After a year and a half of the global outbreak of the SARS COV2, the world is still suffering from the severity of the new coronavirus pandemic. In addition to widespread adherence to mask mandate, handwashing, maintaining social distance, vaccinations, and taking other preventative measures, in order to deal with varied unknown environmental and global health safety issues, MSI actively engaged in research and development of technologies for disinfecting both air and surface, producing the Intelligent AMR disinfection robot, which has recently been verified by France's global research institute Texcell, to be effective. This would aid in ending the pandemic and give people peace of mind regarding their health.MSI AMR-AI-PJ-UVGI Robot is verified by European P3 laboratory Texcell, its UVGI sterilization system can effectively suppress the new coronavirus (SARS-COV-2) within 30 seconds, with a sterilization rate as high as (4Log) 99.997%. In a simulation test administered by the Taiwan National Science Plan, where the robot was used to sterilize a model residential space of 50 cubic meters, the airflow was sterilized up to 99.99% within 8 minutes. For larger spaces requiring relatively longer cleaning and disinfection time, MSI offers the AMR UVC Fleet Management System, which can be utilized to promote the efficiency and speed of disinfecting large indoor areas, as well as to conduct the disinfection by zones, thus preventing the virus from circulating.The Automatic disinfecting robot being promoted by MSI has an internal cyclone design, equipped with a super 253.7 nm wavelength UVGI germicidal lamp, that can perform an ultra-high light dose sterilization of the room for instant disinfection, without the use of chemicals that could produce pollutants in the air. This robot can eliminate pathogens, molds, viruses, germs, and other microorganisms in the air, by destroying their composition, thus producing a clean environment without viruses or microorganisms, purifying the air to create a high quality and safe air to breathe. As an affirmation of MSI's commitment to promoting a better global environment, this machine does not produce secondary environmental pollution.For more information, please visit https://amr.msi.com/MSI AMR-AI-PJ-UVGI RobotMSI AMR-AI-PJ-UVGI Robot is verified by European P3 laboratory Texcell

The trend of digital transformation has not only triggered a surge of smart retail but has also boosted growth for Industrial PCs. In fact, the world's leading smart retail solution provider DataVan (3521.TWO) had already begun to prepare its entry to the IPC market back in 2019 with the founding of its Shanghai subsidiary, Shanghai DataVan. While more recently, it has also acquired IPC manufacturer Maincon Corporation into its portfolio. Since the three brands in the Datavan group have complementary presence in the industrial system market, they will be able to provide diverse product lines that have greater coverage in the market so that they can offer clients from different regions or industries better solutions.Overcoming material shortagesDavid Huang, Executive Assistant to General Manager at Shanghai DataVan, says that the company initially started with a focus on consumer products but later shifted its attention to IPCs. However, due to the global pandemic, industry supply chains have met material shortages, causing difficulties for both DataVan and Maincon. For this reason, the recent goal of Shanghai DataVan has been to establish ties with suppliers in China to help alleviate the material shortage. A product roadmap is set to begin during Q4 2021 with production to follow in Q1 2022.Focusing on customized service with R&D advantageSince non-consumer products are usually customized for each specific scenario and differ from consumer products, Shanghai DataVan will be providing customization services in China market. Huang says that this type of customization requires considerable R&D backing, the staff and resources of which will be required by Maincon and Shanghai DataVan. He is confident that the technical capabilities and design service model of the two companies will be able to neatly meet market demands to create considerable growth potential in the region.Integrating company resources to meet different market needsHuang further mentions that because each of the three companies in the DataVan group has its advantages in different areas, they will support different markets and industry applications in the future even though technology and products between the three brands will still be mutually compatible. DataVan will be focused on providing x86-based smart retail solutions to the western market; Maincon will continue to develop its existing Asian customers based by providing local industries with x86 and Android-based AI systems; Shanghai DataVan will target the China market as its primary client source, specifically targeting customized IPCs for advanced applications.China market promises significant growth potentialAs for future plans, Huang says that smart transformation is an inevitable trend and that China is the key market for vendors of this technology worldwide. China has fared especially well in the recent pandemic and therefore promises significant growth potential going forward. Among the members of the Group, Maincon has already produced results in AI research and development, while DataVan will utilize its AI expertise to create various intelligent solutions. Shanghai DataVan will make good use of these resources to build up its competitiveness and further promote itself in the China market.The Maincon Bp-3x00 series fanless Box PC, featuring a highly flexible and expandable I/O for a wide range of applications.

