In the last six months, four new IT brands — Logitech, Microsoft, Sharp, and Voxicon — have been added to the list of brands with products certified according to TCO Certified. The growing number of certified products helps purchasers make more sustainable choices.The demand for more sustainable IT products remains high. TCO Certified is the world's leading sustainability certification for IT products, and a tool that helps purchasers and purchasing organizations get sustainability right. Since December 2023, four more brands — Logitech, Microsoft, Sharp, and Voxicon — have been added to the extensive list of well-known brands with products certified according to TCO Certified. All certified products are listed in Product Finder on tcocertified.com."Having more brands on board creates a great opportunity to expand the range of certified products. A wider selection is good news for purchasers wanting to make more sustainable choices, drive change, and meet both internal and external sustainability goals," says Sören Enholm, CEO at TCO Development, the organization behind TCO Certified.On 31 May 2024, the following brands had certified products listed in Product Finder: Acer, AOC, ASUS, BenQ, DELL, EIZO, FAIRPHONE, FUJITSU, HP, iiyama, INSYS, Jabra, Lenovo, LG, Logitech, Microsoft, NEC, NTT Systems S.A., Philips, Samsung, SHARP, Soundcore, SteelSeries, V7, ViewSonic and Voxicon.Any organization citing TCO Certified when purchasing IT products can also use Report Generator to assess the impact of purchasing and using certified products. Report Generator allows organizations to create customized sustainability reports on their IT product portfolios – based on independently verified data and claims covered by the stringent social and environmental criteria of TCO Certified.

According to a market research report, the global gaming market is set to exceed a value of US$525 billion in 2025. Taiwan-based gaming machine manufacturers enjoy an established presence in the global gaming market for the premium quality and reasonable pricing of their products.Jumbo Technology assigned the problem for the games and entertainment division of the AI Wave: Taiwan Generative AI Applications Hackathon, held on May 19, 2024, by DIGITIMES, asking the participating teams to identify and integrate games with generative AI to enhance gamer experience and platform operation efficiency. Jumbo Technology also provided resources and data for the teams to use.The team named Sitta, comprising Heng-Jia Huang, Xin-Hua Li, Li-Ci Gu from the Department of Information Management, Chung Yuan Christian University, used Anthropic Claude 3 Sonnet on Amazon Web Services (AWS) Amazon Bedrock, a fully managed service offering a choice of high-performing foundation models from leading AI companies, to analyze gamers' movements and expressions and thereby allow electronic gaming machines to make appropriate responses in real-time. Sitta stood out from a group of strong competitors and won the honorable mention award, voted unanimously by all the judges.The enormous value of the global gaming market also gives rise to fierce competition among gaming machine manufacturers. Whether they can outperform the competition hinges on their ability to ensure profitability for casino owners and increase gamers' stickiness to gaming machines.Aiming to use generative AI to enhance interactive experience, Sitta developed AI-based analyses of gamers' movements, voices, and facial expressions. Based on these analyses, they built satisfaction and recommendation, emotion and preference analyses, gamer quit time and probability prediction, and other innovative features. The team hopes by enabling gaming machines to make real-time responses that meet gamer expectations, their solution will create a win-win-win situation for gaming machine manufacturers, casino owners, and gamers.For example, concerning satisfaction and recommendation, if AI-based analyses of the gamer's expressions indicate that the gamer may be unsatisfied with the odds, the solution will immediately recommend another type of game to keep the gamer in the casino. When AI-based analyses of the gamer's behavior data indicate that the gamer is about to leave the slot machine or the casino, the solution can offer a restaurant or hotel coupon to please the gamer and encourage re-visits.Moreover, for first-timers, an AI assistant will provide game instructions to spur their interest in the game. Sitta thinks if their generative AI solution can tap casino data, it will be able to provide responses that better fit gamers' expectations.Sitta, winner of the Generative AI Applications Hackathon, created AI-enhanced interactive experiences to boost gamer engagement with gaming machines

Hosting an array of concerts, Kaohsiung is enjoying a tourism boom in recent years.The Kaohsiung City Government assigned the problem for the smart city division of the AI Wave: Taiwan Generative AI Applications Hackathon, asking the participating teams to leverage generative AI to create innovative tourism applications that enhance tourist experience of Kaohsiung's concert economy. The teams named "AI Shines" and "Urban Smart Team (It's Takao)" won the gold and silver awards for the generative AI creativity and usability their works demonstrate.AI Shines creates customized itineraries Zhi-Jia Wang, Sheng-Ya Weng, Song-Kai Hong and Ting-Jia Guo from Department of Statistics, Ministry of the Interior formed AI Shines. They came up with the idea of the "Kaohsiung smart traveling and shopping" platform, which was built with AWS PartyRock, a service that allows users to create generative AI applications without coding, to provide customized itineraries to tourists.The platform features customization, innovative ways to shop, massive data integration and AI-enabled personalized itinerary planning. Backed by big data from the Kaohsiung City Government, the solution interacts with tourists through a natural language user interface to learn their preferences and thereby plans itineraries for them based on