Continued innovations in front-end sensor technology, cloud computing, and cloud service technology within the Internet of Things (IoT) sector have contributed to an increasing amount of related applications that can be successfully adopted in transportation and city traffic control systems. According to Roger Shyu, Manager, Axiomtek Co., Ltd., humans continue to pursue technological improvements in order to make their lives more convenient, hence there will be increased emphasis on smart traffic controls.A complex road traffic network relies on a comprehensive traffic control system. The server room in the control center is crucial, as it contains equipment that collects and monitors various data used to assist users analyze traffic conditions and optimize traffic efficiency. Shyu noted that the server room environmental monitoring system can ensure that the server room operates efficiently; for example, under irregular circumstances, the system will inform technicians via text message or using digital signage. Hence the server room environmental monitoring system has become a key component in the core competence of smart traffic control.As for addressing other traffic-related data monitoring issues, Shyu added that Axiomtek provides various solutions that target applications such as highway electronic toll collection system, display of traffic conditions, and license plate recognition. Fanless, high-efficiency, expandability and compact are four key characteristics to the hardware and software solutions of intelligent transportation system. For example, Axiomtek's IPC932 industrial computer system is designed with two swappable hard drives and from two to six expansion slots, and as well as different selections of processors to accommodate particular needs. In addition, the size of the system is about the size of a shoebox.Other than smart traffic control for roads, there are also many important applications for controlling traffic on railways. Functions such as digital monitoring and multimedia broadcasting allow driver to monitor conditions inside the train, display traffic information to passengers and provide engineers/conductors with information regarding the internal physical environment and traffic conditions.Shyu cited the Axiomtek tBOX as an example of a system used to meet the needs of digitally monitoring railway traffic and ensuring safety. In an environment where track conditions can be unstable, the hard drives, as well as the I/O ports, need to be securely locked to prevent them from loosening. This also means that the system needs to be shock-proof, tolerate a wide-range of temperature fluctuations (exterior environment temperatures change significantly during rail journeys) and comprehensive interface design (the need to securely lock ports) are some major areas emphasized when developing railway digital monitoring applications. The system also needs to provide functions such as wireless transmission and obtain EN50155, EN50121 (railway vehicles) and EN45545 certifications.For license plate monitoring system solutions, Shyu noted that the Axiomtek rBOX is compact and has been designed to tolerate a wide range of temperatures, which means the system can be installed and operated in small areas where there is no air flow. If the system is connected to the search system of a vehicle that has been stolen, the theft can be reported and the license plate number given to related authorities.In addition, through license plate recognition, smart traffic monitoring systems can calculate travel time for individual vehicles and help drivers determine the best route by providing information regarding possible alternative routes. In addition to installing systems at highway entrances and exits, license plate recognition systems can also be installed in building parking lots to achieve smart parking management by determining which vehicle is allowed to enter.Shyu noted that the Axiomtek rBOX smart traffic system is a solution for managing and monitoring road conditions or traffic lights. The rBOX system has a wide range of temperature tolerance, as it can operate effectively in negative 40 degrees to positive 70 degrees Celsius environments. The system is small in size and can be installed using a DIN-rail or mounted on a wall. This allows the system to be installed in small electric circuit boxes or telecommunication cabinets.Furthermore, the Axiomtek rBOX traffic monitoring system has low power-consumption and can operate with power generated from solar panels. The Axiomtek rBOX adopts dual power inputs so if one power source acts irregularly, the system will automatically switch to power from the other power source to ensure stable operations. Using separate I/O interfaces, the system can avoid disturbances. In addition, the fanless, cableless system is designed to prevent system failure due to a fan malfunction, loosening of wires, and/or a short circuit, thus increasing the reliability and stability of the system.In various smart applications, many solutions focus on hardware specifications such as CPUs and memory capacity, but in fact, to achieve smartness, the hardware needs help from software to further integrate and strengthen the combined hardware/software technology.Using a remote monitoring system called AXView as an example; Shyu explained that AXview adopts the Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP), which allows users to monitor remotely from anywhere and through any device, using the Internet. With the alert function, users can set up the system based on specific needs and the system will automatically send out alerts via e-mail or text when irregularities arise. AXView allows users to observe the conditions of different equipment at the same time. For example, users can monitor the frequency of central processors, the speed of the fan, the temperature of the environment and the connectivity of peripherals. If the system has been disconnected, AXView allows users to send in personnel for immediate repair.AXView can monitor more than one system by inserting the IP addresses. If the equipment is experiencing situations such as overheated in temperature, unstable in voltage level, disconnection, and immobile fans, the system will automatically send a notification to the user's device. If more than one department needs to know the condition of the equipment, AXView can connect multiple users to multiple systems, using a mailing system to inform each individual when irregularities occur.Shyu stated that the industrial monitoring market is highly competitive and each firm needs to find its own "blue ocean" to continue reaching higher goals. Axiomtek aims to vertical market and get international certification for these products. In the future, Axiomtek will continue to introduce various smart traffic control solutions to provide cities with more convenient traffic control and monitoring applications.Roger Shyu, Manager, Axiomtek Co., Ltd.

