Vegetarianism has become a dietary choice for some Taiwanese people, due to religious beliefs or health concerns. While Taiwan's plant-based food industry is more robust compared to other countries, with a wide variety of different products available on the market, "taste" remains to be the biggest challenge for people to try plant-based products. In 2020, two young Taiwanese entrepreneurs, Jen-Yu Huang and Michelle Lee, co-founded Lypid in Silicon Valley in the U.S. to fix this problem through their professional knowledge and skills. They developed PhytoFat, a plant-based fat that can be tuned to precise melting points, allowing plant-based meat to have almost the same mouthfeel and flavor as animal meat. Lypid has already been collaborating with Taiwanese food and beverage companies in introducing plant-based meat products using PhytoFat, which have been highly praised by consumers.Jen-Yu Huang pointed out that environmental impact, animal welfare, and health issues are the three main drivers that motivated the food industry to focus on plant-based meat in recent years. Compared to the traditional livestock industry, the production of plant-based meat requires less land, water, while generating fewer greenhouse gas emissions making it much more environmentally friendly. Since plant-based meat also omits the process of raising and slaughtering livestock, it offers an alternative choice for consumers who have specific religious beliefs, care about their own well-being, or are concerned about animal welfare.While plant-based meat provides more options for these consumers, most existing products on the market are still very different from animal meat when it comes to texture and aroma. Although most consumers who opt for a vegetarian diet already have these differences in mind, it would definitely help expand the market if improvements could be made. Jen-Yu Huang points out that the current global meat market has an approximate value of 1 trillion US dollars annually, while the vegetarian market is around 20 billion, accounting for only 2%, according to market research done by research institutions. He believes that if the sensory experiences plant-based meat can be improved, the plant-based meat market could grow to 10%, representing a five-fold growth potential and astonishing commercial prospects.Jen-Yu Huang further analyzed the technical challenges faced in creating plant-based meat. He explains that the making of plant-based meat involves the extraction of vegetable proteins, followed by adding vegetable oils, seasoning, and other ingredients, before the final processing and combination into a product similar to meat. Commonly used plant proteins include various types of legumes and root vegetables. These vegetable proteins can achieve very similar textures and mouthfeels to animal meat through processing. From the above mentioned process, it's plain to see that the current approach primarily involves combining plant oils and proteins. However, all plant oils are in liquid form and will melt out of the meat matrix when cooking, resulting in a dry texture of plant-based meat. Lypid's PhytoFat can solve this issue.Lypid's co-founders Jen-Yu Huang and Michelle Lee both graduated from Cornell University. Michelle's academic focus had been food sciences from undergraduate through PhD, and both of them had gained a lot of attention within the industry for their research projects during their undergraduate years. After attaining their PhD degrees, they founded Lypid and created PhytoFat. PhytoFat is made from 97% vegan oils and water, with lower calories and saturated fat ratio than animal fats. Making it much healthier and more sustainable compared to the coconut oil and palm oil that are commonly found in the plant protein market. Furthermore, Lypid uses its proprietary microencapsulation technology to encase PhytoFat. This prevents the vegan oils from degrading in high temperatures. Instead, the fats are slowly released while being cooked to create juicy, succulent plant-based meat dishes. This technology, unprecedented in the market, has put Lypid under the spotlight within the start-up circle. Jen-Yu Huang and Michelle Lee received industry financing while still in the research phase at university, and raised 4 million US dollars in seed funding in 2022. Plant-based meats made using PhytoFat then won 3 major awards at the 2023 World Food Innovation Awards held in London, U.K., successfully launching Lypid into the market with ample funding and the industrial and academic sectors' endorsement.Jen-Yu Huang states that Lypid's initial market strategies will focus on North America and Asia. In 2022, he returned to Taiwan to set up a Taiwan office responsible for research and development, as well as mass production. The US headquarters focuses on marketing and international partnerships. Lypid has already launched plant-based meat made with PhytoFat in the Taiwan market. Louisa, a leading coffee chain store in Taiwan, has used it as an ingredient in items such as sandwiches and rice burgers, which have become best sellers in their burger product category. Aside from restaurant chains, other food and beverage businesses have also been utilizing the "plant-based pork belly" developed by Lypid, creating diverse dishes, such as braised pork belly rice and meatballs. The plant-based pork belly combines PhytoFat and special plant protein, creating textures and aromas that have been proven popular in the market.The reason why Lypid's products have had such smooth sailing since their launch is not simply due to their particular technologies. Jen-Yu Huang believes that the government's start-up policies have also been key. He pointed out that the start-up environment in Taiwan has gradually matured with the government's support. Investors are now significantly more willing to invest in early-stage start-ups, and TTA has become a key startup hub in the international startup community, becoming more and more attractive to overseas companies and investors. This will aid in connecting Taiwan start-up teams with the world. In the future, Lypid will leverage these advantages to actively collaborate with local and international businesses to explore more possibilities for plant-based meat.Lypid launches Lypid Pork Belly at craft beer bar 23 PublicPhoto: Company