six data categories.It provides tourists with an all-in-one itinerary that includes shopping, dining, sightseeing, and souvenir buying, and dynamically adjusts the itinerary based on real-time feedback and user preference. It further uses AI to create personalized travel maps and plans for tourists to easily reference and follow.Amid the post-pandemic tourism boom, people have an increasing demand for customized and interactive tours. AI Shines' solution will attract more tourists, extend their stay and boost repeated visits. On top of partnerships with local businesses, it can create value and spur growth for the tourism sector. On the foundation of AI Shines' solution, the Kaohsiung City Government can develop a diversity of tourism themes to help drive local business growth.The teams named "AI Shines" won the gold award for the generative AI creativity and usability their works demonstrateUrban Smart Team (It's Takao) boosts the financial benefits of concert events Jen-Yu Chen, a journalism major at Shih Hsin University, Pin-Xuan Yu, an electronic engineering major at Chung Yuan Christian University, as well as Chia-Chin Huang and Yong-Han Chang from Chao Info Media (���T�C��) formed Urban Smart Team (It's Takao). The team observed that Kaohsiung hosts 50+ concerts every year, drawing tens of thousands of music fans to the city.Unfortunately, most young concertgoers leave the city right after the concerts so these events have not effectively benefited local businesses. In view of this, they came up with the idea of the "Urban Smart Team (It's Takao)" platform, built with the Anthropic Claude 3 on Amazon Web Services (AWS)' Amazon Bedrock, a fully managed service offering a choice of high-performing foundation models from leading AI companies.They use AI to generate stories in two languages and combine the stories with mixed reality treasure hunt games and personalized smart assistant to spur young tourists' interest in exploring Kaohsiung. The platform connects the city's major attractions and offers coupons from local specialty stores to participants who pass scavenger hunt challenges. The games are designed to encourage interaction and spice up users' experience of Kaohsiung. As people attach greater importance to personalized tourism experience, the solution developed by Urban Smart Team (It's Takao) caters exactly to young tourists. The interactive tours and promotional favors make tourists spend more time and money in the city. The team estimates their solution will increase business growth in the surrounding areas from 30% to 60% and foreign tourists' interest in visiting Kaohsiung from 20% to 40%. The solution has great development potential and future collaborations with local businesses can create more revenue streams.The teams named "Urban Smart Team (It's Takao)" won the silver award for the generative AI creativity and usability their works demonstrate

AI is becoming central to game development. A high number of companies throughout the continent have been quick to adopt AI for developmental and game-enhancement purposes.For example, China's second biggest games developer, NetEase, made non-player characters (NPCs) AI-powered in last year's Justice Online game. This meant that players could hold unique conversations with characters in the game. Like ChatGPT, the NPCs in this game generate unique responses based on player prompts.This made the gameplay more personal and unique to each player, which is one way in which AI will shape the future of gaming in Asia – by expanding the possibilities of narrative and game structure.This level of AI adoption is not limited to video games. Developers of other forms of gaming entertainment, such as online casinos, have been able to enhance the gaming experience through the power of AI.Several online casinos available in Malaysia, for example, have adopted AI to deliver better customer support, personalized gameplay, and improved security. The online gambling sites highlighted by Bintang Tiong also come with big bonuses and fast withdrawals.There has also been a rise in video and online casino game developers utilizing AI technology to improve the graphics, title cards, and promotional materials for a game.For example, the Japanese gaming company Level-5, which is known for its Professor Layton and Ni no Kuni games, uses Stable Diffusion, an AI model, to complete title screens and characters. The company submits draft copies to the AI tool so it can build and improve upon them.Level-5 then employs another AI tool, SwinIR, an image restoration tool, to enhance the quality and appearance of its images and graphics. This saves the company a lot of time and money - it also means that the finished product looks as good as possible.As such AI tools become more readily available, more Asian game companies will adopt them. The AI market in Asia is expected to grow at a significant rate over the next five years, with a predicted CAGR growth rate of 39.93% between now and 2029. This growth will manifest in more game developers using AI tools.While AI makes game development more cost-effective and quicker for gaming companies, it does hurt the game development job market. 70% of illustrators reportedly lost their jobs last year in China, while a recent poll revealed that 58% of Japanese illustrators fear that their jobs will be replaced by AI.One thing that Asian-based gaming companies have so far been reluctant to experiment with is programming an AI tool to generate an entire game. However, this is one usage of AI that will become more prominent in the near future, at least to some extent.Soon, it's likely that more Asian-based game developers will use generative AI to create limitless gaming worlds. Once a game developer has designed the basic layout and environment for a video game, they can program an AI tool to develop this world further and to an infinite extent.The AI tool could be programmed to expand the universe while keeping the layout unique and interesting. By doing so, AI has the power to create a potentially limitless game. While human input would still be needed to design the basics, AI could be left to do the rest.AI will also take over several testing and quality-assurance-related jobs. Instead of manually looking through a game for glitches and errors, AI technology could be programmed to find all potential bugs. This would be more efficient than doing it manually and would provide more accurate results, mitigating the risk of publishing a glitch-ridden game.What does AI mean for the future of gaming in Asia?Photo: Company

