate with other scooter

dioxide and nitrogen oxide, and their scooter sharing business ismanufacturers and create a shared platform using Go SHARE

expanding each year. They have incredible momentum."battery stations. I believe this battery sharing system could go

There was a clear goal in making the island of Ishigaki thebeyond scooters to establish a business model for propagating

starting point of the service in Japan. With the number of tourists

the use of electric vehicles."visiting Ishigaki increasing, there is concern about new risks,

To what extent will Taiwanese scooter sharing services takesuch as the effect of exhaust gas on the environment and insuf-

root in Japan? Many are eager to see what the future holds.

2017 press conference

ficient parking space for rental cars.

19

IoT

Part 1Taking Center Stage Taiwan IoT 2018

The MR Headset Foresee-X, a surgical navigation
device created by Taiwan Main Orthopedics
Biotechnology. MR stands for mixed reality. Wear
this device, and images to aid in performing surgery
appear in the surgeon's field of vision. g p. 74

Smart Medical Care

TopicsAn ECG measurement device that won't get in the way of your exercise, created by Kinpo
Electronics. No compromises have been made in the design of the T-shirt, which features abuilt-in monitoring device. It boasts perfect accuracy, despite feeling as though you arewearing no medical equipment at all! g p. 78

computer industry, is a product of technology and capital accumu-

Taiwanese Medical Devices
Are Attracting the World's
Attention and Coordination
with Japan Raises
Expectations High

lated through OEM (original equipment manufacturing).
Taiwan has changed the direction of its policy toward IoT to evolve
its medical and health products into higher-end products. Much ofthis research and development began around 2010, progressing
steadily through cooperation between the public, private, industrial,
and academic sectors. In recent years, these efforts have begun
bearing fruit, and are now attracting interest from all over the world.
Together with European and American doctors, Taiwanese innovators have developed new surgical devices, making the presence of
their precise, cutting-edge medical technology known.

Collecting and using big data
to provide more accurate medical care
By connecting medicine and health to the internet of things, manufacturers can gain an enormous byproduct. That byproduct is big
data, primarily in the form of medical data. It is expected that thisdata will be analyzed by scientists to discover causes of unforeseen
illnesses, as well as to develop AI.

Taiwan is leading a revolution in
medical treatment and healthcare

A representative example is Lite-Med's lithotripsy device, which
the company already uses to conduct remote medical care inIndonesia. Over the course of one year, they have collected overIoT is taking over the field of medical devices and health careFirst, Smart Medicine is expected to reduce stress on both doctors

twenty thousand instances of medical data. This is being used in AI

products as well, with generic terms such as Smart Medicine andand patients, in addition to making remote medical care a reality.

machine learning to develop AI that supports doctors.

Smart Healthcare having emerged for this development in recent

For instance, medical devices that let doctors treat an illness withAnother example is Kinpo Electronics, whose unique ECG device

years. Now then, what happens when medical and health care de-accuracy and speed while monitoring the inside of the body in re-is designed not to interfere with physical activity. By shrinking thevices are connected to the internet?

al-time using ultrasonic equipment have appeared on the scene. It

device and linking it to a smartphone app, this product can takeis now possible to send data collected from diagnostic equipment

ECGs in real time even when the user is exercising.

during yearly health checkups and send it to faraway university

The speed at which new technology is being developed for cut-

hospital doctors, who can then make a diagnosis.

ting-edge medical care is remarkable as well. An example that

Smart Healthcare digitizes the health equipment around us, suchspeaks to this is the revolutionary surgical instrument for herniatedas thermometers and scales, and connects them to the Cloud.

disks developed by Wiltrom. Severe hernias require surgery, but

Health-related data accumulates daily, and can be checked by aspine fixation is a major procedure that places huge stress on the

doctor while you stay at home, allowing your personal doctor topatient. Wiltrom has succeeded in developing an innovative surgical

perform daily checkups.

procedure and medical device that significantly reduces stress.

Medical devices are one of the Taiwanese manufacturing indus-

In this manner, the excitement surrounding research and devel-

try's fortes. Specifically, Taiwan has created medical equipment to

opment in the field of health care is spreading to a wide range ofmeasure blood glucose, blood pressure monitors, contact lenses,

areas. The day when Taiwanese innovations in health and medical

and large diagnostic equipment for hospitals. This, much like in thecare become the world's de facto standard is surely close at hand.

A revolutionary surgical instrument for herniated disks developed by Wiltrom. The tools used
to fixate the spine are thin and multifunctional, significantly reducing the stress on thepatient. This device is already being used for surgical operations in Taiwan. g p. 80

20

Industrial PC innovators
join the medical fieldwith impressive product lines
Smart medicine and smart healthcaremake advancements around the world
Taiwanese businesses have long honed their skills producing inexpensive, high-performance parts for the PC
and smartphone industries. Now, industrial PC manufacturers are rising to expectations by joining the medical
field, ushering in a new era of healthcare and treatment
with their unique know-how.
The term “industrial PC” refers to professional devices
built using PC parts that have been adapted and applied
for a specific purpose.
Taiwanese industrial PC manufacturers have won thehearts of major industrial leaders in the United States andEurope for their EMS and ODM expertise. In the medical
field, their clients include such big names as GE Healthcare
and Philips. Some companies are also introducing and expanding their own product lines in regions which do notconflict with their clients. In those cases, the Taiwanesecompanies handle everything from design, manufacturing,sales, and after-purchase servicing.
One company actively pursuing such opportunities isAdvantech. A leader in OEM/ODM services and embedded
system technologies, Advantech announced its “Enablingan Intelligent Planet” initiative in 2010, and has been devoting its efforts to IoT innovations ever since.
These days, Advantech’s products are used throughout
America, Europe, and Asia, giving them truly a worldwide
presence. Mr. Lin from Product Planning and Sales explains his company’s stance by saying, “We simply cannot place additional burdens on overworked nurses.” Thiskeen understanding of on-site needs is winning over manyfans of their products.
Taiwan is facing a turning point with its traditional OEM/ODM business model. In these changing times, leading
Taiwanese companies are already showing an impressive
ability to innovate, adapt, and bring their own revolutionary
products to an ever-growing market.

The 24" Medical Computer, a device from Advantech’s
self-branded product line. Further details are available on p. 82.

A m a z i n g Ta i w a n

21Part 1Taking Center Stage Taiwan IoT 2018

Component
procurement
for Japanesecompanies

Special Interview 3

32.3%

Toward the day when IoT andsmart devices become Taiwan's
economic growth engine
Taiwan is known to excel as an OEM (original equipment manufacturer) of electronic parts for world-famous brands, and exports arestrong as well. Yet government and industry are not satisfied, andrather appear to be feeling a sense of crisis. In these times,
Taiwan is trying to find new strengths. Why is that, and where is
Taiwan headed? We asked an expert for answers.
Director in Charge of Overseas Research Department
Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO)

Koji Kato

Exports of electronic components havesymbolized Taiwan's competitive edge

Otheradministration.
Taiwan has other strengths as well. This is easy to tell by taking

Source(all) :“Survey of JapaneseCompanies in Asia andOceania in FY 2017”(JETRO, December 2017)

Japaneseaffiliatedcompanies

LOCAL
PROCUREMENT
BREAKDOWN

74.5%
Taiwanesecompanies

55.4%
Local
procurement(all values in millions of dollars)

Exports to Japan (by category)

2015

2016

2017
Growth ratio (%)

Value

Value

Value

Composition ratio (%)

11,135

11,228

11,643

56.0%

3.7%

Electronic components

7,331

7,427

7,427

35.7%

0.0%
15.2%

Machinery and electric equipment
General components

1,308

1,444

1,663

8.0%

Electrical equipment

626

642

682

3.3%

6.2%

Telecommunications equipment

1,808

1,657

1,801

8.7%

8.7%

Transportation equipment

589

535

559

2.7%

4.5%

Precision and optical equipment

808

837

896

4.3%

7.0%

Chemicals

1,399

1,289

1,396

6.7%

8.3%

Plastic, rubber and associated products

1,305

1,227

1,463

7.0%

19.2%

Food

76

67

75

0.4%

11.9%

Mineral products

129

227

124

0.6%

-45.4%

Textiles

357

343

360

1.7%

5.0%

Metals and metal products

1,795

1,763

2,159

10.4%

22.5%

Total (including other categories)

19,592

19,551

20,787100.0%

6.3%

Transforming the economic development
model: the 5+2 Industrial Innovation Plana look at the results of a survey conducted by the Japan External

22

Other

21.8%

COMPONENTPROCUREMENTFOR JAPANESECOMPANIES ENTERINGTAIWAN

Procurementfrom Japan

Taiwan’s Eye on the Future

3.7%

12.3%

resources related to AI in Taiwan. Taoyuan is positioned as a primary base for this effort. Taiwan has a history of manufacturing as
the driving force behind its economic development, including elec-

Taiwan continues to experience stable economic growth, and theTrade Organization (JETRO) in 2017 on Japanese companies ex-

Starting with electronic devices and components, manufacturingtronic components and telecommunications devices, and it can use

driving force behind this is solid exports. Among these exports, elec-

panding into Asia and Oceania.

subcontracting has long been the driving force behind Taiwan’s eco-

this experience to its advantage. Regionally, we see expansion totronic components in particular symbolize Taiwan's strengths and“Looking at raw material and component suppliers for Japanese

nomic development. That said, innovation is a critical keyword forthe northern and central regions of Taiwan, including the cities ofcompetitiveness.

companies entering Taiwan, the ratio of local suppliers was highTaiwan, and as such the Tsai administration has launched the 5+2

Taichung, Taoyuan, and Hsinchu, with these places garnering more

“In 2017, Taiwanese exports have grown 13.2% compared to theat 55.4%. What’s more, local Taiwanese companies accounted for

Industrial Innovation Plan as a new economic development model.

attention as potential locations for an "Asian Silicon Valley," as wellprevious year in terms of monetary value. Of that, electronic compo-

74.5% of this, making the procurement rate from local companies

This is based on five pillars: Creation of Silicon Valley in Asia, Smart

as a base for Smart Machinery.”nents account for about 34% of the value of all exports, followed byeven higher than other ASEAN countries. This is an indication that

Machines, Green Energy, Biomedical, and Defense Industry.

Going forward, as well, we see the possibility for collaboration be-telecommunications devices, base metals, and products made fromthe components industry in Taiwan is advancing, and this is one of“Creating high added value solely through existing business mod-tween Japanese and Taiwanese companies aimed at the Chinese

base metals. About 40% of exports are to China and Hong Kong,

Taiwan’s strengths and the source of its competitive edge. In addi-

els like OEM is difficult, and so Taiwan is seeking to change its

market.

with the ten ASEAN countries being Taiwan's second largest export

tion, among all countries in Asia and Oceania, Taiwan boasts the

economic development model. For Smart Machinery, Taiwan plans“Japanese and Taiwanese companies already have a record of

market. It is believed that the reason Taiwanese electronic compo-

shortest average time between cargo arrival and clearing customs.

to use the machine tool manufacturing base developed and accu-

establishing partnerships and joint venture companies with respect

nent exports are so strong is in part because the market conditions

For instance, when exporting parts from Japan to Taiwan, this ismulated in the city of Taichung to further develop smart machineryto manufacturing subcontracting and component procurement,of the countries exported to are generally on a recovery trend."a huge merit, not only shortening overall lead time, but allowing

and compete in the world market. Machine tool and component

starting with electronic components. That said, the market changes

Besides exports, China is Taiwan’s largest trading partner, withfor response when there is a sudden change in product design or

manufacturers have already begun collaborating on strategic ef-

daily, and Chinese companies are growing more and more capable.

direct investment from China accounting for about 40% of thespecifications. This is a considerable advantage when manufactur-

forts. Japanese companies including machine tool companies are

Needless to say, the circumstances differ by business and industry,

total amount of foreign investments. In addition, ASEAN countries

ing products with short life cycles.”paying close attention, and there have been movements to establish

but considering these changes, I believe that for Japanese compa-

along with South Asia, Australia, and New Zealand are target re-

Export dependence, or the ratio of exports to GNP, exceeds 50%,

local support centers as well."nies looking for an ideal business partner, Taiwanese companies

gions of the New Southbound Policy launched by the Ing-Wen Tsaiand one can see the enormous influence of export trends on the

The idea of creating an "Asian Silicon Valley" is not tied to thecan become a very valuable option.”overall Taiwanese economy. Efficient customs clearance is an issue

growth of any particular field, but is rather a promotional effort fo-

By maintaining mutually beneficial relationships between

for the entire Taiwanese economy, and Taiwan's strengths and com-cused on IoT (internet of things).

Japanese and Taiwanese companies in the fields of IoT andpetitiveness are bolstered by the various ingenious efforts instituted“As an actual business movement, the policy aims to create asmart machinery, the day where these fields will drive Taiwan’s

by the authorities.

research and development base for AI, then cultivate humaneconomic growth is not far off.

A m a z i n g Ta i w a n

23

What is the Taiwan
The Taiwan Excellence Awards are bestowed upon high quality and innovative products by the Ministry of Economic Affairs (MOEA), R.O.C. You

The Taiwan Excellence Awards are bestowed

innovative receive the Gold Award—the high-on products selected through a strict exam-

est level—with those that fall just short of thisination process conducted every year by thestandard receiving the Silver Award. As is evi-

1

Ministry of Economic Affairs (MOEA), R.O.C.

dent by the word "excellence," this prestigious

Prestigious awards
given to the best
Taiwanese products

They are intended to enhance the image of anddistinction is only bestowed on products that

promote Taiwanese products around the world.

stand out in all aspects, including R&D, design,

The first Taiwan Excellence Awards ceremony

quality, and marketing. If a product wins any of

was held in 1993, and the awards celebrated

the awards, it can use the Taiwan Excellence

their 26th anniversary in December 5, 2017.

symbol for all its international marketing andAmong all the products that claim the Taiwan

promotion.

P ointExcellence Award?
can see award-winning products at events in various countries and at
the Taiwan Excellence Pavilion (see p. 26), so be sure to check them out!

1
Applicant Screening

TaiwanExcellence Awards:
The Selection Process
Products that receive the Taiwan
Excellence Gold and Silver awards
go through a strict selection process.
During the 26th Taiwan ExcellenceAward Selection, 1209 products applied, with ten winning Gold Awards
and twenty receiving Silver Awards.

5
Awarding of Goldand Silver Awards

8
8

Excellence Award, those deemed the mostP oint2

The Taiwan Excellence mark consists of six

recognized by Taiwan on the national level.

arching lines representing the spirit of pur-Now, over twenty years have passed since thesuing happiness in Taiwanese traditional cul-birth of the Taiwan Excellence Awards, and 102

ture. At the same time, the symbol stands ascountries recognize the mark as a criterion of

proof that the products bearing it have been

product value.

2

3

4

Initial Judging
PhaseAwarding of the Taiwan
Excellence Awards

Second Judging
Phase

The Taiwan
Excellence trademark
is recognized by 102
countries
8

8

From the left, the Taiwan Excellence Award, the Taiwan Excellence Gold Award, and the Taiwan
Excellence Silver Award.

Operating Authorities
Organized by the Bureau of Foreign Trade (BOFT), MOEA
The Bureau of Foreign Trade (BOFT) under the Ministry of Economic Affairs (MOEA), R.O.C. is responsible for implementing policies
and regulations governing foreign trade and economic cooperation. Established in January 1969, the BOFT's role and position havebeen adjusted regularly to meet the needs of the ever-changing international economic and trade environments. The BOFT has been
guiding and working with the Taiwan External Trade Development Council (TAITRA) in numerous promotional trade projects and activities both internationally and domestically. Having worked closely with TAITRA for many decades, the BOFT continues to commission
TAITRA for various critical government projects relating to business, trade and investment, while promoting Taiwan internationally.

To promote awareness of Taiwanese products
domestically and globally, events are held regularly in various countries, including the United
P oint3

A number of
events are held topromote Taiwan
Excellence
products aroundthe world

States, Japan, Indonesia, Vietnam, and elsewhere. At these venues, you can experience
while receiving explanations from event staff.
In addition to exhibitions, other events such as
marathon races and charity drives are held tocreate a positive awareness of Taiwan Excellence
products both domestically and overseas.