In recent years, with the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and Russo-Ukrainian War, the economic growth has been severely disrupted, and the global political and economic situation has become increasingly uncertain. Taiwan, in particular, faces high geopolitical risks.To respond to the wave of the uncertain economic situation and digitalization in the financial sector, CTBC Bank ("CTBC") built its private cloud based on the VMware Cloud Foundation (VCF) multi-cloud platform years ago as the first step. Then in early June, CTBC successfully validated the implementation of VMware Cloud Disaster Recovery (VCDR) architecture as the first financial institution in Taiwan to do so during the bank's information system disaster recovery drill. During the validation, the system switchover time was estimated to be reduced by 80%.With the continuous relaxation of supervision regulations, CTBC will gradually integrate VCDR into its Business Continuity Planning to enhance the resilience and flexibility of its information services. With VCDR, CTBC aims to ensure the uninterrupted provision of stable and secure financial services to consumers throughout the year, making it one of its key strategic advantages for sustainability.The VCDR architecture, as validated by CTBC, demonstrates greater advantages such as flexibility, agility, and rapid response. By utilizing the disaster recovery storage space in the public cloud, such as VMware Cloud on AWS (VMC on AWS), CTBC meets the disaster recovery needs of different types of information systems with the data lifecycle, snapshot retention times, resource utilization, and disaster recovery procedures defined by service level agreements (SLAs).As it extends its own data center to the public cloud, CTBC can migrate applications without changing their IP addresses through the HCX Network Extension mechanism. VCDR can flexibly scale up or down according to business needs. In the event of unexpected emergencies or annual disaster recovery drills, CTBC can activate the cloud disaster recovery environment according to the automated VCDR Disaster Recovery Plan (DRP).Titan Chia, Chief Technology Officer of CTBC Holding, states: "Promoting cloud adoption in the financial sector to accelerate digital transformation is an important strategy for CTBC to build a digital bank and establish a new information collaboration ecosystem. By following regulations and ensuring information security, we conducted technology validation based on multi-business scenarios, aiming to drive digital transformation in technology, process, and talent. This helps accumulate the necessary technological capabilities for the next wave of digital transformation. With financial services optimized by cloud technology, we will become the first-mover to provide innovative and stable financial services to our customers."Josie Tu, Division Head of the Information Service Division at CTBC, states: "CTBC continuously promotes the modernization of financial services by integrating cutting-edge technology with financial services to meet emerging digital service demands. From adopting the software-defined data center to building enterprise private clouds and accelerating application modernization, we continuously optimize system resource efficiency, agility, flexibility, security, and stability by leveraging innovative technologies to maximize IT value. The validation of the successful implementation of VCDR architecture not only marks an important milestone in our hybrid cloud journey but also fulfills CTBC's commitment to pursuing innovation breakthroughs and makes information services a key capability for enhancing business resilience."Barry Chen, VMware's global vice president and president of Greater China, states: "Businesses need to maintain a sense of security and be prepared to respond to uncertainties in order to maintain business resilience in such an environment. CTBC's validation of the successful implementation of VCDR architecture not only makes us the first financial institution in Taiwan to do so but also sets a good example for the modernization of Taiwan's financial industry to both meet digital financial demands and maintain sustainability."Validation of the successful implementation of VCDR is an important milestone in CTBC's ongoing efforts to enhance digital financial business resilience. VCDR showcases the following four benefits:1. Increased flexibility in selecting disaster recovery center locations, reducing the complexity of system operationsSince VCDR operates in a multi-cloud and hybrid cloud environment, CTBC can choose disaster recovery data center locations from local sites in Taiwan to global public cloud data centers based on their needs. In the event of a large-scale unexpected disaster in Taiwan, the disaster recovery data center located outside Taiwan can continue to operate without being affected. Additionally, traditional disaster recovery operations involve complex hardware integration, maintenance of infrastructure, and communication with important vendors, which requires manpower investment. With the implementation of VCDR, CTBC can delegate the complex operational tasks to cloud vendors, while focusing on service quality control. This makes the cloud disaster recovery process more flexible, agile, and responsive.2. Reduced overall cost of building cloud disaster recovery architectureVMware's VCDR solution utilizes public cloud as the storage environment for disaster recovery data. It can flexibly and adaptively meet CTBC's business needs with a "pay-as-you-go" model. For example, when backup is not enabled, CTBC only needs to pay for storage space and minimal computing resources, thereby reducing the costs associated with building a disaster recovery data center, such as facility rental, hardware and software procurement costs, and saving operation manpower.3. Significantly improved Recovery Time Objective (RTO)During the validation in early June, CTBC assessed that system switchover time during disaster recovery could be reduced by 80%, achieving the bank's objective of recovery in minutes. The public cloud resources in VCDR are standardized and adopt the same software-defined architecture as the on-premises enterprise private cloud. All processes can be completed and validated synchronously through automation, significantly reducing the business interruption caused by disaster recovery system switchover.4. Enhanced granularity in system recovery, covering more disaster recovery scenarios to improve efficiencyUnlike traditional disaster recovery methods that require switching the entire data center or system, VCDR solution allows for recovery at a more granular level, such as individual hosts, data directories, or data files. This reduces the time required for CTBC's system and data recovery. In the event of a sudden situation causing damage to a portion of the primary data center system or data, the required systems or data can be restored in the shortest possible time, maximizing the benefits of system disaster recovery construction.With the strategy of "Customer-centric Digital Transformation", CTBC uses VMware VCF, VCDR and other multi-cloud platforms to create a flexible and efficient environment that can be seamlessly migrated. Such environment is built to meet the needs of modern digital finance, and to continue to enhance the sustainability of financial business and the resilience of digital finance.