Consumers' growing favor for stylish clothing has given rise to a rapid increase in fast fashion brands over the recent decade.However, low-quality fast fashion apparel has also made consumers demand more from fashion brands. Especially in developed countries where birth rates are declining, parents are inclined to spend more on the clothes they put on their children to ensure comfort and safety. According to market research reports, the global organic cotton children's apparel market is set to grow at a CAGR of 9.4% from US$4.4 billion in 2022 to US$8.8 billion in 2030. For their outstanding quality, Taiwan-based fashion startup Baby Baby Cool's products are carried in French department store Printemps.It is the only local brand available at the Bellavita Shopping Center in Taiwan. Better yet, it has signed agreements with Japan's Hankyu Department Store and Isetan Department Store to sell Baby Baby CoolBaby Baby CoolBaby Baby CoolBaby Baby CoolBaby Baby CoolBaby Baby Cool apparel in their stores starting in the second quarter of 2024.Erin Wei, founder and director of Baby Baby Cool, remarked that she established the company to help children develop a sense of taste and style at a young age by providing chic fashion for children as opposed to common kids' wear with cartoon illustrations on the market. When selecting fabrics with manufacturers, she found most of them are produced using chemicals in the process which children may absorb through their skin, harming their health and the environment. To protect the health of infants and kids, Wei decided to use organic cotton to make safe and stylish fashion for children.Premium organic cotton combined with fashion design and craftsmanshipFounded in 2016 on the core concept of love and aesthetics, Baby Baby Cool aims to foster children's sense of taste and style through fashion design while safeguarding their health starting with the clothes they wear every day. The company insists on using GOTS-certified premium organic cotton and proven non-toxic metal accessories to produce pure, soft, and comfortable clothes that kids can confidently put on.Applying the techniques and craftsmanship used for adult fashion to design children's wear, the Baby Baby Cool team goes beyond the boundaries of kids' apparel and creates a Taiwan-based fashion brand boasting both style and health. Featuring originality, the Baby Baby Cool team comprises professional advertisement stylists, prominent fashion designers, skilled pattern makers, and experienced seamstresses who work together to produce clothing entirely in-house.Making use of proportions, structures, cuttings, simple yet vivid colors, and patching techniques to create interesting and innovative aesthetics, the team makes children's clothing featuring sleek lines, chic style, and simple colors. Their products with the unique style allow the world to see Taiwan's strength in children's clothing design.Wei noted that there are kids' fashion brands on the market that highlight the use of organic cotton but they often lack design elements that appeal to consumers. Despite being a startup company, Baby Baby Cool uses special 3D tailoring generally used only for luxury fashion to deliver a more three-dimensional look through cutting, folding, shrinking, grabbing, and pinning techniques.3D tailoring is a technique that leading international fashion brands have growingly adopted in recent years. Although everything about 3D tailoring is more costly and challenging from design to manufacturing compared to conventional practices, it can make clothes that better fit the body contour and structure. This is why Baby Baby Cool is enthusiastically embraced by the market.Leveraging TTA's diverse services, Baby Baby Cool forays into worldwide markets Adhering to the principles of making healthy and stylish clothing, in 2017, a Baby Baby Cool store opened at the Bellavita Shopping Center, a high-end department store in Taiwan, followed by another one in the French department store Printemps in 2018. It began to expand into overseas markets including Hong Kong and China in 2019.However, after the COVID-19 outbreak in 2020, Baby Baby Cool shifted its focus back home and started to make efforts toward an e-commerce platform, reaching out to potential customers via multiple channels. After it was introduced to Sparklabs Taiwan, a Taiwan Tech Arena (TTA) accelerator partner, it received guidance that significantly helped it improve operation efficiency and rethink its management and marketing strategies.According to Wei, when Baby Baby Cool was first founded, a decision was made to tackle the most difficult sales channel. It took a while to get in touch with Bellavita but Baby Baby Cool was able to prove that their product quality is on par with hundred-year-old brands'.From the first presentation to the final product introduction conducted in a way similar to museum exhibits, Baby Baby Cool successfully convinced Bellavita to carry its brand. This helped considerably in Baby Baby Cool's subsequent business development.The startup faced the same challenge in 2023 again when it engaged in talks with Japan's Hankyu Department Store and Isetan Department Store. Wei was happy to win recognition from the two Japanese department stores. The availability of Baby Baby Cool clothes at their stores starting second-quarter 2024 will allow more visibility on Taiwan-based brands.Undertaking all-out efforts toward overseas market expansion starting this year, aside from Japan, Baby Baby Cool will shift focus back to France again in 2025. As part of the efforts, it will more actively participate in TTA's events in hopes of leveraging TTA's global visibility and network to find more partners and investors that will enable Taiwan-based brands to keep shining on the global stage.(Editor's note: The original article was published in TTA Magazine Issue 14. Read more startup stories in TTA Magazines.)Baby Baby Cool founder and director Erin Wei

