Taiwan-based startup Sense Innovation is actively promoting its eye-tracking mouse software, EyePlayer, in cooperation with government and enterprise sectors in the form of SaaS (Software as a Service), according to company CEO Sid Chen.Chen said that the software is designed for people with disabilities in learning, job hunting, self-expression and other daily activities. He added that EyePlayer enables users to connect the world through the movements of their eyes, and users can easily learn how to use computer programs, browse web pages and check social networking sites.Sense Innovation has moved to help those in need to apply for subsidies from government health units and enterprises to purchase the software or pay annual membership fees to access the SaaS platform, Chen disclosed, adding that his company has accumulated 800 cases that need such assistance.Besides the market in Taiwan, Sense Innovation is planning to venture its EyePlayer software to China, Hong Kong and Southeast Asia, seeking to help home care, healthcare and early intervention segments better conduct relevant evaluations and judgments, according to Chen.He stressed that his company is committed to developing diverse software and hardware solutions, such as eye-tracking wearable devices, to cater to the needs of patients of different diseases.Sense Innovation CEO Sid ChenPhoto: Mark Tsai, Digitimes, July 2019

Despite hiccups over the last few months, including the US trade ban on Huawei that has roiled the smarrtphone market, TSMC's long-term outlook remains robust, thanks to its technological leadership that will keep its rivals at bay in the AI and 5G era. The semiconductor supply chain is banking on 5G to drive their businesses, such as CCL maker Iteq. Meanwhile, upstream suppliers expect robust demand from China's flat panel makers who are fast expanding capacity for the OLED applications. .TSMC extending tech lead over peers in 5G era, defying pricing threats: TSMC is widely expected to adjust downward its revenue and profit guidance for 2019 at its upcoming investor conference set for July 18 due to recent operational hiccups. But the pure-play foundry's longer-term performance prospects remain bright thanks to its firm leadership in advanced foundry and packaging technologies and high yield rates, both critical to processing next-generation AI and 5G chip solutions.CCL maker Iteq optimistic about 2H19 on strong 5G network demand: Taiwan-based CCL (copper clad laminate) supplier Iteq is optimistic about its revenue performance for the second half of 2019, driven by growing demand from suppliers of 5G network communication equipment, according to industry sources.Taiwan upstream suppliers gearing up efforts for OLED panels: A number of Taiwan-based upstream components and materials suppliers have been enhancing their deployments in the OLED panel segment to cash in on the growing penetration of OLED panels in the handset, wearable and other sectors, according to industries sources.

Electric scooter (e-scooter) vendor Gogoro will launch GoShare, e-scooters offered for sharing on a rental basis, in Taoyuan City, northern Taiwan, in mid-August 2019, according to company CEO Horace Luke.It will be the first time for Gogoro - which has been only selling e-scooters - to offer rental services, Luke said.GoShare users have to upload mobile phone numbers, scooter driver licenses, personal ID cards and photos via GoShare app, and the app will finish AI-based examination of such information in three minutes. The app will then let them know where rental e-scooters are available, with the designation of available e-scooters depending on users' riding needs such as running distance and direction. There is no mileage restriction using the e-scooters, but users have to return them to designated areas within the city. Rental rates will be announced in late July or early August.The service will be extended to other cities in Taiwan and abroad, Gogoro noted.Gogoro e-scootersPhoto: Yihan Li, Digitimes, July 2019

Huawei has suspended its notebook orders and projects since the US hit it with a trade ban, but its ODMs have disclosed that the Chinese client has now turned upbeat following the recent easing of the ban. But it remains to be seen whether or how fast Huawei can restore consumer confidence in its devices, particularly smartphones. But at least Huawei seems more confident that there is no pressing need to launch its own smartphone OS as soon as possible.ODMs optimistic Huawei will resume notebook deliveries and developments: ODMs and other suppliers engaged in the supply chain for Huawei's notebooks have disclosed that they will be informed in two weeks' time whether deliveries and developments for the Chinese client will resume.Huawei smartphone shipments expected to shrink in 3Q19 despite easing of ban: Although the US government has eased its restrictions on Huawei, the Chinese smartphone vendor may see its shipments continue to shrink in the third quarter of 2019 as worries over its handset business among channel operators and consumers remain, according to industry sources.No timetable set for Huawei Ark OS launch, says executive: Huawei has set no clear-cut timetable for the launch of its own handset operating system, dubbed Hongmeng OS, which could also be known as ARK OS globally, according to the firm's vice chairman Ken Hu.