24

Implemented by the Taiwan External Trade Development Council (TAITRA)

Taiwan Excellence-awarded products first-hand,

A Taiwan Excellence event held at the Kitte shopping mall inTokyo in June 2017 drew record crowds

Founded in 1970 to help promote foreign trade, the Taiwan External Trade Development Council (TAITRA) is the foremost non-profit,
semi-governmental trade promotion organization in Taiwan. Jointly sponsored by the government, industry associations, and several
commercial organizations, TAITRA assists Taiwanese businesses and manufacturers with reinforcing their international competitiveness and coping with the challenges they face in foreign markets. TAITRA boasts a well-coordinated trade promotion and information
network of over 1,200 international marketing specialists stationed throughout its Taipei headquarters and 60 overseas offices
worldwide. Together with its sister organizations, the Taiwan Trade Center (TTC) and the Taipei World Trade Center (TWTC), TAITRA
has created a wealth of trade opportunities through effective promotion strategies.

A m a z i n g Ta i w a n

25

SPECIAL

Feature1

Come, see, touch, and be amazed!

Experience the Real Dealat the Taiwan Excellence Pavilion

ST U DY

Come, see, and touch innovative “Taiwan Excellence” in the flesh at the Taiwan Excellence Pavilion.
Relocated and renovated in 2018, the Pavilion has over thirty diverse items on exhibit, including gaming PCs, bicycles,
and home electronics. Touch the real thing and deepen your understanding of these amazing products!

Each exhibit comes with simple information. If you want to know
more, the nearby staff is at your disposal for further explanation. Thirty-six exhibited items, categorized into ICT Trends,
Biotechnology, Medicine, Sports, Smart Life, and Environment,
will be introduced in an easy-to-understand manner. Come experience cutting-edge technology with your own eyes.

TOUCH

EX P ER I EN CE# By moving your arm left to right in front of theenormous screen, you can take in all the 503
award-winning products.
! WINBOT, a round gaming PC case made ofglass (see p. 52 for details), is made by Taiwan’s
computer enclosure specialist, In Win. Its uniquefeatures such as rotating and opening with a pop
are sure to delight visitors.

TAIWAN EXCELLENCE PAVILION# The finest products from various
companies are lined up at the booths.
! All the staff are dressed in chic
black dresses with crimson jackets.
Their professional knowledge enables
you to explore each exhibit in further
detail.

The exhibits are not enclosed in glass cases, allowing visitors to# The Taiwan Excellence Pavilion is on the third floor, and the Taiwan Excellence black bear mascot will greet you with its charming pose there.

interact with the objects and see them up close. This accessibility makes discoveries at the Taiwan Excellence Pavilion quite
unique. Visitors can measure their skin condition with health careapplications, and also experience a fantastic feeling of 3D while
taking a close look at ASUS’s 21:9 curved screen display.
# The IoT Massage Chair provides health care benefits in addition to relaxation. Sit down
and give yourself a ten-minute rest on this functional chair (left). Have you ever used a stair
climber? Come and experience endless climbing(right).

At the center of the Taiwan Excellence Pavilion lies an area
where exhibits are changed in accordance with the exhibitions held in the hall below. For example, during the Taipei
International Cycle Show, various sports-related products
will be displayed. Test out products unseen elsewhere for# Taipei Nangang Exhibition Center Hall 1, Taiwan’s first bi-level, purpose-built exhibition complex, welcomes millions of visitors each year during its professional and consumer exhibitions.

26# Various exhibits take center stage, depending on the event being held at the time.
Information on Taiwan Excellence Award-winning products is displayed on a giant, futuristic screen.

an almost theme-park-esque experience.

TAIWAN EXCELLENCE PAVILION
Taipei Nangang Exhibition Center 3F, No. 1, Jingmao 2nd Road, Nangang District,Taipei City
+886-2-2785-0605
9:30am~6:30pm / Closed on Saturday, Sunday, and public holidays(excluding special events)
Adjacent to Exit 1 of Taipei Nangang Exhibition Center MRT Station

A m a z i n g Ta i w a n

27

Part 2

Taiwan's Smart Revolution
Smart products that bring about innovation around the world are in demand. It is said

25 Leading Companies
trying to build connections with others around them. Also, since the country cannot relythat it is not large corporations—whose strengths lie in refining and improving existing

solely on domestic demand due to its small population, the Taiwanese people have been

items—but rather entrepreneurial-minded small- and medium-sized businesses that arequick to expand their businesses overseas. In Taiwan, connecting with other nations andbest suited for developing such products. Small and medium enterprises make up the

people is quite common. It goes without saying that a smart future where things, people,

base of Taiwan’s manufacturing industry, and cooperation between these companies isand societies are all interconnected is close at hand. Clearly, it is time for the Taiwanesecommon. because of this, it’s no surprise that Taiwan is a breeding ground for innovation!

people—for whom this “connectivity” comes naturally—to press home their advantage.

Furthermore, Taiwan is a land where people of many different languages and roots live

In Part 2, we will introduce twenty-five up-and-coming companies endeavoring to change

together. Its people are accepting different values, and Taiwan has a long history of

the world for the better by building innovative new connections.

g P.56

Smart Transportation

g P.30Smart Home
Smart Medical Careg P.7228

A m a z i n g Ta i w a n

29

Ta i w a n ' s S m a r t R e v o l u t i o n 2 5 L e a d i n g C o m p a n i e s

The hanging LED lightyou've been looking for

Smart Home

Study together as a family with thischild-friendly automatic light

Desks tend to get cluttered with PCs, pe-your display through spring force.

on the display screen. It also comes with an

Small children often forget to turn on the

studying? No need to worry−if there is no near-

This product also incorporates featuresripherals, and cables of all sorts−leaving no"Computer displays come in all sizes andautomatic light adjustment sensor which de-lights, no matter how many times their parents

by movement within thirty minutes, the light will

focused on the quality of light, such as au-

room for a desktop light. Fortunately, now

thicknesses. The backs of the screens havetects the brightness of the room, dimming thetell them to. That, or they forget to turn themturn off. When the child wakes up and starts

tomatic light adjustment according to its

there’s the ScreenBar e-Reading lamp, which

various shapes as well, sometimes thin andlight when it is bright and turning it up whenoff, falling asleep with the lights on. And so themoving, the light will turn on once again.

environment.

hooks on to your computer screen, solving

sometimes round. We built more than ten

it is dark.

inventors of this product got to thinking: what if“We designed the light to have rounded

For instance, drawing the light near a book

space problems entirely!

prototypes in order to create a structure that

This product went on sale in Taiwan in

there were a light that turned itself on and off?

corners so it would be child-safe,” says Tsai.

will automatically dim the lights. Conversely,

can be used with any screen,” says Tsai, who

October 2017, and has been so popular that

The WiT MindDuo e-Reading lamp is a light

To soften the artificial LED lighting, a reflec-

the light becomes stronger when the book is

structure that attaches to your computerdeveloped the device.

it frequently sells out. The company plans

with a built-in sensor that detects nearby move-

tor has been attached around the LED, creat-further away. “I do not believe there has evendisplay. Hook one of the Ls to the top of the

The light itself has numerous distinctive

to bring the product to the United States,

ment. It turns on automatically when someone

ing an effect similar to indirect lighting. The

been a light with this many features that takedisplay to make the large cylindrical weightfeatures designed by Tsai. It can illuminate a

England, and Germany as well.

comes within about forty centimeters of it.

light can be switched between cool colors to

into consideration softness, how the light hitson the other side of the L stick to the back ofwide area on the desk without causing glare

Does your child often fall asleep while

warm colors.

objects, and more,” says Tsai.

This light features a distinctive L-shaped

ScreenBar
e-Reading lamp

WiT MindDuo
e-Reading lamp

A light that attaches to the upper portion of a computer’s LCD

The lamp lights up when a person draws near and turns off automat-

display, allowing you to save precious desk space. Its ability toically when there is no movement for thirty minutes. The light fromswitch between cool to warm colors as well as detect andthe lamp forms a wide oval shape, making it perfect for parents sit-

automatically adjust to the brightness of the room makes thisting and studying with children. There is a manual mode, along withlight gentle on the eyes. It is conveniently powered by yourthe automatic mode that adjusts brightness automatically.

computer’s USB port.

Furthermore, it can be switched between cool colors and warm.

A light that is easyon the eyes
Automatic light adjustment
according to the brightnessof the room. Can be switchedbetween cool colors andwarm.

BenQ Corporation
President : K. Y. Lee
Established : 1984
Business : Manufacturing and sales ofprecision electronics
Number of Employees : 1000
（2017）
https://www.benq.com/zh-tw/
Interviewee
BenQ Corporation
Senior Finance

Eric Tsai

Vision for the Future

Come up with new designs
Focus on light quality to create
lighting that is easy on the eyes

30

A m a z i n g Ta i w a n

31Ta i w a n ' s S m a r t R e v o l u t i o n 2 5 L e a d i n g C o m p a n i e s

Smart Home

Easy expansion
The set comes with two units, but canbe increased to three or four. Initial
setup and management are a breeze
with the included app.

Multy
With two units per set and three channels (one channel is for communication between the units), this multi-type Wi-Fi router is fully
equipped for the smart home era. More units can be added for those
who want extra coverage. Installed with the AI assistant Amazon
Alexa, the unit can be controlled through speech.

Highly accurate
communication

A multi-type Wi-Fi router that doesn't get
jammed when multiple units are connected

32

The antenna developed by Zyxel allows
for connection between multiple IoT
devices across multiple channels
without interference.

Zyxel Communications
Corporation
President : Shun-i Chu
Established : 1989
Business : Manufacturing andsales of network equipment
Number of Employees : 1500
（2017）
https://www.zyxel.com/

Large homes using multiple IoT devices

would not get jammed was tough. We performed

variety of issues, such as ensuring that signals

need high-performance Wi-Fi routers. For thecountless experiments to create a unique an-

could pass through the type of stone apartment

impending smart home era, Zyxel has devel-tenna shape that does not experience interfer-buildings commonly found in Europe.

oped Multy, a multi-type Wi-Fi router with twoence,” says Bill Su, who oversaw development.

They also focused closely on the user inter-

units per set that support three channels.

Countless tests were performed to create aface. Multy X supports Amazon Alexa voice

The device has nine antennas embedded

viable product. When compatibility issues were

control, and it is possible to manage multiple

Interviewee
Zyxel Communications Corporation
Senior Associate VP
Smart Living Strategic Business Unit

into its main unit to secure three channels.

identified, measures were taken immediately.

devices with a special app.

Bill Su

Multy comes with two main units, and can be

Now, the unit has been confirmed to be com-

“Other companies make mesh Wi-Fi systems,

Vision for the Future

expanded to three or four for those seeking

patible with over two hundred existing products.

but none offer the ease of configuration and con-Multilingual voice recognition support

even wider coverage.

Furthermore, the developers traveled around

trol that our product does. It was definitely worth“Designing it so that the wireless connection

the world, performing field tests to address ait to develop a specialized app,” assures Su.

More compact design for the main unit

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Smart Home

VR Gaming Backpack PC (VR One 7RE)
A backpack computer that lets you experience wireless VR. The extra battery can be swapped in during
play (hot-swap). The computer itself can be removed and used as a desktop machine.

VR entertainment free from power cords

34

Micro-Star International Co.,Ltd.

Power cords are an unwelcome guest in

market. This product has significantly highAlso a leader in gaming notebook comput-

virtual reality games. Players move around

specifications, boasting advanced computing

ers, MSI seeks to expand its range of related

Powerful Fan Cooling

products such as VR One 7RE.

A powerful cooling mechanism prevents users from feeling heaton their backs. This is made up of two fans and nine heat pipes.

as they play, making cables a tripping risk.

power with the GeForce® GTX 1070 built-in

To address the issue, MSI has created a sys-graphic board from NVIDIA and high-speed“We have invested 80% of our company’s

tem of two battery packs that lasts 1.5 hours

i7-7820HK CPU created for Intel’s notebook

resources into the gaming market. Keyboards,

when fully charged, and can be hot-swapped

computers. Its customers include compa-

mice, audio…we still have plenty of room foras well. The charger included in the set cannies running VR entertainment facilities andgrowth,” says Corporate Marketing Assistantcharge four battery packs at a time, freeing

game developers. For instance, the device is

VP Sam Chern with confidence.

the user from power cords.

used for the team battle game Ghost in the

Easily Augmentable

MSI’s VR One 7RE is the only genuine

Shell: ARISE Stealth Hounds at VR ZoneONE

backpack-style gaming computer on the

SHINJUKU, run by Bandai Namco.

The product comes with many ports, including ones for VR headsets
made by HTC. It weighs 3.6kg. One battery pack contains eightcells. It comes with a two-year warranty from the date of purchase.

President : Joseph Hsu
Established : 1986
Business : Design, manufacturing, and sales ofgaming computers
Number of Employees : 12,000（2017）https://www.msi.com/
Interviewee
Micro-Star International Co.,Ltd.
Assistant VP, Corporate Marketing

Sam Chern
Vision for the Future

Delve deeper into the gaming PC market

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Smart Home

YouCam Makeup
Using the camera on your mobile phone, YouCam Makeup applies makeup your face instantly just like a magic mirror. The industry leading facialrecognition technology detects and tracks each facial feature with highaccuracy, resulting in true to life makeover effects. Users can try on thelatest lipstick or eyeshadow colors from their favorite brand with just a
tap of their finger. This year, the YouCam suite of apps reached 600 million downloads worldwide.

High precision AR facialrecognition technology
Pinpointing more than 100 facial
points, the technology powering theapp enables hyper-realistic virtual
makeovers for users in real time.

Your phone is now your magic makeup mirror:
Virtually try cosmetics from top brands on your own face

36

Perfect Corp.
President : Alice Chang
Established : 2015
Business : Beauty-related mobile app
development and operation
Number of employees : 170 (2017)https://www.perfectcorp.com/

Can you imagine trying out 30 lipstick colors

hair color, glasses, headbands and more.

core technologies of Perfect Corp. Partneringin 30 seconds before purchasing your favorite

In the United States, YouCam recently justwith over 150 beauty brands worldwide was ashade? While it may sound like something out

launched Beauty Advisor 1 on 1 to video chatchallenge at the start, but Ms. Chang herselfof the future, there’s an app that has madewith professional makeup artists. “You canoften stepped in to the negotiations to help

Interviewee
Perfect Corp.
CEO

this a reality today : YouCam Makeup.

call and ask a beauty advisor to recommend

seal the deal.

Alice Chang

The world’s most popular makeover app,makeup for a formal party, and they will create“Technology typically has a cold image. So

YouCam Makeup has partnered with over 150

a custom makeover look and suggest prod-

our goal was to create a warm and welcoming

global cosmetics brands to date and featuresucts for you to try on through AR during theapp that would soften the feeling of beauty

hundreds of complete AR makeover styles.

video chat,” says Alice Chang, CEO of Perfecttech. Development was an uphill battel at first,

Users can fine tune makeup details, such as

Corp., the developer of the app.

but we finally achieved what we set out to do,changing eyeliner colors or styles, and in-

The industry-leading facial recognition, fa-making beauty more accessible to womencludes other options such as true-to-life AR

cial feature tracking, and color blending arearound the world,” concluded Ms. Chang.

Vision for the Future

Leveraging Big Data
for marketing
The YouCam Apps suite, your complete mobile beauty toolkit
The popular selfie app YouCam Perfect and other sister apps have also
received the Taiwan Excellence Award.