In the post-epidemic era, changes in consumer behavior and the rapid expansion of chain businesses have brought new challenges to industries such as retail catering and medical care. In response to this trend, DataVan International Corporation, which has been deeply involved in the point-of-sales (POS) industry for many years, set "Smart Hotel" as its theme at Computex 2024 and showcased innovative products and solutions spanning the fields of smart catering, self-service, AI applications and more.DataVan International Corporation, established in POS products, has made significant progress in software development and customer base expansion in recent years. While continuing to delve into the retail and catering industry, the company has also extended its products into finance, healthcare, and other fields. Zhou Ji-Ping, Chairman of DataVan International Corporation, pointed out that advancements in AI technology have allowed POS products to become one of the fastest industrial equipment in adopting this technology.Take the catering industry as an example. The role played by the POS system in this field has evolved into an intelligent big data platform that connects all aspects. When customers order food from the front desk, the relevant information is not only transmitted to the kitchen and accounting department but will also be transmitted simultaneously to the head office systems. There, personnel in each department can carry out their respective tasks by classifying and distributing data.DataVan International Corporation Grows with Customers by Keeping POS Functions Up-to-dateZhou went on to illustrate that the functions and roles of POS systems have continued to evolve since inception. From the earliest function as a mere cashier, POS products have since evolved to handle accounting work and manage purchase, sale, and inventory of goods. Almost 20 years ago, POS began to undertake simple customer data collection and incorporate portable inventory equipment and network connectivity.In recent years, the addition of technologies, such as sensors, big data, and AI, has catapulted POS systems to the core operations of the retail and catering industry, assisting businesses in implementing the vision of precise data-driven operations. Throughout this process, DataVan International Corporation has applied its technical capabilities and design services to meet market needs by providing more advanced and comprehensive intelligent solutions to assist in customer transformation and promote digitalization for enterprises in varying fields.Recently, the company has been engaging in AI research and development in full force, as well as closely observing market trends to launch a series of solutions. Zhou expressed that the labor shortage caused by the declining birthrate continues to plague many sectors in Taiwan.Coupled with changes in people's behavior during the COVID-19 pandemic, the number of self-service and unmanned stores is increasing. Due to this trend, be it the catering, retail, hotel, gyms, or medical institution industries, they all require intelligent platforms that are intuitive, easy to operate, and highly integrated with various systems within their field to reduce labor requirements while meeting the requirements for management and service quality. At COMPUTEX 2024, DataVan International Corporation used "Smart Hotel" as its theme to demonstrate how the company's innovative solutions assist customers in creating comprehensive smart applications.DataVan International Corporation Builds Smart Hotel Application Scenarios to Showcase Technical CapabilitiesWhen entering the DataVan International Corporation booth, visitors are greeted by a self-service check-in machine. Travelers can quickly complete check-in procedures without waiting in line.The machine can identify and authenticate travelers quickly via Optical Character Recognition (OCR), complete the check-in process, and grant the key card efficiently. After entering the hotel, travelers can enjoy a convenient dining experience through the smart catering platform.The unmanned ordering machine supports multiple languages ​​and provides information through a detailed menu. Seamless integration of the ordering equipment with the back-end KDS (Kitchen Display System) drastically improves the efficiency and accuracy of meal delivery.In terms of entertainment and ticketing, DataVan International Corporation demonstrates the smart wristband solution developed in cooperation with Japan's Tensheng Company. Travelers only need to wear a stylish wristband to use the hotel's gym, swimming pool, and other facilities.The QR code on the wristband can be used for identification and bill payment, thereby eliminating the need to carry cash or credit cards. This innovative smart wristband is not limited to be used within hotels.It can also be connected to a wide variety of external systems to provide multiple services. For example, with the concert economy or sports events that have emerged in recent years, hotels can cooperate with event organizers to provide wristbands with electronic ticket functions connected to a ticketing system, allowing guests to quickly and seamlessly access event venues. The enjoyment of such convenient and unique experiences will create new business opportunities for hotels.Zhou said that AI technology plays a critical role in DataVan International Corporation's smart hotel scenarios. Travelers can interact with AI customer service at any time through voice, text, and video messaging to obtain information and services. AI customer service can also quickly understand user