iCatch Technology, a leading AI image processing IC design company, announces its strategic collaboration with FS Solution, a Korean AI software development company focusing on AI video analytics solutions. FS Solution specializes in optimizing its AI algorithm to make it feasible on resource-constrained embedded systems. In a joint effort, iCatch Technology and FS Solution have incorporated advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) and driver monitoring systems (DMS) solutions into iCatch Technology's latest CR3 Automotive AI imaging SoC to improve the safety and efficiency in the fleet management sector.Advanced Driver Assistance SystemsPhoto: FS Solution The CR3 AI Imaging SoC can support multiple camera inputs with a total throughput of 4Kp30 and the integrated video digital signal processor (VDSP) and neural processing unit (NPU) can be used to accelerate advanced AI algorithm processing. Moreover, CR3 is available from industrial grade to AEC-Q100 automotive grade to meet the requirements from various customers in the automotive industry. With the previous successful partnership on the development of ADAS and DMS on iCatch Technology's CR1 SoC for dealer option and fleet management AI dashcams, FS Solution is able to utilize the higher AI computing performance inside CR3 SoC to realize more ADAS and DMS features at an even higher accuracy.Driver Monitoring SystemPhoto: FS Solution"We are delighted to collaborate with FS Solution, leveraging the strengths of both companies to provide innovative and reliable fleet management solution to the market, demonstrating our commitment to enhancing the safety and efficiency of fleet operations." said Weber Hsu, CEO of iCatch Technology. "With a longstanding and productive relationship with iCatch Technology, our shared vision is to actively work with our end customers to drive the advancement of fleet management based on this innovative solution ", said Tommy Lee, CEO of FS Solution.iCatch Technology and FS Solution will continue to push the boundaries of innovation in the automotive imaging industry. With cars becoming highly automated, there is increasing requirement on the reliability of the processors inside the driver assistance systems. iCatch Technology has been working toward ISO26262 certification and will introduce AI image processor with functional safety qualification in the future to meet safety requirements. On the other hand, FS Solution has been actively developing AI algorithms for smart cabin application, including age and emotion detection, abnormal behavior detection and face recognition. Both companies are committed to help redefine the future landscape of transportation and drive the technological advancement within the rapidly evolving new mobility sector.
Global markets have undergone rapid changes in recent years. First, a wave of AI technology adoption has led to a trend of industrial upgrading. Second, events such as the COVID-19 pandemic and various geopolitical conflicts have led to increased stress on the operations of many industries. Consequently, strengthening competitiveness through digital technology has become an important strategy for businesses. At Computex 2023, IBASE Technology, a leading industrial computer manufacturer with years of experience in vertical industry applications, showcased a range of solutions tailored to the needs of various industries in order to help enterprise customers build highly efficient and stable industrial equipment.According to Kerwin Chang, senior sales director of IBASE Technology, the products on display this year cover embedded computing, panel PCs, intelligent transportation, digital signage, RISC architecture, networking and communication, customization services, human-machine interfaces (HMI), industrial IoT gateways, and eSOP management software for production lines. As for embedded boards, IBASE offers a comprehensive range of popular industrial computer board form factors, including ATX, Micro ATX, 3.5" SBC, COM Express, and Mini-ITX. Regarding processors, Mr. Chang noted that Intel's products still serve as the mainstream CPU option for industrial computers. Due to the close cooperation between IBASE and Intel, the product development of the two companies also tends to be synchronized. Currently, the high-performance CPU market is dominated by Intel's 12th-generation devices. However, IBASE will introduce industrial computers with Intel 13th Gen processors shortly after Intel announce to the market this July. Intel Atom processors will be used for embedded boards that require low power consumption and wide operating temperature range. In addition, the high-resolution video market has grown rapidly in recent years. In response, IBASE offers a wide range of products that support AI expansion slots. These can be directly paired with NVIDIA PCIe, MXM GPUs, or Hailo AI modules to meet the needs of AI-related markets.Mr. Chang went on to say that industrial computer boards must meet the different marketing requirements by providing a variety of functional products. For example, COM Express has high flexibility to shorten development time, the 3.5" SBC is suitable for limited physical dimensions, the wide operating temperature specifications support stable operations in harsh environments, and adapter designs that allow non-mainstream I/O ports to operate. IBASE provides solutions for all of these needs, thereby helping system and equipment manufacturers create optimized products that are fully functional and reliable over the long term.In addition to the x86 architecture, IBASE also offers a complete RISC product line. Mr. Chang pointed out that RISC hardware development costs are much lower. Manufacturers who have the corresponding software development capabilities will therefore benefit from lower implementation costs. For RISC products, IBASE uses computing chips from NXP Semiconductors, Qualcomm, MediaTek, and Nvidia, and offers relevant products for fields such as AIoT, medicine, and communications. In addition, regarding RISC AI applications, IBASE has also introduced AI solutions using the NVIDIA® Jetson Orin™ series to provide customers with a wide range of choices.Diverse design services to meet the needs of vertical applicationsAs for panel PCs, IBASE offers both standard and customized models. The standard models are designed for various applications, They can meet the challenges of factory automation and outdoor environments. These include various models with multiple 2.5GbE LAN ports, wide temperature ranges, water and shock resistance, network security, compact size, Intel Core i-series CPUs with various processing power, Power over Ethernet (PoE) functionality, and other features.Rail Intelligent transportation and digital signage are also two of IBASE's main areas of interest, and they have attracted significant market and customer attention in recent years. Mr. Chang pointed out that the pace of digitalization in these two sectors is quite fast compared to other applications. Rail transport products can be divided into two types depending on where they are used: products for use on trains and products for use in stations. The first type consists of information screens in vehicles that are visible to passengers and control panels in drivers' cabs. The second type comprises information systems in station concourses. All of these devices must meet the special requirements of rail transport EN50155 and eMark in terms of voltage, fire protection, shock resistance, wide temperature capabilities, and others.Digital signage is mainly focused on the retail industry. This type of equipment requires high resolution video image quality