MSI announced the partnership with Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP eSport Team! MSI's innovative products with high performance in the eSport industry are unanimously endorsed by gamers, which makes MSI become a world leading gaming brand; Yamaha motorcycles' high speed and extreme performance on the race track inspire people, which creates a position for Yamaha, the most valuable motorcycle brand in the world. On the basis of similar core values and principles within their own fields, MSI and Yamaha decided to establish this partnership. MSI sponsored the eSport team a full range of high-end gaming products and accessories to provide their eSport riders with tougher and suitable equipment for their daily training, and then sought more opportunities for cooperation and brand exposure in various activities and race tracks."MSI and Yamaha's common pursuit of performance, speed, and experience derives from passion and craftsmanship, which creates a driving force to lead the eSports riders to victory between the virtual and real world. The partnership between MSI and Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP eSport Team is an unprecedented occasion, and it's also the best chance to boost brand awareness to a new level following our brand recognized by gamers in the eSports industry," said Sam Chern, MSI Marketing Vice President.William Favero, Marketing & Communications Manager at Yamaha Motor Racing & Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP, says, "We are thrilled to be in a partnership with MSI Gaming, a world-leading gaming brand who's passion for high-tech innovation in developing top-level gaming hardware has been in evidence for over more than three decades.""Though MotoGP eSport is still relatively new, Yamaha Motor Racing is playing a leading role. We were the first team to sign a dedicated eSports rider and are the most active MotoGP team when it comes to MotoGP eSport. However, even the most skilled gamers will be hindered by lacking technology, so the importance of good hardware was underlined even further," he said."MSI's desktops and laptops are the perfect gear to provide our riders the best chance to fight for the MotoGP eSport title honours in the Global Series and Rising Star Championship respectively," Favero said.more informationMSI's innovative products with high performance in the eSport industryMSI announced the partnership with Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP eSport TeamOn the basis of similar core values and principles within their own fields, MSI and Yamaha decided to establish this partnership

Global Unichip Corp. (GUC), the advanced ASIC leader, disclosed that its second-generation GLink 2.0 (GUC multi-die interLink) interface, using TSMC 5nm process and TSMC advanced packaging technology for multi-die integration in AI, HPC and Networking applications, has passed full silicon qualification.Like its predecessor GLink 1.0, GLink 2.0 supports InFO_oS and all CoWoS types (both silicon and organic interposers). GLink 2.0 is fully backward compatible with GLink 1.0, with similar power consumption while doubling speed per lane, beachfront, and area efficiency. Die edge is the scarcest resource and GLink-2.0 allows the most efficient use of it by transferring 1.3 Tbps of full-duplex traffic per every mm of beachfront. Lead AI & Networking customers adopted GLink 2.0 for their next-generation products and expect mass productions in 2023 and thereafter.GLink 2.0's power consumption is more than 2 times lower than alternative solutions using ultra-short reach SerDes-based communication through package substrate. For every 10 Tbps of full-duplex traffic, it consumes 10 to 15 W less power than alternative SerDes-based interfaces, and it occupies more than 2 times less area of silicon and beachfront. Serial interfaces (SerDes) consume constant power according to the worst-case data pattern. It always consumes the same power even when traffic is reduced or idle, burning maximal power according to the absolute worst-case traffic scenario. The GLink parallel bus doesn't randomize data; it consumes power proportional to the actual data toggle rate, and even further reduces the toggle rate using Data Bus Inversion (DBI). This allows our customers to burn 10 to 20 times less power in practical workloads vs. SerDes-based links.GLink IP delivery includes all analog and digital parts; its parallel interface is connected directly to user interfaces or common buses like AXI. Integrated TX and RX Clock Domain Crossing (CDC) FIFOs allow any ratio between transmitter and receiver clock frequencies, increasing system flexibility. GLink includes a Link Training hardware state machine and automatic voltage-temperature changes tracking during normal operation so that the user software is not involved in interface control. GLink has redundant lanes to replace faulty ones during production tests or in the field. The proteanTecs Universal Chip Telemetry (UCT) is integrated into the PHY. It can be used to monitor the signal quality of every physical lane during normal operation, to observe lane degradation due to CoWoS or InFO_oS physical effects, and to support a decision to replace a marginal quality lane with a redundant one in order to prevent system failure and extend the product's life cycle.The next GLink versions using TSMC 5nm and 3nm technologies will support 