intentions, provide customized information, and greatly improve the quality and efficiency of services.In addition to understanding the high-quality experience in smart hotel scenarios enabled by forward-looking technology, DataVan International Corporation's POS and kiosk application solutions will also be on display at COMPUTEX 2024. The POS section features the Amber series that utilizes a 15.6-inch screen and is equipped with the 12th-generation Intel processor.The series features a thin and light casing design with a stylish aluminum alloy exterior that offers excellent performance. It also contains a unique easy-to-maintain design and smart cooling technology that greatly improve reliability and product life cycle. The Amber series is specifically designed for industries such as catering and retail that emphasize high requirements for the appearance and performance of POS terminals. It is DataVan International Corporation's blockbuster product in the high-end POS market.In terms of self-service kiosk solutions, a variety of products tailored for different scenarios will be on display with applications covering meal ordering, medical registration, transportation ticketing, and other fields. DataVan International Corporation's kiosk solution integrates advanced human-machine interaction technologies such as facial recognition, voice recognition, and touch controls to provide a smarter and more convenient self-service experience.From the exhibition content above, the company's technical strength and cross-industry cooperation results are evident. Looking forward to the future, Zhou pointed out that DataVan International Corporation will continue to improve its leading position through existing advantages.This includes launching a number of innovative products in the second half of 2024, such as the next-generation M-POS (mobile POS) solutions featuring a thin and stylish design, as well as self-service kiosk terminals that support multiple payment methods. In terms of software, cloud services will be launched in the existing smart business management platform to help companies accurately understand market trends through big data analysis and AI technology. As mentioned above, DataVan International Corporation will continue to lead the innovation of POS and kiosk with new technologies that strengthen the company's competitiveness in the new era and meet the transformation requirements of customers in various fields.Zhou Ji-Ping, Chairman of DataVan International Corporation, pointed out that advancements in AI technology has allowed POS products to become one of the fastest industrial equipment in adopting this technologyPhoto: DIGITIMESZhou Ji-Ping, Chairman of DataVan International Corporation, points out the practical applications of forward-looking technologies such as AI, big data, and sensors for the "smart hotel" scenario at COMPUTEX 2024Photo: DATAVANAt COMPUTEX 2024, DataVan International Corporation used "Smart Hotel" as its theme to demonstrate how the company's innovative solutions assist customers in creating comprehensive smart applicationsPhoto: DATAVANUnder the leadership of chairman Zhou Jiping and new general manager You Zhicheng with a construction background, DATAVAN will combine its electronic resources, construction resources, and hotel resources to strengthen IT software research and development, create a new smart technology service team, and create an international POS international blue ocean marketPhoto: DATAVANGeneral Manager You Zhicheng pointed out that in the future, DATAVAN will further expand into business fields such as smart management, smart buildings with efficient services with few people, and green building circular economy. The prospects are infinitely brightPhoto: DATAVAN

The disruptive force of generative AI is causing a paradigm shift across various sectors. To strengthen Taiwan's generative AI power and broaden generative AI applications, DIGITIMES organized the AI Wave: Taiwan Generative AI Applications Hackathon.Many teams comprising students from high schools and universities as well as people working in various industries joined the competition. On the day of the final contest, experts from Amazon Web Services (AWS) shared their insights into generative AI technology trends. A panel discussion with industry leaders, government representatives, scholars, and researchers focusing on generative AI talent incubation was held to shed light on generative AI development trends and job opportunities.The AI Wave: Taiwan Generative AI Applications Hackathon attracted 61 teams comprising students from 29 high schools and universities as well as people working in various industries. After one month of training, the teams came up with generative AI solutions demonstrating both creativity and usability.The competition was divided into a hackathon division and an idea exchange division. The teams in the hackathon division worked on problems related to their business specialty and developed solutions in the AWS environment using their own business data. Participants in the idea exchange division could form their own teams and use AWS PartyRock, a no-code service, to focus efforts on developing creative ideas for generative AI applications.AWS experts looked into generative AI technology trendsIn a series of talks on generative AI technology trends, AWS experts pointed out that the ability to create, produce, provide insight, and enable innovative experiences are the core values of generative AI. The technology can generate whole-new content and ideas while boosting business productivity and can enhance customer and employee experiences through never-before-seen human-machine interactions. For example, using AWS AI/ML services, Amazon Pharmacy built an LLM-based chatbot that helps customer service agents answer questions more effectively and a price estimate tool that optimizes the user experience. Generative AI and machine learning advances are not possible without the support of high-performance computing and storage infrastructure. In