and sometimes support for multi-screen control. As a result, IBASE's solutions in this area are primarily powered by Intel and AMD CPUs, which offer higher performance in image processing. The product on display at Computex 2023 can support up to 16 channels of high-resolution video output with a single player, offering better performance in terms of both cost and management efficiency.Networking and communication products are IBASE's most popular product line at this moment. This market has seen strong growth due to the large number of individuals working and shopping online from home during the COVID-19 pandemic. The architecture of IBASE's networking and communication products is primarily based on Intel, with most products using Intel Xeon processors. According to Mr. Chang, the demand for customized networking and communication products is quite high. Only a handful of small and medium-sized customers opt for standard products, while customized products are mainly supplied to large network software companies. Such customers have a high demand for technical services from suppliers, and IBASE's technical capabilities are well suited to meeting their needs.Demonstrating strong technology capabilities to help customers seize the tremendous business opportunities presented by digital transformationIn addition to customized designs, IBASE also provides ODM services for customers in vertical markets. One of the products on display is a 3D endoscopic imaging device designed for a medical facility. The device allows surgeons to see 3D images through special glasses to improve the accuracy of surgeries. It can also be used for teaching purposes. Another exhibit is a 21-inch outdoor panel PC. It is used for tracking the trajectories of tee shots on golf courses and as an ordering system in a U.S. fast-food restaurant chain, where customers can order food from their cars and have it delivered by waiters. Mr. Chang said that this panel PC is IP65 rated and produces images that are clearly visible even in strong outdoor light. It is suitable for various extreme weather conditions and works well in outdoor environments. In addition, IBASE has also participated in a government-led smart parking system. In this project, IBASE was responsible for assisting ODM customers with the integration of cameras, various payment systems, and the design of waterproof mechanisms for outdoor use.In response to the trend toward visualization in the automation market, IBASE has recently established a subsidiary focused on HMI solutions. The subsidiary specializes in the development of various gateways and HMIs and can provide hardware and software customization services. The products have interfaces ranging from 4 to 15 inches and can be integrated with gateways. Customers who do not need panel PCs can therefore use these HMIs to get the appropriate UI support.As for software, IBASE maintains its own automation software team that can provide customers with various software and hardware integration systems. For example, IBASE's display at Computex 2023 showcases equipment that utilizes small gateways, making it suitable for a product packaging detection system. This system has already been applied in IBASE's in-house production line. It can automatically check whether a product is in the correct position and, in the event of an error, trigger an alarm to alert the person in charge. In addition, IBASE's R&D team has other products and solutions to provide customized services for various applications.IBASE's exhibits show that the digital transformation of various vertical industries has been accelerating, and that demand for AIoT software and hardware has also grown rapidly. IBASE's technical services help system and equipment manufacturers shorten development time and create high-quality products to take advantage of the huge business opportunities in the smart market.IBASE Technology's Senior Executive Vice President Stephen Lin (right) and Senior Sales Director Kerwin Chang (left) say IBASE Technology's solutions are tailored to the needs of various industries, and can help customers build highly efficient and stable industrial equipment.Photo: DIGITIMES
ChatGPT has taken the world by storm, bringing unprecedented AI experiences to numerous consumers. This highlights the continuous development of AI technology and its rapid proliferation in people's daily lives. Meanwhile, with the vigorous development of technologies such as 5G, IoT, and cloud native computing, the concept of edge computing has also emerged to provide the best online experience for Internet users.Traditional AI applications involve using the Internet to upload raw data to large cloud servers for analysis. However, with the increasing number of IoT devices, this often leads to issues such as raw data leakage, insufficient network bandwidth, and communication delays. Therefore, when cloud AI is deployed in smart manufacturing, smart transportation, and other scenarios, there may be a significant degradation in service quality as devices may not work together properly, potentially causing traffic accidents, industrial safety hazards, and other problems. For this reason, using edge computing servers to analyze data locally to mitigate such problems is a popular option in the market today. However, with the rapid proliferation of AI services, the issue of potential information security risks has also come to the fore. Hacker groups have begun launching attacks on AI applications such as ChatGPT to steal large amounts of sensitive data. Edge computing security has therefore become a major challenge that needs to be addressed in the development of AI services.Dr. John K. Zao, the founder and chairman of FiduciaEdge Technologies, pointed out that existing information security solutions can be roughly divided into three categories. The first category includes the use of virtual private networks (VPNs), firewalls, and other mechanisms to protect data in transit. The second category deals with security mechanisms for websites and databases to ensure the security of data in storage. The third category aims to implement appropriate information isolation in the trusted edge computing environments to protect those data in use. Trusted edge computing is becoming increasingly important as more manufacturers are now running AI applications on their sites to analyze the raw data collected from the IoT devices installed on their production lines.Focusing on Edge Computing Security and Protecting Computing Processes and Data PrivacyThe explosion in the ubiquity of IoT devices has accelerated the rapid development of edge computing and changed the nature of data processing in industries such as smart manufacturing, smart healthcare, smart transportation, and social media. Against this backdrop, Dr. John K. Zao, a former Principal Member of Technical Staff of the Internet pioneer BBN Technologies and the founding chairman of the IEEE 1934 & 1935 International Standard Working Group on Edge/Fog Computing and Networking Architecture, teamed up with Professor Ching-Yao Huang of National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, as well as senior managers from Foxconn, Hewlett-Packard, KPMG, and ARM to establish FiduciaEdge Technologies in early 2021. FiduciaEdge focuses on the development of trusted edge computing and data privacy protection technologies. The company has been providing data security and privacy protection platforms as well as AIoT edge computing solutions to domestic and foreign government agencies, large enterprises, and medical institutions.Dr. Zao pointed out that FiduciaEdge is betting on the booming AIoT market, and thus deployed