2.5 Tbps/mm, error-free full-duplex traffic with similar power consumption, and will be available in Q4, 2021, and Q1, 2022, respectively."5G and AI are paving the way for Digital Transformation, i.e., smart connectivity, data center and edge computing/AIoT. The key enablers for Digital Transformation are HPC platform, 2.5D/3D Advanced Packaging, and ASIC & Scalable Processors. GUC just recently announced our HBM3 and GLink-3D solutions. By fully qualifying second-generation GLink 2.0 silicon, GUC is showing a long-term commitment to providing the most competitive advanced package technology total solution for enabling Digital Transformation, including a full set of best-in-class and silicon-proven HBM2E/3 PHY & Controller, GLink 2.5D and 3D die to die interfaces, CoWoS and InFO_oS expertise, electrical and thermal simulations, package design and manufacturing, DFT and production test," explains Dr. Ken Chen, president of GUC."We are developing our IPs for integration in a harsh environment of >1000W, many-reticle size ASICs. We tested GLink 2.0 for robust and stable operation in a full spectrum of operating conditions as we learned from our products, and we observed error-free operation in the toughest system operation scenarios. We leverage deep knowledge of TSMC's 2.5D and 3D technology in order to develop the highest bandwidth and the lowest power die-to-die interfaces. We are committed to double bandwidth density every year while keeping power low and reducing latency, enabling CPU, GPU, DPU, AI, and Networking Processors of the future," said Igor Elkanovich, CTO of GUC.Key GLink 2.0 16 Gbps N5 highlights:*Full duplex 1.3 Tbps traffic per 1 mm of beachfront *0.3 pJ/bit (i.e., 0.3W per 1 Tbps of full-duplex traffic)*Error-free operation in all PVT corners, changing voltage and temperature, and high voltage noise*PPA advantage over SerDes links using package substrate -More than 2 times lower power consumption -More than 2 times smaller silicon area and beachfront -Error-free, no BER, no FEC, no Link, and Transaction Layers -2-3 times lower end-to-end latency*Supports InFO_oS and all CoWoS types (both silicon and organic interposers)*Low area/power overhead for high throughput interconnect enables efficient multi-die CoWoS and InFO_oS solutions up to 2500 mm2Learn More about GUC's GLink IP with InFO/CoWoS Total SolutionAbout GUCGlobal Unichip Corp. (GUC) is the Advanced ASIC Leader, who provides the semiconductor industry with leading IC implementation and SoC manufacturing services, using advanced process and packaging technology. Based in Hsin-chu Taiwan, GUC has developed a global reputation with a presence in China, Europe, Japan, Korea, and North America. GUC is publicly traded on the Taiwan Stock Exchange under the symbol 3443. For more information, visit www.guc-asic.comSpecification comparisons between GLink 1.0 and 2.0The GLink 2.0 IP using TSMC 5nm process and 2.5D advanced packaging technology passing full silicon qualification

As passenger expectations for hassle-free journey and increasing demands of more personalized and timely assistance continue to grow, the Intelligent Transportation Systems are now empowered with rich communications using Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) and 5G technologies. There are In-vehicle computer systems aiming to improve the quality of services by managing public resources and focusing on comfort, maintenance, and sustainability. Especially 5G of wireless mobile communication enables a new kind of communication network to connect everyone and everything.Safety and security is priority number one for transportation operators. Various media formats such as conferencing, chat and video streams improve reaction and coordination in day-to-day operations. Adding recording capabilities supports investigations, enhancing the internal security process and providing a way to enhance real-time interaction with experts and gain efficiency.Talking increase operational efficiency, to fully embrace the IoT solutions for capturing data and automating management tasks are trending. This allows to facilitate staff's job in a cost-effective way with the deployment of modern operation control center innovations. Plus, easily manage the mission-critical network and communications with only a small team through a single pane of glass using a cloud platform with AI integration.On the other hand, 5G technology is also boosting global connected vehicle shipments rapidly. Taking European market as an example, there are expected to grow at a CAGR of 12% with a total of 69 million units to be added during 2020-2025, according to the latest research from Counterpoint's Smart Automotive service. While 5G network deployment maturing, the share of 5G connectivity will start increasing after 2022.In-vehicle computer systems acting as mobile edge computing solutions will play an important roles with technology building blocks enabling smarter services in connected vehicle. To tackle in-vehicle public transport and commercial passenger communication networking platforms of the future, SINTRONES, focused on Intelligent Transportation solutions and in-vehicle computer technologies for industrial PC, automotive and enterprise markets, has expanded on a proven track record of delivering a variety of cutting-edge networking technologies incorporating high-performance processors to fulfill