Collaborating across industries
to expand the applicationsof beauty AR

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Smart Home

The world's first IoT starter kit
With the spread of the internet, more andinstitutions of learning.

apps.

more people are interested in learning pro-All you need to learn programming is theWith additional accessories, you can evengramming. Up until now, this often required

CloudProfessor product, together with asee, for example, how a robot will move using

educational software, meaning the hurdle forsmartphone, tablet, chromebook, or laptop/

the code you wrote yourself. Experience thebeginners was somewhat high. In an attempt

desktop with Android, iOS, Chrome OS, or

joy of programming while learning the fun-to make learning programming more conve-

Windows. Students learn programming by ac-

damentals of coding. This kit may very wellnient and affordable comes CloudProfessor,

cessing the IoT device from their smart devic-

serve as the catalyst for the creation of new

the world’s first out-of-the-box IoT starter kit.

es, chromebook or laptop and directly editing

apps and games that break convention andUsers can choose from two programming

the programming code. The CloudProfessor

go beyond existing frameworks.

languages to learn, JavaScript and Google

starter kit contains nearly sixty courses, in-Blockly. Since its 2016 release in Taiwan, it

cluding control boards, sensors, and learning

has already been adopted by over a hundred

CloudProfessor
Software programming and hardware sensor controls equipped on aunit the size of the palm of your hand.
Learn from your smartphone, tablet,
chromebook, or laptop/dekstop by

PAWBO Munch

connecting CloudProfessor to Acer

PAWBO+

Cloud using Wi-Fi. With this groundbreaking product, you can learn pro-Can be operated using a smartphone for owners with PAWBO+, orFeatures a high-resolution 720p HD camera with a 130-degree wide-an-

gramming anywhere—all you need

the remote control included in package. The front screen features

gle lens for beautiful, panoramic shots. What’s more, the 4x zoom lets

is an internet connection and a sup-a mechanism that displays cute LED light icons along with charm-

you capture your pet’s adorable expressions from up close. Up to eight

ported device.

ing music during operation. A tray for treats is on the bottom, whiledevices can connect at the same time, letting the entire family operate

a container for pet food is inside the Munch device. The amount of

the device. In addition to the treat dispenser, this item allows for com-food given can be adjusted as well. A slot-machine style gamemunication using the built-in microphone and speaker. It also includes amode and other functions let you enjoy playing with your pets.

laser cat toy function that you can enjoy with your pets.
Acer Cloud

Stay by your pet’s side virtually
wherever you go

38

For people who worry about their pets when

PAWBO’s high-quality 720p HD camera lets

speaker. This lets you call your pet directly

they are away from home comes PAWBO.

you see your pets clearly, and images takenusing the smartphone before giving it a treat.

PAWBO Munch manages feeding and in-can be stored as movies or pictures on yourYour pet’s voice is delivered by the built-in

cludes a game feature, while PAWBO+ comes

smartphone. These can be easily posted tomicrophone, allowing for communicationequipped with a camera as well as a lightersocial media as well, further adding to theand helping to alleviate your pet’s feelings oftreat dispenser and laser game. Downloading

product’s popularity. It has been well received

stress or loneliness. You can treat your pet

the free app lets you control these devices

for its ability to take candid pictures of pets

even when you are away, providing further

remotely. Even while you are away, you canas they relax at home, as opposed to posed

entertainment as well as accompany—help-

check in on your pets in real time and feed

pictures taken in the owner’s presence.

ing to keep pets happy and healthy.

them whenever they get hungry.

PAWBO+ also comes equipped with a

CloudProfessor

Wi-Fi

Acer Incorporated

Tablet or Sm ar tphon e

USB

Chairman : Jason Chen
Established : 1976
Business : Telecom & information
Number of Employees : 7169（2014）
https://www.acer.com/

Launch Mobile Apps

Impressive Scalability
Expansion modules and sensors, such as light sensors, temperature
sensors, and LED lights can be connected easily via USB, making an
ideal environment to learn programming. The app is compatible with
the Android, iOS, Chrome OS, and Windows platforms and lets users
learn two different languages, JavaScript and Google Blockly.

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A second-generation magic mirrorthat serves as a beauty advisor
This “magic mirror” features a 14-inch

the software was a challenge. However, we"We advertised in leading English fashion

liquid crystal panel, a system LSI with eight

succeeded in applying for a patent based on

and lifestyle magazines, as we believed thatbuilt-in CPU cores, an image sensor, andour discoveries," says marketing manager

this is because increased awareness of ourbuilt-in speakers. The user sets up HiMirror

Tseng.

product would lead to business-to-business

Plus like a vanity mirror, and photographs

Behind the design and sales of the HiMiror

sales," says Tseng. The company plans totheir face every day. By recording and an-series is Cal-Comp Big Data, a member of thelaunch its third-generation device at thealyzing the user’s skin condition, HiMirror

well-established EMS/ODM company New

end of 2018. It will include a touch panel

Plus provides her with advice on skin care.

Kinpo Group. President Simon Shen had theand software that allows users share before

These features were supervised by der-software for the device developed internally,

and after shots with sales staff at cosmetics

matologist Takako Yoshida. "Developing

but invested in marketing promotions heavily.

stores.

Smart Home

HiMirror Plus
LED lights have been added to the liquid crystal
panels on either side to improve visibility and makeit effective as a makeup mirror, picture storage has
been increased sevenfold to 14,000, and the number of users each device can support has been

Take pictures using the
top-mounted camera
The photo on the left-hand pagehas been taken with the camera
to detect age spots and dullness.

upgraded as well, from four to six user profiles.
Furthermore, up to two Bluetooth devices, such as
HiMirror’s Smart Body Scale, can be connected
simultaneously.

Sync with the special smartphone app
to receive health and beauty advice
anytime, anywhere.

Advertising for the
English-speaking world
The company has invested in a wide
range of advertising in leading
English fashion and lifestylemagazines, with an eye towardbuilding a base of cosmetics sales
companies that would ordercustomized devices.

Cal-Comp Big Data, Inc.
President : Simon Shen
Established : 2016
Business : Design and sales of beauty devices
https://www.himirror.com/
Interviewee
Cal-Comp Big Data, Inc.
Marketing DivisionMarketing Manager

Alain Tseng

Vision for the Future

Added features and additional inhouse products that support beautyand healthCommence contracted design andmanufacturinge of such products

40

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An IoT device that alerts you whenit’s diaper-changing time
For struggling parents who aren’t sure

What’s more, for the Japanese market, it

in 1990, CviCloud Corporation launched its

when it's time to change diapers comes thecomes with an additional cover for affixing

new smartphone product brand Opro9 for theOpro9 Smart Diaper.

batteries to prevent accidental swallowing.

growing IoT industry. This diaper is the continu-

This small device alerts the parent’s smart-“Up to five devices can be managed withation of a line of IoT products that include Apple

phone when it’s time to change diapers,a single smartphone. It could also come incertified Homekit-light bulb sockets and powersaving them the trouble of disturbing their

handy at nurseries. Since the number of times

plugs. “Our goal is to see that our products cansleeping baby for a diaper check.

the baby urinates is recorded on the Cloud, it

be used for all living room appliances. We spare

The cover of the device is made fromcan also serve as a daily health monitor,” says

nothing when it comes to investing in productskin-friendly silicon that meets the high safe-

EVP Bruce Lan with a confident smile.

development,” Lan says with great expectations

ty standards of the United States and Europe.

Founded as a connector supply parts manufacturer

for the future.

Smart Home

Advanced Urine Sensor
An environment test measuringhumidity and temperature is performed
once about every two minutes,
meaning you won’t miss a diaper
change.

Smart Diaper
Simply attach the small device to the part of the diaper that gets wet, download thespecial smartphone app and go through the initial settings, and you’re good to go.
When the baby urinates, the sensor in the device detects changes in temperature andhumidity inside the diaper. If the humidity and temperature reach certain levels, thedevice deems it time to change the diaper and notifies the parent’s smartphone.

CviCloud Corporation
President : Chao-Chun Yang/Steve Yang
Established : 1990
Business : Manufacturing and sales of electricparts and IoT devices
Number of employees : 3000 (as of 2017,group total)
https://www.opro9.com/
Interviewee
CviCloud Corporation
EVP

Intuitive interface
When the temperature and humidity reach certain levels,
the face on the screen frowns.

Bruce Lan

Vision for the Future

Development of remote systems
using the Cloud
Promotion of in-app advertising functionality targeting other industries

42

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Smart Home

Smart Submetering Reading System(TH/RMT/CCT)Not only does the meter measure water usage, it also collects and sends data using wireless communications
channels to warn about abnormal behaviors like consumption and leakage.

Monitor with a mobile device
Fluctuations in water usage can be checked via
a smartphone app. This app also alerts users if
there is a leak.

Optical inspection
Optical inspection is performed
with an IC chip soldered to a
printed circuit board at a reflow
soldering furnace at thecompany’s factory.

Connecting high-reliability smart water meters
wirelessly to the Cloud44

EMS is the leading Taiwanese smart water

waterproofing standard IP68, meaning it will

alerts about abnormal water consumption,

ENERGY MANAGEMENTSYSTEM CO., LTD.
Final inspection
Final inspection of the water
meter being performed
pre-shipment.

President : Yung Hsien Ma
Established : 1991
Business : Design, manufacturing and sales ofwater meters
Number of Employees : 200（2017）
http://en.ems.com.tw/

meter company, and their TH/RMT/CCT se-

not malfunction even during a flood.

leakage events and water quality status.

ries of products integrates metering expertise

TH/RMT/CCT adds to this electronic water

Vice General Manager Su hopes to receivewith wireless communication technology.

meter the company’s own 3G/4G (GPRS) com-orders for projects related to Japan as a sub-In the past, the company developed an elec-

munications modules. In the era of IoT tech-contractor. Competitively priced, EMS’s smart

tronic water meter without gears that detects

nology, EMS have applied LoRawan and NB-

water meters are installed at Aeon Mall BSD

Vision for the Futurewater consumption using electronic parts on

IoT into water metering technology to exceed

City in Indonesia. “Since the price is less than

the rotating impeller. This meter almost neverclients’ communications requirements as well.

half that of Japanese manufacturers, many

breaks down, and its measuring capabilities

For submetering applications, water meters

worry that it is untrustworthy, but our prod-

are unaffected by magnets. The battery life

in condominiums are expected to send re-ucts have been in use for more than threeof the electronic parts is more than sufficiental-time data to the network servers to collect

years now, and their reliability and durability

at a minimum of ten years. What’s more,

and analyze data. With the combination ofhas been proven.” says Su.

this product meets the dustproofing and

the TH/RMT/CCT set, every user can receive

Development of an emergency
notification system for elderly
people living alone and families inremote locations. Creation ofsystem which sends an alert if
abnormalities in water utility usage
are detected.

Interviewee
ENERGY MANAGEMENTSYSTEM CO., LTD.
Vice General Manager

ZhengXian Su

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Smart Home

DC motor range hood –Intelligence System(DR7793)
A high-performance range hood equipped with an infrared
sensor, stylish LED display, and patented spiral suction technology. Its silent, powerful, and deodorizing suction will help
create the ideal cooking environment.

An enhanced turbine motorsensor

Detects heat using an infrared sensor

Featuring smoke exhaust speed 2.5 times and 60% greater than that of conventionalmodels. In addition to an airflow increase of 35% and power efficiency improved by
60%, the enhanced turbine used boasts excellent sound suppression.

The characters on the LCD panel mean “smart detection.”

Hands-off air control with an infrared
sensor and automatic power-saving motor

46“This is the second time we have installed

appearance of the sensors, beside thepower consumption of 8 W. It is powerful,an air volume control feature. I am proud tolamps on the side of the range hood, is aquiet, and helps save electricity.

say we have perfected it,” says Marketing

stylish touch as well.

TAIWAN SAKURA is a long-established

Department Brand Director Jessica Deng.

The range hood also features low power

Taiwanese kitchen equipment brand, and it

Her company’s kitchen range hood DR7793

consumption. It uses half the electricity ofis not unusual for Chinese living abroad toneeds no one to turn it on and off manuallyconventional AC motors and has kept re-go out of their way to purchase this brandor constantly adjust the air volume. This is

duced power consumption in Turbo Mode to

and their products. Built on trust, TAIWAN

because it accomplishes this by detecting

230 W. Turbo Mode is powerful, with an ex-

SAKURA plans to meet demand for eveninfrared rays emitted by heated objects.

haust speed of 22 m3/minute. The previous

better exterior appearance and design. “We

The infrared sensor and air volume control

model had exhaust speed of 16 m3/minute.

will create products unique to our company

unit do not malfunction even when cooking

It also features a Silent Mode at 42 decibels,

using laser marking technology and collabo-with extremely high heat. The inconspicuouswith an exhaust speed of 5 m3/minute andrating with architects,” says Deng.

TAIWAN SAKURA CORPORATION
President : Eric Chang
Established : 1988
Business : Design, manufacturing, and sales ofkitchen equipment
Number of Employees : 957（2016）
http://www.sakura.com.tw/
Interviewee
TAIWAN SAKURA CORPORATION
Marketing Department
Brand Director

Jessica Deng

Vision for the Future

Patented technology
The patented 3D ring suction technology features a concave
spiral suction hood that prevents smoke from escaping. The
filter is patented as well; using the concave baffle plate, oil isdischarged directly into the oil catcher.

Further reduce sound and power
consumption
Further improve the exterior design

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Smart Home

Eveline Smart Fertility System
This tool lets users easily predict ovulation dates using theirsmartphones. Consisting of test strip and a smartphone app,it accurately predicts ovulation dates, using the smartphone
camera to scan a test strip that has absorbed urine. Eveline
costs 1490 Taiwanese dollars, which includes ten LH test
strips and one smartphone attachment clip.

Notify and share
On the left is a screen showing that the next period of conception
starts nine days later. The user can save this data to the in-app
calendar and reminder system. On the right is a screen showing
peak fertility time. Clicking the share button on the bottom rightnotifies your partner.

A smartphone pregnancy support kit
that sold out in spectacular time48

iXensor Eveline is a tool that allows couples

concentration of luteinizing hormone (LH). The

prior to Eveline’s release. However, “The

who want children to monitor ovulation cycles

procedure is simple: the user urinates on the

ambiguous colors were difficult for users toand prepare effectively. It continues to be soldtest strip, launches the app, and scans the test

distinguish by sight alone, leading to misinter-out in Taiwan, thanks to prominent YouTuber

strip with the front camera. Simply by doing

pretations. This doesn’t happen with Eveline,

Tsai A-Ga introducing the product in a vid-

this, users can record ovulation dates and, us-since this important task is left to the machine.

eo, saying, “My wife got pregnant within one

ing the app, share when they are most likely to

Although the white balance of smartphonemonth using this.” He did not explicitly mention

conceive with their partners. When it displays

cameras is not uniform, the app has the logic

the name of the product or company, as iXen-“Peak”, users will ovulate within just twelve

to adjust for this,” says iXensor’s Chief Medical

sor had not asked for publicity.

to twenty-four hours−the optimal window for

Officer Jerry Chen. The test strip has been

Eveline consists of a smartphone app

conception is not long.

approved for medical use by the Ministry ofand ovulation test strips that measure the

LH test strips were available commercially

Health and Welfare.

iXensor Co., Ltd.
President : Tung-Meng Tsai/Alan Tsai
Established : 2012
Business : Development of mobile healthcare products
and sales of women's health and chronic disease
management systems
Number of Employees : 52（2018）https://www.ixensor.com/
Interviewee
iXensor Co., Ltd.
Chief Medical Officer/CMO

Jerry Chen
Vision for the Future

Sell the product overseas (iXensor has
acquired governmental approval for blood
sugar management tools in several countries,
so they are familiar with the procedure).
Establish technology to detect progesterone,
HCG, etc., to further monitor women’s health.

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Smart Home

AROBOT
ADATA subsidiary AROBOT was in charge of development. Like Erato, a company that grew through the design and sales of completely wireless earphones, thiscompany was founded as an internal venture company
in 2015 with approval from the president of ADATA. They
are still considering whether to start contract design andmanufacturing of household robots.

An adorable shape
The model that displays expressions on its
LCD panel will be priced at around 20,000
Taiwanese dollars. The model without the LCD,
which features a built-in rechargeable battery
that can fully recharge a smartphone twice
will be priced around 9,000 Taiwan dollars.

An adorable robot that housesa touchstone of machine learning
Why did they go through all this effort?

people, and can read picture books or playerals, such as DRAM modules and memory

Project development manager Mic Hsu ex-with the baby using built-in games whenevercards. The company will release two mod-plains, "It was because the president of

the baby cries out. It has wheels on the bot-els in its AROBOT series aimed at infants inthe company and the on-site workers felt

tom, letting the infant move the robot aroundTaiwan around October 2018.

we should gain experience for the future.

using a smartphone app. There are infrared

These household robots, which appear

Nowadays, software on the Cloud becomes

sensors on the bottom so that it will not fall

to be in a different field from ADATA's usu-

smarter semi-automatically through deep

down stairs or the like. It also come with aal product line, were actually developed bylearning, a kind of machine learning. Whathost of features for parents and guardians,

their subsidiary AROBOT. What's more, theshould we pursue in this era? We sought toallowing it to serve as a baby monitor and ascompany developed the built-in speech rec-answer that question by developing speecha mobile battery.

ognition software from scratch, without using

recognition software from scratch."

American speech recognition engines.

