Taiwan External Trade Development Council (TAITRA) used VR technology to promote Taiwan-made machine tools at Japan International Machine Tool Fair (JIMTOF) in Tokyo during November 1-6.As about 80% of Taiwan's machine tool outout is for export, makers are keen to take part in overseas exhibitions. But transporting products to overseas exhibitions is costly.TAITRA set up a VR zone at JIMTOF and used VR video to introduce Taiwan-made machine tools not featured at JIMTOF. TAITRA did the same at the biennial EMO Hannover 2017 in Hannover, Germany.Taiwan-based machine tool maker Yeong Chin Machinery Industries had already used 1,200 VR-based 3D glasses to display information on its products for visitors at EMO Hannover 2005.3D VR software can also be used to educate buyers on how to use the tools before delivery.Visitors watch VR video about Taiwan-made machine tools at JIMTOFPhoto: TAITRA
IoT applications can provide fertile soil for incubating unicorn startups, as long as startups can find key solutions in the process of developing creative IoT devices to satisfy the needs of users, ramp up production in the short term and then develop economies of scale to pave the way for becoming unicorns, according to Hank Huang, professor and director of the Center of Industry Accelerator and Patent Strategy at National Chiao Tung University and concurrently chairman of the Chinese Business Incubation Association.Huang said most startups in Taiwan do not lack technology and creativeness amid the flourishing development of electronics manufacturing and semiconductor industries. But they have to address two major challenges. One is how to get a deep grasp of domain knowledge, and the other is that once startups are able to ramp up production of their creative products, how they can integrate financial and marketing resources available at home and abroad to multiply their operation effects.Huang also noted that the effect of IoT applications to factory automation is easily visible, as the applications are mostly focused on saving energy and increasing production efficiency. But IoT applications will see a significant upgrade after incorporating AI-based smart recognition technology at edge computing nodes, with driverless vehicles and smart surveillance systems, in particular, to get a fresh development scenario.He continued that 5G wireless communication will enable self-driving vehicles and other devices to improve smart application quality through low latency and direct networking, making the combination of IoT, AI and 5G an inevitable development trend.At the moment, many universities and colleges in Taiwan have set up startup incubation centers and accelerator systems to help pave the way for students interested in creating startups after graduation. And Taiwan's Ministry of Science and Technology has set a goal of developing at least 100 startups in the fields of AI and software by providing funds and resources, according to Huang.
Mechanical motion control component and industrial robot maker Hiwin Technologies is exhibiting its smart ball screws at Japan International Machine Tool Fair (JIMTOF) 2018 in Tokyo during November 1-6.With product development beginning 10 years ago, Hiwin is globally the first to offer smart ball screws, company chairman Eric Chuo said at the fair. In machine tools and general machines, ball screws are used in motion transmission and precise positioning.Smart ball screws are equipped with sensors to detect signals concerning physical properties of ball screws in operation, mainly service life, abnormal vibration, lubrication and rise in temperature, and such signals are analyzed by AI (artificial intelligence)-based modules built in industrial PCs for cloud-based visualized display to remotely monitor many machines simultaneously.Detection of signals regarding service life enables maintenance personnel to know the appropriate time for replacing worn ball screws in advance, while that regarding abnormal vibration gives early warning about functional failure in machines which may result in sharp decreases in yield rate. Detection of signals concerning lubrication is to automatically indicate the appropriate time to adjust operating frequency for replenishing lubricating oil flexibly in order to minimize cost for lubricating oil. Detection of signals regarding rise in temperature gives warning for too high temperature for controlling operating temperature with a normal range to avoid impact of much heat on the function of precise positioning.Hiwin plans to kick off production of smart ball screws in 2019, Chuo noted. Hiwin has entered the Japan market for 19 years and become the second largest supplier of ball screws, linear guideways and other motion control components, Chuo indicated.Hiwin chairman Eric Chuo at JIMTOFPhoto: Chloe Liao, Digitimes, November 2018