passenger's needs. Using the increased capabilities offered by 5G network adoption, SINTRONES solutions provide customers a number of benefits, including ruggedized solutions for demanding conditions, high availability, easily integrated in global transport subsystems and equipped with transport industry certifications of CE, FCC Class A, E13, EN50155, EN45545-2 (R25) safety standards.To learn more about more SINTRONES product offerings for Intelligent Transportation, Connected Vehicles, Embedded Platforms and solutions with 5G aggregated systems on the road, please join the webinar of "A Leap Into the Future: Intelligent Transportation, Connected Vehicles and Embedded Platforms" or visit the registration web pages for more details at https://www.digitimes.com.tw/edm/EDM_SINTRONES_20210916.htm.Build a comprehensive solution for intelligent transportation and commercial platforms for connected vehicles

North American Taiwanese Engineering Association (NATEA) and Taiwan Tech Arena Silicon Valley (TTA SV), a startup ecosystem-building program sponsored by the Ministry of Science and Technology (MOST) in Taiwan, are pleased to announce that they are jointly hosting the U.S. Taiwan Startup Forum (UTSF) 2021, a virtual showcase of 16 tech startups that were founded by Taiwanese and Taiwanese American entrepreneurs. The event will take place on Sept. 9 and 10 from 5 to 7 p.m. PDT.The event is free with the registration info in this link https://www.utstartup.net.The 16 startups - which specialize in Artificial Intelligence, AR/VR, semiconductor, blockchain, and IoT technologies - will showcase their technologies to US-based investors and high-tech professional attendees at the virtual event.The event will include two keynote speakers that include Phil Libin, CEO of mmhmm & All Turtles, and Chieh Huang, CEO of Boxed. Audiences will have the chance to meet startup founders at their digital booth on Filo, a virtual conference platform.This year, the selected 16 startup teams were founded by notable tech industry leaders. For example, Taelor, an AI-powered menswear rental subscription service, was founded by Anya Cheng. Another promising startup founded by Kari Wu, a former Adobe product manager, creates a video tool app that helps produce professional-quality video clips from mobile devices within seconds.Some other startups such as A.V. Mapping and Allies were recently part of Berkeley SkyDeck, which was named in Forbes as one of the top five U.S. university accelerators. A.V. Mapping has won the Red-Dot Awards for AI design, helps video producers to find and license music directly from music owners. Another startup, Allies, helps people to find out if their food is gluten-free in minutes.Meanwhile, startups from the Plug and Play accelerator will also be joining this year's summit. For example, BlockChain Security helps property managers with digital documentation using blockchain technology. AIPLUX facilitates companies to obtain foreign trademarks and KryptoGo helps banks with anti-money laundering (AML)."This is a community event that helps to bridge minority founders and US investors and the high-tech community," said Rex Chen, president of NATEA Silicon Valley. While there are many startup pitch events in Silicon Valley, it is rare to offer a safe space for minority founders to learn and exchange ideas between Silicon Valley and Taiwan startup ecosystem.The Sept. 9 event will feature the following eight startups with consumer products:Taelor An AI-powered menswear rental subscription that helps busy men to look good without the commitment of buying clothes. Taelor is founded by Anya Cheng, a notable former Facebook Shop Product Lead and former eBay Head of Product. Filmlt A videographer software that helps people, such as real estate agents, to create videos for business purposes with AI-powered editing. MAKAR by Mind & Idea Fly An AR/VR content creation and editing tool for teachers. ImpactA computer vision platform for remote team play and activitiesA.V. Mapping A one-stop AI video and audio mapping and music licensing platform for media, video and game creators. HackMD A real-time engineering collaboration tool. Allis by TFT A portable biochemical sensor that helps consumers detect if food is gluten-free in minutes. BlockChain Security A blockchain technology that helps property managers win court cases and get rid of bad tenants by proving the authenticity of leasing documents and communication records.The Sept. 10 event will feature the following eight startups for the enterprise market.Worca A recruiting service for companies to hire tech talents in Taiwan. Avalanche Computing An AI development tool for companies to build AI faster. Torkance Technologies Technology for the memory industry for its thin-film development, using new magnetic film measurement. Lubn A smart lockbox to help hosts remotely manage property access.NADI A 3D architecture solution that provides a realistic and virtual environment to improve the process of building a smart city effectively and efficiently.KryptoGo A compliance technology that helps financial service institutions, such as banks, to enhance money laundering prevention with Chinese language recognition.Relajet An audio technology that improves hearing-aid devices.AIPLUX A one-stop platform for everyone to file for cross-border trademark protection.About North America Taiwanese Engineering & Science Association (NATEA)NATEA is a non-profit organization headquartered in Silicon Valley and has more than 10 chapters in North America. NATEA helps Taiwanese and Taiwanese American high-tech communities with leadership and technical skills as well as a platform for career assistance and entrepreneurship. NATEA hosts a wide variety of technology-related events including semiconductor, blockchain, artificial intelligence as well as complementary skills in leadership and product management among others. www.natea.orgAbout the Taiwan Tech Arena Silicon Valley (TTA SV)TTA SV is the Silicon Valley office of TTA, a startup ecosystem-building program sponsored by the Ministry of Science and Technology of Taiwan. TTA SV helps technology startups in Taiwan to enter the U.S. market, supports U.S. tech startups founded by Taiwanese entrepreneurs to grow, and fosters the exchange of technology trends and best practices between Silicon Valley and Taiwan. TTA SV has helped 150 startups to mature, and half of them have successfully raised investments. www.taiwanarena.tech

SilTerra Malaysia Sdn Bhd has unveiled a new technology for automotive application integrated circuits ("ICs") or chips used in vehicles.SilTerra's 180nm Bipolar-CMOS-DMOS ("BCD") automotive grade process technology is qualified to meet the AEC-Q100 Grade Zero standard, which is the automotive industry standard that specifies the recommended new product and major change qualification requirements and procedures.BCD is one of key building blocks of SilTerra's Smart Power Technology platform developed to deliver optimum energy efficient products based on proven mature process technology, intellectual property and design kits. CMOS refers to Complementary Metal Oxide Semiconductor while DMOS refers to Double Diffused Metal Oxide Semiconductor."We are excited for SilTerra to introduce the automotive grade 180nm BCD process to the automotive IC market. Every product that SilTerra offers and technology we use is born from our commitment to meet increasing market demands and exceed customers' expectations. We believe we can offer a significant added value to the automotive application ICs sector," said Tan Sri Syed Zainal Abidin Syed Mohamed Tahir, Group Managing Director of Dagang NeXchange Berhad ("DNeX"), and also Executive Chairman of SilTerra.SilTerra is a strategic investment of DNeX, and Beijing Integrated Circuit Advanced Manufacturing and High-End Equity Investment Fund Center (Limited Partnership) ("CGP Fund")"The new shareholders of SilTerra will continue efforts to transform SilTerra into a world-class leader in the global semiconductor market in terms of operational excellence and technology advancement. We are also upping the ante with our strategies such as cost optimisation, product mix expansion as well as production capacity enhancement," he said.SilTerra's 180nm BCD AEC-Q100 Grade Zero automotive grade process is now entering mass production phase, and this is the second important milestone since the achievement of IATF 16949:2016 Automotive Certification in 2018 as the company makes strong progress entering the automotive IC market.SilTerra's automotive grade 180nm BCD process is able to perform at 60V of operation. It has been qualified with a specially tuned golden path process flow for high-yield output. The process is supported by silicon-characterised Foundry PDK and third party intellectual property ("IP") such as ARM based-Standard Cell Library, SRAM Compiler and eMemory One-Time-Programming IP. These IPs are characterised and validated at temperature ranging from -40oC to 150oC according to the AEC-Q100 Grade Zero industry quality standard.According to IC Insights Inc, the global automotive IC demand in the BCD/analogue segment is expected to grow at a 15 percent compound annual growth rate from US$9.14 billion or 15.4 billion ICs in 2020 to US$18.1 billion or 33.2 billion ICs in 2025.Conventional hybrid vehicles contain an average of US$650 value of semiconductor content while full electric vehicles with ADAS level-4 features can contain up to US$1,550 value of semiconductor content. One of the key automotive IC applications is power management IC for management of power supplies, motor driver for automatic head lamp, motor controller for power chassis and power doors, LED drivers for automotive lighting, power switches for batteries and other power applications.SilTerra is a semiconductor wafer foundry offering fabrication and design support services in CMOS logic, High-Voltage, Mixed-signal, RF, BCD, Discrete Power, Silicon Photonics, Life Science and MEMS technologies down to 90 nanometer feature size. SilTerra's wafer fab has a design-in capacity of 46,000 eight-inch wafers per month and currently serves customers in the US, Taiwan, Korea and China.About Dagang NeXchange BerhadDagang NeXchange Berhad ("DNeX") is a leading provider of award-winning eServices for Trade Facilitation and has a wealth of knowledge, expertise and operational know-how in the provisioning of eServices for Trade Facilitation, as well as Technology Consultancy and Systems Integration. DNeX is also making its mark as a reputable player in Energy, Semiconductor as well as Subsea Telecommunications Services. The company is listed on the Main Market of Bursa Malaysia. For more information on the company, log on to www.dnex.com.my.Tan Sri Syed Zainal Abidin Syed Mohamed Tahir, group managing director of DNeX, and executive chairman of SilTerra.Photo: CompanySilTerra unveils new technology for automotive application ICsPhoto: Company