Both AROBOT models recognize voices and

ADATA is renowned for its computer periph-

50

ADATA Technology Co., Ltd.
President : Simon Chen
Established : 2001年
Business : Design and sales of computer peripherals
Number of Employees : 1296（2016）
http://www.arobot.info/index/
Interviewee
ADATA Technology Co., Ltd.
Senior Consultant

Mic Hsu

Vision for the Future

Evolve robots by applying Cloudmachine learning
Diversif y business throughinternal ventures

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Smart Home

WINBOTA spherical gaming PC casethat moves with you

A unique PC case with spherical glass covering the machinery
inside. The case rotates 360 degrees to follow the user using
facial recognition and motion detection, and features playful
flourishes, such as the spherical case opening and closing withthe raising and lowering of a hand. It measures 700 mm x 685

This high-class gaming PC case is madeWhen the first glass PC case was announced

spherical glass is not easy, and development

mm x 648 mm and weighs 22.46 kg. An original water coolingfrom transparent glass that lets you see thein 2012, it was looked upon by peers with

did not always go smoothly. The WINBOT

kit can be installed as well.

machine inside. The innovators of this trend,

skepticism. User response, however, provedthat was born from this cost five times as

which has taken the world by storm, are In Win

different. Starting around 2013, more andmuch to develop compared to a standard

designer Liu and marketing manager Hsieh.

more orders came in, and the transparent caseproduct, with no concern for its profitability.

“We began developing the product that

became so popular that, before the company“We cannot create innovative products if

would become our flagship model in 2012 in

knew it, competitors began copying it.

all we do is worry about development costs.”

an effort to create new value.” (Hsieh)

With glass cases now popularized, they(Liu) “But thanks to this, we’ve achieved“The concept behind the design of our sev-

sought an innovative new challenge in de-world-class levels of recognition. It has

enth-generation of WINBOT has been glass

veloping their seventh-generation product,

been a huge success in terms of branding.”that lets you see inside.” (Liu)

giving rise to the glass sphere. Producing(Hsieh)The case spins
and opens!
The built-in camera
recognizes the user’s faceand movements, with thecase moving 360 degrees
in response to thosemovements, opening andclosing as well.

Features high-spec
PC compatible ports
Features HD audio, two USB 3.0 ports, andone USB 3.1 Type-C. The motherboard is
E-ATX, ATX, and Micro-ATX compatible.

In Win Development Inc.

Interviewee
In Win Development Inc.
La.De-Sign

Errien Liu
Global Marketing Manager

Nelly Hsieh

52

President : Lai, Wen-Hsien
Established : 1985
Business : Manufacturing
and sales of PC parts
Number of Employees : 1,200（2017）https://www.in-win.com/

Vision for the Future

We intend to continue developing creative,
never-before-seen PC cases for years tocome

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An intelligent robot partner,
your Moving Monitor Guardian

Smart Home

Robelf
A helper robot offering high-level performance for under ¥100,000. It comeswith four apps: Education and Discipline for Children, Home Security,"What makes it different from (its compet-of creating a versatile helping robot that canhousehold security.

ing product) Pepper?" Robotelf’s developerclean as well,” he says.

There is also an exclusive app for store

William Hong replies to this direct question

Developed in part for its creator’s own

owners, including restaurant staff, making

with a smile. "It's the affordable price. Our

daughter, who needs a lot of care, the robot

it a piece of cake to take orders or use the

Robelf is roughly ¥80,000–that’s half thecomes equipped with nursing care features,

Mobile POS Discount.

price of Pepper."such as reminding people when it is time toUser safety is also a top priority. The robot

With an eye toward expanding the user

take medicine, or conversing with people todetects objects approaching the sensor andbase by keeping the price reasonable, Robelf

stimulate the brain and prevent dementia.

stops. The lower sensor detects steps, mean-is adding new features as it becomes more

It also includes support for child-rearing,ing it won’t trip or fall down stairs.

established as a platform in homes and atincluding English lessons and the ability to

Robelf is perfect for busy parents, care-stores.

announce when it is time to study. Also, one

takers, and shopkeepers who need a helping"We have upgraded Robelf by incorporatingof its two cameras is removable, allowing it

hand. The affordable price is the icing on the

feedback from users, with the ultimate goal

to be placed in an empty room and used forcake.

Nursing Care Support, and Shopkeeper Support. The functions have steadily
expanded through customer feedback, and an automatic charging system
and multilingual support program are currently under development.

Both arms rotate 360 degrees
One of its initial shortcomings was its arms,
which were easy for children to break. Thishas since been resolved by simplifying its
structure and movements.

Robotelf Technologies
Co., LTD.
Store data on the CloudWith the ability to capture and manage lifelogs on the
Cloud, the robot can easily adapt to the user’s lifestyle.

President : Ling-Feng Chen
Established : 2013
Business : Development of robots andapplications
Number of Employees : 50（2018）https://www.robelf.com/
Interviewee
Robotelf Technologies Co., LTD.
COO

William Hong

Vision for the Future

Develop apps for automatic charging
together with partner companies
Multilingual support
including Japanese and Korean

54

A m a z i n g Ta i w a n

55

Ta i w a n ' s S m a r t R e v o l u t i o n 2 5 L e a d i n g C o m p a n i e s

Smart Transportation

An easy-to-configure office Wi-Fi system
for small to medium-sized enterprises

EdiGreen AirBox (AirBox AI-2002W)
The AirBox AI-2002W measures PM2.5, temperature and humidity, PM10, CO2,
TVOC (total volatile organic compounds), and HCHO (formaldehyde), sending thisdata to servers operated by the company. Edimax is considering offering a continuous billing model in Taiwan in cooperation with telecommunications carriers.

Office 1-2-3
Office 1-2-3 supports the standard for fifth-generation wireless LAN (Wi-Fi), IEEE 802.11ac, as wellas the so-called PoE (Power over Ethernet) standard
IEEE 802.3af/at, which combines communications
and power supply into a single cord. With power
supply restrictions on the ceiling where the Access
Point can be installed, PoE allows for fast and flexible
network construction.

A self-managing Wi-Fi system

A government projecttransformed into a business model

56

The standard kit includes three Access Points,
with the capability for further extension up to a
total of 16 Access Points. Each Access Point
automatically connects and can evenautomatically configure conventional networks if
these are connected to the master Access Points.
This renders specialized network administratorsand expensive servers unnecessary.

Edimax Technology Co., Ltd.
President : Gene Renn
Established : 1986
Business : Development, design, manufacturing, and salesof Wi-Fi products, network equipment, and IoT devices.
Number of Employees : 1438（2016）
https://www.edimax.com/

The AirBox AI-2002W is an indoor air quality

between the public and private market.

office Wi-Fi system with wireless access points

monitoring device designed and developed by

The semi-outdoor device was distributed

designed for small- to medium-sized business-

Edimax which is part of the “EdiGreen air qual-

widely across schools by donation in six major

es. It contains software that lets even network

ity monitoring” complete indoor and outdoor

cities in Taiwan. In Korea, they succeeded intechnology novices manage user and device

solution.

selling the device together with system inte-access rights, transmission range, and more.

The first semi-outdoor device AI-1001W

grators, introducing a continuous billing model

Chinese companies have grown in recent

PM2.5 sensor was completed in just threeaccording to usage rate. Not only does longyears, and even Taiwanese wireless network-

months, including the device itself and the-term use mean profitability, but, as Dr. Albert

ing EMS/ODM companies have faced the

Edimax cloud servers, with the joined effort

Yeh, the CTO of Edimax OBM BU, explains,stress of competition. Rather than waiting

between Edimax and researchers at nation-"We can ensure the quality of measured datafor customer orders, Edimax strives to breakal academic institutions. The CEO of Edimax

through maintenance."

through to the future by developing and selling

SME Access Point »saw this as an opportunity to build a bridge

Another notable product is Office 1-2-3, annovel, in-house brand products.

Providing access for Wi-Fi devices

Interviewee
Edimax Technology Co., Ltd.
OBM BU, CTO
Marketing Vice President

Dr. Albert Yeh

Vision for the Future

Air Quality Monitoring Device »Increase items detected, linking throughthe CloudA m a z i n g Ta i w a n

57

Smart Transportation

Ta i w a n ' s S m a r t R e v o l u t i o n 2 5 L e a d i n g C o m p a n i e s

A high-powered electric mountain bike is born!

TRB1
With battery capacity increased by 1.5x and motor
power increased by 1.28x compared to ordinary prod-

The United States and Europe are the homeon the bicycle send information to the user’s

demand for e-bikes to successfully expandof the sports bike, with the German market

smartphone via Bluetooth.

sales channels to the United States andwhen climbing upward slopes. Connecting the bicyclefor electric mountain bikes (e-MTB) being es-

The developer Darfon (headquartered inEurope. For the Japanese market, the com-with newly developed apps lets you check battery life

pecially large. In this sense, the bicycle in-

Taoyuan) originally started out making key-pany exports the so-called “mom’s e-bikes”

dustry is a truly global business.

boards for notebook computers. Ever since,

aimed at mothers. The company continues to“The German market favors high-end prod-

they have steadily expanded their operations

put out products tailored to their respective

ucts, making it very attractive. That said,

to include power supply parts and batteries.

markets in countries all over the world.

there is a lot of competition. To make inroads

Using technology developed in-house, theinto this market, we created a powerful eMTB

company entered the e-bike market in 2015.

that would be a cut above the rest," says

This strategy proved right on target, andJonathan Yin of Darfon Electronics Corp.

the company took advan-

Increasing capacity means increasing bat-tage of increasing

ucts, this electric-assist mountain bike reduces stressas well as current location using the navigation system,
and also lets you manage training programs by showing
your heart rate and calories burned.

Powerful battery
An astounding 756 Wh of
battery power provides tiger-likestrength and agility.

tery size. To solve the problem of storage, theDual-tube structurecompany employs a unique design in which

Two aluminum tubes on the frontof the frame improve strength andprovide space for the battery.

the battery is stored between two tubes on
the front of the aluminum frame. Durability
has also been improved, leaving nothing to
be desired in terms of pure strength.
Of course, the bicycle is IoT-compatible aswell. The speed sensor and torque sensor

CF1 LENA White

Darfon Electronics Corp.
President : Andy Su
Established : 1997
Business : Manufacturing and sales of LEDs, power
supplies, batteries, electric-assisted bicycles, etc.
Number of Employees : 15,000（2017）
http://www.besv.com/

PSA1 WhiteInterviewee
Darfon Electronics Corp.
Associate Vice President

Jonathan Yin
Vision for the Future

Further upgrades to our line of electricassist bikes
Reducing manufacturing costs to keep theretail price low

58

A m a z i n g Ta i w a n

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Ta i w a n ' s S m a r t R e v o l u t i o n 2 5 L e a d i n g C o m p a n i e s

Smart Transportation

A new business opportunity:
microCT for pre-clinical trials
Smart LED
street light 135W
Internal structure

Error reporting

The inside of the LED streetlight contains a power
module. The cylindrical object at the center top is
the communication module. This supports cellular
networks and Zigbee, a short-distance wirelesscommunications system.

Showing the error history of an LED
streetlight on a web browser. Only
device errors are shown.

Micro CT (DELPet μCT100)

A high-performance LED streetlight. Resistant to corro-

μCT100 takes up an area of 158 cm by 88 cm with cube-shielding

sion and shaking, each component can be upgraded eas-(cube radiation protection), about the same size as an office desk.

ily through modularization. It can be augmented with a

The instrument is combined with a high-intelligence recognition

control app and timer feature.

system to provide intuitive, one-touch operation.

Advanced scanning mechanism
This is the structure of the internal mechanism and the rotating scanner.
Although the scanner rotates rapidly, it still provides high-precision imaging.
“So accurate and precise is it that practically no difference can be observed
after geometry calibration”, explains Mr. Chang.

Air circulation
The position of themeasurement sample (thepatented animal bed) provides
an independent heated airflow,
and the anesthesia system
helps to maintain stable vital
signs for the animal.

LED streetlights with ingenious error reporting
explains Lighting Director Steve Lin.

President Chang.

energy-saving solutions. Using their power

There are even Japanese cellular base sta-

By seeking out industrial-academic coop-

DELTA ELECTRONICS is a global leader in

60

supply technology, Delta has created electric-

tions that say they would not be able to oper-

eration with one of top medical universities

ity-saving LED street lights used in such cities

ate without Delta’s power supplies. It is also ain Taiwan, Delta has built up its strength andas Taipei and Jakarta. In Taiwan, the company

little-known fact that the company has done

started to penetrate into the field of pre-clinicalreceives revenue from maintenance as well,subcontracting for the design and manufac-

medical imaging equipment step by step.

and has equipped the LED street lights withture of medical devices since 2005.

Key applications for the μCT100 include dis-features to help keep costs down.

In addition to LED technology, Delta is alsoease and drug development for research and“We can determine whether the cause of aextending its business in the medical field,

pre-clinical trials.

malfunction was the streetlight itself, or wheth-from components to systems.

DELPet μCT100 offers a two-second fast scaner it was caused by external factors, such as

Delta has developed a high voltage (16 kW tomode with 2 μm pixel resolution and is equippeda power outage or damage from a traffic acci-

65 kW) generator for X-ray systems.

with a patented animal bed which enhances pro-dent. The error message is then sent to a web"For these systems, we launched the DELPet

ductivity and improves analysis accuracy in theserver. This prevents mistakes during initialμCT100 in Taiwan last year and are expand-laboratory. Vice President Chang says, “We devel-

repair, keeping maintenance costs down,”

ing our business overseas now," explains Vice

oped this technology by ourselves here at Delta.”

DELTA ELECTRONICS, INC.

Interviewee
DELTA ELECTRONICS, INC.
Vice President

Chairman : Yancey Hai
Established : 1971
Business : A global leader in power and thermal
management solutions and a major player in several
product segments such as industrial automation, displays,
and networking.
number of employees : 80,000 (2017, Global)
http://www.deltaww.com/

JJ Chang

Director, Lighting Division

Vision for the Future

Streetlights »Steve Lin

Reduce communications costs using NBIoT

Delbio, Inc.
Chairman

CT scanner »Herbert Ho

Improve spatial resolution from 2μm to 9μm

A m a z i n g Ta i w a n

61

Ta i w a n ' s S m a r t R e v o l u t i o n 2 5 L e a d i n g C o m p a n i e s

Smart Transportation

A light-weight, fixed-wing UAS
Absorbs impact at landing

A lightweight, easy-to-operate fixed-wing drone equipped with a landing
parachute to protect both the main body and payload. It can fly continuously

Pterosaur deploys a parachute before
landing, which flips the craft upside down.
This prevents protruding parts from hitting
the ground and breaking.

for up to seventy minutes, and takes high-quality images at 2.4M pixels.

It can also take flightwhen tossed in the air
It can be flown without using thecatapult. Flight time is between 60
to 70 minutes, with a flight speedof about 45 to 55 km per hour.

A drone with durable wings thatsoars above the competition

62“The consumer drone market is already awould set the company apart from the compe-‘red ocean’ market, where companies fighttition: the all-wing Pterosaur, which resembles

In addition, the Pterosaur includes a mecha-

tooth and nail," says GEOSAT Aerospace &a stealth bomber.

nism to absorb shock when landing. When theTechnology's Cheng-Fang Lo.

Without vertical propellers, one might thinkuser commands the drone to land, it deploys a

Lo received a doctorate in aerospace engi-

that the camera would be matchbox-sizedparachute, the air resistance turning the drone

neering from the University of Texas at Austin.

and the device difficult to operate, but nothing

upside down.

Many of GEOSAT’s engineers come from the

could be further from the truth. The Pterosaur

The side that contacts the ground whenAerospace Industrial Development Corpration

supports a mirrorless camera with changeable

landing has no protruding parts, making it(AIDC), which works on domestic fighter jets.

lenses, and is so easy to operate it can be

resistant to damage. This feature has been

GEOSAT brought these airplane enthusiasts

mastered in just ten minutes. The drone is op-

warmly received by professionals using drones

together and developed a new product that

erated using an Xbox controller, also employed

for land surveys and other vital tasks.

on US Navy submarines.

GEOSAT Aerospace &Technology Inc.
Full assembly
How it looks fully assembled. The exterior casing is madefrom expanded polypropylene (EPP) supplied by aJapanese manufacturer, which, unlike polystyrene, does
not chip or crack easily. It weighs just 2.2 kg, including its
lithium polymer battery.