Following the student-led Sunflower protests which lasted about 20 days, most people in Taiwan have come to appreciate the police's hard work on the frontline, as well as the capability of the ever-changing technologies that enabled Internet users to quickly organize demonstrations, adding burdens to police work. The new-generation police have to control and integrate various technological tools to facilitate crime investigation and prevention.Fortunately, the resources coming from Taiwan's National Police Agency have been a great help enabling local police to adopt technological tools in recent years. Such help has also been coming from local governments' devotion to constructing smart cities, in which smart systems for police administration play a part.An official from the New Taipei City Police Department, speaking at the recent Smart City Forum organized by Digitimes, discussed the local police's experience in building technology-enabled security systems for the city. Su Ching-Wei, Chief of Information Management Office, New Taipei City Police Department (NTPD), noted that nowadays the police provide the public with 24-hour services all year long, services that can be classified into:1. Crime fighting - crackdown on crimes and their prevention; 2. Traffic safety - safety around important road intersections, child pick-up zones, as well as school areas; 3. Public security - a duty to make the public feel safe.The general public in Taiwan usually dial "110" immediately to report a case, even though the case may not fall into the jurisdiction of the police. Therefore It is important to make good use of the smart police administration to enhance police performance and their relationships with the general public.New Taipei City has a vast territory with a population as many as 3.9 million. Each police officer serves at least 500 people on average, the highest ratio among the five biggest cities in Taiwan. The amount of pressure is conceivable. An NT$1.3 billion budget has been allocated so far based on a SWOT analysis since four years ago to develop a city with a smart police administration, and technology-based security systems. The planned framework involves an expert databases, geographic information systems, M-Police mobile devices, traffic law enforcement and service systems, "110" duty command systems, public security surveillance systems, intelligent image recognition systems, police-civilian joint-security systems, scanning technologies and forensic science, incorporating the real-time information of an incident with existing systems to make the police services more accessible to the public.Su noted that expert databases in the framework can assist technology-enabled surveillance and crackdowns on crimes. In addition, basic geographic information systems can be combined to enable future expansion. M-Police, a handheld mobile device specially designed for police officers, is IP-65 certified with shatterproof, shockproof and waterproof features, enabling connection to the back-end system database while officers conduct spot checks. It also supports face recognition systems enabling searches for missing people and increasing clearance rates. Traffic law enforcement and service systems, as well as "110" command systems play an important role as well. Police stations have installed many surveillance cameras at road intersections. With a climbing rate of the general public requesting access to such surveillance footage, intelligent video surveillance should be incorporated to ease officers' burdens in the future.The implementation of this project covers the traffic division, command center, public security division, criminal investigation division and forensic science center in the police department. Su believed that the key to success of this system lies in the extent of integration. It is unlike the conventional closed systems. Police officers at different units are able to acquire necessary information and provide faster services after the integration of all systems.Integrating demands from police divisions to speed up fundamental servicesFor example, "The Plan of Information Services for Public Security Management and Decision," which is led by the information office, consists of an intelligence integration center, data storage platforms, geographic information systems for criminal data, visualized crime analysis software, intelligence integration and analytic systems for public security, educational trainings for technology-enabled crime prevention and investigation. The data storage platforms can successfully integrate data produced by the police and information provided by the public to further analyze images, or in combination with GIS, to enable correlation analysis, crime prevention and investigation, and predictions, without any breach of personal privacy."The Plan of E-Camera and Surveillance Center" implemented by the public security division helps install and optimize surveillance systems constantly in the vast New Taipei City. Meanwhile, the plan to introduce an ordinance for the management of public security surveillance systems has been made to protect personal privacy. Judging from the statistics for the period between 2008 and 2013, the crime clearance rates showed an upward trend in line with the growth in the number of installations of such surveillance systems."The Plan of Enhancement of Professional Abilities in Crime Investigation and Science," which is supported by the criminal investigation division and forensic science center, seeks to renew the digital forensics laboratories and technology-enabled crime investigation units, as well as improving forensic equipment. Meanwhile, the quality of forensic personnel and the functions of forensic databases are enhanced to tackle the growing problem of cybercrime effectively. It has facilitated the investigation of 90 items of cybercrime evidence this year, accelerating criminal investigation and raising conviction rates.As many transportation units have installed sensors in the public, a traffic information convergence platform, established under "The Plan of Electronic Systems for Traffic Law Enforcement and Services," integrates the transportation department's CCTV system, the Police Broadcasting Service's real-time traffic information system, information from the National Freeway Bureau, New Taipei City Maintenance Office and Institute of Transportation, MOTC. The integrated information is transferred to the traffic division's command center, where assigned personnel are in charge of monitoring the traffic for quick discovery, response and handling. This platform, which is the first-ever installed in Taiwan, aims at enabling smooth traffic flows, according to Su, and it is capable of integrating traffic information like that of car accidents, traffic violations, and others such as construction sites, events, river levels and rainfalls. It also utilizes rankings of congested roads, car speeds, police cars' positions and CCTV to direct traffic effectively to avoid traffic jams."The Plan of Improving '110' Investigation and Surveillance Integrated System" is deployed to link crossroads surveillance systems, enhance the functions of reporting systems, integrate geographic information systems, optimize GPS platforms and finally incorporate the iPolice app. When the "110" reporting system receives a report from the public, relevant