The birth of Combined Exhibition of Advanced Technologies (CEATEC) can be dated back to 1962, when Japan's consumer electronics industry was beginning to take off. Following suit, emerging economies in Asia, including Taiwan, Korea and Hong Kong, started to hold electronics trade shows in the 1970s. They chose to schedule their events for different dates in October every year so that international buyers could visit all four shows in one trip. This was standard practice wherein the Asian Tigers were following in Japan's footsteps.The information and communications technology (ICT) industry began to flourish in 2000 with personal computers taking center stage and mobile communication devices exhibiting promising potential. The Japan electronics industry was also evolving to focus on ICT. Amid the trend, the Japan Electronics Show organizer decided to make changes and created CEATEC, a major event showcasing the latest high-tech developments. In the nearly two-decade history, CEATEC witnessed defining moments of the electronics industry, such as the launch of LCD TVs in 2003 and the battle over DVD formats in 2006. The show in 2007 recorded a total of 200,000 visitors but then CEATEC began to lose popularity with the number of visitors on the decline.CEATEC organizer made the decision for the show to embark on a fresh chapter in 2016, highlighting "Internet of Things" (IoT) exhibitions. Going into its third year of the IoT theme, CEATEC 2018 took great pride in hosting 725 exhibitors from healthcare, construction, retail, heavy industry and factory automation sectors. Among them, 345 were first-time participants, 206 (28%) were from abroad and 162 were startups. According to CEATEC estimates, the total number of registered visitors came close to 160,000, which should be no exaggeration based on Digitimes' observation at the event.The theme for CEATEC 2018, which is a global showcase for Japan's growth strategies and vision of the future known as Society 5.0, was "Connecting Society, Co-Creating the Future." What can electronics trade shows in Taiwan learn from a leading-edge exhibition like CEATEC?Industry leaders heading the way into the 5G and IoT eraThe first Japan Electronic Industry Exhibition (later renamed "Japan Electronics Show") took place in 1962 with shows held in Tokyo in even-numbered years and Osaka in odd-numbered years. This arrangement was decided in part because vendors in Tokyo specialized in system integration while vendors in the Kansai region were experts in making components. Around the time when the book "Japan as Number One" was published, Japan Electronics Show was regarded as the Japanese equivalent of Consumer Electronics Show (CES), recording a total number of 443,000 visitors in its prime. CEATEC 2018 hosting 160,000 visitors is certainly a recovery from the lows though there's still a long way to go. The fact that CEATEC has been seeing increases in visitors is due to efforts by a few leading component suppliers in the Kansai region, particularly Murata Manufacturing, playing a major part behind the scenes, according to Rohm.Industrial changes will not happen without participation by leading firms. CEATEC 2018 gathered leading system integrator NEC, convenience store chain Lawson which has 15,000 outlets, high-speed road management and construction company NEXCO East, automaker Toyota, automation solution provider Fanuc, as well as component makers Kyocera, Murata, Rohm and Taiyo Yuden.Lawson chairman Sadanobu Takemasu noted that he regarded CEATEC as a showground for the future concept of retail business and a great learning opportunity for the company's 15,000 convenience stores worldwide. He said the exhibition is not only a place to show off business strength and promote products but also a chance for employees to learn and internalize the Lawson value.NEXCO East and NTT presented how to make use of IoT advances for solutions such as roadway inspection, repair and maintenance, as well as public safety and incident reporting systems. CEATEC 2018 highlighted the concept of co-creation, which extends beyond the integration between the telecommunication and electronics sectors to include collaborations among suppliers, users and consumers to jointly shape the future.Masaki Sakuyama, chairman of CEATEC sponsor JEITA and chairman of Mitsubishi Electric Corporation, said that "We need to have big, exciting dreams," as he described CEATEC as a showground for young Japanese engineers' dreams amid the upcoming 5G and IoT era, a time when the quality and speed of data transmission are making leaping advances. Japanese people are now dreaming big.
In the field of physical therapy, movement compensation function and crumbling point are among crucial aspects in the evaluation, analysis and examination of movements, according to Jeffrey Huang, chief technology officer of MAP Movement Pattern Evaluation Center, a Taiwan startup dedicated to personal movement analysis and evaluation.The movement crumbling point is where movement deviation starts to occur. For instance, when a man squats down five centimeters his movement may stay well coordinated, but if his knees deviate inward when he squats down for one more centimeter, then that is the crumbling point for his squatting movement, Huang said.As to compensation function, it means that when a certain body part fails to move normally, another body part will help to complete the movement. In case ankles are deviated, for instance, knees will offer support to ankles and complete some movements. Huang said that such a compensation function is a physiological mechanism needed to enable movements to continue, but compensation required for overly deviated movements must be executed through physical therapy.Huang continued that evaluating a movement must focus more on the quality of the movement rather than its absolute data. Citing an example for explanation, Huang said, in jumping over box horse, a man must manage to maintain even forces when jumping down as any skew movement will be deemed abnormal.Lukas Tung, chief operating officer at MAP, also noted that if AI and IoT technologies are incorporated into movement analysis services in the future, MAP can sharply shorten the analysis time to render the public faster, quality and multiple movement correction advices and better promote preventive medicine to ordinary people.