President : Lo, Cheng-Fang(Ph.D)
Established : 2004
Business : Design, manufacturing and sales of drones
number of employees : 220（2017 年）
http://www.geosat.com.tw/
Interviewee
GEOSAT Aerospace &Technology Inc.
Chairman and CEO

Cheng-Fang Lo

Vision for the Future

Develop a larger (4 kg) model.
Helicopter-style drones available as well
GEOSAT also manufactures and sells propeller-type
drones with gasoline-powered engines.

Meet agricultural demand fromSoutheast Asia and China
agrochemical spraying).

(mainlyA m a z i n g Ta i w a n

63Smart Transportation

Ta i w a n ' s S m a r t R e v o l u t i o n 2 5 L e a d i n g C o m p a n i e s

CROXERA

Accident alert system
If there is any unusual behavior,such as erratic driving or flippingof the vehicle, your family will bealerted to the possibility of an
accident.

An IoT dashboard for motorbikes. Its main features include a smartphone-linked navigation system, speed warnings, and an emergency
contact feature that alerts family when there has been an accident. With awide dashboard and speed warnings in conspicuous bright red, the prod-

PANTONE

CMYK

PANTONE 1797 C

M 100 % + Y 100 %PANTONE Black C

B 100 %PANTONE Cool Gray 7 C

B 50 %

宏佳騰機車-小招完稿請依比例放大至所需尺寸

x

uct is designed for drivers whose field of vision is high and facing forward.

Navigation feature

A futuristic IoT dashboard
for motorbike comfort and safety

64Enter info into your smartphone
map, and the dashboard will do
the rest. There's no need to keep
looking at your phone.

AEON MOTOR CO., LTD.
President : Chieh-Lin Chung
Established : 1998
Business : Manufacturing and sales of autobikes
Number of Employees : 400（2017）
http://www.aeonmotor.com.tw/

Taiwan boasts the highest rate of motor-

This new vision is embodied in the IoT dash-

the driver's family that an accident may havebike use in in the world. While technologicalboard CROXERA. Prioritizing driver-friendli-

occurred. It also can warn the driver when theadvancements have given rise to cheap yet

ness, this product offers a wide 178-degree

speed limit has been exceeded.

sturdy motorbikes, this has decreased thefield of vision. All dashboards come in subdued

Despite all these features, it remains highly af-

frequency with which people buy new ones. "Itones, to avoid distracting the driver with overly

fordable, with the price of the panel and sensor

want to challenge the idea that a motorbikebright colors.

simply added to the price of the bike. Since it

has to break down before you buy a new one.

It also comes with a plethora of features.

uses your smartphone as the computer, there is

Vision for the Future

From now on, I want people to buy new bikes

Connect to a map application on your smart-

no need to embed a CPU in the display, helping

for their added value, such as design or newphone to turn the dashboard into a navigation

keep the price down. It’s a truly game-changing

Selling the dashboard independent ofbikes

features," says Tony Lin, the young 33-year-

system. When the sensor detects erratic driv-

idea that could only have come from the mind

old CEO of AEON MOTOR.

ing or flipping over of the vehicle, it informsof Lin, an IT industry veteran.

Interviewee
AEON MOTOR CO., LTD.
CEO

Tony Lin

Further enhancement of features

A m a z i n g Ta i w a n

65Ta i w a n ' s S m a r t R e v o l u t i o n 2 5 L e a d i n g C o m p a n i e s

Smart Transportation

Taiwan’s RFID-BasedMulti-Lane Free-Flow
ETC System
Taiwan ETC
The equipment that makes up
the Taiwanese ETC is capable ofreading tags on vehicles driving
at up to 180 km per hour. Whilethe engine used in the license
plate recognition software isEuropean, Far Eastern Electronic
Toll Collection improved upon it
by incorporating machinelearning.

The hurdles of unmanned toll collection
Another challenge to creating a free-flowing traffic system was the need to lay
off toll collectors. To address this, employees were provided seven months'
severance pay, and dozens were rehired in new capacities by Far EasternElectronic Toll Collection. "I’m proud to say that two such employees received the2017 Employee Excellence Award, given to a total of five employees. It seems
they've found new meaning in their positions at call centers and service points,"
says Chen.

An innovative electronic toll collection systemsought after by emerging countries

66

Taiwan's electronic toll collection (ETC) sys-

unpaid." The Taiwanese government decid-

it easier to recognize plate numbers, which are

tem is astonishingly innovative. All drivers haveed that they would have nonstop free-flow-

red and white. "We struggled to find a good

to do is to create an account, purchase credit

ing highways, and Far Eastern Electronic Toll

flash, but finally found one in Denmark," saysin advance, then place a 926 MHz-compatible

Collection developed a system that would col-Chen.

wireless sticker tag (eTag) on their vehicles.

lect toll fees with a toll collection rate of up

Far Eastern Electronic Toll Collection has re-

There are no gates and barriers or toll booths

to 99.97%, and a utilization rate that reaches

ceived many inquiries from emerging countries

on the highway, creating what is called "free94%.

regarding their ETC system. They have been

flow." If an unregistered driver uses a toll road,One feature of the system is that it can de-consulted regarding systems in Indonesia, thea bill will be sent to the license plate holder.

tect duplicate license plates. "Wouldn't it be

Philippines, Vietnam, and Malaysia, of which

When asked if there was any concern thatstrange if the same license plate was detect-Vietnam has already reached the proof-of-such a system would lead to huge amounts

ed in Taipei at 12:05 and in the distant city ofconcept stage. They plan to offer consultationof unpaid fees, Information Technology Division

Tainan at 12:08? We would notify the police,"

to Kazakhstan, Bosnia and Herzegovina, andVice President Kenny Chen explains that "onlysays Chen. As of 2014, they have been using

Belarus as well.

about 0.4%, of the total amount of fees goflash in addition to RFID. The blue light makes

Far Eastern Electronic
Toll Collection Co., Ltd.
Pantone 1795 Managing Director : Dr.YC
PantoneChang1795
C:0 M:0 Y:0 K:100
C:0 M:95 Y:100 K:0
Established : 2005
Business : Contracted construction
and operation of ETC systems
Number of Employees : 580（2017）https://www.fetc.net.tw/en/
Interviewee
Far Eastern Electronic
Toll Collection Co., Ltd.
Information Technology
Division
Vice President

Kenny Chen

Vision for the Future

Wireless sticker tag
Place it right on your windshield or headlight. Each eTag is linked to a virtual
account and costs less than a conventional device. Should the sticker get lost or
damaged, it can be reissued easily at any of four affiliated convenience store
chains, including 7-Eleven and FamilyMart.

To be the leading RFID-based
total solution provider in ETC andSmart City technology

A m a z i n g Ta i w a n

67

SPECIAL

Feature2

Essayist Tae Hitoto

Stop Along the Way

Touring Taiwan on Bicycle
Going around the circumference of Taiwan is called Huan Dao,and has become popular among the Taiwanese in recent years.
Essayist Tae Hitoto is one of those taken in by its charms.
She told us what made this journey so appealing for her.

As an essayist, actress,and dentist, Tae Hitoto
wears many hats. Her father was the eldest of
the famous Taiwanese
Yan family, and her sister
is the singer Yo Hitoto.
In November 2016,
she completed a journey around the island of
Taiwan.

There are considerable differences in climate, culture, and cuisine
between northern and southern Taiwan. Here are some interesting places
you won't want to miss along your journey.

Through the windy Silicon Valley of Asia

Taipei to Taichung

Cycling
Route No.1

Hsinchu

Keelung
TaipeiTaoyuan
New Taipei

Photo courtesy of the Taiwan Tourism Bureau

An area famous as home to many IT companies.
Sometimes called the "Windy City", strong seasonal winds blow around September. With places such as Hukou Old Town lined with traditional brick buildings, the distinctive townscape is a
must-see.

Hsinchu
Yilan

MiaoliTaichung

Taichung

Taitung to Yilan

NantouYunlinYou can visit this Yilan
popular spot just
one hour from
Taipei. It is brimmingwith things to see,such as hot springs,
beaches, and farms,
as well as delicacies
to eat, such as fresh
seafood.

ChiayiTainanKaohsiung

Enjoy picturesque vistas as you cycle

Photo courtesy of
the Taiwan Tourism Bureau

Taitung

Taichung to Tainan

This region is the▶▶
P.70
largest prefecture in Hualien
Taiwan, and is famous for its marble.
The Amis and otherindigenous people
dwell here. It is also
the starting point of
the scenic Taroko
Gorge.

ChanghuaPingtung

Explore Taiwan by Bike

There is lots to see here with the renovated shop
Miyahara Opthalmology, the National Taichung
Theater, and Fengjia Night Market, the largest
night market in Taiwan. The Gaomei Wetlands,
with its stunning sunsets, is popular as well.

Reflect upon this land's deep ties to Japan

HualienChanghua

Photo courtesy of
the Taiwan Tourism Bureau“The journey around Taiwan is full of learning, discovery, and wonder.” – Tae Hitoto“While there are many ways to makethe journey around the island, suchas by bus or on foot, what I am into
right now is traveling around Taiwan
on bicycle. In 2015, the 968-kilometer
Huan Dao Route 1 cycling road aroundthe island of Taiwan was created, andnow it plays host to many tours andevents. My first Huan Dao trip was partof an event called Formosa 900, hosted by the bicycle manufacturer Giant.
Over a period of eight nights and ninedays, I became absorbed in riding
my bicycle, learning and discoveringso much along the way. I would rest68

in small towns I normally would never
have visited, and tasted delicious local
fare. My most unforgettable memory
was traveling through the mountains
from Pingtung to Taitung, where many
indigenous people live. I stopped at aschool where their children learn, andwas able to truly gain a feeling of theirunique culture. After that, I got over themountains, my biggest challenge, and I
will never forget seeing the vast Pacific
Ocean as I rode down the slope. Morethan anything, what drove me to continue was my interactions with the locals. In Taiwan, where there is a rich

cycling culture, it is common for people to cheer you on with the phrase "jiayou (do your best)." Another appeal is
the support system in place. They let
you pump air at police stations or convenience stores, and there are places
all over where you can put up a tent
and stay the night.
Cycling novices can start from aquarter or halfway along the course
so they don’t have to do it all at once.
Rather than seeing it as a sport, thinkof it as a kind of leisure activity that lets
you interact with Taiwanese culture.

See Lukang, which was once a port town, andChanghua Roundhouse, Taiwan's only railway depot. A famous delicacy here is ba-wan, in whichmeat and vegetables are wrapped in a jelly-likedough.

ChiayiOver a steep pass to the beautiful coast
A city developed
through the forestry
and sugar industries,
it also serves as abase for sightseeingin Alishan. Fried ricemade using turkey isthe specialty here.

TainanTainan to Taitung

An area where many indigenous people live,
featuring mountain ranges and a coastline
with a beautiful sprawling sea on either side ofyou. Jhiben Hot Springs, discovered during theage of Japanese rule, and the Chishang lunchbox are famous.

The most flourishing city insouthern Taiwan, Kaohsiungis a port town with a tropical ambiance. With plenty of bicycle lanes, you canenjoy safe cycling here. The
Love River flowing throughthe city is also a sight tobehold.

Pingtung

An ancient capital that flourished as a cultural and political center. Recently, it is popular among visitors as atreasure trove of fine dining. Specialties such as shrimp
rolls and Ta-a Noodles are a must.

Kaohsiung

Photo courtesy of the Taiwan Tourism Bureau

Home to the preeminent resorts of Taiwan,such as Kenting and
Donggang, this area isalso renowned for its
fruit production. With adifference in elevationof 455 meters, Shou
Ka is the hardest partof the journey aroundthe island.

Taitung
Photo courtesy of the Taiwan Tourism Bureau

A m a z i n g Ta i w a n

69

A Closer Look

Tour Hualien, the largest city in eastern Taiwan

Check out these exceptional Taiwanese road bikes
Taiwan boasts a rich cycling culture, and major Taiwanese bicycle
manufacturers like GIANT have fans all over the world.

Situated in eastern Taiwan is Hualien, a major city that can be reached in two or three hours by train from Taipei. In addition to
the famous sightseeing spot Taroko Gorge, people flock to Hualien for its stunning wilderness, ancient architecture, and cycling.
Tae Hitoto's beloved bicycle series

Savor local delicacies

All About Hualien
Still recovering from a large earthquake that struck in
February 2018, Hualien's major sightseeing spots are
now open and can be visited as usual. Tour theJapanese immigrant villages with their deep ties toJapan and enjoy outdoor activities such as rafting andhot springs. You'll also want to check out the uniqueculture originating from Hualien, as created by its youth.

Be healed by nature
Taroko Gorge

One of the fastest bicycles in the world, with its size andparts redesigned especially for female riders. In addition
to a saddle designed especially for women, its compact
body makes it more wind resistant. It's easy to handle
and is recommended for road bike novices as well.

Dai Ji Bian Shi
The balance between the pork andthe smooth dough is exquisite. The
slowly simmered, consomme-stylesoup is simple yet addictive.

Explore Taiwan by Bike

Taiwan's foremost scenic spot, situated in the northern part of theCentral Mountain Range, along thesteep formations of Qingshui Cliff.
With the Jiuqudong Tunnel of Nine
Turns and the powerful Yan Zi Kou,
there is plenty to see.

Bao Xin Fen Yuan
A hot and cold dessert in whichlarge balls of tapioca in peanut or
taro paste are wrapped in doughand served on fluffy shaved ice.

Liv
Envie Advanced Pro

Xiuguluan River
A 103-kilometer-long river flowing
from the Xiuguluan Mountains. The
sight of the river flowing along thecoast and mountains is stunning, andyou can go rafting from May to
October when the water level is high.

Taiwan Excellence Award Winner

Hualien
MAP

Pacific Cycles
birdy (model: AIR)

Taroko Gorge

The Japan-only Birdy Air is the lightest version, weighing in at only 9.87 kg, it can really fly. The bike isequipped with road racing class C brakes for superior
performance.

Photo courtesy of the Taiwan Tourism Bureau

Hualien Airport
Hualien (Hualien Cultural and Creative Industries Park)

Tour stylish renovated facilities
Hualien Cultural and Creative Industries ParkThe remains of a sake breweryfrom during the age of Japaneserule has been turned into a
trendy industrial complex withshopping and restaurants. You
can find souvenirs from Hualien
here as well.

Shoufeng (Toyota Village)
Huang Lin (Hayashita Village)
East Rift Valley National Scenic Area

Cycling
Route No.1

Fengbin

Relive history at the immigrant villages

Ruisui (Xiuguluan River)Japanese Immigrant Villages
This area is scattered with villages where
Japanese immigrants dwelled during theage of Japanese rule, including Toyota
Village and Hayashita Village. There areshrines and Japanese-style houses, giving you a glimpse into a bygone era.

Q&A for Novices

Q1:Can a novice really cycle around Taiwan?
It is said that if you can ride 50 km on a bicycle, you can do the Huan Dao course, but thelonger you can train, the better. We recommend that novices join a tour group. Recently,
tours on e-bikes (electric bicycles) are available as well.

Yushan National Park

Q2 :What kind of support do you receive by joining a tour?
Yuli

Generally, tours come with all you need, such as restaurant and hotel reservations, bicycle
repairs, and luggage transportation. You will also have an English-speaking tour guide.

Q3:What if I just want to do some light cycling?
Fuli

70

If you want to cycle near Taipei, we recommend the course along the Tamsui River, or thevillage Bali on the opposite shore. You can easily rent a bicycle anywhere.

Recommended tour companies
Planet Adventure
Planet Adventure provides bicycle tours primarily in Taiwan but also abroad,with featuring scenic cycling and much more. All of their guides have received
official certification as cycling guides from the Japan Cycle Tourism Assocation.
They also have offer an entry-level road bikes course for beginners.

http://planetadventure.co.jp/en

Dynasty Holiday
If you are looking for air tickets and hotel arrangements for Taiwan, look nofurther. In addition to Taiwan's leading airline China Airlines, they have a wide
range of tours from Taiwan's low cost carrier Tiger Air as well. In November
2018, a tour sponsored by GIANT will be held.

https://www.dynasty-holidays.com

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Ta i w a n ' s S m a r t R e v o l u t i o n 2 5 L e a d i n g C o m p a n i e s

Stress-free treatment of kidney stones
using precision shock waves

Smart Medical Care

Real-Time Ultrasound Stone
Tracking System
This system records the stone’s movement trajectory through image capture and computes
the required table movement amount, allowing the treatment device to be automatically
moved (by computer control) to push the stone back to its original location at the shockwave

Extracorporeal Shock Wave Lithotripsy

Furthermore, compared to conventional treat-

Lite-Med’s product is IoT compatible as well!