To the people of Taiwan, temples are not just a haven for souls and a place for social activities; they are also where art and culture are passed down to future generations. From the overall architectural design of the temples to the stone sculptures, wooden sculptures, and colorful paintings within and outside of the temples, everything is a testament to the skillful craftsmanship and creativity of Taiwan's ancestors. Among them, Lugang Mazu Temple is one of Taiwan's most representative Mazu temples due to the bustling trading activities in the early days of Lugang, the exchange and integration of cultures, as well as its elaborative architectural features. Every beam and pillar is proof of the rich cultural aspects of Lugang. Therefore, when the Ministry of Culture launched the e-Taiwan Project years ago, Lugang Mazu Temple was listed as an important historical site that required digitalization. Thanks to the Getac rugged K120 tablet and 3D laser scanners, the entire view of the historical monument has now been preserved in exceptional detail.Digital scanning technology: Preserving history as the Lugang Mazu Temple faces deteriorationIn 2015, the Ministry of Culture commenced the task of digitally modeling Taiwan's national monuments. Following a thorough inspection, 106 historical monuments were listed as preservation targets. The digital scanning of all monuments is scheduled to be completed by 2026.Chen Chun-Yu, assistant researcher at the Institute of Cultural Heritage Preservation Research Center of the Bureau of Cultural Heritage, Ministry of Culture, stated: "Taiwan has a subtropical climate and has historical monuments that represent the country's architectural cultural assets, which have existed for centuries; however, they are prone to damages caused by natural disasters or man-made factors. Hence, digital scanning can facilitate their future research, restoration, and reuse."Chen Chun Yu mentioned two cases as comparisons. The 921 Earthquake in 1999 destroyed many cultural assets in Taiwan. At the time, technology was not as advanced. These assets could only be restored through historical memories and old photos, resulting in discrepancies in the monuments' details. The Notre Dame de Paris fire broke out on April 2019. Luckily, the Notre Dame cathedral had already gone through digital modeling in 2015. During its restorative construction, the 3D-scanned data was transferred into cross-sectional prints of 2D plans and elevations. These served as detailed reference data to present accurate images of the Notre Dame cathedral before the fire. These two cases serve as great examples of the importance of digital modeling.Among the national monuments of Taiwan, Lugang Mazu Temple is the only temple dedicated to Meizhou's founding Mazu. More than 400 years have passed since its founding in 1591, during the late Ming Dynasty. It is one of the most symbolic Mazu temples in Taiwan. It is also a crucial site for historical and archaeological research, as well as a place to study folk religions.Liu Chia-Wen, director of the Lugang Mazu Temple, said: "The heavy-sloped, hip-and-gable roof of the front hall (known as Sanchuan Hall) and the stone and wood carvings within the halls have all been recognized by the academic circle to be one of the most exquisite works of art in Taiwan. However, more than four centuries have passed; many tools and artifacts are thus facing gradual deterioration."Liu Chia-Wen used the Phoenix Palanquin as an example. It is a man-drawn carriage used to carry Mazu during pilgrimages. Its construction started in 1919 and took four years to complete. Its interior is designed to look just like a mini temple with dragon pillars and hanging canisters. No silver nails were used to build the structure; the techniques used were very elaborate and detailed. After a hundred years of use, the Phoenix Palanquin's structure is already falling apart and it can no longer be moved. Worse still, no craftsman can restore it.Liu Chia-Wen said: "We hope to completely preserve the structure of the Phoenix Palanquin through 3D technology for future research or restoration."Yao Liang-Chu, manager at LeaderTek, was in charge of scanning the worksto build a digital database of Lugang Mazu Temple.. With a Getac rugged K120 tablet in hand, he inspected the data sent from the 3D laser scanner. This 3D scanner can emit one million laser points at once with a one-millimeter distance between each laser point. These dense laser points were sent back to the 3D scanner after touching the object. The scanner then sent the enormous amount of data to the Getac K120 tablet via Wi-Fi for computation and structuring. The tablet presented images on its screen. At the same time, the Getac K120 tablet sent these images back to the 3D laser scanner for correction and tuning via Wi-Fi. The K120's excellent connection capabilities allowed the details of the image to reflect perfectly the scanned object.Yao Liang-Chu said: "3D modeling of historical monuments must be done outdoors; therefore, the structural design and hardware specifications of the computer that is paired with the 3D laser scanner are of great importance. In the past, LeaderTek used a regular laptop to connect with the 