their talks, AWS experts introduced AWS solutions from the perspectives of storage and computation.For storage, the integration of Amazon FSx for Lustre with Amazon S3 data lakes supports fast random data access and high throughput, significantly boosting training efficiency and reducing costs. For computation, AWS provides cost-effective AWS Graviton processors as well as AWS Inferentia and AWS Trainium accelerators purpose-built for deep learning and inference. On top of that, AWS also offers new services and tools such as Amazon S3 Connector for PyTorch to bring performance and cost benefits to an even higher level.Generative AI solutions require the support of powerful data structures. AI models are commonly developed through ways such as in-context learning, model fine-tuning, and building from scratch. AWS provides a slew of database and storage services to enable high-efficiency data management and search, wherein data pipelines and data lakes play a vital role.Generative AI applications rely on high-efficiency data management and search to operate without a hitch. AWS techniques and tools take generative AI performance and scalability to the next level, helping companies rapidly deploy and run generative AI applications, raise data management efficiency, and reap greater AI benefits.Harnessing the power of AWS to build end-to-end data strategies, companies can strengthen their ability to analyze and gain insights into their business. According to AWS experts, Amazon OpenSearch Service can perform highly efficient searches and analyses with significantly optimized relevancy and precision.The vector engine of OpenSearch searches billions of vector embeddings in just milliseconds. It is suitable for applications including recommendation engines, image recognition, and fraud detection. AWS also has data integration services that allow users to effortlessly synchronize data from Amazon DynamoDB and Amazon S3 to OpenSearch. Data management is not only much easier but also more efficient and precise. With the powerful data analytic capability and generative AI technology enabled by AWS, corporations can build comprehensive data strategies and implement data-driven innovations, thereby enjoying the prosperity they bring.Leaders from the industry and academia communicate with the AI generation about international talent incubationIn the panel discussion on generative AI talent incubation, leaders from the industry and academia engaged in conversations with today's AI generation. The moderator, Dr. Ju-Chuan Wu, CEO of Cloud Innovation School, Feng Chia University, noted that it is almost impossible for humans to live without technology in the ICT era. Cloud Innovation School of Feng Chia University was founded to actively increase the breadth and depth of cloud applications as well as the effects and benefits of talent incubation through continuing industry-government-academia collaborations.With regards to human resource demand, Allen Chen, VP of Platform and New Product Development, 104 Corporation, commented that AI talent is in extreme shortage in Taiwan. Only one out of five AI job openings get filled with a suitable candidate. AI professionals enjoy promising career growth.Chen noted AI is already everywhere and people who use AI should get familiar with all types of devices to transcend old ways of thinking. In the times of AI, the smartphones that employees carry around are like an AI assistant that enables instant interaction and collaboration as well as real-time information look-up and response. As such, having AI tools play a part in employees' everyday work is instrumental to cultivating AI application thinking.According to Dr. Charles C.N. Wang, Dean of Industry-Academia Collaboration, Asia University, the university fosters AWS-certified professionals through peer learning. It also works with companies in central Taiwan to give real-world problems to students while encouraging cross-sector collaborations.Among the students that Asia University educates, 70% apply their knowledge and skills for work and 30% can develop new technologies. They are encouraged to start thinking about their future career path in their junior year.Furthermore, attaching importance to developing students' global competence, Asia University actively recruits international students and promotes bilingual education. Apart from professional skills, Dr. Wang urged students to also make themselves proficient in math, programming languages and English while taking the initiative to learn different cultures and broaden their international horizons. Yen-Ting Lin, a Ph.D. candidate at the Department of Computer Science and Information Engineering of National Taiwan University and the developer of the Taiwan-LLM project, voiced his opinions from a student's perspective. Colleges focus on building students' ability to develop robust AI systems while the industry needs their employees to have the ability to apply AI technologies to solve real-world problems, said Lin.Students can apply the AI skills they learn at school to various fields to increase work efficiency. He also noted that while learning and developing AI, students should also get a clear picture of the current trends and identify the fundamental problems so that they can use AI to improve existing processes.When developing AI systems, aside from technical capabilities, developers need to pay attention to building users' trust in AI. AI will only exert maximum benefits when it is used properly to help overcome inherent challenges that different fields are faced with.The AI Wave: Taiwan Generative AI Applications Hackathon drew 61 teams of students from 29 high schools and universities, alongside professionals from diverse industries. Following a month of training, teams showcased innovative and practical generative AI solutions