information and the location of the caller will be displayed so the operator can dispatch relevant personnel to the location displayed on GIS; real-time crossroads imaging systems and GPS are used to control the situations at the scene and enable police officers' handling of them. The iPolice app, which has updated to the 3.0 version, supports the speed dial function for three public service hotlines: the nationwide "165" anti-fraud hotline, the "110" reporting and positioning hotline and the "113" women and children protection hotline. Specific features such as video reporting and push technology are included as well.It is worth noting that New Taipei City was selected out of 140 cities around the world as one of the cities in IBM's "Smarter Cities Challenge" exchange program in 2013. Su said he asked IBM to identify the key elements constituting smart cities, and received the answer: smart cities must be "instrumented," "interconnected" and "intelligent." New Taipei City was chosen for the IBM exchange because it met all three criteria.Su Ching-Wei, Chief of Information Management Office, New Taipei City Police Department (NTPD)

The Heraeus Photovoltaics Business Unit, a worldwide leading supplier of metallization pastes for solar cells, will launch two new front-side metallization pastes for standard to ultra-lightly doped emitter cells - the SOL9620 Series and SOL9621 Series - at the SNEC (2014) International Photovoltaic Power Generation Conference & Exhibition from May 20th through May 22nd, 2014. Heraeus will be exhibiting in Hall W3 at booth 560.The SOL9620 Series and SOL9621 Series enables cell manufacturers to further improve their c-Si cells' conversion efficiencies to an industry-leading level. By using these new pastes, customers have confirmed efficiency improvements that ranged between 0.05% and 0.20% absolute on lightly doped emitter [90–100 Ω/sq.] wafers, relative to the best commercially available front-side pastes. Even greater gains have been achieved on ultra lightly doped emitter [110 Ω/sq.] wafers, where the paste unfolds its peak performance.The SOL9620 Series and SOL9621 Series of pastes are able to provide excellent contact on lightly doped emitters [LDE]. The SOL9620 Series is outstanding for ultra-lightly doped emitters [ULDE], with surface doping concentrations down to 1xE20/cm3. "The SOL9620 Series also has the ability to be fired at a peak temperature 15 K less than standard firing temperatures. This is ideal for PERC applications. The SOL9621 Series has demonstrated great results for LDE applications. The SOL9621 Series provides customers with a flexible process window, which aids in providing a lower manufacturing cost" explains Dr. Weiming Zhang, Vice President of Technology of the Heraeus Photovoltaics Business Unit. He continues to state, "The reduced contact resistance on LDE und ULDE wafers helps yielding increased voltage and higher cell efficiencies. When optimized in a customer's manufacturing process, both pastes provide excellent performance.""Heraeus has always been a leader in the development of innovative metallization pastes for solar cells. We are launching two products for slightly different LDE applications that provide industry leading cell efficiencies while lowering customers' cost per watt. Having two products allow customers to select the paste that is best for their cell design and manufacturing process", according to Andreas Liebheit, Global Manager of the Heraeus Photovoltaics Business Unit. He continues to state, "The acquisition of the Ferro PV Paste Business in 2013 is enhancing our research and development capabilities and growing our intellectual property portfolio. We have improved our ability to provide our customers with new metallization paste options for a variety of cell design applications."The SOL9620 Series, the SOL9621 Series, our advancements in paste technology and other topics can be discussed at Heraeus Photovoltaics' celebration event at our booth on Tuesday, May 20th from 3:30pm - 5:30pm at this year's SNEC 8th (2014) International Photovoltaic Power Generation Conference & Exhibition, in Shanghai China at Hall: W3 Booth: 560. You can also go to www.pvsilverpaste.com for more information about our products and selected research presentations.

Through Heraeus' acquisition of the Ferro PV Pastes Business in early 2013, Heraeus has developed groundbreaking metallization paste technology to improve the output of crystalline silicon solar cells. The first major product developed from this innovative technology will be featured at the SNEC (2014) International Photovoltaic Power Generation Conference & Exhibition on May 20th through May 22nd, 2014."Heraeus' acquisition of the Ferro PV Pastes Businesses has allowed us to combined the R&D talents and intellectual property portfolios of two leading metallization paste research organizations," according to Andreas Liebheit, Global Manager of the Heraeus Photovoltaics Business Unit. He continues to state, "Our enhanced Heraeus PV research and development group has created unique paste components, providing superior solar cell performance through new formulations unlike any commercially available pastes provided by other manufacturers. These new formulations will become a platform for a family of new products that customers can integrate into their manufacturing process with confidence while improving their cells' efficiency at a lower cost/watt. Our first product breakthrough is a unique paste design for Ultra-LDE wafers."This and other announcements can be discussed during Heraeus Photovoltaics' celebration event at their booth on Tuesday, May 20th from 3:30pm - 5:30pm at this year's SNEC 8th (2014) International Photovoltaic Power Generation Conference & Exhibition, in Shanghai China at Hall: W3 Booth: 560. You can also go to www.pvsilverpaste.com for more information about their products and selected research presentations.About the Heraeus Photovoltaics Business UnitThe Heraeus Photovoltaics Business Unit is an industry leading developer and manufacturer of silver metallization pastes for the photovoltaic industry. For over 40 years, Heraeus has built a reputation of innovation, extensive research and new product development in thick film technologies for some of the most prominent companies within a variety of industries. In the field of photovoltaics, the Heraeus Photovoltaics Business Unit applies this history and its innovative technology to offer metallization pastes for solar cell applications. The Heraeus SOL Series of silver pastes is specially formulated to provide higher efficiencies and wider processing windows, resulting in better yields and higher output for cell manufacturers.The Hanau-based precious metal and technology group Heraeus is a globally active family-run enterprise with a history of more than 160 years. We provide high-end solutions to our customers to lastingly strengthen their competitive position. Our areas of competence include precious metals, materials and technologies, sensors, biomaterials and medical devices, quartz glass and specialty light sources. In the financial year 2013, Heraeus achieved revenues from the sales of products of EUR3.6 billion, while the revenues from precious metal trading were EUR13.5 billion. With about 12,500 employees in more than 110 companies world-wide, Heraeus is in a leading position on its global sales markets.

