Taipei has adopted a structural health monitoring system developed by France-based startup Morphosense to monitor the structural health of Shezi Bridge located on a northwestern suburb of the cityMorphosense has used the system to monitor the structure of the La Tour Eiffel tower in Paris, said Department of Public Works (DPW) under Taipei City Government.The system consists of sensors installed at different locations of the beams of Shezi Bridge, which features cable-stayed engineering design with a single tower, DPW said. Its software remotely analyzes data collected by the sensors for real-time 3D simulation modeling of structural conditions to predict possible deformation, vibration, cracking or even collapse and send early warning.The bridge was was completed in 2012, DPW said.According to Lloyd's-conducted City Risk Index 2015-2025, which evaluate worldwide major cities' vulnerability to 18 types of catastrophe threats, Taipei is the most vulnerable in terms of risks in economic loss. Taipei could suffer estimated total economic loss of US$181.2 billion during the 10 years, 44.78% of which would arise from typhoons, 16.38% from earthquakes and 15.77% from drastic financial fluctuations.Shezi BridgePhoto: Taipei City Department of Public Works

It usually takes time for suppliers and clients to form steady partnerships, and it is also not unusual for the latter to diversify their supplies. Now the latest news from the server sector is that AWS reportedly has added Wiwynn and Jabil as its suppliers to accelerate its datacenter deployments. Wiwynn has declined to comment on specific clients, but expressed optimism about datacenter server demand in 2020. And in terms of diversifying supplies, it would not be too much of a surprise if Apple looks for an additional source of OLED panels for its iPhones.AWS grows supplier base: Amazon Web Services (AWS) has expanded its supplier base to include Wiwynn and Jabil with Wiwynn expected to begin supplying servers at the end of 2019, according to industry sources.Wiwynn positive about datacenter server demand in 2020: Datacenter server demand will be driven by the availability of Intel's Whitley server platform in 2020, according Wiwynn, a datacenter server making subsidiary of Wistron.BOE tipped as strong contender for Apple OLED panel orders: Taiwan's supply chain makers in the flat panel industry are likely to benefit from the simmering trade row between Japan and Korea which could upend Samsung Display's monopoly role for the supply of OLED panels to Apple and make BOE Technology a strong contender for the orders from the iPhone vendor, according to industry sources.

The 2019 BIO Asia-Taiwan International Conference and Exhibition will run July 24-28 at Taipei Nangang Exhibition Hall, with 20 advanced biotech countries to set up national pavilions and many multinational pharmaceutical brands, medical materials suppliers and biotech service specialists to showcase their latest offerings at a total of 1,600 booths, according to show organizers.The event will witness the world's heavyweights in the biotech sector deliver keynote speeches on the latest global biotech development trends, including Harvard University professor Jeffery Karp, rated by MIT's Technology Review Magazine as the world's top biotech innovator, and James C Greenwood, president and CEO of the Biotechnology Innovation Organization (BIO) in Washington DC.In addition, many international pharmaceutical brands including Merck, IQVIA, MSD, Johnson & Johnson, and Roche and Lilly will also join forces with leading hospitals in Taiwan to showcase their smart healthcare solutions at the event bearing the theme "Healthcare X IT."

Taiwan startup Veyond Reality has been dedicated to developing VR education content for scientific experiments since its inception in 2016, gradually establishing a solid presence in the Asia-Pacific VR ecosystem, according to company CEO Daniel Wang.Wang said that his company has delivered its VR education content to more than 40 high schools in Taiwan, and has also promoted the content to China through cooperation with cram schools and middle schools there. Trisakti University in Jakarta, Indonesia has adopted the firm's VR education solutions as pilot teaching materials for its smart classrooms.Wang stressed that the firm's Vollege offers a variety of scientific experimental VR solutions categorized in accordance with curriculum needs. He disclosed that Vollege is now the main revenue contributor to the company.He said that the market for electronic whiteboards is now plagued by price cutting competition, prompting his company to develop more innovative smart classroom applications such as VR education programs.Wang continued that smart classrooms are not just about installing electronic whiteboards and other advanced hardware, but should also combine VR education content to convey crucial knowledge and concepts in an innovative way, such as digital motion sensing simulation.Wang disclosed his company is moving to develop education content to be incorporated into standalone VR helmets such as Facebook's Oculus Quest and HTC VIVE focus.