3D laser scanner. The scanner sent point cloud data back to the laptop for computing and storage after scanning. However, commercial laptops are designed to be used indoors and are not suitable for outdoor usage. This is because the sunlight can make it difficult to read the screen, and it's not easy to plug in a laptop for charging when outdoors. In addition, 3D point cloud processing has high demands for computing resources and a regular laptop's battery tends to run out very quickly. Under full-speed operation, batteries will run out in one to two hours, limiting the time for working."Overheating in laptops due to high computing demands is another factor that impacts work efficiency. According to Yao Liang-Chu, modern laptops have sufficient performance capabilities; however, after a long period of high-speed computing their performance decreases due to overheating. The computers then need to be shut down for 10 to 15 minutes until they have cooled down enough to start working again. This meant that, when using non-rugged laptops, LeaderTek's team had to change how they worked. For instance, when outdoors, they had to rely on their professional expertise to judge if the images were accurate. Data inspection had to be performed indoors after all outdoor work had been completed. These methods jeopardized the team's overall work efficiency.Yao Liang-Chu said, "These issues were easily solved after we started using Getac's rugged K120 tablet."Getac K120 tablet: Enhancing work efficiency under harsh outdoor environmentsYao Liang-Chu said: "During 3D scanning, the Getac K120 tablet and the 3D laser scanner must be connected at all times to send data back and forth; therefore, the demand for high computing and data traffic capabilities is enormous. In the past, users needed to wait for the overheated commercial laptop to cool down, and only 20 station points at most could be scanned per day. The Getac K120 tablet is designed to meet high stability requirements, so the team can run the tablet at high speed for long hours. This greatly enhanced the efficiency of the LeaderTek team, who can now scan up to 70 station points in a day, making the Getac K120 2.5 times more efficient than their previous devices.Another benefit of the wireless and simultaneous connection between the Getac K120 tablet and the 3D laser scanner is that users can inspect scanning results and relevant data on the spot. If the results are not up to standard, they can immediately correct the way they scan. This advantageous feature solved the issues caused when the team could only inspect the data indoors once the outdoor work had been done. This has greatly boosted work efficiency.In addition to high performance computing capabilities for long periods of time, the Getac K120 tablet also has a special design and exclusive accessories to allow for more convenient and successful 3D scanning. On the day the team scanned the Lugang Mazu Temple, it was a hot, sunny day. However, this did not affect the visibility of Getac K120's screen, with users easily able to clearly read the screen even under the blazing sun.Its military-grade, robust structural design makes the Getac K120 shockproof and drop-proof to 1.8 meters. The device also meets IP66 standards regarding waterproof and dustproof capabilities.Yao Liang-Chu said: "When working outdoors, devices may fall to the ground accidentally while moving around. Laptops cannot be too fragile and break easily. Getac K120's ruggedness ensures work quality in hazardous environments."In addition to the tablet's ruggedness, Getac K120's accessories such as the shoulder strap, hand strap, and hard handle, make it much easier to move and carry the tablet. Another significant advantage is the Getac K120's long-lasting battery. During high-speed computing, most commercial laptop batteries can only last for approximately two hours and it can be challenging to charge a device when outdoors.Yao Liang-Chu said: "Getac K120's battery can last for six hours so we don't have to worry about charging devices outdoors anymore."On the day of scanning Lugang Mazu Temple, it was also graduation season for the local schools. Therefore, not only devotees came to the temple, many young students were also present. Liu Chia-Wen pointed out that Lugang Mazu Temple is a prized treasure of Taiwan; however, it has also been the victim of time and natural disasters. Because of the temple's deterioration, it has become increasingly difficult to preserve its architecture and artifacts. Digital preservation can keep the original state of the artifacts without damaging them, making it the perfect preservation method.Yao Liang-Chu said: "With the help of 3D laser scanners and the Getac K120, we successfully finished scanning the temple. The exquisitely-built and history-rich monuments and artifacts can now be passed down to future generations so that they can witness the beauty of Taiwan."Lugang Mazu Temple is located in an area with typical Taiwanese south-central weather, but the bright sun does not affect the visibility of the Getac K120 tablet. Its screen image is still clearly visible under the blazing sun.Thanks to the Getac K120 professional tablet and 3D laser scanners, the Bureau of Cultural Heritage of the Ministry of Culture, in cooperation with LeaderTek, preserved the complete architecture and artifacts of Lugang Mazu Temple in perfect detail.