its flagship product, FiduciaEdge Computing Platform (fECP), on the NVIDIA Jetson Edge AI platforms. The patented Trusted Rich Execution Environment (T-REE) instantiated by fECP in the Edge AI nodes that can protect both the raw data and the AI programs and models in GPU and DLA from disclosing to other programs running on the same machine. The computing processes running in the T-REEs are also protected from cyberattacks while conducting secure and private information exchanges only with authorized peers.Deployed among the 5G Smart Lampposts in Taiwan and Hong Kong, FiduciaEdge's Trusted Edge Computing technology has become an information security benchmark for the critical infrastructures in the smart cities.At the International Security Conference West Trade Show (ISC West 2023), FiduciaEdge and its strategic partner Vecow announced the release of the VHub Trusted Edge AI Computing System. This system integrates the FiduciaEdge Computing Platform (fECP) with Vecow's EAC-5000/EAC-3000/EAC-2000 industrial computers to provide a turnkey, trusted Edge AI computing solution. The system can run Cloud-Native AI applications on the NVIDIA NGC Catalog on Vecow's NVIDIA Jetson Xavier/Orin series industrial computers, providing users with AI model confidentiality and user data privacy protection from the cloud to the edge. The VHub systems aim at helping their customers to improve their information security capabilities and to comply with the EU GDPR and the US Cybersecurity Act.Diversifying Capital Sources to Lay Down the Foundation for Long-Term DevelopmentFiduciaEdge has also been very successful in its fundraising. The company has already attracted capital from the National Development Fund and the Taiwan Venture Capital Association. It also entered into a strategic partnership with a well-known Taiwan industrial computer manufacturer.Dr. Zao said that FiduciaEdge aims at taking advantage of the endless opportunities in the Edge Computing Security market by forming strategic partnerships with key players in this field. In addition, FiduciaEdge maintains an operational presence in the Taiwan Tech Arena (TTA) and regularly participates in TTA's information security-related events to identify strategic partners for potential collaboration opportunities.In the future AIoT applications, data will be owned by its creators, while analytics will be performed under usage control through authorization. In the face of this emerging digital economy, FiduciaEdge is actively transforming itself from a solution provider to a service provider to seize the market opportunities and lay down the foundation for long-term development.Dr. John K. Zao, Founder and Chairman of FiduciaEdge TechnologiesPhoto: CompanyFeatures of FiduciaEdge's Trusted Edge Computing solutionsPhoto: Company
Veeam Software, the leader in Data Protection and Ransomware Recovery, today announced it is integrating Veeam Backup for Microsoft 365 with newly launched Microsoft 365 Backup via their backup APIs to bring customers and partners new capabilities for backup, recovery, ransomware protection and business continuity. Veeam plans to utilize this integration to deliver new innovations and experiences to Microsoft customers that need the very best data protection and ransomware recovery to keep their businesses running."Today, every business is a digital business," said Danny Allan, CTO at Veeam. "That means fast, reliable access and availability of data is critical to keep businesses running. Veeam is the leading provider of backup and recovery for Microsoft 365, with over 15 million users protected. We're delighted to extend our advanced capabilities to customers and partners using Microsoft 365 Backup. We plan to deliver innovative new features and capabilities taking advantage of the power and reliability of the Veeam Data Platform which keeps businesses running.""We're excited to work with Veeam, and look forward to the unprecedented speed and scale of backup and restore experiences they can bring to customers with our new Microsoft 365 Backup solution," said Jeff Teper, President, Collaboration Apps and Platforms, Microsoft.Veeam Backup for Microsoft 365Today, Veeam Backup for Microsoft 365 is the leader in Microsoft 365 backup and is being used to protect more than 15 million users. This adoption reflects customers' shared responsibility to own and protect their critical Microsoft 365 data, eliminating the risk of losing Microsoft 365 data, including Microsoft Exchange Online, SharePoint Online, OneDrive for Business and Microsoft Teams. Veeam Backup for Microsoft 365 provides the lowest recovery point objectives (RPO), the broadest set of recovery options, and the flexibility to back up Microsoft 365 data to any location. The addition of support for Microsoft 365 Backup will expand those industry-leading capabilities and will be available to all Veeam Backup for Microsoft 365 customers when it's available.For more information about Veeam Backup for Microsoft 365, visit https://www.veeam.com/backup-microsoft-office-365.html.AvailabilityWork on the integration between Veeam Backup for Microsoft 365 and Microsoft 365 Backup via their backup APIs is underway, with general availability of our updated offering expected within 90 days of the Microsoft 365 Backup service being available.Veeam Partners with Microsoft to Bring New Data Protection and Ransomware Recovery Capabilities to Veeam Backup for Microsoft 365
In March 2023, Google again announced that it had discontinued Google Glass, raising doubts about the future development of smart glasses in the market. However, Dr. Shao-Yi Chien, founder and CEO of Ganzin Technology, is pushing back against these naysayers, pointing out that even before this announcement, most people thought Google Glass had been discontinued long ago. It is not widely known that Google had been quietly developing the technology for a decade. This shows that the company has been holding on to smart glasses for many years. A closer look at the market shows that smart glasses are not only technologically advanced enough to be commercialized but that they have also begun to be used in certain fields over the last two years. Ganzin Technology's eye-tracking technology has been integrated into smart glasses, leading to a variety of applications.In its early days, eye-tracking technology was initially used for military purposes, allowing fighter pilots to control the direction of their weapons using their eyeballs. Later, it was used to help physically disabled people communicate with others. The most famous example is Dr. Stephen Hawking. The brilliant physicist suffered from amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, which caused his limbs to gradually atrophy at a young age, leaving him unable to speak or write. Intel developed a custom device for him that integrated eye-tracking, predictive input, and speech synthesis technologies, allowing him to use his eyes to select letters of the alphabet, spell individual words or sentences, and talk through a speech synthesizer. However, eye-tracking systems of the past had two major weaknesses: a complex structure and limited accuracy, which hindered their dissemination and development. Ganzin Technology, on the other hand, uses AI and machine learning technologies to develop an efficient, accurate, and cost-effective eye-tracking solution to open new possibilities for eye-tracking technology.Most eye-tracking devices currently on the market use corneal reflection technology, in which lots of LEDs are placed in the glasses as the anchors to locate the movement of the pupil. The comparatively complex structure of such devices leads to higher