In the past several years, various cities and counties in Taiwan have actively participated in the ICF's Intelligent Community Awards and have continually done well, showing that Taiwan's efforts and accomplishments in building smart cities have won recognition from global experts. The "Taoyuan Core Aerotropolis Project" that the government is currently working on will further demonstrate to the world Taiwan's ICT capabilities as well as its industrial and economic prowess.In a competitive global environment that emphasizes speed, efficiency, and low-cost, Taoyuan's Aerotropolis will not only act as a hub for connecting Taiwan with the rest of the world, but will also be a driving force for Taiwan's smart city industry.Taking Advantage of its Strengths in the ICT Industry, Taiwan Engages in the Development of Smart Cities to Create Industrial Restructuring OpportunitiesMen-Feng Wu, Administrative Deputy Minister, MOTC, points out that ever since IBM proposed the "Smarter Planet" concept, infrastructures and industrial applications related to smart cities have virtually become a must-have component for national construction projects as well as economic and industrial development policies.Guided by the Golden Decade National Vision, the Taoyuan Core Aerotropolis Project is the flagship project of the government's Maritime and Aviation Hub initiative, which will drive Taiwan's economic restructuring and boost economic development. The Taoyuan Aerotropolis is not only Taiwan's largest regional smart city construction project, but also a key driver and indicator of the evolution and restructuring of Taiwan's ICT industry.The management and judging for the global Intelligent Community Awards is currently carried out by the ICF (Intelligent Community Forum). The ICF, established in 1985, became an independent organization in 2004. The ICF was founded by the nonprofit organization WTA (World Teleport Association), and includes members from over 40 countries and regions, including Canada, the United States, France, England, Russia, and Japan.Men-Feng Wu points out that in this global wave of smart city development, many of Taiwan's counties and cities have actively participated in ICF's Intelligent Community Awards, and they continue to do well, proving that Taiwan not only has developmental advantages in the field of ICT, but under cooperative efforts between government and industry, Taiwan's achievements in terms of smart city development have also won recognition from global experts.The Government Actively Pushes Forward the Taoyuan Smart Aerotropolis ProjectWu states that in order to achieve the construction and services goals of smart cities, we need help from next-generation IT technologies. For example, by taking advantage of the Internet, IoT, cloud computing, the integration between mobile devices and smart terminal equipment, as well as 4G mobile broadband, we can build complete smart living environments through the establishment of highly intelligent applications. Wu stresses that the various ICT software/hardware equipment requirements of smart cities, as well as the range of diverse innovative services created when architectural integration is carried out, have a chance to bring explosive growth to Taiwan's economy and tech industry.Taiwan Once Caught on to the Wave of the Global PC Boom and Will Again Climb to the Top of the Global Industry amid the Smart City BoomIn the 1980s, Taiwan successfully caught on to the wave of the global PC boom, allowing it to lay a solid foundation in the technology industry, which not only created impressive economic growth for Taiwan, but also built Taiwan into a globally renowned "Computer Kingdom" and "Tech Island."Wu also states that for Taiwan, smart cities are not only the key to the restructuring of the PC and technology industries, but also an opportunity for its manufacturing and services sectors to provide value-added services using the IoT and cloud computing. In order to take advantage of this opportunity, the government will have to work closely with the private sector, and companies will have to engage in tight communication as well as interaction with consumers. Development of the smart city industry will be the best opportunity for Taiwan to develop and transform itself since the PC boom.Combining Resources from Industry, Government, Academia, as well as Research Institutions to Explore the Needs of Users in terms of Smart ServicesTaiwan's industries must maintain a grasp on the development of the global smart city boom and strive to keep up with its pace. Furthermore, Taiwan's industries, government, as well as academia should look into what the true needs of users are, allowing smart cities to include even more value-added user-friendly applications instead of just being "smart," thereby marching one step further to creating intelligent cities.From a practical perspective, smart cities will bring economic productivity, more room for industrial development and innovation, as well as even more opportunities for employment and entrepreneurship. From a cultural perspective, smart cities are an attitude toward life as well as an evolution of the mindsets of the general public, representing a quantum leap forward in terms of urban culture, cultural exchange, and the environment around us.Wu further states that if all of Taiwan's industries could break through the simple production and contract manufacturing models of the past and evolve into total solutions and services providers, a new era would be created for Taiwan's smart city industry, allowing consumers as well as the general public to enjoy the convenience, comfort, and safety brought about by smart services in the communications, transportation, shipping, law enforcement, tourism, consumer, education, and healthcare sectors.Men-Feng Wu, Administrative Deputy Minister, MOTC