DTS, a global leader in next-generation audio, imaging and sensing technology and a wholly-owned subsidiary of Xperi Holding Corporation (Nasdaq: XPER) ("Xperi"), today announced DTS Play-Fi is bringing wireless surround sound to the masses. By working over industry-standard Wi-Fi, Play-Fi Home Theater adds a first-of-its-kind surround sound capability to TVs without incurring additional hardware costs for manufacturers or consumers. Televisions featuring DTS Play-Fi Home Theater will hit the market in the third quarter of 2021 and are compatible with the existing ecosystem of Play-Fi soundbars, speakers, and amplifiers in the market today.DTS Play-Fi's latest innovation solves long-standing industry issues related to poor sound quality from ever thinner TVs and the limited appeal of surround sound in the home due to the inherent aesthetic challenges of speaker wires and HDMI cables. Play-Fi Home Theater offers a number of configurations to wirelessly upgrade a TV's audio performance and bring life-like surround sound to any room. Consumers using TVs featuring Play-Fi Home Theater can:Use the TV's built-in speakers as part of the surround system or upgrade them with a Play-Fi enabled soundbar or discrete Play-Fi enabled front speakers to improve audio quality without creating unsightly wiring between TVs and external speakers or electronicsUtilize Play-Fi's complementary functionality, like multi-room grouping of the TV with Play-Fi enabled speakers for music and TV audio, and app-based headphone listeningDTS Play-Fi automatically adapts to the number of speakers connected to the TV giving users a modular way to meet the needs of their room or a path to upgrade over time as they purchase additional components."We're thrilled to introduce this latest DTS Play-Fi Home Theater technology to the market," said Dannie Lau, General Manager DTS Play-Fi. "Consumers no longer need to compromise aesthetics for an improved audio experience. They can attain better sound quality simply by using a wireless subwoofer placed out of sight or build a high-performance home theater using a full complement of wireless speakers and subwoofers."The DTS Play-Fi ecosystem features the largest collection of products in the whole-home wireless audio space, with hundreds of interoperable speakers, televisions, soundbars, set-top boxes, and A/V receivers available from over 30 leading consumer electronics brands, allowing customers the ability to interoperate and find the right product for their individual needs.XPERI Play Fi

Breathing is one of the simplest matters there is, but every breath we take involves more than just inhaling oxygen and exhaling carbon dioxide. In our everyday lives, many volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are being inhaled every time we breathe, such as formaldehyde emitted by paint as well as industrial and automobile exhaust gases. Changes in the concentrations of VOCs from our breath has become a biomarker for disease detection, especially lung cancer. Many startups have started to apply breath analysis technology to disease detection. Canadian startup Picomole has developed a best-in-class breath sampler that is listed with the US FDA.Currently, medical professionals use chest X-rays and low-dose lung CT scans to detect lung cancer. The former method cannot detect tumors smaller than 1 cm while the latter method inevitably exposes the patient to radiation and overdiagnosis. Breath analysis technology is non-invasive, and features several advantages: it is painless, the test results are precise, and a single test may be used to detect multiple diseases. Therefore, in recent years, many startups around the world have entered the breath testing market. Picomole's breath analytics platform is made up of three technologies: the breath sampler, the Cavity Ring-Down Spectrometer (CRDS) that can process samples from breaths, and machine learning algorithms that are used to analyze the indications for various diseases.Unlike other companies, Picomole uses infrared spectrometers for breath analytics. This technology provides an exclusive and novel pool of data for Picomole to develop their machine learning algorithm. Combining first-class breath sampling technology with the patented and high sensitivity CRDS, Picomole was able to feed high-quality data sets into the algorithm system. This resulted in very precise results from Picomole's disease detection study. Picomole's breath analytics platform may be used to test for cancers such as lung cancer, breast cancer, colorectal cancer, and ovarian cancer. It may also be used in testing for respiratory diseases and neurological diseases.Picomole's breath sampler has a simple exterior design and is very easy to use, so that high-quality breath samples can be collected with ease. Picomole is also in the final stages of ISO 13485 certification; the development process and quality of their products all adhere to ISO standards.The quality of Taiwan's manufacturing is famous globally. Therefore, Picomole wants to collaborate with Taiwan and find a strategic partner that can help the startup optimize the manufacturing process of hardware and enhance their AI development capabilities. Additionally, Picomole hopes that they can gain channel partners in Taiwan and further expand in the Asia market. Looking to the future, apart from entering the North American market this year, Picomole also will be developing business opportunities around the world. In regards to product development, Picomole will continue to focus on multiple indication research in lung cancer, breast cancer and other respiratory diseases. The startup plans to launch a breath test kit for lung cancer detection by 2024 and continue to integrate additional disease indications with each subsequent year.Stephen Graham, CEO of PicomolePhoto: Company