overall costs as well as production and maintenance difficulties. It also affects the flexibility and feasibility for compact glasses. Ganzin Technology, on the other hand, uses only one sensor and LED in conjunction with an AI algorithm to accurately track eye movements. Dr. Chien pointed out that tracking eye movements with this method is very difficult because there are no reference points for positioning in the internal structure of the glasses. Nonetheless, the company's database built over many years and proofs-of-concept have resulted in a simple yet precise technology for tracking eye movements in real time.Diverse Applications of Eye-Tracking Technology in Smart GlassesGanzin Technology's main business model is to offer micro embedded eye-tracking modules that can be integrated into VR/AR glasses and smart glasses to create a new generation of human-computer interaction devices. For example, Jorjin, a Taiwanese manufacturer of smart glasses, has adopted Ganzin's products. In addition to the modules, Ganzin Technology has further strengthened its product value and application reach, starting with its proprietary eye-tracking chip. The company has also launched lightweight eye-tracking glasses. This device can track eye movements and record videos that can be used in various teaching and training environments, such as sports, smart factories, and medicine. Finally, Ganzin Technology's eye movement analysis software can create heat maps and gaze fixation sequence plots for business and behavioral analysis.Eye tracking can also be combined with AR technology to develop a variety of smart applications. During surgical operations, for example, the AR images displayed by the glasses can show the paths of incisions to help surgeons perform them accurately and reduce the risk of medical errors. In large areas such as manufacturing plants, water reservoirs, or oil refineries, the visual data from the AR glasses can greatly improve the efficiency of equipment inspections. When a problem occurs during maintenance, the communication module in the glasses can send images to a back-end system. The system will then display the screen of the smart glasses and the view of the maintenance personnel. This allows experts to provide voice assistance remotely, while on-site maintenance personnel can follow instructions via the miniature microphone in the glasses to get the job done.As for the consumer sector, Ganzin Technology's eye-tracking solution could become the best control mechanism for smart glasses. The wearer could command the system by navigating the AR screen of the smart glasses based on how their line of sight moves or stops. Combined with an AI assistant, this type of control system could make users' lives a lot easier. For example, when interested in a nearby item, users could simply direct their gaze to the item and ask the AI assistant for product information via voice command. Dr. Chien pointed out that with the rapid development of AI technology, this type of interaction commonly seen in movies, such as that between Iron Man and his AI assistant Jarvis, is not far from actual implementation and will serve as a killer application for smart glasses.Ganzin Technology's eye-tracking technology has been in the industry spotlight since its introduction because it is precise, responds superbly in real time, and integrates easily with smart glasses. Ganzin Technology won the first prize at the National Science and Technology Council's inaugural TIE Awards in 2022. Dr. Chien believes that in addition to the team's hard work, the government's efforts in recent years to create a new environment for start-ups have also contributed greatly to this success. He pointed out that the company incubated from National Taiwan University and became an independent company with the help of the Value Creation Program. Later, it participated in major overseas trade shows with the assistance of Taiwan Tech Arena. This support was crucial in showcasing the company's technology and marketing. Dr. Chien also noted that since Ganzin Technology's founding in 2018, Taiwan's start-up environment has taken on the feel of Silicon Valley in the U.S., exhibiting an increasingly vibrant industry atmosphere. He also believes that with the support of government policies, the industry and academia will become increasingly active in start-ups, giving new impetus to Taiwan's industry and triggering another wave of economic development.Taiwan's leading smart glasses manufacturer, Jorjin, has integrated Ganzin Technology's eye-tracking module to introduce the world's first smart glasses controlled primarily by eye movements (Top). The eye-tracking glasses developed by Ganzin Technology. Combined with Ganzin Technology's eye movement analysis software, the glasses can be used in a variety of fields including medicine, design, commerce, sports science, and education (Bottom).Photo: Ganzin Technology
The 2002 Electronic Signatures Act was originally designed to encourage electronic transactions and develop e-government and e-commerce. However, rapid technological advancements in the last twenty years have expanded the use of digital signatures beyond mere transactions, now finding widespread use in diverse sectors of healthcare, finance, government, education, and real estate, among others, prompting the need to modernize the law for the digital age. A recent report by Mordor Intelligence revealed that the global e-signature platform market reached a valuation of US$2.28 million in 2021, and it is projected to further soar to US$10.94 million by 2027.Taiwan's Ministry of Digital Affairs (MODA) is spearheading the update of the two-decades-old Electronic Signature Act. In March, MODA specified the required algorithms and technical standards for digital signatures to ensure their legal effect. On June 27th, the draft amendments to the Act were made public, inviting feedback through the Public Policy Participation Platform until August 25th. As public hearings and discussions on the changes have begun, officials and industry representatives have expressed support for the modernization, while raising concerns over potential oversights.The proposed amendments to the Electronic Signature Act entail six key changes aimed at modernizing and updating regulations for electronic signatures.1. Specifying the principle of equal functionality between electronic and paper formatsThe revised legislation makes it explicit that e-documents and signatures carry the same legal validity as their physical counterparts, emphasizing the principle of functional equivalence. This recognition ensures that electronic signatures and documents are legally binding and accepted at the same level as traditional paper-based ones.This revision enables individuals and organizations to confidently use electronic signatures and documents for various purposes, including signing contracts, transaction authorizations, and official forms, resulting in improved efficiency, reduced costs, and elimination of physical paperwork and face-to-face interactions.2. Clarifying the relationship between electronic signatures and digital signaturesAn electronic signature is a mark attached to an e-document, confirming the identity, qualifications, and authenticity of the person signing the document.A digital signature is a specific type of electronic signature that converts an e-document into unique digital data using mathematical algorithms or other methods. This data is encrypted using the signatory's private key (PKI), creating a distinctive digital signature that can be verified with the public key. Additionally, a digital signature requires a certificate from a trusted