(ESWL) is a treatment method that employs

ment, Lite-Med’s ESWL increases the accura-

Since the machines have been installed ona medical device to send shock waves which

cy of the shock waves, reducing missed shots

outlying islands, such as in Indonesia, doc-

break up kidney and ureter stones from out-

and decreasing the total shock waves sent

tors in urban areas are able to monitor theirside the body. Since there is no surgery in-from 3,000 shots (in ordinary treatment) topatients’ status remotely. More than 20,000

volved, there is less stress on the patient;

1,800 shots.

records of clinical data have been gathered in

however, conventional shock wave treatment“Conventional devices take several X-rays

one year.

may require local anesthesia.

during treatment in order to determine the

A project to develop AI that can assist with

To further reduce the patient’s stress, Lite-

position of the stone. However, this is unnec-

doctors’ medical diagnostics is underway as

Med has attached an ultrasound device to theessary when using Lite-Med’s product. In thewell. With their focus on Industry 4.0, Lite-Med

ESWL device for tracking the stone’s exact

sense that it decreases radiation exposure,has a very bright future ahead!

location in real time, even after slight stone

this device benefits both patients and doctors,”

movements caused by the patient’s breathing.

says Vice President David Hsu.

focal spot. This achieves the goal of real-time tracking and increases the stone hit rate fromthe conventional 45% to 86%.

Real-time ultrasound stonelocking system
This allows firing of the shockwave whenever
the stone enters the focal zone, while
preventing firing of the shockwave whenever
the stone moves outside the focal zone. Thissystem can further increase the stone hit ratefrom 86% to nearly 100%.

Shockwaves target stones
with precision
Shockwaves are sent only when stones
enter the frame displayed on the screen.

Lite-Med Inc.
President : Walt Hsu
Established : 1991
Business : Medical device development
and manufacturing
Number of Employees : 50 (2018）
http://www.lite-med.com/
Interviewee
Lite-Med Inc.
Vice President

David Hsu
Vision for the Future

Development of AI physician
support using Big Data
Making drive motors IoT-compatible

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Ta i w a n ' s S m a r t R e v o l u t i o n 2 5 L e a d i n g C o m p a n i e s

Smart Medical Care

Foresee-X
A navigation system for surgery using mixed reality. The small display
inside the headset worn by the surgeon shows a computer-generated
image of the surgical site superimposed over the surgeon's field of vision. The product was quickly approved by the American FDA.

What is MR (Mixed Reality)?
While mixed reality (MR), virtual reality (VR), and augmented
reality (AR) are similar, when 3D computer graphics aresuperimposed over real-world images, it is typically referred
to as MR.

Taiwan Main Orthopedics
Biotechnology Co.,Ltd.

A mixed reality headset
to help surgeons navigate

74

The mixed reality (MR) system Foresee-X

1.5 mm. In December 2017, Foresee-X re-

Chin-Yi University of Technology and Show

was developed to guide orthopedic surgeons,ceived Class II medical device approval from

Chwan Memorial Hospital assisted in the de-helping to make spinal surgery quicker andthe American FDA.

velopment of the product, as did the Tzu Chi

more accurate.

“I injured myself in Boston in 2013, andMedical Foundation, the University of Southern

This technology captures the surgeon’s field

while undergoing treatment I decided to cre-

California, and Dharmais Hospital in Indonesia.

of vision using a stereo camera, then superim-

ate a mixed-reality system,” says development

Wang and United Orthopedic Corp (UOC)

poses a 3D computer image of the patient’s

leader Wang. “At first, I thought it could work

have invested in Taiwan Main Orthopedics

spine onto this in real time, displaying it on

as a projector, but the visual field tracking

Biotechnology. The company has also estab-a small screen inside the surgeon’s headset.

was poor. We switched to a mounted head-lished a branch in San Francisco, and is in

There is no need to bother putting markers in

set display and reduced the CG to only what

the process of putting together a sales wing.

place in advance, and the positional error be-

was necessary, achieving our goal of devel-"We're hoping to do an IPO (initial public offer-

tween the CG and the surgical site is a mere

oping a surgical navigation system." Nationaling) in the United States around 2024." (Wang)

Founders : Min-Liang Wang
Lee, Pei-Yuan
United Orthopedics Corp.
Established : 2017
Business : Design and sales of medical headsets
Number of Employees : 15（2018）
http://www.surglasses.com/
Interviewee
Taiwan Main Orthopedics
Biotechnology Co.,Ltd.
CEO

Min-Liang Wang

Vision for the Future

A demo simulating spinal treatment
The images inside the headset are displayed simultaneously on the rear monitor.
The optical components built into the headset are the company's original design.
"I’ve taught at the university level, and I had a brilliant student whose excellencegoes beyond written tests assist me with the design." (Wang) At only 650 g, theheadset is light. The built-in display has a resolution of 1280 x 720 pixels.

Obtain additional governmental
approval from foreign countries in
Europe and elsewhere
Develop MR systems with overlay
display for the liver and brain

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Ta i w a n ' s S m a r t R e v o l u t i o n 2 5 L e a d i n g C o m p a n i e s

Smart Medical Care

AmCAD-UT®Detection
A screenshot of AmCAD-UT, software that supports diagnoses based on ultrasound imaging. Doctors who discover malignant tumor features can instructpatients to undergo more thorough cytology testing. AmCad BioMed charges
hospitals for the software using a pay-per-use model.

A variety ofdisplay modes

Echogenicity

AmCAD-UT comes with avariety of display modes thatmake discovering malignant
features easier. Its developers
elaborate, "We explained to the
US FDA that in order to ensurethat the software device follows
the rigorous verification andvalidation testing procedures,
we got rid of the software codeused during research, rewrote
the code, then thoroughly
tested it."Figure 1:
Optical illusion to the human eye
Square B appear to be brighter in grayscale thanA. However, they are actually the same. The
human brain grasps, instead of the absolutevalue of an object's gray level, the relative graylevel compared to its surroundings, which leads
to this kind of errors.

Echogenic Foci

Diagnostic support software that prevents
optical illusions to detect thyroid tumors early76

The number of people worldwide suffering

inevitable when dealing with the human eye.

approval to be marketed as a diagnostic toolfrom cancer and other diseases of the thyroid

For example, look at Figure 1. Square B appears

by the Unites States FDA 510(k) in 2013.

is said to be over 300 million. The weapon inbrighter than and completely different from the“With the assistance of AmCAD-UT, physi-

detecting and diagnosing thyroid cancer with-

Square A, doesn’t it? But in truth, they have thecians can make more accurate interpretations.

out radiation exposure is ultrasound imaging.

same greyscale level. Even an experienced doc-

We believe it will become the world’s most es-

However, ultrasound scanning can be quite

tor risks overlooking a tumor’s malignant feature

sential diagnostic tool for thyroid cancer,” says

difficult to master, says AmCad BioMed’s Chief

due to these kinds of optical illusions,” says Chen.

AmCad BioMed’s General Manager Yili Lee.

R&D Officer Argon Chen.

To resolve the issue, AmCad BioMed devel-

AmCAD-UT comes with an automatic cali-

Difficulties arise because images obtained

oped AmCAD-UT software that colors the ultra-

bration technology and supports all ultrasoundby ultrasound scanning are in greyscale with asound images to highlight the tumor features

imaging systems. As of 2018, no rival tools

relatively low resolution. “Optical illusions areusing a variety of modes. The product received

have been released.

AmCad BioMed Corporation
Chairman : Cheng-Chia Lee
Established : 2008
Business : AI-oriented innovative medical devices
Number of Employees : 40（2017）
http://amcad.com.tw/en/

MarginInterviewee
AmCad BioMed Corporation
General Manager

Yili Lee

Chief R&D Officer

Argon Chen

Vision for the Future

Expand product line to include
diagnostic probes

TextureExpand into the overseas market

A m a z i n g Ta i w a n77Smart Medical Care

Ta i w a n ' s S m a r t R e v o l u t i o n 2 5 L e a d i n g C o m p a n i e s

An unobtrusive ECG patchwith a specially designed shirt that seamlessly
measures accurate heart rate

XYZlife Patch with smart Clothing(BC1/WFB02C71)
An electrocardiogram (ECG) monitor lighter than conventional products that reduces stress on
the user when measuring heart rate for long periods of time, as well as a shirt with attachment
bands and a smartphone app.

“How can we make an ECG monitor that measures heart rate accurately without getting in theway of sports and life? This is our answer to thatquestion. ” This is how James Guo, developer at
Kinpo Electronics subsidiary Cal-Comp, introduces BC1/WFB02C71. The product comprises threeparts, a BLE (Bluetooth Low Energy) cardiogram
called the XYZlife Patch BC1, a shirt with built-in
electrodes to connect to the patch, and a smartphone app.
Smart bands and smart watches scan wrist pulse
using optical sensors. However, the accuracy is too

An ECG that feels comfortable andless like a foreign object on the body
The ECG patch is attached to the inside of theuser's clothes. On a full battery, the ECG patch
lasts up to 12 hours.

low to be considered for use as a medical device.
“Not only that, the user feels as though a foreign
object is attached to them. We use microcurrent
scanning methods developed by Texas Instruments
and place the ECG around the middle of the chest.
That is how we obtained the CE mark of approval
for medical devices in Europe,” says James Guo.
Designing a shirt with a band attached was a firstfor Kinpo Electronics. “We used materials from textile manufacturers and carefully checked whether
it would cause allergic reactions, especially in hot,sultry, or humid environments, ” says Jacky Ho.
The shirt has also passed the color fastness testing

A variety of products

standards set by the AATCC (American Association

From its origins as a calculator manufacturingsubcontractor, Kinpo has a strong foundation as amanufacturer of electronic products. In addition
to dealing with nearly all major calculator makers,
Kinpo currently manufactures robots, vacuums,
fax machines, printers, and more many otherproducts.

of Textile Chemists and Colorists).

Kinpo Electronics Inc.
President : Sheng-Hsiung Hsu
Established : 1973
Business : Design, manufacturing,and subcontracting of home electronics
Number of Employees : 2312（2016）
http://www.kinpo.com.tw/
Interviewee
Kinpo Electronics Inc.
EngineerJames Guo
Jacky Ho

Vision for the Future

Develop a health care device
combined with a household robot78

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Ta i w a n ' s S m a r t R e v o l u t i o n 2 5 L e a d i n g C o m p a n i e s

An innovative, stress-free spinal
disc hernia surgical procedure

Smart Medical Care

Minimally invasive single-site spinal fixation system
An innovative spinal disc hernia surgical procedure, along with the special medical
instruments required. In conventional surgery, it was necessary to make four holes inthe spine to treat the herniated disk. This new surgical procedure, on the other hand,requires just one hole, reducing the stress on the patient and cutting hospitalization
time in half to only 1 to 5 days.

Severe spinal disc hernias can be treated withsurgery. This requires a complex procedure inwhich the deformed spinal disc is removed, andan artificial bone implanted in its place.
Procedures up until now required creating
four holes in the spine per disc, and inserting
instruments to secure the spine. However, witha newly developed surgical method known as
the minimally invasive single-site spinal fixation
system, only one hole is required, significantly
reducing the stress placed on the patient.
Blood loss is less than 100 cc. The procedure
also reduces the number of X-rays required
to locate the position in the spine, decreasing
radioactive exposure for patients and doctors
both.
This new technology is already being used in
Taiwan and was approved by the US government in January 2018.
“Hospitalization time is cut nearly in half,
making beds available earlier. This benefits
both the patient and the hospital,” says company president Liang.
Wiltrom was established in 2009, born fromthe privatization of technology developed at
Industrial Technology Research Institute, a governmental research facility of which Liang is a

A tool called ”Shrimp Whiskers”
A thin medical instrument known as “Shrimp Whiskers” is inserted into the spine. This creates a cavity
into which a nail can be inserted to secure the spine.

Only one hole ismade in the spine
Multiple instruments areinserted into the 2.5 cm
hole. The instruments thatwere previously
inserted into four 2-cm holes
are instead inserted into thishole one at a time.

直式排法

former member. His enthusiasm for researchbrought about this collaboration between industry and academia.

Wiltrom Co., Ltd.
橫式排法

President : Huang-Chien Liang
Established : 2009
Business : Development, manufacturing
and sales of medical devices
Number of Employees : 40（2017 年）
http://wiltrom.com.tw/
Interviewee
Wiltrom Co., Ltd.
President

Huang-Chien Liang
Vision for the Future

To develop new medical
instruments that will allow
doctors to realize their dreams

80

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Ta i w a n ' s S m a r t R e v o l u t i o n 2 5 L e a d i n g C o m p a n i e s

Smart Medical Care24" Medical Computer (POC-WP243)
A computer terminal display for operating rooms. It comes with a high-speed
CPU, no fan to reduce noise, and boasts high electrical efficiency. Unlike consumer monitors, the casing features paint that does not let ethanol or bleachpermeate, and there are no vents that these disinfectants could pass through.

Hot Swappable Medical-grade Industrial
Power System (iPS-M100)

Advantech Co., Ltd.

Hot swapping (switching components while the system is possible, and the battery pack works even if it is inserted upside down.
“We didn’t want to burden busy nursing staff with checking which way is up and down every time they change the battery pack.
We also reduced the weight of the pack to 1.9 kg to make it easier for nurses to carry,” explains Lin.
1

Eliminating excess powercords from hospital rooms

82

President : K.C. Liu
Established : 1981
Business : Design, manufacturing, and salesof industrial computers
Number of Employees : 7648（2016）
http://www.advantech.tw/
Interviewee
Advantech Co., Ltd.
iHospital SRP, Product Manager

Hj LinIntellgent Healthcare,
Product Manager

Rick Hsiung

Advantech has worked to develop in-house

power cords.

stylish blue casing, also meets the needs ofbrand products, acquiring medical device cer-

The iPS-M100, a rechargeable cartridge bat-the medical field. While the specifications oftifications such as IEC-60601-1 and selling

tery pack, was created to meet this vital med-

the LCD panel itself are similar to consumer

their products in Europe and Taiwan.

ical need. The built-in battery pack is made bymodels, it comes with a three-year warranty

These regions have an increasing number ofPanasonic, renowned for their safe, high-ca-

and an extended service period of ten years. A

elderly patients with disposable income who arepacity products. The provision of hot-swappable

touch panel can be added as well. “We creat-

treated in private rooms using medical equip-

capabilities enables care providers to replace

ed proprietary software that powers the touchment brought in on a cart. Healthcare workers

the battery without turning off the device, great-

panel so that it can be operated with ease even

2 Easily augmentable

are looking for ways to power this equipment byly reducing system interruptions and downtime.

when the user is wearing gloves,” says productbattery, as doing so would reduce the number of

The POC-WP243, a medical computer withplanning and sales manager Hsiung.

The POC-WP243 medical monitor can be augmented throughthe HDMI, DVI, and USB ports to add devices traditionally usedin the medical field.

2

1 Works even when inserted upside downInsert and remove the cartridge-type battery pack. Eachbattery pack has 100 Wh of power and takes only 2.5 hours
to fully charge.

Vision for the Future

Battery »Improve capacity, increasecharge cycles (lifespan)
Medical Computer »A high-performance computing
system for critical hospitalenvironments

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SPECIAL

3

Spice up your life with stylish,
high-performance products

Taiwan Good Design
Acera Octopus
HEAT WAVE massager

Recipients of the Taiwan Excellence Award include a diverse range of everyday essentials
such as cosmetics, health care, and household goods.
With their attractive designs and impressive functionality, you’ll want to make them a part of your daily life.

One-o-One Travel Mug

1
4

ARTCERA CORPORATION
http://www.acera.tw

6

ARTCERA CORPORATION
http://www.acera.tw

35Winner of seven international awards in 2017. Subverting
the traditional way of cleansing, these ultra-thin, soluble
0.01mm cleansing flakes serve as a 3-in-1 makeup remover,cleansing, and skincare product. Exclusively patented witheight kinds of eco-friendly plant extracts, their ultra-gentle(pH 5.5) composition suits all skin types. Perfect for traveling.

