Taiwan-based Jobus platform plans to venture its bus matching services to Southeast Asia before finally developing into an autonomous car ride-hailing platform, according to the firm's chief operation officer YD Chang.Since its inception two years ago, Jobus has been expanding its user base through cooperating with 15 local passenger bus companies, Chang said, adding that his company hopes to integrate diverse routes and ticketing data and sell the bus companies' surplus tickets to international tourists through the platform.Chang said that Jobus will also foray into Southeast Asia, seeking to provide more accurate matching services by harnessing passenger bus transportation capacities of different countries in the region and even developing car ride-hailing services there.Chang revealed that Jobus is cooperating with Taiwan-based Turing Drive, a provider of autonomous shuttle solutions, to develop an app-based platform to connect passengers with operators of autonomous buses or cars as driverless vehicles will become a new transportation choice in future urban mobility.

To reinforce application of AI to the fashion industry, Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) has developed the world's first FashionAI Dataset in collaboration with e-commerce giant Alibaba to better address the needs of fashion retailers and consumers, according to Calvin Wong, a professor at PolyU's Institute of Textiles and Clothing.At a recent Taiwan-Hong Kong economic cooperation forum in Taipei, Wong said that through integrating fashion knowledge and machine learning formulation, the Dataset will enable machines to better understand fashion, ushering in a new horizon to the fashion retail industry through the application of AI.Dataset can solve two fundamental problems of deep learning algorithms: detection of apparel key points and recognition of apparel attributes. Key points to be detected include neckline, cuff and waistline; and attributes to be recognized cover sleeve length, collar type and skirt style. Both build the foundation for machine learning in understanding fashion images, according to Wong.He said Dataset can help improve the accuracy of online fashion image searching, create innovative buying experience and facilitate customization of online shopping platforms.E-commerce is now a major market for the fashion industry with many fashion brands scoring over 50% of revenues from online sales, Wang said, adding that some cosmetics brands have applied AI-based facial recognition technology to offer virtualized trial makeup services.Wong indicated that e-commerce operators, besides harnessing shopping habits and preferences, are also seeking to better identify customers' body shapes and sizes to enhance promotions and reduce return rates for sold apparels.To meet the demand, Wong disclosed, PolyU has developed an intelligent 3D human modeling system by integrating cutting-edge computer graphics and vision technology. The system allows a customized model in arbitrary dynamic poses to be created automatically within 5-10 seconds, able to detect body parts in tight fitting clothing from front-view and side-view 2D images and then construct them into 3D models.

Chinese IT firms have been keen on reducing reliance on US supplies in the wake of the US-China trade war. Taiwan's IC design service providers used to land orders from China-based clients for mainly mining processors and high-performance computing chips, but have seen more of the customers engaged in the development of CPUs, GPUs and AI processors this year. Some RF component specialists in Taiwan have also seen increases in orders from China. And despite the escalating US-China trade tensions, DRAM chipmaker Nanya Technology has become more optimistic about its shipments for third-quate 2019 than its previous forecast.Orders for China homegrown processors rising: Orders for custom-designed processors have been rising from China in 2019, according to industry sources in Taiwan.Taiwan RF component suppliers see orders ramp up from China: Taiwan-based RF component specialists including RichWave Technology, Rafael Microelectronics and AMIC Communication (AMICCOM), have seen a ramp-up in orders from China in 2019, according to industry sources.Nanya raises bit shipment forecast for 3Q19: DRAM chipmaker Nanya Technology has revised upward its bit shipment guidance for the third quarter of 2019 to over 25% growth sequentially from the mid-teen percentage increase estimated previously.

US-based clinical research organization (CRO) Veristat has set up operations in Taipei, seeking to leverage Taiwan's ICT talent to integrate smart medical resources in the US and Taiwan for better clinical applications, according to Alecia Barbee, executive vice president for the firm's US operations.Besides serving biopharmaceutical clients in North America, Europe and Asia, Veristat has established its first Asia branch in Taiwan to offer clinical trial, biostatistics and programing services for local clients, Barbee said.Barbee said over the past two and a half years, a total of 604 biotech startups have been established in the US, indicating the increasingly close integration of technology and medicine, which will usher in brand-new biomedical innovations to promote human health.Philip Ho, director of the firm's Asia Pacific operations, said that Taiwan's biomedical industry has experienced more than 20 years of development, with annual production value estimated at US$2.44 billion. He said the technologies accumulated over the years and big data analysis will combine to spur a new wave of growth for the industry in Taiwan.HY Ou, Asia Pacific operations manager at Veristat, also noted that his company will move to boost new drug R&D efficiency and rare disease treatment efficacy by utilizing the statistical analysis system (SAS). He revealed the Taipei office is recruiting 20 SAS programmers and two clinical data managers to provide stable services to clients in Taiwan.

Taiwanese passive component suppliers have seen inventory approach healthy levels after two to three quarters of correction. But while their third-quarter shipments are expected to be robust, they remain cautious about the last quarter of the year. In the handset market, Asustek Computer might have been over-cautious about sales of its new gaming smartphone. Asustek reportedly has seen tight supply of its ROG Phone II, as it had failed to place sufficient orders with its handset OEM partner prior to launch.Passive component demand picking up: Demand for MLCCs, chip resistors, as well as other passive components, has started picking up substantially, according to industry sources in Taiwan.Asustek to account for over 50% of global gaming smartphone shipments in 2019: Asustek is expected to ship over 400,000 units of its ROG Phone II in 2019, accounting for over 50% of the global gaming smartphone shipments in the year, according to industry sources.

