Rapidly developing smart retail will see three major trends in 2019, including an emphasis on the human side of business, according to CC Liu, secretary general of Asia AIoT Alliance.Liu stressed that tech development originates from human nature, with all tech designs aimed at providing consumers with greater convenience. Accordingly designers must grasp users' situations well to provide better services. He continued that Amazon unmanned stores, for instance, allow consumers to take things from the store without having to pay at the counter.The second trend is creating more convenient UI (user interface) and more friendly UX (user experience) to facilitate purchases, Liu said, adding that based on consumer psychology, consuming is quite an impulsive behavior and therefore how to shorten the transaction process will be crucial for further upgrades in smart retail operations.The third trend is that smart retail will entail AI as the core. Liu said that AI is not almighty but serve as a helper to decision making. AI can be utilized to analyze big data to provide references for managers in handling distribution, pricing, marketing and new product development, while also further predicting market trends and facilitating customized services, according to Liu.Asia AIoT Alliance Secretary General CC LiuPhoto: Yihan Li, Digitimes, November 2018

Taiwan's optoelectronics industry players must pursue the development of smart optoelectronics and leverage the prowess and advantages of the country's ICT industry to find a solid foothold in international optoelectronics supply chains, according to Kenneth Tai, chairman of Jasper Display based in Hsinchu, northern Taiwan.Tai made the remarks when speaking at a smart living and innovative design forum hosted on November 9 by the National Taipei University of Technology.Tai said that the Moore's Law has witnessed fast development of Taiwan's electronics industry over the past decades, but it has become invalid now. For instance, TSMC has seen the cost for unit-performance growth turn extremely high, indicating that the semiconductor industry must seek horizontal development and pursue cross-domain cooperation.Tai continued that LCD is a very special industry, boasting the highest growth in the short term but offering the lowest profitability. Its output value is relatively low compared to its consumption of Taiwan's resources, he said.LCD-related sectors may be on the decline, but Taiwan's LCD supply chain players still possess world-class capabilities and should march toward horizontal development and spur technology upgrades through applications, he commented.The optoelectronics industry involves highly complicated process engineering designs, but the incorporation of digital technology will alter the momentum of the industry. Software and algorithm can be combined to control every piece of mirror and simplify its overall structure to adjust the mirror location in accordance with diverse situations, so as to boost application flexibility. In line with the development of AI, optical education must also be changed, according to Tai.Jasper Display chairman Kenneth TaiPhoto: Yihan Li, Digitimes, November 2018

Based in the US with a branch in Taiwan, Toii is dedicated to creating brand-new gaming experience integrated with AR (augmented reality) and location-based service (LBS) and mobile gaming, according to company founder Allen Yu.Yu said that by leveraging the combination of gaming and LBS, his company has entered cooperation with Canal City Hakata in Japan. Under the cooperation, Toii has set six locations inside Canal City locations as gaming backdrops, and players have to use smartphones to spot the six locations after the GPS system zeros in on the places, so that they can pass all the levels to beat the game. This way, Canal City shopping mall can effectively increase visitor traffic at busy trading spots.Yu said that the technologies can also be applied to tourism for promotion. He said in designing gaming contents, important scenic spots can be incorporated into the levels in games, so as to better inspire players to visit the spots. In addition, backend system can also analyze the number of visitors to the spots in the games and build tourism data.Yu continued that feedback from and experience sharing among game players will serve as useful references for his company to improve the designs of movement lines of scenic spits and details of levels in next game.

Having ramped up their combined smartphone shipments by 6.5% on year to 192 million units in the third quarter of 2018, China-based vendors are likely to see a single-digit shipment decrease in the fourth quarter due to weakening demand in the domestic market and competition resulting from the availability of new iPhone devices, according to Digitimes Research.The on-year growth registered in the third quarter stemmed mainly from increased shipments from Huawei, which saw its overseas shipments expand seven million units on year in the quarter, buoyed by its strong deployment in the sub-EUR200 (US$229) segment in Europe, says Digitimes Research. Xiaomi still counted on overseas demand to drive its shipment growth in the third quarter, but the pace of the growth has subdued significantly as compared to the exponential expansion seen a year ago.Third and fourth ranked Oppo and Vivo, which have focused more on the domestic market, saw mostly flat shipment results in the third quarter as their market shares in the home market were eroded by increasing competition from Huawei and Xiaomi.Looking into the fourth quarter, Huawei and Xiaomi will continue to see their shipments grow slightly in the quarter, but shipments from Oppo and Vivo may drop by 5-7 million units each as compared to a year earlier, Digitimes Research estimates.

Worldwide notebook shipments are forecast to increase 2.8% sequentially to their highest levels for 2018 in the fourth quarter thanks to strong seasonal demand and improving Intel CPU supply, according to Digitimes Research.Despite the tight supply of Intel's mainstream and entry-level processors, worldwide notebook shipments still rose 4.8% sequentially and dropped less than 1% on year to arrive at around 40 million units due to rising Chromebook and gaming notebook sales, Digitimes Research's figures showed.Of the top-tier brand vendors, Hewlett-Packard (HP) will stay in the lead in the second half of 2018, although it saw shipments slip both on quarter and on year in the third quarter, affected by the CPU shortages and pressure from competitors. However, the US-based vendor's shipments will rebound in the fourth quarter benefiting from year-end holiday demand.Lenovo in second place officially merged Fujitsu's PC business into its notebook department in May, but the increased volumes from the acquisition are not sufficient for the China-based vendor to catch up with HP in the second half.Dell was in third place and is expected to see decreasing shipments in the fourth quarter as its performance in the consumer sector will be far weaker than its competitors. Apple's newly announced MacBook Air has been in mass production since September and is expected to see a wave of replacement demand despite its US$1,199 starting price, which is much higher than expected. The new notebook is expected to help Apple secure the fourth place.Acer is expected to achieve a better performance than Asustek Computer in the fourth quarter, widening the shipment gap between them.As for Taiwan ODMs, Quanta Computer will take back the leadership from Compal Electronics in the fourth quarter with orders for Apple's new MacBook Air.

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.