certificate authority (CA), either public or private.The law change follows the principle of technological neutrality, embracing future innovations like dynamic biometric signatures based on biotechnology, in line with international recommendations from the United Nations and the European Union.3. Distinguishing the legal effect of electronic signatures and digital signaturesTo enhance the legal credibility of digital signatures, they are granted a "presumption" of being personally signed by the individual, treated as if personally signed, placing the burden of proof on the challenging party in disputes over their authenticity. Although electronic signatures hold the same legal weight as physical ones, disputes over their authenticity necessitate evidence from the party claiming their genuineness.4. Adjusting the requirements for the use of electronic documents and signatures with the consent of the parties involvedThe revision expands the use of e-documents and signatures beyond legal transactions with counterparties. It clarifies that obtaining consent from counterparties is not mandatory for e-documents. However, while consent from counterparties is not necessary, the revision acknowledges potential digital gaps and grants them the choice to refuse or seek alternative options when using e-documents or signatures.5. Reducing the possibility of administrative institutions excluding the application of the Electronic Signature Act through public announcementsThe revised law prohibits administrative agencies from exempting the Electronic Signature Act through commands or announcements. However, they can establish separate regulations for technical and procedural aspects of e-documents and signatures. Agencies are granted three years to transition smoothly, and after this period, previous exemptions become invalid. If they still wish to exclude this law, proper legislative procedures or amendments must be followed.6. To consider the opportunities for international interoperability of electronic signaturesForeign companies can now serve as digital signature certification authorities in the country. The approval process evaluates international reciprocity, equivalent security standards, and potential technical collaboration. Earlier this year, the National Institute for Cyber Security collaborated with Lithuania, using the "miXed organization Certification Authority" (XCA) issued by MODA for online signing, which was officially recognized and legally valid in Lithuania. This mutual recognition establishes a precedent and foundation for the legislation amendment.As Taiwan takes steps to embrace cutting-edge technologies, these amendments signal the nation's commitment to staying at the forefront of the digital era.
As technology advances apace, the modern demand for high-quality A/V experience has also continued to rise. From mobile phones, computers, and televisions, the demand has even extended to vehicle cabins. Major auto makers, looking to generate revenue, have also been quite keen to introduce new technologies to raise the added value of products. The smart cabin market is gradually taking shape alongside the development of the supply and demand sides. Mindtronic AI's eye-tracking AI system for vehicles, which can instantly track precise movements of the driver's eyes, is finding use in a variety of applications, and has been seen favorably by the industry since its release. More recently, Mindtronic has cooperated with Taiwan panel factories to enter the smart car market.The auto industry has recently ushered in a new industrial revolution, one in which autonomous driving, electric vehicles, and smartification are the three key trends. According to analysis by Mike Huang, CTO of Mindtronic AI, the development of self-driving (autonomous) cars has not been as fast as expected, due to the need for highly integrated peripheral systems and innovative business models. With the simple structure of electric vehicle chassis, however, the technical threshold is relatively low compared with fuel vehicles, resulting in a large number of investors and major competitive pressures to existing car manufacturers. In such a scenario, introducing forward-looking technology to provide a high-quality ride, and at the same time creating a smart cabin with a range of value, has become an essential strategy for auto makers.Huang also pointed out that the panel plays an important role in the smart cabin system. Most high-end vehicles on the current market come with customized touch panels. These panels incorporate the appearance and shape of next-gen cabin design and extend from the driver's seat to the front passenger seat. They also provide various functions in response to user needs, from driving assistance to high-resolution audio-visual applications. The smart cabin system requires a new type of human-machine interface (HMI) that includes not just touch technology, but also eye tracking as one of its main features.Eye tracking, a technology that has been under development for many years, has found wide use in on-board vehicle systems. Its main purpose is to determine the mental state of the driver and issue alerts when the driver is tired or not paying attention. Mindtronic AI has further integrated with AI by making AI the "copilot". In situations not favorable to driving, such as when the driver is not mentally capable of driving, the ADAS of the in-vehicle system will temporarily "take the wheel." In addition to assisted driving, Mindtronic AI's systems also combine eye-tracking technology with intention inference algorithms. Driver can make use of the eye-sight manipulated control panel and the head-up display (HUD) screen function on the windshield, and the system also has the function to actively infer the user's intention and learn their preference or target of interest (TOI). Combined with the recommendation engine to actively provide information, entertainment, and driving service functions, this function can also become a commercial mechanism that can generate operating income for car dealers or platform operators.Huang says that the current business model for auto makers is basically new car sales with follow-up maintenance. But with electric vehicles becoming a key policy in governments of various countries, the depreciation rate for electric vehicles off the lot is much lower than that for gas-driven vehicles, and the maintenance rate is thus also greatly reduced, so car manufacturers will need to find another source of revenue. Smart cabins may just be one source for new business opportunities. Huang further pointed out that there are two types of the software business service mechanism of the smart car cabin: in-cabin and out-cabin. The in-cabin service mechanism focuses on driving safety functions provided by auto makers, while out-cabin services are similar to smartphones. Consumers can download software products from app makers and use them on the smart cabin platform. From a functional point of view, the out-cabin service mechanism offers more functions and more business opportunities. Nevertheless, this mechanism is built on a complete ecosystem, like a smart phone, so it requires all those involved to work together for promotion.Eye tracking will be an important control technology for both in-cabin and out-cabin systems. Huang mentioned that current control technologies for the HMI include touch, voice, and eye movement, each performing its respective function in the smart cabin. When the driver is parked or other passengers who there are those who are not in charge of driving, the operating system function mainly uses touch mode, while voice control is mainly used for