How Taiwan is shaping an AI-fuelled Industry 4.0 revolution

In fact, Taiwan ranks sixth for global competitiveness among 64 economies in the IMD World Competitiveness Yearbook 2023, which notes these strengths.

“Taiwan is a global leader in semiconductors and ICT, but Taiwan is also changing,” says Huang. “We were primarily known for manufacturing, but today, Taiwan is about innovation in every field. We’re investing in research, working with others around the globe and creating new products to meet the world’s needs.”

Championing a culture of healthcare excellence

Every year, Taiwan’s wide array of innovative products take centre stage with the annual Taiwan Excellence Awards, celebrating the pinnacle of Made-in-Taiwan innovation.

One of this year’s recipients is Onyx Healthcare, with its Medical AI Computing Platform. Using the latest NVIDIA graphics and Intel processing power, the device assists medical professionals in diagnosing symptoms rapidly, with added analytics.

For example, after performing a CT scan, medical professionals typically review images sequentially, which is a time-consuming process. Onyx’s device turbocharges workflows by quickly scanning through images using its AI capabilities, highlighting potential issues. This not only saves time, but in critical scenarios demanding urgent treatment, it can help patients get the care they need quicker.

Another example is the device’s augmented reality capabilities, which can convert images, such as those from an endoscope, into 3D images in real-time, helping medical professionals perform precision medical operations more effectively.

“AI has come a long way in the past 24 months and it presents incredible opportunities for innovation,” says Dr John Chuang, President of Onyx Healthcare. “As the medical sector gradually gains confidence with AI-powered solutions, we’ll be able to create solutions for increasingly mission-critical applications, further helping medical professionals in their activities, not replacing them.”

Creating a ripple effect, with cross-industry solutions

Business has been transformed by a wide array of digital devices and IoT sensors, such as cameras, robots, location trackers and more, leading to ever-growing volumes of data. While cloud and AI were initially thought to be the answer to collecting and analysing this, its sheer scale can lead to bandwidth and latency issues. For example, imagine streaming hundreds of video feeds simultaneously and applying image recognition – the result would be lag, and an inability for devices to respond quickly.     

As a result, edge computing emerged, in which data is processed closer to the point it’s created, allowing for faster analysis and response time. But this, too, has led to challenges such as managing disparate devices, consolidating data and deriving insights.

In response, Advantech, another recipient of the Taiwan Excellence Award, created the EI-52, a compact edge intelligence system that allows users to manage devices in real-time via a single platform. So rather than a labyrinth of machines, each with its own software platform, all their data and activity can be monitored and analysed via one device.

“One of the EI-52’s key features is that it can be used in a wide range of industries thanks to its open software platform,” says Advantech Vice President Aaron Su. “Think about robots used in hospitality or retail, that clean floors or serve customers. Or access control devices used in smart building solutions and transportation. The EI-52 brings all that data together and tells users whether a certain device is functioning, what its battery life is, what it’s doing. By centralising data from many devices into a single platform and analysing it, it makes managing everything easier.”

Another benefit is that the EI-52 is a plug-and-play solution, meaning that most devices, including ones of different manufacturers, can be connected without compatibility issues or the need for additional coding. This allows companies to integrate the EI-52 into their existing IT infrastructure quickly and easily.

 “Thanks to our talented engineers and global connections, we use our technological expertise to create solutions that are changing the world,” says Su. “Advantech's strengths in software, hardware and related services mean it can easily meet the demands of contactless lifestyles and unmanned robotic devices in the post-pandemic era.”

Modernising manufacturing

Industry 4.0 solutions such as smart factories and precision robotics are the latest in a long history of innovations transforming manufacturing. One company advancing the sector is Tongtai Machine and Tool Co, which has received many Taiwan Excellence Awards, including one for its TMS-2500 5-axis multi-tasking turning centre.

“Many companies have limited space on their factory floor and require different machines to perform various tasks in the manufacturing process,” says Tongtai vice president Lulu Yen. “Our TMS series is a superstar solution because it simplifies this automatically, performing a variety of turning and milling functions, one after another. Manufacturers no longer need to manually switch machines and tools, saving time and valuable factory space.”

Going beyond hardware innovation, Tongtai also crafts intelligent software catering to diverse production needs. By helping operators understand their individual machines better, Tongtai better equips users to monitor entire production lines.

“Teamwork plays a critical role in enabling our company to respond to market demands,” says Yen. “I mean this in terms of the extensive collaboration between industry, government and academia in Taiwan, enabling us to get the right resources, customise our products and help us compete alongside global industry giants.”

Taiwan and the future of innovation

Taiwan is committed to creating innovative solutions to the world’s biggest challenges. Two realms it sees as the greatest opportunities are AI and reducing carbon emissions

At the helm of AI technology, Taiwan is responsible for about two-thirds of AI server production worldwide, and through continued investment and international partnerships, intends to remain a vanguard of AI advancements, using AI to fuel innovation across a broad range of sectors. 

Regarding sustainability, Taiwan has committed to achieving net zero by 2050 and although renewable energy only generated 8.6% of the island’s power in 2022, it plans to increase this to 20% by 2025 through new offshore wind and solar projects.  

“These innovations are testaments to our dedication to advancing technology, fostering collaboration and making a positive impact on the international stage,” says Huang.

“The future is shaped by thoughts and in Taiwan you are free to dream, experiment, and invent. This freedom is our contribution to the world.”