ITRI showcases textile-based artificial ligament ahead of Taiwan Innotech Expo

ITRI showcases textile-based artificial ligament ahead of Taiwan Innotech Expo

2023-10-06

Ahead of the 2023 Taiwan Innotech Expo, a sampling of groundbreaking technologies went on display at a preshow press conference. One of them was an artificial ligament made with a novel composite textile. The technology addresses problems in commercial artificial ligaments, which include poor compatibility and the high risk of rupture due to abrasion. By applying textiles into a medical product, the innovation will also give a boost to the traditional textile industry, while taking aim at the US$2.7 billion global market for soft tissue repair materials.

There’s nothing better than a good game of basketball. But one bad fall could risk a sports injury, such as a ligament rupture. There are drawbacks to the artificial ligaments on the market today, including poor compatibility that leads to abrasion and hydrarthrosis. Backed by the economics ministry’s Department of Industrial Technology, the Industrial Technology Research Institute developed a textile artificial ligament.

Yuchi Wang
ITRI’s biomedical tech lab
This is Taiwan’s first artificial ligament product. Taiwan has a very strong textile industry. We harnessed it and integrated it into a biomedical application. In the future, this will enhance the added value of textiles.

The product’s R&D took three years, combining expertise in the biomedical sector, material science, and textiles. It uses polymer-bioceramic composites to support stronger graft fixation. The artificial ligament is also coated with collagen to promote faster, more efficient body repair.

Yuchi Wang
ITRI’s biomedical tech lab
The great challenge was making sure the points of contact allow for the regenerated bone to fuse seamlessly with the artificial ligament, to prevent another rupture. This feature is where our design shines. We hope that the technology will be adopted domestically. We want it to complete clinical trials within three years.

Media had an early look at the technology during a press conference promoting the 2023 Taiwan Innotech Expo. The textile artificial ligament will also be displayed at the trade show next week. Developers are eager to integrate the technology into clinical applications, to take aim at US$2.7 billion in opportunities for medical materials in the global soft tissue repair market.

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台灣創新技術博覽會將登場 "編紡人工韌帶"曝光

2023-10-06

2023台灣創新技術博覽會即將登場，展前記者會上，許多創新技術也搶先曝光。其中經濟部支持工研院，研發的"編紡人工韌帶"，改善目前人工韌帶相容性不佳、容易磨損的問題，並整合生醫、材料、紡織等領域，促進傳統紡織業升級，搶攻全球27億元的軟組織醫材修復市場。

在操場打籃球好刺激，但不小心發生運動傷害，嚴重恐怕造成韌帶斷裂，有感於現在市面上的人工韌帶，相容性不佳，容易磨損導致關節積水，經濟部產業技術司支持工研院，研發出編紡的人工韌帶。

[[工研院生醫所再生醫學組組長王羽淇]]
“這是國內首創的人工韌帶產品。台灣有很強的紡織業者，我們將紡織的能量，整合到生醫的領域應用，未來提高紡織的附加價值。”

整合生醫、材料、紡織等領域，歷經3年時間研發，除了使用陶瓷和高分子複合材料，提升固定強度，並將膠原蛋白塗佈在人工韌帶上，讓人體修復得更快更好。

[[工研院生醫所再生醫學組組長王羽淇]]
“最困難的地方是在它這個接觸的地方，我們如何讓未來，就是你自己再生的骨頭能夠跟它融合，來達到不要再次脫落的目標，這是整個設計的強項。我們希望能夠達到國產國用，大概3年之內有希望完成人體試驗。”

編紡人工韌帶，搶先在2023創博會展前記者會上曝光，除了將在下週實體展端出成果，也希望未來成功導入運動醫學臨床應用，搶攻全球27億元的軟組織醫材修復市場。

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Orchid Island off Taiwan’s southeastern coast was devastated by Typhoon Koinu. Phone signal remains unstable in many villages on the eastern side of the island. Early Friday morning, Taitung County Commissioner Yao Ching-ling sent 20 relief workers to the island by helicopters. They hailed from Taipower, CPC Corporation, Chunghwa Telecom and Taiwan Water Corporation. Food, water and other daily necessities are also trickling in for the island’s residents.

Two helicopters from the National Airborne Service Corps flew back and forth from Orchid Island transporting disaster relief workers from Taipower, CPC Corporation, Chunghwa Telecom and the Taiwan Water Corporation.

Kaiyuan Port bore the brunt of the devastation. About 90% of vessels there had capsized or gone missing. A key mission now is dispatching machinery to the island to clear debris and help with reconstruction.

Yao Ching-ling
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Currently the place where freighters and passenger ships dock at Kaiyuan Port is full of sunken ships. There’s absolutely no way of docking there. We have to first clear the loading dock so that people and goods can come in. We need the central government to help provide cranes and excavators.