Funique VR, a Taiwan-based startup focusing primarily on providing Ultra HD stereoscopic VR solutions, expects 5G's high-speed transmission to be a key element to delivering 8K content to its VR devices, according to company CEO Pu-Yuan Cheng.Cheng believes 8K VR content will also stimulate market demand and drive the development of Taiwan's 5G industry.Cheng noted that VR applications began to take off in 2016 with developers showcasing their hardware at major IT events and releasing related products to the consumer market, but most of these developers have focused mainly on creating VR solutions with support of only 4K content. Cheng describes such 4K content as unacceptable in terms of picture quality for VR applications.Unable to find a satisfactory VR solution capable of supporting 8K resolution in the market, Cheng, who is also a movie producer, decided to step into the business and formed a team in 2016 to develop VR solutions that are able to display 8K resolution in both eyes.Funique in 2017 helped a movie director produce a VR movie that won an award in World VR forum and also filmed a VR movie in house in 2018 using its technologies.In addition to movies, Funique has also cooperated with the government of Kaohsiung to film a VR documentary fully demonstrating a local limestone cave for visitors.However, in order to pupularize VR applications, Cheng believes costs and consumers' willingness to embrace the technology are still key issues that need to be resolved.Funique VR CEO Pu-Yuan Cheng (front right) and its development teamPhoto: Company

The Japan-Korea trade tensions may be hitting Samsung's semiconductor business, but at least its foundry unit should be able to maintain normal operations in the meantime. It has been a bad year for the Korean giant: It has warned that it expects sharp declines in profits for the second quarter of 2019, and the unveiling of the Galaxy Fold turned out to be a marketing flop. But Samsung seems to be banking on foldable devices to help maintain its market leadership. Its major rival, Apple, reportedly is looking to introduce major upgrades to its mobile devices fo 2020 by adopting ToF rear cameras.Japan export control to have limited impact on Samsung foundry biz: Japan's tighter export control on photoresists and two other critical materials used in South Korea's high-tech sector are unlikely to benefit TSMC much given the relatively small scale of Samsung's foundry business. The impact on Samsung's own-brand business will be more substantial, according to industry sources.Samsung reportedly developing 2nd-gen foldable smartphones: Samsung Electronics is developing its second generation foldable smartphones although the vendor has not yet officially shipped its first foldable model, the Galaxy Fold, according to sources from Taiwan's handset supply chain.Apple may adopt ToF camera VCSEL for iPhones in 2020: Apple has reportedly asked its supply chain partner to supply VCSEL components for use in rear ToF camera lens in its mobile devices to be released in 2020, according to supply chain sources.

Intel may have eased its CPU shortages, but competition from its arch rival AMD is intensifying. Both vendors are set to unveil new top-of-the-line desktop processors in October in a new round of battle between the chip vendors. Meanwhile, the global economy is being complicated by the fresh trade war between Japan and South Korea although the one between the US and China seems to be easing. Taiwan's semiconductor backend service providers now expect orders from Huawei to return to normal soon. But Japan's tighter control of semiconductor materials exports to South Korea is sending memory module makers mulling price hikes in anticipation of tight supply of NAND flash and DRAM. Intel, AMD to roll out top-end desktop CPUs in October: Intel and AMD are both set to roll out their new top-end desktop processors in October, triggering competition between them in the DIY market segment, according to sources at motherboard makers.Taiwan backend houses to see Huawei orders pick up: Taiwan-based backend houses and COF substrate suppliers will see orders from Huawei pick up in July or August, according to industry sources.Memory modules makers mulling 10-15% hike on SSD prices: Taiwan memory modules makers including Adata Technology, Phison Electronics and Team Group are mulling a 10-15% hike in SSD prices and enforcing a limited-supply policy amid growing expectations that both NAND flash and DRAM chip prices may rebound in the short term, according to industry sources.