Passive infrared (PIR) sensors have been around for years and are widely used in various devices including smart lamps, automotive radar, and monitoring systems.They are instrumental and indispensable to the modern world. However, their lower sensitivity and smaller range also limit the capability of the smart devices that use PIR sensors.Millimeter wave (mmWave) radar sensors that are widely used in smart cars are now getting increasingly adopted in smart devices including monitoring and smart cockpit systems after manufacturers started to provide non-automotive mmWave radar chips a few years ago at more economical pricing. Millilab, with a robust R&D capability and technological strength, wowed visitors at CES 2023. It has engaged in close partnerships with multiple international monitoring system suppliers. Having raised NT$50 million in March 2024, Millilab is poised to capture the immense opportunities in the global smart vehicle market.According to Millilab's founder and CEO - Bibben Lin, mmWaves are shorter in wavelengths. Sensors based on mmWave radar technology provide higher resolution and accuracy so they are embraced by smart cars with high safety standards.Infineon used to dominate the mmWave radar chip market, making them expensive and hardly used in monitoring systems sold at lower prices compared to smart cars. When Texas Instruments (TI) introduced low-cost mmWave radar chips, it spurred a rapid increase in mmWave radar sensor adoptions in non-automotive applications. Today, almost all mid-range and high-end monitoring systems priced at US$200 or higher use mmWave radar sensors.Recognized by Japan-based Socionext, Millilab targets the global market with technological strengthEyeing mmWave radar sensors' high accuracy and high-resolution characteristics and the opportunities arising from decreasing costs, Lin with abundant experience in developing communication devices decided to found Millilab with his business partners in 2019. Millilab's mmWave radar solutions are being used in monitoring systems for infants and seniors, child presence detection (CPD) systems, and driver monitoring systems (DMS).When the company was first founded, the Millilab team focused on developing algorithms based on TI mmWave radar sensors for a variety of applications. Millilab's robust R&D capability soon caught the attention of Socionext, a Japan-based mmWave radar chip supplier.Each boasting unique technologies in their own field, the two companies decided to join forces and have together developed total solutions and reference designs for a diversity of application scenarios that are embraced by customers across different sectors. Millilab has become one of the most trusted partners of Socionext and now independently develops algorithms based on Socionext chips. It is also the company that many global brands turn to for mmWave radar solutions.Lin noted that during the company's early development, the competition was fierce in the automotive mmWave radar sensor market. European and American brands dominated 80% to 90% of the market and the rest was divided between two China-based vendors.In comparison, at that time almost every monitoring system was based on the PIR technology. This presented tremendous opportunities for Millilab. Not only did Millilab become Socionext's partner for its R&D strength but it also secured a deal with Europe's largest car seat brand Maxi-Cosi to jointly develop a crib (baby) monitoring system. The result impressed Maxi-Cosi and more importantly, gave Millilab global visibility.Millilab and partners expand into the smart cockpit market with authorities mandating CPD starting 2025With the assistance from TTA and flyingVest Ventures, Millilab attended CES in 2023 and 2024 as well as London Tech Week in the U.K. and VivaTech in France. The participation at these events helped Millilab reach customers from different corners of the world.For example, a Europe-based automatic door manufacturer was impressed by Millilab's algorithm and therefore plans to collaborate with the company. Multiple Asia-based corporations have also engaged in partnerships with Millilab to provide mmWave radar solutions for their products targeting overseas markets. These projects significantly fueled Millilab's revenue growth.Going forward, Millilab will undertake a three-way strategy, said Lin. First, it will continue to attend tech exhibitions and work with TTA and flyingVest Ventures to increase its global visibility. Second, to win more customers across different sectors, Millilab plans to implement the algorithm developed for Socionext chips on TI chips, ensuring the same level of performance and reliability. Last, the EU mandating CPD starting in 2025 is set to spur the demand for CPD systems so Millilab will work with partners to capture preemptive opportunities in this market segment.On average, about 40 children die each year in Europe after being left alone in a car. To address this problem, Euro NCAP will award safety rating points for CPD in new passenger vehicle designs from 2025.In response, manufacturers are actively developing smart cockpit solutions. This presents a great opportunity for Millilab, boasting strong algorithm R&D capability, to penetrate the market segment. It plans to introduce a standard smart cockpit solution in April 2024 for automakers' PoC testing, followed by customized designs according to their requirements. Millilab expects this to contribute to strong revenue growth in the coming years.(Editor's note: The original article was published in TTA Magazine Issue 14. Read more startup stories in TTA Magazines.)Millilab founder and CEO Bibben LinPhoto: MillilabSchematic diagram of Millilab's CPD systemPhoto: Millilab