MSI, the leading motherboard brand, announced that its Z97 XPOWER AC motherboard is the winner of a COMPUTEX d&i award 2014. Winning entries will be showcased at the COMPUTEX d&i awards pavilion during COMPUTEX TAIPEI 2014 and at world-renowned exhibitions such as IFA 2014, GITEX 2014, CES 2015, MWC 2015 and CeBIT 2015."It's an absolute honor to win this award! For MSI, this award is undoubtedly a testament to its innovative spirit and product design capabilities. With lots of customer-driven innovations in the works, MSI will keep extending its capabilities to provide groundbreaking solutions." says Ted Hung, MSI Vice President of Motherboard Sales Division. As uplifting as the award-winning news is MSI's launching of Intel Z97 and H97 motherboards.According to MSI, its Intel 9-series motherboards come in GAMING, OC and Classic editions with no less than 26 models across Mini-ITX, microATX and ATX form factors, catering to virtually every user including gamers, overclockers, high-end enthusiasts, mainstream consumers, etc.Specifically tailored for extreme overclockers around the globe, the Z97 XPOWER AC motherboard features sophisticated design, high reliability and rich functionality. Integrating the Intel Z97 chipset, Intel 5th/4th gen Core processor and intelligent OC tools, the Z97 XPOWER AC supports multiple graphics cards and gives overclockers all tools to conquer extreme overclocking records. To ensure high reliability, it also comes with robust Military Class components, DigitALL PWM controller, XPOWER Thermal Design and enhanced OC PCB design. Sophisticatedly designed with rich functionality, the Z97 XPOWER AC is well equipped with smart buttons and switches, versatile I/O ports, Audio Boost technology and exclusive overclocking technologies, making it an ideal choice for both overclockers and power users.COMPUTEX d&i awards honor excellent designs and innovations and have been an essential part of COMPUTEX TAIPEI, the largest computer exhibition in Asia and the second largest in the world. Since 2008, these awards have won industry acclaim for ushering in a new wave of design concepts. This year, TAITRA (Taiwan External Trade Development Council) once again partners with iF (International Forum Design), the most influential institution for industrial design, to organize the 7th COMPUTEX d&i awards. An international jury of professionals has discussed and evaluated all submitted entries in a dedicated, critical and constructive manner, to make sure all award winners are best-of-the-best innovations worthy of the name. The proud recipient of this award in Components + Parts category, MSI Z97 XPOWER AC packs the latest overclocking technologies and gives overclockers an edge to push new frontiers in overclocking.MSI Z97 XPOWER

MSI, world leader in motherboard technology, is pleased to announce its new line of Intel Z97 and H97 based motherboards are now available. With a choice of no less than 26 new models including Mini-ITX, microATX and ATX models, MSI motherboards are the best choice of millions of gamers, overclockers, pc enthusiasts and businesses world-wide and this number grows every day. Signifying its capabilities and design, the MSI Z97 XPOWER AC is the culmination of overclocking know-how and technology and the flagship of MSI's OC motherboards. It is also the proud winner of COMPUTEX d&i awards 2014.MSI's Z97 GAMING lineup features completely new models with the breath-taking Z97 GAMING 9 AC at the gamers' choice, featuring the best on-board gaming audio ever with Xtreme Audio DAC and Audio Boost 2. Fans of MSI's classic black and blue colors can look forward to new models like Z97S SLI PLUS that combines good looks with plenty of features at a competitive price point. People looking to upgrade now can rest assured that future 4th and 5th gen Intel socket 1150 based processors will be supported on MSI Z97 and H97 motherboards.Dominate, conquer, destroyWith 10 new models available in Mini-ITX, microATX and ATX size, the new Z97 GAMING motherboards from MSI are decorated with luscious new heat-sinks that highlight an arsenal of new features found on the boards. With the focus on Speed, Sound and Stability MSI GAMING provides every essential component of a true gaming system and then some! For the best sound MSI delivers Xtreme Audio DAC and Audio Boost 2 powered by Creative Sound Blaster Cinema 2 and USB Audio Power. For speed each GAMING motherboard features on-board M.2, SATA Express and Killer LAN. Guard-Pro and Military Class 4 provide all the stability you need through carefully selected and thoroughly tested components and materials. MSI's new Z97 GAMING motherboards for Intel 4th Generation core processors is a true display of gaming power.Break world recordsWith a look and feel that stand out in the market, the striking design of the new Z97 MPOWER, Z97 MPOWER MAX AC and Z97 XPOWER AC is highlighted by robust heat sinks, of which the VRM heat sinks on the Z97 MPOWER MAX AC and Z97 XPOWER AC are prepared for water cooling. But design comes second as each model has an amazing set of features, catering to power users who just want to get the most speed out of their 24/7 system or professional extreme overclockers as both can find features that help them to get the best performance out of their system.Stable and highly efficient, packed with featuresWith 16 new models available in Mini-ITX, microATX and ATX size, the new MSI Z97 Classic motherboards present an arsenal of new features and improvements as well as technical ingenuity. Offering reliable and fast Gigabit LAN from Intel and official Nvidia SLI support for enthusiasts looking to pair up multiple graphics cards. On-board M.2 and SATA Express provides the fastest storage performance through unprecedented transfer speeds up to 10 Gb/s with flexible solutions for using preferred devices. Guard-Pro and Military Class 4 provide all the stability you need through carefully selected and thoroughly tested components and materials.MSI Z97 GAMING motherboard

ITS (Intelligent Transport Systems) have become an important component of smart cities in recent years. Huel-Sheng Tsay, Commissioner, Department of Rapid Transit Systems, Taipei City Government, noted that ITS productively integrate and utilize advanced information technologies, information/communication transfer, electronic sensors, artificial intelligence and computer processing in transportation and management systems, enhancing the efficiency of system resource usage and system security, and reducing consumption and environmental pollution.Characteristics of 3 major ITS fieldsITS can be further defined into APTS (Advanced Public Transportation Systems), ATIS (Advanced Traveler Information Systems), and ATMS (Advanced Transportation Management Systems). Tsay said that development in these three fields has thrived and exceeded original estimates, becoming a defining component of smart cities.In the development of urbanization and informatization, six characteristics consisting