When volume production of micro LED can kick off remains unclear, but mini LED used as backlight source of LCD display has already entered mass production in the second half of 2018 thanks to its lower cost and easier application involved, according to Digitimes Research.Besides serving as backlight for LCD display, mini LED can also be applied to support active matrix light emitting display. But backlight application is easier to do and only single-color mini LED is needed in the application, involving simpler production process and lower production cost. Accordingly, mini LED can facilitate the incorporation of mass transfer technology, and its lower prices are more acceptable to consumers, Digitimes Research noted.The application of mini LED as backlight of LCD display boasts high contrast ratio, power conservation and thinning advantages, able to compete with OLED and show distinct performances in LCD display applications. For instance, mini LED can be applied to gaming devices to highlight the scene ambiance and visual feeling at gaming devices, weather-resistance and visibility under strong light at in-vehicle displays, and resolution at TV sets.
PCB chemical and equipment provider Atotech has participated at TPCA Show 2018 to showcase their new products and talked about the company's plans and strategies.Q: What are the core products and competitive advantages of Atotech today?A: Atotech is a leading provider of chemicals and equipment for PCB, package substrate, functional electronics and semiconductor technologies, with a long lasting history in electroplating and surface finishing. As a supplier, we have the reputation for providing solutions that make the difference. We see ourselves as a strategic partner for our customers and help them fulfill the requirements of their customers, the OEMs. Besides leading technology change, our strongest competitive advantage is that we are the only company within our industry that can provide both wet chemicals and equipment as a total production solution.Our business here in Taiwan supports all markets and applications and we are a preferred supplier for every step of the production process for printed circuit boards, package substrates, functional electronics and semiconductors. We offer solutions that include everything from multilayer bonding, desmear and PTH to plating, surface treatment and final finishing technology. For semiconductor our portfolio includes plating for dual damascene, re-distribution layers (RDL) and pillar plating, as well as pad- and under-bump metallization, through-silicon via filling and double side-plating of wafers. This is what we are showcasing here at TPCA 2018, our broad portfolio and latest innovations for each segment.Q: What are the Atotech product highlights of this year's TPCA show?A: Atotech has several new products that are now available to a wider audience. For example, we developed new products (based on mSAP technology) to comply with latest fine line and space requirements especially in mobile applications. Here I like to highlight our BondFilm LDD MSAP, a laser drilling pretreatment for advanced mSAP application, our Printoganth U Plus/T1/TV, a new series of horizontal and vertical electroless copper processes, and our Inpulse and InPro processes for horizontal and vertical BMV and through-hole filling. We also developed new solutions for photoresist stripping, differential etching, bonding enhancement as well as final finishing whether this is ENEPIG or EPAG. All of this is supported by our systems technology, our Uniplate and Horizon lines, of which we have sold and installed more than 1,900 systems until today.Another innovation is our MultiPlate, a next generation ECD plating tool that meets the challenges of wafer- and panel-level packaging. For panel-level packaging we are offering RDL plating of fine lines, copper pads, and BMVs, as well as high speed copper pillar plating. For wafer-level packaging its double side copper plating, RDL plating, high purity and high speed copper plating as well as through via filling. We receive a lot of requests for all these new products from customers and OEMs alike. This makes us proud and moves us forward.Q: In response to the current wave of 5G and AI, does Atotech have any related development ongoing?A: 5G is on its way, and it's all about high-frequency applications. Atotech is already very active in working with customers, developing new processes to meet the very stringent requirements for high-frequency applications. But to answer your question more precisely, one must understand what the challenges are and impacts of AI and 5G implementation vs the current technology available. Let me give you a few examples of the main challenges on 5G and AI products:- First you need enhanced adhesion promotion to reduce your signal loss to fulfil signal integrity requirements- Then you need an optimized electroless copper for high speed signal transmission- Followed by a higher plating uniformity impacting warpage and last but not least- Your reliability and thermal heat dissipation need to improve by an advanced through hole/copper filling processAll these are only a few examples that will help manufacturers to build 5G and AI electronic components, so they can benefit from this growing market in the future.Daniel Schmidt (right), Director, Global Marketing and Technical Training; Bill Kao (left), Business Manager, Atotech