Inevitably, the adoption of generative AI and LLM (Large Language Model) has fueled more intelligence and efficiency in our lives and works than in the past decade.Moving forward, the demand for running AI and LLM at the edge devices is growing as it provides lower latency, higher privacy, and more flexibility. It is set to redefine the level of intelligence of smart devices as well as broaden the landscape of mobile scenarios.Fibocom (Stock code: 300638), a global leading provider of IoT (Internet of Things) wireless solutions and wireless communication modules, launches a series of on-device AI solutions powered by Qualcomm QCS8550 and QCM6490 processors from Qualcomm Technologies, Inc. The solutions are designed to satisfy compute-intensive application scenarios such as robotics, automated vehicles, video collaborations, smart retailing, etc., accelerating industrial digitalization and intelligent transformation.Flagship on-device AI solution powered by Qualcomm QCS8550 processorUtilizing the powerful Qualcomm QCS8550 processor, Fibocom's flagship on-device AI solution is designed to deliver strong performance and unparalleled multimedia capabilities. Equipped with an octa-core CPU and an Adreno 740 GPU, the solution can support up to 4 concurrent displays, and 8K video encoding and decoding. It serves as a strong core for industries requiring high-definition video playing, fast data analytics, and lower latency like automated vehicles, robotics, remote medical surgery, computer vision systems, live streaming, video conference systems, and more.Premium on-device AI solution powered by Qualcomm QCM6490 processors, piloting the high-end AIoT marketThe solution developed using the Qualcomm QCM6490 processor, features an octa-core processor with high-speed HVX (Hexagon Vector Extension) technology, and a high-performance graphics engine to allow smooth 4K video playing and multi-channel camera inputs. In addition, the solution is capable of allowing a maximum of 5 ISPs (Image Signal Processing) and up to 5-8 camera streams simultaneously, helping customers to ease their concerns on multi-camera deployments as well as dual-screen display scenarios.The solution offers flexible wireless connections such as 5G, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and is equipped with a GNSS receiver for precise navigation both indoors and outdoors. In terms of software, the solution supports the mainstream operating systems: Android, Linux, and Windows. Leveraging the computing power of up to 13 TOPS, the solution efficiently helps customers handle data-intensive computation and processing, running various 1.3B/3B/7B open-source LLMs on the device, making it an ideal solution for smart retail, In-Vehicle Infotainment (IVI) and industrial inspection."We are excited to see our powerful Qualcomm processors, the QCS8550 and QCM6490, being utilized in Fibocom's innovative on-device AI solutions," stated Dev Singh, Vice President of Business Development and Head of building, enterprise & industrial automation at Qualcomm Technologies, Inc. "This collaboration is a testament to our commitment to advancing AI capabilities at the edge, enhancing performance and efficiency across a range of applications from industrial automation to smart retail.""It is paramount to master the productivity of AI and create value-added solutions from the edge side for our customers that are in urgent need of building their smart devices based on our solutions. We are thrilled to develop these solutions based on the advanced and powerful chipsets from Qualcomm Technologies, as it not only provides the fundamental architecture of edge intelligence, also enriches flexibility in network connections such as 5G/Wi-Fi/Bluetooth," said Ralph Zhao, VP of MC BU at Fibocom. "In collaboration with Qualcomm Technologies, Fibocom is dedicated to injecting new versatility to the future of intelligence, and accelerating the implementation of our collaboration in robotics, industrial automation, live streaming, and more."

Fibocom (Stock code: 300638), a global leading provider of IoT (Internet of Things) wireless solutions and wireless communication modules, launches 5G + Wi-Fi 7 solution for 5G FWA during Computex 2024, satisfying the demand for higher data throughput and extending Wi-Fi 7 performance in the home, SMB (Small and Medium-sized Business) and industrial scenarios.Boosting 5G + Wi-Fi 7 Capabilities of Peak Performance Up to BE7200The ultra-high bandwidth and low latency features make the FG370 an optimal wireless solution for 5G FWA scenarios like smart home, SMB, and industrial monitoring. The multiplier solution can be realized by coupling with the latest Wi-Fi 7 technology, unleashing the full potential of a lightning-fast wireless experience for end users.Compliant with the IEEE 802.11be (Wi-Fi 7) standard, the 5G + Wi-Fi 7 solution supports a 4K QAM (Quadrature Amplitude Modulation) modulation scheme as well as up to 160MHz channel bandwidth to expand the data transmission capacity and reduce latency efficiently. It is worth mentioning that the solution also supports dual-band 2.4GHz 4 x 4 and 5GHz 5 x5 to achieve MLO speed of up to 7.2Gbps.In terms of reliability and transmission efficiency, the integration with OFDMA, Multi-RU, and MU-MIMO technologies guarantees interference-free, signal-boosted performance. Driven by the unique 5T5R system empowered by the Wi-Fi 7 chipset, the end users will benefit from 5dB antenna gains and extended network coverage versus previous generations."As the world's first 5G module developed from MediaTek's T830, Fibocom FG370 has been recognized and deployed by global Tier 1 operators' 5G CPE commercialization since its first debut in October 2023. Evolved with the latest Wi-Fi 7 standard, Fibocom launched the tri-band BE19000 solution based on FG370 during MWC 2024," said Simon Tao, VP of MBB Product Management Dept., Head of MBB BU at Fibocom. "Up to date, Fibocom is glad to be the first module vendor launching the industry-first dual-band BE7200 solution based on FG370 compatible with Wi-Fi 7 chipset, significantly boosting the overall performance in terms of speed performance, cost, and frequency regulatory requirements. The Tri industry-leading innovations prove Fibocom's product capabilities on the MediaTek T830 platform and the dedication to helping customers win the market."Welcome to visit Fibocom stand #K1215a at Computex 2024 for more details about 5G + Wi-Fi 7 demonstrations.Fibocom extends market leadership in 5G FWA by launching 5G + Wi-Fi 7 solution at Computex 2024Photo: Company