of smart economy, smart people, smart governance, smart mobility, smart environment and smart living need to be addressed as traditional cities migrate to smart cities, said Tsay. The sustainability, innovation and safety of transportation systems bring significant convenience to citizens in terms of smart mobility.Nevertheless, a single plan cannot be applied for every smart city. Tsay suggested that each smart city needs to optimize its expertise and identify features upon which to target enhancement. For instance, Yokohama in Japan has employed colors to represent traffic congestion on electronic maps, and even supports road images on GPS. This function could not be achieved five years ago, but it operates well today.In addition, the timetable of the Tokyo Monorail, which also supports multiple languages in a timely way, can be accessed at the Tokyo Haneda Airport. Highway conditions are also provided to help drivers to judge road conditions.Tsay believes that as an ITS reaches the end of its development, it is crucial that that system makes the public feel that information has been provided in a convenient way. For example, time to reach a destination can be provided at rest stops. Available and accurate information, which relies on comprehensive fundamental infrastructure in which backend systems provide necessary and accurate information, must be available. Thus if there is a car accident, systems are capable of showing the distance it will take to run into a traffic jam.Take safe driving support for example, ACC (Adaptive Cruise Control) can be adopted to prevent cars from crashing head-on, but an alarm system which sets off in advance while sensing obstacles ahead should be included in transportation infrastructure so as to cooperate with crash prevention auxiliary braking systems, avoiding collisions one intersection ahead.The construction of fundamental infrastructure for displaying information in real-time, ranging from available seats on trains, rental bikes available, road conditions, etc., is never easy. In the example of digital signage on roads, in addition to displaying accurate information, the ability to endure harsh weather conditions should also be taken into consideration.Tsay gave an example of ITS in Taipei. The fundamental infrastructure involves roadside devices and ICT, and can be divided into a service-side and management-side. On the management-side, open data is adopted by systems that assist civilians; this includes apps, websites, voice services and roadside devices, such as the Taipei Good to Go and Taipei Good to Park apps, as well as numerous apps developed by the public.City public transportation systems are intimately connected.As for the development of public transportation infrastructure in the Taipei Metropolitan area, the Taipei Metro and shuttle buses form a road network with each performing its duty. The Taipei Metro acts as the bones of transportation, targeting large volumes and punctuality. Aside from coordinating with different shuttle buses, the first and last mile rely on walking, public bikes, community buses and taxis to form a complete and convenient public service.There is still plenty of room for improvement to make a better ITS, as noted by Tsay. For instance, computer signage systems have evolved from being controlled by mainframe computers to PCs. However, if systems show that parking space is still available but drivers cannot find a space, or if a bus does not arrive by its estimated time, consumers are not pleased. The design of ITS needs to be more subtle, and include not only a framework but also accurate information.In the future, more automated ATIS, including the installation of devices on all buses, increasing the amount of traffic control devices such as car detection devices, CCTV monitors and software, as well as real-time parking space monitoring services, will be offered in Taipei. Given that communication technologies will mature, mobile devices will become more prevalent. In the future, more convenient services will be offered to the public through the Taipei real-time ATIS and Taipei Good to Go app.In Tsay's opinion, Taipei still has a lot of opportunities for further enhancement compared to Japan. In February 2009, Taipei started accepting requests from organizations to interlink with its real-time ATIS database in order to provide diverse services. Currently, there are 105 interlinking organizations, 74 services and products, and peak monthly inquiries have exceeded 75.22 million.Concerning the application of ATMS, traffic control systems transfer related information to the traffic control center through roadside devices including cameras, car detection devices, changeable information boards and intersection signage boards, in order to implement traffic monitoring, sign management, as well as collect and analyze traffic information. The goal is to lower the impact of traffic accidents, enhance road transport efficiency, and further increase the quality of ATMS.As for the construction of the Taipei Metro, Tsay forecast that daily volume could peak at two million after the Songshan line enters service, delivering a great improvement on traffic and air pollution in Taipei. As a matter of fact, the management of the Taipei Metro has become an Asia paragon. As Tsay indicated, Taipei used to learn from Hong Kong and Singapore, but now the situation has reversed. The Taipei Metro's performance, especially in train intervals, has impressed Singapore a lot.Tsay emphasized that the development of ITS has had a dramatic change on convenience, safety and accessibility in people's daily life, as well as enabling more user-friendly infrastructure/devices, generating a lot of added value and increasing quality of life. For the future, development will look to ways of providing information regarding specific accidents in a timely way to reduce injuries and deaths.Huel-Sheng Tsay, Commissioner, Department of Rapid Transit Systems, Taipei City Government