inputting commands to the navigation system. Eye tracking technology also has its own use here: it is used for selecting functions and reading information during driving. However, Huang also pointed out that for eye tracking control to be practical in the smart cabin system, the two key objectives, i.e., accuracy and immediacy, must be met to create a high-quality experience for users. The technology developed by Mindtronic AI is not affected by ambient lights inside the cabin. With its fast and precise tracking of eye movement, the technology has won wide acceptance in the market, not only winning the US CES Innovation Award for 4 consecutive years, but also being used in cooperation with panel manufacturers and large auto makers.While unique and practical, Mindtronic AI's eye-tracking AI system for vehicles is favored by the industry due to the innovation-friendly environment created by the government in recent years, argues Huang. He pointed out that the National Science and Technology Council's value creation program and the Taiwan Tech Arena (TTA) have been providing massive supports for startups, especially when taking a startup team to the United States to participate in CES, an excellent opportunity to gain exposure. Huang pointed out that startup teams are certainly aware of the importance of big overseas exhibitions, but that most teams are unable to participate in exhibitions due to limited resources. Also, small booth area limits the final exposure. So, the TTA brought together a large number of Taiwanese start-up teams and set up the TTA Pavilion to magnify the exposure for exhibitors. This expanded exposure has benefited Mindtronic AI in the past. That is why Huang suggests that startups can make good use of the support offered by government policy to expand product exposure while enhancing their own technological capabilities.Mindtronic AI product developmentPhoto: Company
Owing to consistent advancements in chip computing and AI algorithms, the scope of AI applications has grown exponentially across multiple sectors. The early years saw a primary focus on image recognition, followed by gradual yet impactful inroads into speech and text applications. A notable breakthrough was the introduction of ChatGPT, a major achievement in AI speech technology that gained widespread acclaim since 2022.At present, AI applications in the speech sector fall into three distinct categories. Foremost, chatbots that engage with consumers via text or speech, have become integral components in customer service frameworks. Second, voice-to-text applications translate recorded files or user speech into corresponding text, thereby reducing manual processing time considerably - an optimal solution for tasks like recording meeting minutes or for media professionals.DeepWave's Chief Operating Officer, Sung-tsan Yeh, cites noise reduction and the separation of human voices from background noise as the third noteworthy application of AI in the speech sector. Traditional methods to enhance speech quality required meticulous professional input, making it a time-intensive and expensive process only affordable for high-budget video projects. In contrast, individual content creators such as YouTubers or online instructors with limited budgets could only rely on pre-production noise-canceling equipment as they could not afford professional post-production services. Given the rising popularity of YouTube and online teaching, a significant number of companies are investing in AI technology to address the need for noise reduction and voice-background noise separation.DeepWave Revolutionizes Noise Reduction with AI Acoustic Recognition TechnologyFounded in September 2019 by Professor Roger Jang of National Taiwan University's Computer Science & Information Engineering Department, CTO Ken Yeh, and CEO Henry Lin, DeepWave is a startup created under the aegis of Taiwan's National Science and Technology Council's Germination Program. This pioneering company is committed to offering cost-effective AI acoustic recognition technology, aiming to streamline manpower requirements, elevate productivity, and augment industrial value across numerous sectors requiring speech recognition. The startup offers over 20 varieties of API services for acoustic AI recognition and processing, closely collaborating with sectors such as music post-production, education, corporate interviews, and anomaly detection in mechanical noises.A key product from DeepWave, the Noise Eraser, exemplifies intelligent AI noise reduction. Trained on approximately 10,000 human voice and noise files, it mimics professional sound effects engineers' noise-reduction techniques. This enables users to effortlessly achieve professional-grade noise reduction and enhance voice clarity in their videos. The user-friendly tool requires only three steps and an average minute to process five-minute footage, significantly alleviating disruptions from environmental noises for content creators and educators, thereby enhancing video quality.COO Sung-tsan Yeh notes that conventional noise-removal methods often render audio signals unauthentic, a common issue with most free tools. DeepWave's approach, built on foundational AI technology and backed by extensive experimentation and user testing, allows optimal application ratios for a broad spectrum of use-cases. Users can fine-tune the voice-to-noise ratio based on their preferences. With over two decades of presence and numerous victories in international speech and music analysis contests, DeepWave seeks to translate promising technologies into steppingstones to expedite businesses' digital transformation, thereby contributing to Taiwan's digital revolution.DeepWave's Noise Eraser: A Global Success Story and a Glimpse into the FutureDeepWave operates its flagship product, Noise Eraser, under a freemium model where users can process up to five-minute videos for free, while unlimited access is provided to subscribers of the paid version. The product's superior noise reduction capabilities, coupled with affordable subscription pricing, have attracted a significant international user base, contributing to 70% of the company's revenue. Testament to its robust technological prowess, DeepWave has received numerous accolades, including the "2021 GO NEXT DIGITAL" award under the Bureau of Industry's "Demo: Pitch Talent Cultivation Program", "Purpose Demo Show" by Startup Taipei, Chang Gung University and United Innovation, and the AIGO AI Talent Training Program award by the Administration for Digital Industries, Ministry of Digital Affairs.CEO Henry Lin acknowledges the support DeepWave has received from various legal entities and government agencies during its growth phase. Apart from the National Science and Technology Council's Taiwan Germination Program, the company has participated in multiple events facilitated by the TTA. Lin notes that these engagements have not only amplified brand and product exposure but also provided opportunities to connect with overseas investors and clients, bolstering the company's long-term growth prospects.In light of Noise Eraser's market success, DeepWave has ambitious plans for 2023, including the launch of new services like meeting minutes management. Their meeting minutes service, capable of discerning different human voices and organizing all spoken content during meetings, has emerged as a promising tool. Several government agencies currently trialing this service have lauded its efficacy and potential.Henry Lin, CEO of DeepWavePhoto: CompanySung-Tsan Yeh, Chief Operating Officer of DeepWavePhoto: CompanyNoise Eraser AI Noise-reduction Service Rolled Out by DeepWavePhoto: Company