Taiwan-based startup Fox-Tech has developed an AI service platform focusing primarily on collecting and analyzing big data of temperature and moisture.So far, Fox-Tech has already expanded its services to 24 countries and its platform stands a good chance of becoming the world's largest temperature and moisture database, according to the company CEO Sonic Wang.Many restaurants in Taiwan are still checking food freshness manually and are usually not aware of food storage conditions until a problem has occurred, which gives good business opportunities for Fox-Tech's Internet of Things (IoT) devices that are able to constantly monitor and collect temperature and moisture data, Wang said.Fox-Tech has cooperated with the Taipei City government to use its products to monitor the temperature and moisture changes of Taiwan's Yangmingshan National Park in a bid to prevent forest fires.Fox-Tech's solutions have also been adopted by Singapore's state-owned Gardens by the Bay and have been implemented by many Taiwan-based players of premium agriculture and farmers in Southeast Asia.Fox-Tech was accelerated by SparkLabs.Fox-Tech CEO Sonic Wang (left), COO Yadia Colindres (center) and SparkLabs Taiwan managing partner Edgar Chiu (right)Photo: Judy Lin, Digitimes, July 2019

Foxconn is not satisifed with its role as merely the biggest EMS provider in thew world, as its latest deployments have demonstrated its ambitions in building an ecosystem that includes semiconductor and brand businesses. Meanwhile, some IC desingers expect shipments to Huawei to return to normal soon to support's Chinese vendor's new smartphones.Foxconn looking to build semiconductor ecosystem via new acquisitions: Foxconn Technology Group, gearing up to build its own semiconductor ecosystem, is expected to activate a new round of acquisition deals to fill up the gaps in its supply chain, according to industry sources.IC orders from Huawei to resume momentum soon: Huawei's IC orders for its new smartphone models to be released in the second half of 2019 are to pick up again soon thanks to an easing of the US trade ban against the top Chinese smartphone vendor, according to industry sources.

Taiwan startup Mind & Idea Fly (Mifly) has rolled out an AR editing tool, dubbed MakAR, to help users create their own AR content within 5-10 minutes, which, coupled with a subscription system, targets the emerging enterprise web AR market, according to company founder and CEO Roger Lu.Lu said that despite the availability of dozens of VR development platforms worldwide, only a few of them are B2C platforms that can simultaneously support AR and VR applications. This has inspired Mifly to develop MakAR that can support AR, VR and even MR content development.Lu continued that enterprises can now use AR services on Facebook and Snapchat to promote their products, but consequent web traffic will all stay on the platforms of the two service providers.Accordingly, helping enterprises create traffic on their own webs has become a selling point for Mifly's MakAR. Through the tool and the subscription system, AR function can be embedded into the enterprises' websites or apps, a way to encourage long-term subscriptions, according to Lu.Lu disclosed that enterprises usually subscribe to app-based AR services for one month or one quarter, but most of them are willing to extend to one-year subscription for web AR service provided by MakAR.Lu stressed that web AR service will become the top-choice marketing tool for enterprise clients and only through the support of more and more long-term paid subscribers can his company sharpen its competitiveness in the new niche segment.Mifly saw MakAR platform contribute 50% of its total revenues for 2018, and the contribution ratio also reached 40% in the first half of 2019.Lu revealed that Google's ARCore and Apple's AEKit have lowered the threshold for AR application development, but developers of AR apps still have to develop Android and iOS versions respectively to serve users. He added that Mifly's mobile AR/VR application software can support both versions for use in PCs and mobile devices and the company will support ARCore and ARKit solutions on MakAR by the end of the year.Mifly will also tap the education-use AR application segment, allowing teachers to use MakAR to design their own AR-based teaching materials.