The Taitung County Government has shipped over water, dry food and other daily necessities. Large construction trucks and other heavy machinery and equipment were also loaded onto boats, to help restore normal operations on the tiny island as soon as possible.

Wang Chih-hui
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Our current goal is to help Orchid Island return to daily life, that is, with water, electricity, transportation, telecommunications and fuel. Once these things are done, we can use machinery to clear out the docking area, so that we can make further arrangements on shipments.

The typhoon inflicted heavy damage to residential buildings, and wrecked the island’s four schools. Online, a group of volunteers is assembling to assist with reconstruction.

Voice of Yen Tzu-yu
Yayu Elementary School teacher
Right now, we have to get the road cleared. The plants and big trees have all been bent and broken. We’re going to need a lot of people or heavy machinery to hoist them up.

The military is expected to be getting involved in disaster relief starting Saturday so that reconstruction can be speedier and the islanders can return to normal life.

For more Taiwan news, tune in:
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2023-10-06

13 schools in Pingtung cancel class on Friday to clear out debris from Typhoon Koinu

Typhoon Koinu left a trail of destruction in Southern Taiwan, especially on the Hengchun Peninsula. Many schools were left with broken windows and damaged facilities. The typhoon may have left, but 13 schools in Pingtung country remained closed on Friday, as personnel were dispatched to clear out debris and make repairs.

Surveillance camera footage shows a tree swaying in the wind. Behind it, sports nets lie on their sides on the ground. Typhoon Koinu brought wind speeds of more than 61.2 meters per second to Hengchun Peninsula. One day after the storm, classes have resumed in the county, except at 13 schools that sustained heavy damage. One of them is Daping Elementary School in Hengchun Township. The school grounds are covered in broken trees and branches and the shipping container that serves as sports equipment storage was blown on its side.

Huang Wen-tsung
Daping Elementary School principal
I was shocked. Since I came here, none of the typhoons managed to knock it over. It’s such a heavy container, but it ended up like this. It was uprooted and all.

Rain continued to batter Hengchun in the morning and teams were dispatched to help clear out the sports field. Some teachers also came to the school to clean up the classrooms and collect debris.

Daping Elementary School teacher
I’m sweeping the floor and collected some fallen leaves. I might go outside in a moment to help clear out the leaves there.

Another school in disarray is Manzhou Junior High School in Manzhou Township. The activity center at the school, which is meant to double as an emergency shelter, has been left without many pieces of roofing. Rain now pours freely into the building, creating a waterfall at the stairway.

Lee Wei-tsung
Manzhou Junior High School
The glass windows and the aluminum doors have been blown off. The water has kept leaking in from the roof and it’s all pouring down.

The school remains without electricity and in the morning, a group of soldiers was dispatched to clear out debris. School administrators hope the school will be cleaned over the long weekend so that students can come back for class next week.

Lee Wei-tsung
Manzhou Junior High School
We’ve had soldiers come to help out. So I think that over the long weekend, everything will get put back in place. The repairs here may take a little longer.

Typhoon Koinu left a trail of destruction in the Hengchun peninsula, which will take some time to clear up.

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DPP’s Lai says upcoming elections will affect peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific

With the presidential election drawing closer, there has been increasing international media attention to Taiwan. Most recently, DPP presidential candidate Lai Ching-te was interviewed exclusively by the Japanese public broadcaster NHK. Lai said he hoped Taiwan and Japan could strengthen their security cooperation and called on the international community to unite in deterring China and preventing a contingency in Taiwan. The vice president also made it clear that he does not accept the claim that Taiwan is part of China.

Japan’s NHK TV anchor Tanaka Masayoshi came to Taiwan specifically to report on the presidential election and obtained an exclusive with Vice President Lai Ching-te. He asked the DPP’s presidential candidate about what historical significance this election has.

Lai Ching-te
Vice President
The presidential and legislative elections in 2024 will certainly affect Taiwan’s future national direction, and, more importantly, they will affect peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific.

Lai also said his aim was to ensure peace in the Taiwan Strait and all his efforts will be put into avoiding a war. He added that, in the face of constant threats from China, rather than guessing when China plans to wage war, it is better to prepare in advance.

Lai Ching-te
Vice President
The more strongly united and better prepared the international community is, the smaller the chance of China starting a war. If the international community only looks at China’s market and overlooks the danger the country poses, unity in the international community will break apart and increase the chances of war in the Taiwan Strait.

Lai also expressed hopes that Taiwan and Japan could deepen cooperation in the fields of security, as well as trade and culture.

