DoIT focuses on electric vehicles and net-zero sustainable industries

– Collaborating with manufacturers to incubate start-ups and business opportunities

The Department of Industrial Technology (DoIT) under the Ministry of Economic Affairs today (Oct 13) kicked off the Discovering Technology Treasures exhibit at the Innovation Pilot pavilion at the 2022 Taiwan Innotech Expo. The exhibit, at the Taipei World Trade Center Hall 1, features 80 innovative technologies that will drive the transformation and upgrading of Taiwan industry. These technologies, focusing on electric vehicles, net-zero sustainability, and biotechnology & medical care, have been selected from hundreds of achievements of technology development programs carried out by 14 non-profit R&D organizations, including ITRI, Institute for Information Industry, and National Health Research Institutes (NHRI). These organizations will work with domestic and foreign companies, incubating start-up teams and linking up with international markets, thereby successfully realizing a number of cooperation projects and forging new business opportunities for industry.

DoIT Director General Chiou Chyou-Huey commented that the 80 technologies featured at the Discovering Technology Treasures exhibit have two major characteristics. First, each year over NT$10 billion is earmarked for innovative R&D in technology development programs. This investment takes advantage of existing technologies to create the basis for innovative technology, which will become an important driving force in industrial development. These 80 technologies reflect trends in smart manufacturing, smart medical care, and smart living, along with new innovation areas, which will be advantageous to enterprises in creating value. Secondly, these technologies will, on the basis of entrepreneurial thinking, help to cultivate new industries that can spark start-ups and business opportunities.

The Integrated Powertrain and Chassis Control Unit (PCCU) developed by ITRI is on display in the exhibition space. This is Taiwan’s first example of successfully combining a vehicle controller and wire-based controller, and this technology serves as the core in enabling electric vehicles to start smoothly. The technology has already been installed on electric buses in northern, central, and southern Taiwan, and a new KopherBit has been created that will accelerate the development of the electric vehicle industry.

Besides the electric vehicle industry, the DoIT is also reflecting the global trend toward net zero sustainability, with a specific focus on hydrogen energy, which is a new strategic resource in international energy. The DoIT has supported ITRI’s investment in Cost-Effective Anion Exchange Membrane Electrolysis for Green Hydrogen Production technology. This hones in on the development of the best solution for low-cost and high-efficiency hydrogen production. The hydrogen production power of a single module is 5 kW, and the hydrogen production cost is cut by 30%, while efficiency is as high as 80%, doubling the output of competing international technologies.

Many other innovative technologies promoted by the DoIT and being shown at the Taiwan Innotech Expo will promote new business opportunities in the biotechnology and medical care industries. The Laser Speckle Contrast Imaging (LSCI) System developed by the NHRI is the world’s first blood circulation imaging system that offers the largest irradiation area and high resolution. The innovative integration of laser optics optimization design and AI signal interpretation can help doctors to judge the blood circulation status of patients on a real-time basis. This shortens treatment time by about 50% once burn patients are admitted to hospitals. The NHRI is currently openly soliciting potential licensees for technology transfer, and the outstanding R&D specifications of this technology will pave the way for domestic manufacturers to gain a greater foothold in the international medical equipment market.

The Tech Innovation Excellence Awards are being held for the first time this year. Of the 119 technologies submitted by teams from throughout the world, three teams supported by the DoIT won awards, one winning second place, and two others special prizes. The Second Place award went to FlowVIEW Tek for its image-based fluid automated testing, which will have widespread applications in advanced semiconductor manufacturing processes, battery energy, and the bio-pharmaceutical industries. This testing technology will be especially important as the semiconductor industry enters the 2 nm era. The special prizes went to Touche Solutions, which focuses on developing haptic solutions for human-machine collaboration, and NTU Strong-Wave Radio Technology (NTU SWaRT), which is a millimeter-wave-based satellite communication technology R&D team.

The DoIT in recent years has repeatedly overcome technology bottlenecks to provide critical development momentum to industry. The Discovering Technology Treasures exhibit will continue until October 15 at the World Trade Center, and until October 20 online. You are welcome to visit and approach the various teams for discussion.

Exploring the Discovering Technology Treasures special exhibit: https://official.meetbao.net/tie2022/

SOURCE Taiwan Innotech Expo