The roadmap to smart cities illustrates that intelligent networking infrastructures connected through the Internet of Things (IoT) can lead to the convergence of next-generation information and communications technologies (ICT), changing ways of life and the environment while creating convenience for residents. The implementation of smart city initiatives not only requires collaboration among the government, the ICT industry and individuals, but also relies on practical needs that people have to uncover smart city opportunities.In the future, services arising from smart city development will bring revolutionary changes to the environment, modes of working and social systems. Innovative services that use intelligent, automated technologies will be applied to all facets of urban life - transportation, public safety and emergency management, tourism and retail, smart buildings, production monitoring and healthcare - thereby enabling convenient and secure lives for residents. At the Digitimes Smart City Forum, business, government and academic representatives came together to exchange ideas and to provide their in-depth analyses of the latest developments and trends of smart city development.Digitimes Smart City Forum: A platform for business, government and academic representatives to share insights into smart city developmentThe Digitimes Smart City Forum was co-organized by the Taiwan Intelligent Aerotropolis Association, the Smart Network System Institute under the Institute for Information Industry, and DIGITIMES. The event's corporate partners were Chunghwa Telecom, Tatung, Advantech, NXP Semiconductors, ADLINK Technology, Axiomtek, Cisco Systems (Taiwan), Fortune Information Systems, HwaCom Systems, Merit LILIN Enterprise, Macronix International, NTT Taiwan, VIVOTEK, Taiwan Mobile and the GSMA (Global System for Mobile Communications Association) . The event featured sessions from these leading global and local corporations discussing key technologies involved with smart city initiatives, the applications of such technologies, and how they could help smart cities move from vision to implementation.A key feature of a smart city is to leverage the latest ICT to connect electric grids, water supply, public transport, oil and gas, energy distribution and buildings through the IoT powered by a variety of embedded sensing components and intelligent devices. A connected infrastructure is then incorporated with intelligence service solutions, via various application platforms or the sharing and reuse of information, to develop and implement intelligent urban life models through a wide range of convenient and technology-enabled services.Collaboration between industries and government integral to smart city development with diverse industries InvolvedAccording to the roadmap, industries involved in smart city development span the fields of telecommunications, finance, transportation, public safety and emergency services, tourism and retail, smart buildings, production monitoring and healthcare, and others. A diverse range of technologies is utilized, including IoT, embedded computing, intelligent devices, wearable electronics, monitoring equipment and back-end networking equipment, at high levels of complexity.Moreover, the alignment of government policy support, inputs of industrial resources and service opportunities is crucial for intelligent, automated technology-enabled service models to deliver the kinds of smart services that really benefit people and create the experience of enhanced convenience and security.Taiwan's municipalities earn top spots in global smart city rankingsSmart city development is becoming a crucial element of national infrastructure projects and economic and industry development worldwide. Over the past few years, municipalities in Taiwan have earned top spots on the Intelligent Community Forum (ICF) Smart21 list in recognition of its outstanding performance in smart city initiatives by an international panel of experts.In Taiwan, Taipei City, New Taipei City, Taoyuan County, Hsinchu City and Taichung City have made ICF's smart-city short list, highlighting these municipalities as benchmarks of achievements in smart city initiatives. Moreover, smart city development in association with the Taoyuan Aerotropolis project will commence soon, and 4G LTE services are expected to be launched in the third quarter of 2014 following auctions of 4G licenses in 2013. As these developments further enhance Taiwan's telecommunications networks, the evolvement of networking infrastructure and mobile data communications technologies play a critical role in determining whether smart services can be successfully applied to different areas of life. Meanwhile, the development of a wide range of facilities and infrastructures under way is laying the groundwork for future success in Taiwan's smart city initiatives.Smart city development offers opportunities for Taiwan's ICT industry to drive structural transformationAt the DIGITMES Smart City Forum, the Ministry of Transportation and Communications provided an in-depth analysis into the government's role in smart city development. DIGITMES also discussed examples of smart city leaders in North Europe, noting that Taiwan is well-positioned to become a laboratory for smart city development given its competitive edge of a concentration of IoT-related sectors and technology expertise.The event gathered telecom carriers, manufacturers of surveillance equipment and networking equipment, system integrators, sensing component designers and embedded system providers to discuss the latest development of and technological advancement in key industries involved with smart city initiatives. The companies also gave their views on the technological issues and the changing global dynamics of such initiatives.An overview of global smart city initiatives shows that the government's leadership role in shaping and implementing policies, and collaboration among residents, business leaders and city officials are critical factors for enabling smart city development and broadening the scope of smart applications. Against a backdrop of maturing smart services and applications, people are becoming more aware of the benefits provided by smart cities to make life more convenient. Increasing public awareness, coupled with government-led efforts to advance innovative applications and promote cooperation across industries, is accelerating the pace of smart city development in Taiwan. If successful, this may also help Taiwan's ICT industry make progress towards structural transformation.The Digitimes Smart City Forum is packed with participants. The forum, which took place April 16-17, 2014, was co-organized by the Taiwan Intelligent Aerotropolis Association, the Smart Network System Institute under the Institute for Information Industry, and Digitimes.