Lai Ching-te
Vice President
While the whole world is responsible for the peace and stability of the Indo-Pacific region, Taiwan will play the most important role, followed by Japan because we are in the Indo-Pacific region and face the most direct threat from China. Taiwan and the democratic camp are likeminded countries. We must strengthen our defense capabilities and at the same time stand together with the forces of democracy. In particular, we really hope that Taiwan will be able to cooperate with Japan in various areas.

In the face of China’s determination to annex Taiwan, Lai said he did not accept Xi Jinping’s claim that Taiwan is part of China. He said he would be willing to hold dialogue with China if the two sides could engage with each other as equals.

Lai Ching-te
Vice President
Taiwan and China can become friends. Taiwan does not want to become enemies with China.

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Documents link Malaysian company to fatal campsite landslide

More than nine months after a deadly landslide struck a campsite in Batang Kali, Malaysia, families of the victims are still waiting to see the results of a government investigation. Voice of America has reviewed records that reveal previously unreported details about the campsite. Dave Grunebaum has the story.

A company in this urban business park on the outskirts of Malaysia’s capital, Kuala Lumpur, appears to have a connection to a deadly disaster.

A landslide in the countryside community of Batang Kali, about 50 kilometers north.

Thirty-one people were killed in December, after the earth swept over their tents overnight at a campsite on Father’s Organic Farm.

Nine and a half months later, the government has not released findings from its investigation.

Loh Teng Shui
Father of landslide victim
The families want accountability. And also, we want steps to be taken to prevent these incidents from happening again.

Also killed in the landslide was seven-year-old Zech, the only child of Loh Teng Shui and his wife, Tan Ei Ein.

Loh Teng Shui
Father of landslide victim
The families deserve the full, comprehensive, unfiltered report, which covers all aspects, not just the technicality of the landslide.

Land records reviewed by VOA show that at the time of the landslide, the farm and campsite were on property owned by Malaysia Botanical Gardens Resort. The company lists its offices in this tower in Horizon office park, the same building that’s the headquarters for Nirvana Asia Group a funeral service provider that’s controlled by one of the country’s wealthiest families.

Nirvana Asia is led by Kong Yew Foong, pictured on the company’s website, and his father, Kong Hon Kong, whose net worth Forbes estimates at $860 million.

Records kept by the Companies Commission of Malaysia lists both Kongs as directors at Malaysia Botanical Gardens Resort. The Kongs turned down VOA’s request for an interview.

VOA also recently reviewed an environmental impact assessment, or EIA, report but was not allowed to photograph or record video of it. The report shows that in 2013,the department of environment approved a proposal for a resort, but the site where Father’s Organic Farm was operating later was in a different area.

Teckwyn Lim is an honorary associate professor of geography at the University of Nottingham Malaysia.

Teckwyn Lim
University of Nottingham Malaysia
The EIA makes it quite clear that the area for the farm and campsite was not to be developed, and the implication is that it was not safe to be developed.

Several days after the landslide, however, a government official said Father’s had a permit to operate as an organic farm, but the state did not have a specific license for campsites. But a crucial question remains.

Loh Teng Shui
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How did the farm get the permit to operate?

Teckwyn Lim
University of Nottingham Malaysia
They did not get permission from the department of the environment.

So far, government officials have refused to discuss details of their investigation. They have told local media they’ll release the findings this month, something families of the victims say is long overdue.

Dave Grunebaum, VOA News Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

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The referee declares the victory, and Lin Yu-ting throws her hands in the air in celebration. This is her first gold medal at the Asian Games, and Taiwan’s first gold medal in boxing at the event in 65 years.

Lin was up against an opponent she had never beaten before: Karina Ibragimova from Kazakhstan. Before the match even, everything started off with difficulties for Lin. The Kazakh delegation reportedly filed a protest questioning the sex eligibility of Lin, who was disqualified from an IBA boxing tournament earlier this year after failing a biochemical test. In this occasion, the Taiwanese team immediately provided evidence that Lin was eligible to compete and the match proceeded smoothly.

Lin’s abilities seemed not to be impacted in the slightest by the pre-match trouble. Ibragimova won silver at the latest IBA World Women’s Boxing Championship, but she was quickly put down by Lin with a fierce offensive in the first two rounds. Ibragimova was caught completely off guard, leaving Lin in an advantageous position.

Lin’s performance remained steady in the crucial third round, to finish the match with a clean 5-0, and make history in Taiwan boxing.

Lin Yu-ting
Boxing gold medalist
I felt that I’d finally made it. When I came off the ring I went to hug my coach. I made it. I really made it!

Lin’s Asian Games gold comes as a relief for the athlete, as well as a validation of her boxing abilities. Back in the Tokyo Olympics, Lin suffered a devastating defeat in the first round of matches. That and the withdrawal of her bronze medal earlier this year have marked a bumpy career for the boxer. For Lin, this medal is a significant milestone and a boost of confidence for her ahead of the Paris Olympics next year.

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