Taiwan startup Turing Chain is developing a blockchain solution designed to simplify the validation process for certificates and prevent certificates from being faked, according to the firm's chief technology officer TT Lee.Lee said that the Turing Certification solution will take five steps to complete the validation process, starting with link to the blockchain and then getting a credential for the given certificate. The accuracy of the credential holder's data is then verified, followed by certificate validation. The last step is to confirm the authenticity and validity of the certificate from the issuing party.Lee said it will require the support of issuing parties such as colleges and hospitals as well as the validating parties including human resources and headhunting firms to complete the five steps.Lee disclosed that her company's certification solution will be available in the form of an app to be online in October. Users of the app can quickly complete qualification certification and verification process with Turing Chain's cooperative partners.Turing Chain CTO TT LeePhoto: Michael Lee, Digitimes, September 2019

The saturated notebook market has long been in lack of wow factors to stimulate demand. Now Intel and Microsoft are reportedly teaming up again to develop standards for dual-screen notebooks in a bid to rejuvenate the notebook market. But until then, the notebook market will remain sluggish. Worse still, notebooks are among goods imported from China that the US will impose extra tariffs starting December, sending the supply chain worrying.Wintel developing standards for dual-screen notebooks, paving way for foldable-screen models: Intel and Microsoft have recently started establishing standards for dual-screen notebooks and are looking to extend the concept to cover foldable-screen notebooks, according to sources from the notebook upstream supply chain.Apple supply chain makers begin to worry as new products set to launch: While Apple is set to release new iPhones and new Apple Watch on September 10, makers in Apple's supply chains have begun to worry that end-market demand in the holiday shopping season may be weak, affecting their orders in the coming year, according to industry watchers.

Rental electric scooter service operator WeMo has deployed over 3,000 electric scooters in the Taipei metropolitan area, according to company founder Jeffrey Wu.WeMo has registered about 200,000 members since operation began in October 2016, plans to increase the number of scooters for rent to 6,000 by year-end 2019, Wu said, adding currently, its scooters are used over 10,000 trips in total a day and a rental electric scooter records the highest daily turnover rate of 15 times, Wu noted.WeMo has set up energy management centers in areas with concentration of users, with such centers responsible for charging batteries and replacing used batteries with recharged ones, Wu indicated. This exempts users from charging batteries or swapping batteries themselves and, based on WeMo's sample surveys, more than 85% of users are satisfied at such method of battery management, Wu said.In order to avoid use of electric scooters with low levels of stored power, WeMo's operational management system can automatically preclude availability of rental scooters with low battery levels to prevent troubles for users, Wu indicated. WeMo's operational standard is to keep the proportion of all rental electric scooters for those with batteries' stored power higher than 30% of storage capacity at 75-80%, Wu noted.The management system collects operating data on the scooters' operating conditions (locations and time of parking) to analyze hot time intervals and zones of parking, road conditions, and user behavior such as speeding up or slowing down, Wu said.WeMo plans to use such data to combine rental scooter services with other daily life services, Wu indicated.WeMo founder Jeffrey WuPhoto: Shihmin Fu, Digitimes, August 2019

Many IT firms from industries including DRAM and NAND flash and optical fingerprint sensor are optimistic about demand in the second half of 2019, but the same may not go for polarizer makers. DRAM and NAND flash players are expected to see demand from servers and datacenters to rise, while optical fingerprint sensor chips suppliers Goodix and Egis are also expected to feel the same way. CMMT and BenQ Materials are expected to see polarizer prices continue to drop as the display industry is in oversupply.Memory demand for datacenters to pick up: DRAM and NAND flash demand for server and datacenter applications is expected to pick up as early as the third or fourth quarter of 2019, and will become robust next year, according to industry sources.Competition to heat up in optical fingerprint sensor market in 2020: Dedicated optical fingerprint sensor chips suppliers Goodix Technology and Egis Technology (EgisTec) may see their monthly and quarterly revenues hit new highs in the second half of 2019 after ending the first half with brilliant performances, but they will be facing keen competition from latecomers including FocalTech Systems, Novatek Microelectronics and Himax Technologies in 2020, according to industry sources.Polarizer makers conservative about 2H19 outlook: Polarizer suppliers Cheng Mei Materials Technology (CMMT) and BenQ Materials are both conservative about their business outlooks for the second half of 2019 as prices of polarizer products are likely to dip down in the face of an industry-wide production cutback due to oversupply in the display industry, according to industry sources.

Taiwan-based makers are internationally competitive in the development and manufacturing of camera modules and mmWave (millimeter wave) radars used in ADAS (advanced driver assistance system), according to Digitimes Research.Cars equipped with ADAS are equivalent to SAE (Society of Automotive Engineers) Level 2 autonomous vehicles, Digitimes Research indicated. While Level 4 autonomous vehicles require installation of expensive LiDARs, AI-based computers and IoV (Internet of vehicles) devices.In addition, Level 4 autonomous vehicles are restricted to run in closed or constrained environment due to safety consideration and traffic regulations, and are mostly used for mobility as a service, that is, carrying passengers or goods among fixed locations.Camera modules with resolution of 1.3-3.0 megapixel have an average unit price of about US$30, while ones equipped with extra image recognition technologies cost about US$150. In terms of autonomous driving, camera modules are mainly used for collision, lane departure and blind spot warning as well as rear parking assistance and monitoring of the driver's conditions. Asia Optical, Calin Technology, Kinko Optical and Ability opto-Electronics Technology are main Taiwan-based makers of camera modules.A 77GHz mmWave radar costs about US$150 and a 79GHz one about US$120. Main functions of mmWave radars for autonomous driving are blind spot detection, ACC (adaptive cruise control), around-view monitoring and rear parking assistance. Cub Elecparts is currently the main Taiwan-based maker of mmWave radars, while a few other makers have begun small-volume shipments for trial use or are poised to start production.