Northern Europe can be seen as a pioneering region and offers the most successful example of the development of global smart cities. Local governments actively engage in construction projects including informatization, implementing mature unmanned stations, managing offshore construction and developing fjord tunnels. Taiwan, as the key hub for global ICT (information and communications technology) R&D and manufacturing, can elevate itself to become a shining example of an Asia smart city leader by using the experience of northern Europe's smart cities as an example to follow.Colley Hwang, president of Digitimes, noted that while Taiwan's media has mostly been focusing its coverage on the recent student protests, Hwang traveled to northern Europe to uncover insights into the region's success with the aim of sharing his observations with players from Taiwan industry. While industry leaders, government officials and university professors are proactively laying out strategies for the development of smart cities, the development of Taiwan's smart cities will also have northern Europe's successful experience as a reference.Talking about his experience regarding northern Europe, Hwang revealed that when he was working at the Institute for Information Industry (III) in Taiwan in 1985, one of his responsibilities was to look up export declaration data of Taiwan companies from customs every month, where he found that countries in northern Europe accounted for a significantly high portion of overseas shipments from major Taiwan PC vendors.Governments in northern Europe promote education, building a foundation for the development of smart citiesFrom Hwang's observations of the development of global informatization, he noted that northern European governments started devoting resources to IT education in the late 1980s. Although the tax burden in northern Europe is considerably higher than that in Taiwan with almost a 50% income tax imposed on citizens, the government has deployed all kinds of tax credits and incentives to promote IT education among citizens, boosting their motivation to enhance the quality and transition to an information-based economy.For instance, people in northern Europe could get tax credits for purchasing home computers, which helped cultivate a PC culture. Moreover, the implementation of numerous policies for improving informatization enabled a transition to an information economy early on, and helped drive investment in complementary Internet networks, which quickly developed to rank among the best in the world. Through the constant long-term development of informatization through 30 years of education, these governments paved a way for integrating various IT services and ICT applications, which are the core of smart cities, into the lives of their citizens.From unmanned stations to electronic payments, northern Europe incorporates smart services into lifeHwang offered his personal observations from his trip to northern Europe. He saw unmanned transport stations and industrial applications provide deliberate and comprehensive services that demonstrate informatization and make life easier. For example, a trip from Giethoorn to the Keukenhof Tulip Gardens in Netherlands requires taking a train and then transferring to a bus. All the travel tickets and checked luggage were purchased on websites and completed at unmanned counters. The connection between trains and buses during the trip were fully enabled by IT, enabling tourists to correctly complete transfers using different types of transportation, while free and high quality Wi-Fi was provided on trains.Hwang indicated that another amazing experience of smart cities is taking buses in northern Europe. From his experience, the most troublesome question concerning taking buses was that people could not accurately estimate the arrival time at stops, resulting in wasteful and meaningless time spent waiting for buses. From his experience changing buses during his trip, he learned that buses in north European countries kept to a set schedule to an extent that passengers could accurately estimate the arrival time of different buses and better utilize their own time.Northern Europe uses service incentives to attract the public to enjoy using services offered by smart citiesHwang noted that purchasing train tickets at a ticket window in a station in northern Europe is not the smart way to travel. Buying a train ticket on the Internet is rather convenient in northern Europe. Although ordering online and collecting tickets at the station is a very simple service and concept, the biggest issue for making this type of service successful is learning how to engage the public to use the smart service.Northern European countries try to optimize incentives for using smart services as much as possible in order to accelerate the process of integrating convenient services of smart cities into life. For instance, passengers purchasing train tickets at a ticket window in a station are required to pay a 0.5 Euro service charge. On the other hand, if you purchase the ticket online, there is no service charge. As a result, there is a financial incentive to use the most practical and efficient way of purchasing tickets, which in turn cultivates a habit of purchasing online and further optimizes the development and integration of smart services.Northern Europe utilize policies and tax incentives to speed up the penetration of smart and energy-saving applicationsAnother of Hwang's discoveries came from observing Norway. He noted that Norway has abundant oil in the North Sea, but electric cars represent a 12% share of the market, making it the country with the highest ratio of electric cars. Even an oil-producing country like Norway is dedicated to the development of electric car industry for environmental, smart and energy-saving reasons, providing an example of the nation's attitude toward life. In Norway numerous taxis utilize electric cars produced by Tesla Motors, a major American electric car vendor. Tesla electric cars are priced at around US$110,000. Expensive electric cars like Tesla can't be used as commercial cars without the government's support of tax credits and policies.Hwang discovered that the high market share of Tesla electric cars can be attributed to not only commercial cars like taxis, but also to the public. People who buy electric cars benefit from electric car charging stations being available everywhere, tax credits, toll discounts, and even preferred parking spaces. Local governments attract people to convert from traditional fuel vehicles to pollution-free and environmental electric vehicles by granting them the convenience of freely using disable parking spaces. Combining policies with a convenient social infrastructure to stimulate a high-penetration rate of electric cars is an example that should be noted by the Taiwan government.Taiwan has an opportunity to become a model in Asia with its ICT advantagesHwang also shared his deep feelings from his observations of Denmark. Upon alighting from his flight in Denmark, he saw a gigantic wall advertisement saying "Welcome to the world's happiest nation." He then discovered that this public service advertisement was a big billboard sponsored by the private sector company Carlsberg, which has been a long-time supporter of the Danish royal family's Frederiksborg. Hwang noted that Norway and Denmark are not extravagant at all despite their wealth. The private sectors in these nations are willing to make contributions to society and governments invest money in long-term projects targeting smart cities and green energies.Taiwan's interaction with northern Europe extends beyond simply purchasing salmon, lumbar and traveling. The total invested amount of Norway's Sovereign Wealth Fund in Taiwan has exceeded US$8 billion as of the end of the first quarter 2014. This seemingly enormous amount accounts for only 1.4% of Norway's Sovereign Wealth Fund. There is still plenty of room for growth in cooperation between Taiwan and Norway.In the early stages, technology industries such as Acer and Copam gained profits from northern Europe. Assembled computers were shipped to northern European countries in large amounts. Nowadays most IPC firms customize host boards adopted by northern European countries are developed and manufactured in Taiwan. In terms of developing smart cities, Taiwan possesses superior ICT hardware technologies to help develop smart cities. If Taiwan can borrow from northern Europe's successful experiences in developing smart cities and even establish technical cooperation with northern European countries, it will stand a better chance of turning itself into a paragon of building smart cities in the East Asia region.Colley Hwang, President of DIGITIMES