The Southern Taiwan Science Park Bureau has teamed up with IBM Taiwan and StarFab Accelerator to better carry out its TAIRA (Taiwan AI x Robotics) program to accelerate the growth of member startups by providing them with cloud and other resources.TAIRA is an accelerator program designed to fast track startups working on AI and robotics solutions. TAIRA seeks to support startups through equity-free funding, product development resources and early engagement with potential enterprise clients.Under the cooperation, IBM Taiwan will allow startup teams in TAIRA to join its Global Entrepreneur Program (GEP), providing the top-rated applicant with cloud resources valued at US$120,000, compared to US$36,000 for the second place and US$24,000 for the third.Lin Wei-cheng, director general of the STSP Bureau, said that IBM Taiwan and StarFab have jointly sowed the first seeding in the bureau's efforts to incorporate international enterprise resources into the TAIRA program. He hoped that more similar international resources can be injected into the STSP to accelerate the development of startups operating there.Mars Hsu, executive of cloud business at IBM Taiwan, said that besides providing cloud resources, IBM will also help Taiwan startups engage in cooperation and exchanges with other startups in the world, and carry out seamless integration of their solutions and advanced IBM technologies to develop more innovations and generate greater values.StarFab CEO Amanda Liu indicated that her company will do its best to help accelerate the development of startups in Taiwan.STSP Bureau, IBM Taiwan and StarFab team up to bolster startups in southern Taiwan.Photo: Ambrose Huang, Digitimes, October 2018
MAP Movement Pattern Evaluation Center, a Taiwan startup dedicated to personal movement analysis and evaluation, is planning to roll out a series of education videos to help athletes and the general publiuc correct their personal movements and postures to achieve the effect of preventive medicine, according to Lukas Tung, the center's chief operating officer (COO).As movement pattern deviations vary from person to person, individualized evaluation and diagnostic contents are needed, Tung said, adding that MAP's evaluation and diagnostic contents include surgery records, chronic disease history, current sorts of pains, living styles, specific tests, standard tests, generalized conclusions, proposed treatment direction, key images, and evaluation result analysis, all needed to generate proper prescription for therapeutic exercise by patients.Following six months of efforts, the MAP technology team has integrated and further expanded traditional biomechanical technologies. Tung said his center is building databases concerning ankles, knees and hip joints while also updating its image analysis technologies, with a Beta analysis system set to be released by the end of 2018.Tung continued that such technologies are usually available at only national movement analysis centers and biomechanical laboratories to serve professional athletes, but the services are also needed by ordinary people to avoid deviational movements or to correct deviations.Now with the Move & Treat Physical Therapy Center as the technology demonstration base, Tung noted that his center hopes to effectively promote standardized and systemized movement evaluation technologies to the general public in the future.Lukas Tung, COO at MAP Movement Pattern Evaluation CenterPhoto: Mark Tsai, Digitimes, October 2018
Taiwan's long-term care services are on the track of positive development, but how to create a dignified and comfortable care environment that can attract patients to stay in or residents of nearby communities to visit is one of the critical factors concerning the upgrades of long-term care industry, according to Chrissy Wang, president of Ren Shin Wellness Park, a long-term care park in the central city of Taichung.To achieve the goal, Wu said her park has offered regular photography and cooking courses, as well as a two-hour cross-fit training class for two days per week, among others, to improve relationships between the park and surrounding residents.Wu stressed that all the efforts are designed to turn her long-term care park into a local- and community-type medical resources and information promotion center. Ren Shin Wellness Park has also set up a long-term care talent cultivation center, providing trainees with 132 hours of fundamental courses including oral care and patient displacement and repositioning skills, Wu disclosed, adding that some one third of 30 trainees per training term have chosen to stay in the long-term care service sector.Wu continued that half of her park's care team members are males, and 80% of the team members are aged under 23, able to provide distinct long-term care experiences and services through big data analysis and apps.