A hair cream beloved by world-famous celebrities including Jennifer Lopez. Use on wet hair to repair damage andtreat yourself to resilient, moisturized hair. Use on dry hairto protect it from heat and UV damage. This item has
been formulated with natural ingredients and advanced
technology from the top cosmetic brand in Taiwan.

The bottle is made from 100% post-consumer recycledplastic from household goods—such as plastic milkbottles, yogurt bottles, shampoo bottles, body washbottles, and other bottles for food, hair and skin careproducts—which are cleaned, packaged, and sterilized before production to ensure our customers’ safety.
Bottles made from 100% post-consumer recycled plastic can be reused to help reduce plastic waste. Throw
empty used bottles away in a recycling bin, and take a
step towards a better and more sustainable future.

TENART BIOTECH LIMITED
http://www.10artbio.com

SHAAN HONQ INT'L COSMETIC CORP.
http://www.shaanhonq.com/en

Hair O'right International Corp.
http://www.oright.com.tw

ORGANIC CLEANSING FLAKES

84

2

O'right shampoo

SH-RD Protein Cream

Taiwan Good Design

A ceramic mug designed inspired by Taiwan’s landmark skyscraper, Taipei 101. With help from thefamous Italian creative group consortium Hangar
Design Group, this mug features the facade of Taipei
101. The ceramic bottle contains a special material
that works to purify drinks. A fusion of Eastern andWestern culture, this item comes in six colors.

An octopus-shaped ceramic massager. Fill itwith hot water to warm and release knots inyour muscles. The silicon top fits in the palm of
your hand, protecting you from scalding water.
The shape of the tentacles varies, with somefor the head and some for the body. It can also
be used without hot water, or together withmassage cream, oil, or the like.

KSHC Nonpowered
flotation therapy mattress
A mattress made of cotton knit and 99% pure precious metals such as germanium, titanium, PI π andother precious metals imported from Germany. The
far-infrared rays can stimulate blood flow, improving
the lymphatic system and creating a detoxifying effect.
This patented product has been approved by both the
Ministry of Health and Welfare in Taiwan and the Foodand Drug Administration in the United States.

0857International Marketing Co.,Ltd
http://www.0857mall.com.tw※PI π is a compound precious metal, which incorporates a variety of
precious metal elements, is our patented formula.

A m a z i n g Ta i w a n

85

Fine Dining

Part 3

Not Just Business: Ex

B o dy Ca re86

Personal Growthperience the True Taiwan

Stre ss Re lie f

Religion

Taiwan continues to attract visitors from overseas with delicious food stall dining, traditional massage parlors, historicalspas, and hiking courses you’ll want to visit during your leisure time to make your business trip even more meaningful.

architecture, and so much more. Here, we’ll introduce the best dining spots for business meetings, as well as bookstores,

Take in new knowledge, refresh your body and mind, and make your business dealings in Taiwan a success.

A m a z i n g Ta i w a n

87Not Just Business:
Experience
the True Taiwan 1

Fine Dining

Build business connections with a truly
Taiwanese dining experience!

1

Having dinner with clients creates important opportunities for communication.
Why not enjoy dinner at a sophisticated place with uniquely Taiwanese cuisine sure to delight both the eyes and tastebuds?
When you're finished, don't forget to enjoy a relaxing drink at a stylish bar.

Mountain and
Sea House

Artistic, healthy course dining that will
leave your licking your lips

3

Offering carefully crafted dishes madewith distinctive ingredients

No. 94, Section 2, Ren'ai Road,
Zhongzheng District, Taipei City
02-2351-3345
11:30am~2:30pm,
5:30pm~10:00pm / Open year-round
5 minutes on foot from Exit 5 ofZhongxiao Xinsheng MRT Station
http://www.mountain-n-seahouse.com/en/

This restaurant lets you experience vegetarian-style course dining.
The interior uses bamboo and charcoal, favored by the Chinese for
its reputation of bringing good fortune to visitors. Feel the chef'scommitment to textures with a Salisbury steak made from lion’smane mushrooms, and salmon reproduced with konjac and carrots
to be almost indistinguishable from the real thing.

At this beloved shop, you can experience traditional Taiwanesecuisine from the 1930s to 1950s. Freshly caught fish from thePort of Keelung swim in the pond near the entrance alongside
an array of crisp vegetables from the restaurant’s own farm.
This two-storied shop is decorated with antique furniture collected by the owner, creating a classic atmosphere. Taste signature dishes that will delight all foodies at this elegant restaurant.

2

1 The popular Orchid Course
is NT$2680/person, and features Taiwanese-style dishes such as fried rice with dried
mullet roe and spring rolls
made with flatfish.
2 A private room with thename of an old restaurant.
3 A private room connected toa courtyard lined with tropicalfruit trees.

2

Quan Alley2

3

No. 22, Lane 505, Section 5, Zhongshan North Road,
Shilin District, Taipei City
02-2883-1599
12:00pm~3:00pm, 6:00pm~10:30pm(Saturday, Sunday, and public holidays 5:30
pm~10:00pm) / Open year-round
2 minutes on foot from Exit 2 of Shilin MRT Station
http://www.facebook.com/QuanAlley

1 A host of dishes to delight the eyes and the palate. Lunch course startingat NT$1098, dinner course
starting at NT$1998.
2 A healthy platter of fruits
and vegetables.
3 The beautiful, spacious
entrance. Private rooms
large and small are available
as well. 4 The Salisbury
steak made from lion’s mane
mushrooms has a texture indistinguishable from meat.

Yu Shan Ge
No. 14, Beiping East Road, Zhongzheng
District, Taipei City
02-2394-5155
11:30am~2:00pm,5:30pm~9:00pm / Open
year-round
5 minutes on foot from Exit 1 of Shandao
Temple MRT Station
http://www.yu-shan-ge.com.tw/en/index.php

Lively spirits and discussions
over a sublime modern hot pot
3

1 Fatty pork in the shape of a rose for
NT$1280 blossoms throughout the pot.
2 The restaurant offers a cultured, tranquil
ambiance. Private rooms are available, making it perfect for business. 3 Red bean, fish,and shrimp paste sticks for NT$550.

41

Hidden bars

1

*The soup charge is NT$150 / person, and the two-flavored
Mandarin Duck Hotpot is NT$180 / table. The minimum
charge is NT$2000 / table. Reservation required.

A hugely popular creative hotpot restaurant
featuring beautifully arranged ingredients andsophisticated flavor. The Mandarin Duck Pot,
which lets you enjoy both a mellow white soup
and a spicy red soup made with Chinese prickly
ash peppers, is a hit. Within the broth are pork
slices in the shape of a rose and handcraftedfish dumplings cut into adorable shapes. Add
Japanese udon noodles at the end for a satisfying conclusion to your meal.

After dinner, visit an off-the-beaten-path bar with sophisticated clientele
Le Kief
No. 36, Lane 308, Guangfu South Road, Da'an
District, Taipei City
02-2752-5009
7:00pm~2:00am (Friday and Saturday until
3:00am) / Closed Sundays
5 minutes on foot from Exit 2 of Sun Yat-sen
Memorial Hall MRT Station
https://www.facebook.com/le.kief.09

88

While its façade is that of a clothing store,
dial the number 09 on the in-store telephone
and a hidden door opens, revealing a stylishbar. While they of course serve cocktails, they
are also renowned for Taiwanese-style dining,featuring classic dishes like beef cheek noodles and salted egg rice.
1 It appears to be a clothing store. In fact, they do notsell clothes, but plan to do so in the future. 2 Original
gin and tonic, gentleman’s afternoon tea NT$450

EAST END
3F of Proverbs Hotel Taipei, No. 56, Section 1,
Da'an Road, Da'an District,Taipei City
02-2711-1118
2:00pm~1:00am (Friday andSaturday until 2:00am) / Open year-round
2 minutes on foot from Exit 4 of Zhongxiao
Fuxing MRT Station
1

2

https://www.hotel-proverbs.com

A fashionable yet casual bar lounge
based on the concept “customers arefamily.” Run by renowned Japanese
cocktail master Hidetsugu Ueno, who
also hosts many events inviting prominent bartenders from around the world.
1 Guests are welcome to come alone (minimum charge NT$800) 2 Whiskey-based
Above the Valley NT$500

1

2

A m a z i n g Ta i w a n

89Not Just Business:
Experience
the True Taiwan 2

Sparkle spa

body
B Treatoto dtheyour
yhandsweary
Cof aapro
re17F, No. 458, Section 4, Xinyi Road, Xinyi District, Taipei City
02-2720-0796 12:00pm~10:00pm (Reservations until
8:00pm) / Open year-round
7 minutes on foot from Exit 2of Taipei 101 / World Trade Center MRT Station
http://thesparklespa.com/en/

A salon tucked away inside an
office building. Its modern interior
and the staff members' surpassing
skill make it a popular choice.

1

What better way to recover from jet lag or travel exhaustion than a trip to the spa? The spas introduced here welcome both
men and women. Recover from fatigue and recharge yourself for the next day!

The spa comes with a jacuzzi and sauna. Famous
people worldwide visit here, as you can book a completely private room. Next to the jacuzzi inside the spa
is a huge window overlooking Mount Yangmingshan
and offering beautiful night views. An English pricelist and English-speaking staff are available as well.

An original spa created by Regent Taipei
This popular spa won the World Spa Awards for two years ina row in 2016 and 2017. Massages are performed entirely byhand using original aromas. The spa offers a host of options
with over forty courses, including one to cure jet lag and onethat massages knots away using hot stones.

Courses to

e liminate e xhaustion

2

1 The course comes with tea and dessert. Relax as you
gaze out the window. 2 A modern shower room decorated in wood. There is plenty of leg room in this luxurious space. 3 The Chakra Treatment is popular as well.
Many company presidents and executives visit this spa.

Five Elements Massage
NT$5500/100 minutes
Based on the Chinese concept of the Five Elements, thiscourse aligns energy and blood flow, improving physical condition.

3

Oriental Quantum SPA
1F, No. 520, Section 4, Ren'ai Road, Xinyi District, Taipei City
02-8780-1520
10:00am~1:00am (Reservations until 11:00pm) / Open year-round
10 minutes on foot from Exit 2 of Taipei City Hall MRT Station
http://www.oqspa.com.tw
1

2

A luxurious spa
unlike anything you've experienced
An urban spa on the corner of an office street in Taipei. All kinds of massages areoffered here, including foot and Chinese-style massages. In particular, the Energy
Massage, which sends electric currents throughout the body, stimulates bloodflow and alleviates muscle pain. This treatment is renowned for making one feellighter afterwards. Many men visit the spa as well as women.

1

Wellspring Spa

1 The massage therapist receives anelectrical current from a plate at theirfeet and can adjust the strength of thecurrent using their feet. 2 Ask for thelarge room when coming with friends.
Private rooms are available as well,and the spa welcomes solo visitors.
3 Electrical currents emitted from thefingertips are sent throughout the body.

20F of Regent Hotel Taipei, No. 3, Lane 39, Section 2, Zhongshan North
Road, Taipei City
02-2522-8279
10:00am~12:00am(Reservations until 11:00pm) / Open year-round
5 minutes on foot from Exit 3 of Zhongshan MRT Station
http://www.regenthotels.com/en/regent-taipei/wellness/spa

2

e liminate e xhaustion

Energy massage
NT$2200/60 minutes
This popular treatment promotes blood circulation and cell activation through electrical currents flowing throughout the body.

Organic Cosmetics

Bring home organic cosmetics from Yuan as a souvenir

Treatment courses
NT$4500/105 minutes

3

A course featuring Dongfang
Meiren tea aroma oil, Bath salts
and eye pillow. Let the luxurious
aromas heal you.

1 Located on the 20th floor of the hotel, this spa features enormous windows overlooking the streets of
Taiwan. 2 Treatments using an herbal ball to improveblood circulation are available as well.
3 The spacious spa has a bath where you can enjoy tea
as you soak. It also comes with shower rooms. 4 The
massage therapists are masters of their craft, and will
make sure that you spend your time in luxury. 5 Original
aroma oils fill the room with a lovely scent.
490

e liminate e xhaustion*If you have a pacemaker or suffer from heartdisease, please consult with a doctor before visiting the spa.

3

Courses to

Courses to5

Yuan Song Yan Shop

All products of the cosmetic brand Yuan,
including its soaps, body care, andtoothpaste, are made without chemicals
or pesticides. Made with herbs grown attheir farm in the Yangmingshan, theseproducts are gentle on the body andpopular among both men and women.

2F, No.88, Yanchang Road, Xinyi District, Taipei City
02-6638-7600
11:00am~10:00pm / Open year-round
10 minutes on foot from Exit 1 of Taipei City Hall MRT
Stationhttps://www.yuansoap.com/en

1

2

3

1 A distinctive tangerine-flavored toothpaste NT$350 2 Bitter melon scalp shampoo NT$550 3 The product lineup offers a wide variety of soaps as wellA m a z i n g Ta i w a n

91

Not Just Business:
Experience
the True Taiwan 3

VVG Something

Personal
Enjoy a good book Growth
after work

No. 13, Alley 40, Lane 181, Section 4, Zhongxiao East
Road, Da’an District, Taipei City
02-2773-1358
12:00pm~9:00pm / Open year-round
4 minutes on foot from Exit 7 of Zhongxiao
Dunhua MRT Station
2

Many bookstores in Taiwan are open until late, and businesspeople reading bookson their way home from work is a common sight.
Many stores are attached to restaurants so you can enjoy a cup of coffee as you read up on local trends.

A wide array of books in asmall shop. What businessideas will be born here?

Eslite Bookstore
Songshan Location

3

3F, No.88, Yanchang Road, Xinyi District, Taipei
City02-6636-5888
11:00am~10:00pm / Open year-round
10 minutes on foot from Exit 1 of Taipei City
Hall MRT Station
http://www.eslitecorp.com/en

http://www.facebook.com/vvgteam

This bookstore was chosen by the American entertainment website Flavorwire.com as one of the
20 most beautiful bookstores in the world. Buyers
and collectors from around the world come here
in search of precious books. They also havebooks on cooking and interior design, as well asinternational and out-of-print magazines. Be sure
to check out the accessories created by young
Taiwanese designers as well.

1

An enormous bookstore where you candiscover the latest Taiwanese trends

1This Taiwan-based major chain has locations in Hong Kong and mainland China as
well. A diverse range of books are arranged by genre in the spacious shop. Thereis also a best sellers list to identify Taiwanese trends at a glance. The store also
features a host of other items, including well-designed accessories and a dining
corner with food from all over.

What's VVG?
VVG stands for "very, very
good," and is a creative grouprepresenting Taiwan. They
have seven stores acrossTaipei, including bookstores,
bistros, and accessory shops.

1 Check out the popular accessories and recommended books featured in the store
2 There is also a seating area. Read and compare books that interest you here.
3 Photo collections, cooking books, and magazines can be enjoyed even if you can’t understandthe words. Eslite’s Dunnan location is open 24 hours a day, a rarity for a bookstore.

1 Goods such as antique accessories from all over
the world and items from young Taiwanese designers
are arranged in style. 2 A book introducing cafes in
Moscow for NT$980. You can also order coffee madewith beans from Alishan. 3 There are many Japanesebooks as well, including back numbers of Brutus andPapersky. 4 The red door and cool greenery are thisshop’s signature look. 5 Brass stationery from ystudio

4

5

Bleu&Book
2F of the Glass Roof Building Inside Huashan 1914 Creative
Park, No.1, Section 1, Bade Road, Zhongzheng District,Taipei City
02-2341-8865
10:00am~9:00pm / Closes irregularly
5 minutes on foot from the exit 1 of Zhongxiao Xinsheng
MRT Station
https://bleu.com.tw

2

3

Books

Three books recommended by Eslite Shopkeeper Si Jia ling
『GOOD EYE CITY
GUIDE taipei』
NT$380Shopkeeper Si Jia ling

A Taiwanese guidebook
filled with beautiful photographs and illustrations.
It introduces Taiwan froma different perspective
than international guidebooks do.

『台灣鐵道一泊二日』
NT$340『台灣好貨色』
NT$320

Taiwan Railways introduces 1 night, 2
day travel plans. Locallines and cities all overTaiwan are carefully
explained using adorable illustrations.

A selection of quality goods from Taiwan
selected by Yuka Aoki,a Japanese national living in Taiwan. It
might be helpful in
helping choose a goodsouvenir.