Nvidia has recently revealed that its next-generation GPU will be manufactured by Samsung on 7nm EUV process. The revelation should not have come as a big surprise, as Nvidia probably made the switch from TSMC to Samsung due to pricing and supply concerns. For TSMC, losing some of Nvidia's orders should not be a big problem, as long as orders from its biggest clients - Apple, Huawei and Qualcomm - remain stable. Meanwhile, Qualcomm is aggressively expanding its work force in Taiwan.What is behind Nvidia switch from TSMC to Samsung?: Nvidia has decided to choose Samsung Electronics over TSMC for producing next-generation GPUs in 2020 on 7nm EUV (extreme ultraviolet) node despite Samsung's yield rates for the process remaining uncertain, sparking speculation about the reasons behind the switch.Qualcomm, MediaTek competing over R&D talent in Taiwan: Qualcomm and MediaTek have both been expanding their R&D deployments in Taiwan and are recruiting local IC design talent keenly with higher-than-average salaries.

Government-sponsored Industrial Technology Research Institute (ITRI) has disclosed its Mechanical and Mechatronics Research Laboratories (MMRL) will develop and establish a bogie running tester for Taiwan High Speed Rail Corp (THSRC).Both sides have signed an agreement for the project, ITRI said.Bogies are assembly of chassis and wheel axles of train carriages, including motors, shock absorbers, brakes and various sensors, ITRI said. Bogies bear the weight of trains, reduce vibration and help for trains' turning, and are therefore important to safety and stability of running trains and passengers' comfort, ITRI noted.THSRC has 34 12-car trains, with each car equipped with two bogies. THSRC has bogies of each train under regular overhaul-based maintenance every time after the train has run for 600,000km. After such maintenance, bogies together with trains have to be tested on tracks and the testing should be undertaken in the time intervals not interfering with running of regular trains. Thus, such on-track testing is quite inconvenient.The tester to be built allows bogies to be tested after maintenance at THSRC's depot in southern Taiwan, with stationary wheels running at speed of up to 320km/hour, rather than running on actual tracks, ITRI noted.By adopting Industry 4.0-based prognosis technology and AI-based big data analysis, the tester can record vibration, hikes in temperature and other operating conditions of components of bogies, forming a database to detect abnormal operating conditions of such components for preventive maintenance, ITRI indicated.MMRL will complete developing and set up the bogie running tester by year-end 2020, collect testing data in 2021 and put the tester into operation beginning January 2022, ITRI said.A total of about NT$20 billion (US$644 million) a year is spent on maintaining high-speed, conventional and subway trains in Taiwan, and local contribution was only NT$8.6 billion in 2018, and the economics ministry hopes to gradually hike the share by local industries to NT$11.7 billion in 2026.A physical model of a bogie running tester to be developed by ITRIPhoto: Yihan Li, Digitimes, July 2019

In the post-Terry Gou era, Foxconn has elected a new chairman, Young Liu, who has been leading the semiconductor business subgroup of the electronics manufacturing giant. Liu's rise to the leadership post highlights Foxconn's semiconductor drive to raise self-sufficiency. Meanwhile, the trade war with the US must have fueled China's desire to improve its semiconductor self-sufficiency, but the easing of the tensions between the two superpowers after the recent G20 summit has been positive news for many in the supply chain, with MOSFET and other chip demand for PCs, notebooks and consumer electronics devices expected to pick up in the second half of 2019.Foxconn set to build 12-inch wafer fab in 2020 as IDM: Foxconn Technology Group is likely to kick off construction of a 12-inch wafer fab in 2020 in Zhuhai, southern China in cooperation with the city government there, and will operate the plant as an IDM to satisfy the group's own demand for 8K, 5G and AI chip solutions, according to industry sources.Taiwan MOSFET firms see sales pick up: Taiwan-based MOSFET chip specialists, which ship mainly for PC and notebook applications, may have seen their sales hit bottom for 2019 in April and May. Sales have started picking up, and are expected to grow through the second half of the year, according to industry sources.