The shop is renowned not only forits selection of books, but for its
food as well. An independent bookstore you'll never want to leave
A beautiful bookstore with light pouring in from a triangular window. Books of diverse genres, including photocollections, architecture and literature line the shelves,
with recommended books displayed in the center.
Enjoy a light meal and coffee as you read with bothtable and counter seats. They also carry translations of
hit international books.

1 The number of independent bookstores featuring
unique selections is increasing in Taiwan.
2 A ham and cheese sandwich honoring Elvis
Presley for NT$200 and cappuccino for NT$140
3 Ask the staff for recommendations
4 You'll get an original cover on the books you buy,
unusual for Taiwan

2

92

1

3

4
A m a z i n g Ta i w a n

93Not Just Business:
Experience
the True Taiwan 4

S t rwitheRefreshsa hikes yourself
R
e
l
i
e
f
in the hills

ELEPHANT
MOUNTAINXIANGSHAN SIX ROCKS
A line of large boulders, with Taipei 101 rising up behindthem. Depending on the time, expect to see lines of people
waiting to take a commemorative photo.

Famous for its views atnight, this is the easiest
climb of the Four Beasts.
The entrance to Elephant Mountain.
The steps are steep, so be sure to
bring comfortable shoes.

There is a diverse range of hiking paths in the mountains of Taipei,which can be easily accessed in your free time.
Get some light exercise and refresh your mind and body.
Signage with maps and explanationsof flora line the trail

Jiantan Mountain Hiking Trail

CITY LOOKOUT
You'll find lookout spots all along the trail.
Enjoy views from high above the Tamsui River,
Yangmingshan, and Songshan Airport.

TIGER MOUNTAIN
NATURE TRAILXIANGSHAN
STATION

10 minutes on foot to Jiantan Mountain Hiking Trail from Exit 2 of
Jiantan MRT Station

CHINA UNIVERSITYOF SCIENCE ANDTECHNOLOGYTIGER MOUNTAIN
138 m

Perfect for beginners, this mountaincan be climbed with a gentle stroll

LEOPARD MOUNTAIN
103m

Jiantan Mountain Hiking Trail, the hiking trail nearest to thecity center. The entrance is right near Shilin, famous for its
night market. While there are several different courses, theeasiest one is just one hour round trip. You can enjoy viewsof Taipei 101 and planes landing at Songshan airport fromlookout spots along the course. The altitude is 153 meters.

LION MOUNTAIN
151m
XIANGSHANHIKING TRAIL

The entrance is close
to Jiantan Station,
within Jiantan Park

ELEPHANT
MOUNTAIN 183m

XIANGSHAN SIX ROCKSFUHE GONGJIUWU PEAK 375.8m
NANGANGSHAN 373.9m

Four Beasts Mountain Trail
SHILINSTATION

5 minutes on foot to Xiangshan Mountain Hiking Trail from Exit 2 of
Xiangshan MRT Station

LAO DIFANGJIANTANSTATION

Walk up a wild mountain trail,
and take in views of the stunning Taipei
101 from the peak

LOOKOUTJIANTANMOUNTAIN 153m
JIANTANPARKDA ZHONG GONG

GRAND HOTEL
Built in 1952 in gorgeous palatial-stylearchitecture, it remains a landmark of
Taipei.

GRAND HOTEL

Flora of the Mountains

Four Beasts is the name given to the mountain range consisting of Elephant Mountain, Lion Mountain, Leopard Mountain,
and Tiger Mountain. Even the highest altitude along the course
is fairly low at only 375 meters. The most popular spot is the
Elephant Mountain Lookout. Because Taipei 101 can be seenright before your eyes, this spot is popular not only during theday, but during the evening and night as well, when many
visitors come to take pictures. To reach the summit of every
mountain would take half a day, but just Elephant Mountain is
only one hour round trip.

DA ZHONG
GONG
A shrine located at thestart of the trail–oneof many religious sites
scattered throughout
the area.

PlantsAtunas, Shilin
Shop

1

94

Walking iris

Papaya trees in the fields along the trail

Vivid blue salvia

TIGER MOUNTAIN
Enjoy mountain streams and all kinds of plants on the pathacross Tiger Mountain. You can also take in views of thecity from various locations.

Goods

Local sourcing of Taiwanese outdoor brand products
You can encounter tropical plants, fruit
trees, and wild animals in these lush
mountains. Have fun reading explanations of plants written on signage along
the trail as you stroll. If you're lucky, you
may even encounter the rare Taiwan
barbet.

Tropical hibiscus

LEOPARD MOUNTAIN
The lowest of the Four Beasts, peaking at just
103 meters, it is adjacent to Tiger Mountain.

No. 191, Section 4, Chengde Road,
Shilin District, Taipei City
02-2881-1648
11:30am~9:30pm/ Open year-round
7 minutes on footfrom Exit 1 of Jiantan MRT Station

This major Taiwanese outdoor goods
retailer offers a wide range of products, including windbreakers, mountain hats, shoes, and more. You canalso find items adapted to the Taiwanese climate, such as waterproof
goods for sudden downpours andoutdoor wear with good ventilation.

2

1 Original sportswear that has won the Taiwan Excellence Award available as well 2 Popular brands in Taiwan

A m a z i n g Ta i w a n

95Not Just Business:
Experience
the True Taiwan 5

Fo Guang Shan/
Buddha Museum

Religion

No.153, Xingtian Road, Dashu District, Kaohsiung
City (Fo Guang Shan)
07-656-1921 (Fo Guang Shan)Fo Guang Shan: 8:00am~5:00pm / Open year-round
Buddha Museum : 9:00am~7:00pm (Saturday and
Sunday until 8:00pm) / Closed Tuesdays
30 minutes from Zuoying HSR Station by HaFo
Kuai Xian Express bus

Hone your mind and spirit
at a temple

http://www.fgs.org.tw/en/

Taiwanese people are deeply spiritual, and prayer is commonplace. Before important deals or negotiations,or when starting a new business, try joining together with the locals in putting your hands together
to ward off misfortune and pray for success.

A temple that symbolizes
southern Taiwan, and home
to precious Buddhist
documents.

Xing Tian Kong1

No. 109, Section 2, Minquan East Road, Zhongshan District, Taipei City
02-2502-7924
4:00am~10:00pm/Open year-round
5 minutes on foot from Exit 3 of Xing Tian
Temple MRT Station
http://www.ht.org.tw/htk_eng/

2

3

2

Pray for success in businessat a traditional shrine to thegod of trade

No. 211, Guangzhou Street, Wanhua District, Taipei City
02-2302-5162
6:00am~10:00pm / Open year-round
3 minutes on foot from Exit 1 of Longshan Temple MRT
StationA temple where the popular commander GuanYu, who appears in Romance of the Three
Kingdoms and is popular among locals as a godof trade and study, is enshrined. This temple isalways teeming with devotees—you will findsome kneeling and praying, some receiving an
exorcism rite known as shou jing, some having their fortune told, and more.

3

4

The most famous temple in Taiwan, it boasts a 270-year history.
Using Chinese palace mausoleum architecture, this building is renowned for its bright colors and aesthetic sense. In addition to its
main object of worship, the Kannon Bodhisattva, it is also known
for various other enshrined gods, including Mazu the sea goddess
and Wenchang Dijun, the god of test-taking.

http://www.lungshan.org.tw

1 A Guan Yu amulet (right) and a heart-shaped happiness
amulet (left). 2 The current building was rebuilt in 1924.
It is also beautiful when illuminated at night. 3 Like Xing
Tian Kong, Guan Yu, the god of trade, is enshrined here as
well. 4 Many young people come here to seek the god of
marriage as their matchmaker.

1 Eight seven-layered towers line the broad walkway
leading to the temple, and there is a Buddha Museum
in the back where you can see a statue of the Great
Buddha. These majestic grounds are visited by many
tourists. 2 The Front Hall near the Buddha Museum
contains restaurants and souvenir shops. 3 The Great
Buddha Land built in 1975 features a 40-meter-tall
Buddha surrounded by four hundred and eighty smaller Buddha statues.

A spiritual sitewhere many gods are enshrined

Lungshan Temple
1This temple opened in 1967 under Hsing Yun,
48th generation priest of the Rinzai Sect. In
2011, the 100-hectare Buddha Museum wasconstructed alongside, housing a tooth of the
Buddha, one of only three worldwide. Eight towers line either side of the walkway leading up
to the Museum, and a 108-meter-high statueof the Buddha sits at the front. This statue isrenowned as the world’s tallest seated bronze
Buddha.

1

5

1 As it is near an office town, many people come here to pray for success in business. 2 Volunteers clad in blue robes chant sutras andgive directions. 3 Shou jing is said to return a soul that has left its body. 4 There is a signboard explaining how to pray, with accompanying photographs for you to emulate. 5 Guan Yu, the god of trade. His most distinctive features are his long beard and red face.

Good Fortune

3

Have your work fortune told
1 Throw a red diving

block and solicit thewill of the gods

Front

Back

2 Draw a lot and return it
once you have seen thenumber

~~~3 Take the lot you drew~~~from the drawing area

4 Ask for an explanationof your fortune at the
explanation area~~~

Throwing crescent-shaped
wooden fragments before
you draw is the custom
in Taiwan. If the front andback do not match, you
cannot draw a lot.
2

96

4

A m a z i n g Ta i w a n97Know before you gochTaiwanese Business Culture

I love

!
s
e
g
n
e
l
l
a

Taiwan is said to be one of the friendliest and most welcoming nations in all of Asia,
making it easy for people of all nationalities to do business. To make your transactions go even smoother,
why not learn a little about Taiwanese culture, basic character, and customs?

Friendly
PeopleOpenness to new ideas

It is said that the Taiwanese are cheery and positive,

While the older generation may be more conservative,

like residents of a tropical country. In business,

Taiwanese people in general are good at incorporating different cultures

they generally do not force through their own opinions,and new technologies, and arranging them to suit their own tastes.

but rather try to build harmony with others

When it comes to work, the attitude is to give anything a try.

in order make things run smoothly.

They have a mindset to get back up even if they fall,

Many people will speak frankly about their private lives once

and are quick to put their ideas into action.

they have gotten close.

Many people start their own businesses as well.

Good Connections:
The Secret to Success
While connections are important in any country,

As you can see from the example of Taiwan President Tsai Ing-Wen,this is especially so in the Greater China Region.

women in Taiwan often serve in leadership positions,

It is often said that to make a connection with someone,

and are a valued presence in the workplace as well.

it is best to be introduced by a third party.

Genderequality

Blood relationships are cherished as well, and family
and partners are often present even in business situations.

EnglishNames

98

Gender equality in society

Connections

Part of the reason for this is that,with a culture rooted in dining out(and with many families where grandparents take care of children)

While on a business trip, you’ll want to bringhousehold duties are not much of a burden.

along thoughtful presents purchased with family in mind.

Many women continue working after having children.

Many Taiwanese
have English names

Taiwanese Business Culture

Personal distance isclose and friendly

Ladies First

Putting ladies first

Chinese names are often difficult for English speakers

Many Taiwanese men make an effort to be kind to women

to remember and pronounce.

and naturally put ladies first by carrying heavy objects,

This, along the fact that many people have the same last name,opening doors, and cutting up food for them.

has led most Taiwanese people to create

Sharing household chores after marriage goes without saying,

English names for themselves.

and husbands provide steadfast support for their wives.

These names are written on business cards,

Some people may see the behavior of Taiwanese men

and can even be listed as an alternate name on passports.

and mistake it for romantic feelings!

A m a z i n g Ta i w a n99Taiwan's Smart Revolution 25 Leading Companies

English Company Name

Chinese Company Name

Industry

Introductory Page

BenQ Corporation

明基電通股份有限公司

Manufacturing and salesof precision electronics

Zyxel Communications
Corporation

合勤科技股份有限公司

Micro-Star International Co.,Ltd.

QR

English Company Name

Chinese Company Name

Industry

Introductory Page

30

Edimax Technology Co., Ltd.

訊舟科技股份有限公司

Development, design,
manufacturing, and salesof Wi-Fi products, network
equipment, and IoT devices.

56

Manufacturing and salesof network equipment

32

Darfon Electronics Corp.

達方電子股份有限公司

Manufacturing and sales
electric-assisted bicycles

58

微星科技股份有限公司

Design, manufacturing,and sales of gaming
computers

34

DELTA ELECTRONICS, INC.

台達電子工業股份有限公司

A global leader in power and thermal
management solutions and a major player inseveral product segments such as industrial
automation, displays, and networking.

60

Perfect Corp.

玩美移動股份有限公司

Beauty-related mobile
app development andoperation

36

GEOSAT Aerospace &Technology Inc.

經緯航太科技股份有限公司

Design, manufacturing
and sales of drones

62

Acer Incorporated

宏碁股份有限公司

Telecom & information

38

AEON MOTOR CO., LTD.

宏佳騰動力科技股份有限公司Manufacturing and salesof autobikes

64

Cal-Comp Big Data, Inc.

麗寶大數據股份有限公司

Design and sales ofbeauty devices

40

Far Eastern Electronic
Toll Collection Co., Ltd.

遠通電收Contracted construction
and operation of ETC
systems

66

CviCloud Corporation

瀚雲科技有限公司

Manufacturing and salesof electric parts and IoT
devices

42

ENERGY MANAGEMENTSYSTEM CO., LTD.

弓銓企業股份有限公司

Design, manufacturing
and sales of water meters

44

Lite-Med Inc.

寶健科技股份有限公司

Medical device
development andmanufacturing

72

TAIWAN SAKURACORPORATION

台灣櫻花股份有限公司

Design, manufacturing,and sales of kitchenequipment

46

Taiwan Main Orthopedics
Biotechnology Co.,Ltd.

台灣骨王生技股份有限公司

Design and sales of
medical headsets

74

iXensor Co., Ltd.

安盛生科股份有限公司

Development of mobile
healthcare products and salesof women's health and chronic
disease management systems

48

AmCad BioMed Corporation

安克生醫股份有限公司

AI-oriented innovative
medical devices

76

ADATA Technology Co., Ltd.

威剛科技股份有限公司

Design and sales ofcomputer peripherals

50

Kinpo Electronics Inc.

金寶電子工業股份有限公司

Design, manufacturing,and subcontracting ofhome electronics

78

In Win Development Inc.

迎廣科技股份有限公司

Manufacturing and salesof PC parts

52

Wiltrom Co., Ltd.

台灣微創醫療器材
股份有限公司Development,
manufacturing and salesof medical devices

80

Robotelf Technologies
Co., LTD.

麗暘科技股份有限公司

Development of robots
and applications

54

Advantech Co., Ltd.

研華股份有限公司

Design,manufacturing, andsales of industrial
computers

82

SMART HOME ■ ■ ■

100

QR

SMART TRANSPORTATION ■ ■ ■SMART MEDICAL CARE ■ ■ ■A m a z i n g Ta i w a n 1 0 1

Amazing
TAIWANPl a nn in g

TAITRA
Raymond Chen
Tony L. K. Lin
Chuntse Wu
Michelle Wu
Angel Hsiao
Susumu Tanaka
Gloria Wang
Editors

Ark communications
Satomi Matsuda
Ryo Ohara
Kaoruko Hayakawa
Kanna Naka
Wr i t e r s

Hikaru Motoyama
Tomohiro Otsuki
Akihiro Takahashi
Yoichi Taniguchi
Yoko Koyama
Coordinator

Yoko Utsumi
Inter pretation

Chou Poyen
Ryo Senda
Photo gra phers

Toshiyuki Kumagai
Mingwei Chang
Chou Ming Huang
Illustrator

Motomu Watanabe
Tr a n s l a t i o nb-causeP r o o f r e a d i n g a n d Tr a n s l a t i o n Su p p o r tJohn Townsend
DesignFLAMINGO STUDIO INC.
Sal es Div i s ion

Ark communications

Supported by

Ministry of Economic Affairs, R.O.C.

Motohisa Fujita

Organized by

Bureau of Foreign Trade, MOEASpec ial Thanks

Taiwan External Trade Development Council（TAITRA）

Hitomi Kitagawa
Ark Publishing Inc.
TAIWAN Tourism Bureau
Shutterstock.com

Publisher: Ark Publishing Inc.
ISBN978-4-86059-194-6© 2018 TAITRA Taiwan Trade Center*The articles, photographs, illustrations, etc. contained in this journal may not be reprinted or reproduced without permission.
*The information and data published in this volume are accurate as of the period from March to May 2018.