Taiwan will form a blockchain alliance on July 12, looking to create an environment to help companies and developer enter the blockchain industry, a government minister has announced.National Development Council minister Mei-ling Chen made the announcement on Jluy 2 at the opening day of the two-day the Asia Blockchain Summit 2019 held in Taipei.Chen said that in addition to providing funds to blockchain developers, the government has also been making efforts to accelerate overall industry transformation, and FinTech development.The alliance will serve as a communication platform among industries, governments and academies, allowing experts in different fields to exchange ideas, and integrate resources and information. The alliance will also focus on nurturing talent, forming cooperation with blockchain players worldwide, and pushing and adjusting related policiesDuring the summit, ACE Exchange has pointed out that it has cooperated with Asia Blockchain Accelerator (ABA), Asia Blockchain Media (ABM) and ACE Blockchain Fund (ABF) to establish two cryptocurrency exchange centers in Taiwan.ACE Exchange, citing Gartner's figures, pointed out that worldwide blockchain business opportunity is expected to reach US$170 billion by 2025.ACE Exchange president and ABA CEO David Pan pointed out that ACE Exchange serves the entire Asia. The company self-imposes strict regulations, and receives supervision from KPMG, Pan said, adding it is the only blockchain accelerator in Taiwan that has a strategic partnership with Binance Chain. It has also collaborated with Taiwan Blockchain Academia formed by 15 universities in Taiwan, to jointly incubate blockchain talent.Asia Blockchain Summit 2019 in TaipeiPhoto: Shihmin Fu, Digitimes, July 2019

The IC industry in Taiwan has breathed a sigh of relief after the US and China agreed to restart trade talks. But most of them remain cautious, as so much remains to be seen. TSMC is scheduled to hold its quarterly investors meeting on July 18, with the pure-play foundry's performance being regarded as an indicator for the overall chip industry. Huawei has reportedly told supply chain partners that it hopes to resume normal purchasing as soon as possible. Others in the 5G supply chain are even more upbeat about the second half of the year.Chipmakers likely to post disappointing 2H19 results: Most of Taiwan-based chipmakers will likely experience a particularly weak second half of 2019, due to macro headwinds facing the chipmaking sector, according to industry observers.TDDI IC supply chain turns optimistic about 2H19 on Huawei ban easing: Taiwan's handset TDDI IC supply chain for Huawei, including designers, backend COF service providers and substrate suppliers, have turned guardedly optimistic about their business prospects for the second half of 2019 as US trade ban on the China vendor shows signs of thawing following the recent G20 summit, according to industry sources.Huawei order visibility for 5G chips, IC backend services to extend to year-end 2019: Taiwan's chips and IC backend service suppliers have felt a sense of relief after the US government softened its stance against Huawei, and expect their order visibility from Huawei, particularly for 5G base station chips and logic IC backend services, to extend to the end of the year, according to industry sources.

Demand for collaborative robots is fast growing because they are safer to human workers than conventional industrial robots. But the priority given to safety, which is restricting collaborative robots' speed and efficiency, is deterring some makers from adopting them, according to Wang Liang-kuo, Epson Taiwan's general manager in charge of robotic arms.Most collaborative robots have payload of below 10kg and their moving speeds are relatively low to ensure safety to human workers, Wang said.Robotic arms recognize force larger than 150N (newton) as collision that makes them shut down automatically for safety, Wang noted, adding ISO/TS 15066 specifies the maximum force tolerable for 29 most vulnerable parts of a human body, with 110N enough to cause feling of pains for some parts, Wang indicated.Some manufacturers hike sensitivity to collision by lowering the maximum force to better protect collaborative workers, but the high sensitivity may result in frequent automatic stoppage of the robotic arms' operation, Wang explained.If manufacturers want to hike collaborative robots' working speed, they may have to separate them from collaborative workers due to safety concerns, which is the same as conventional industrial robots and would defeat the purposes of adopting such robots, Wang noted. Therefore, collaborative robots are mostly used in highly repetitive wok, such feeding/cutting materials/components and delivering finished products to warehouses currently, Wang said.Denmark-based Universal Robots and Taiwan-based Techman Robot are two globally leading collaborative robot suppliers currently, and Japan-based industrial robot makers Fanuc, Yaskawa Electric, Mitsubishi Electric and Seiko Epson have extended production to collaborative robots.Wang Liang-kuo, Epson Taiwan's general manager in charge of robotic armsPhoto: Company