A drone team arrives in Taiwan to join search-and-rescue efforts in Taroko National Park

2024-04-07

Search-and-rescue efforts following the magnitude 7.2 earthquake that struck Hualien on April 3 have entered their fifth day. So far, 13 people are confirmed dead and six remain missing. A drone team from Turkey arrived early Sunday morning at the command center in Taroko Gorge, and joined search efforts along the Shakadang Trail.

Serhat
Turkish drone team
We are really grateful for the opportunity, because we know we are the only team which the Taiwan government accepted. Thank you, all of you, because you learned that in Turkey when we had hard times with the earthquake, several times, so it is fortunate for us to return the favor back. We have performed many tasks in similar cases. Some of them are really successful, some of them are not. As I said, it depends on the terrain and weather conditions. Today we are going to try to narrow the area, so we can reach them as quick as possible.

Meanwhile, the last of a group of 148 tourists who had been trapped at Silks Place Taroko hotel were rescued on Sunday morning. The group was brought out by way of neighboring Nantou County, as the road leading to Hualien remained obstructed.

For more Taiwan news, tune in:
Sun to Fri at 9:30 pm on Channel 152
Tue to Sat at 1 am on Channel 53

土耳其無人機出動搜索砂卡礑隊長:回報台灣幫助

2024-04-07

花蓮地震搜救進入第五天，目前已經13死，還有6人失聯，土耳其無人機團隊今天一大早，就來到太魯閣的前進指揮所，出動兩架空拍機協助搜索砂卡礑步道。

[[土耳其無人機團隊隊長 Serhat]]
“我們非常榮幸能來協助，因為我們是台灣政府唯一核准的隊伍。謝謝你們大家，在土耳其大地震的艱困時刻給予幫助，我們很榮幸現在能回報台灣人。我們過去執行過類似的任務，有些成功有些失敗，取決於地形還有天氣狀況，我們今天會試著縮小範圍找到失蹤的人”

另外，受困在花蓮晶英酒店的遊客，歷經4天驚魂，7日上午，最後一批148名遊客，陸續搭乘接駁的中巴跟自行駕車，從南投方向撤離。

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民視台灣台（152頻道）週日至週五晚上9:30
民視新聞台（53頻道）週二至週六凌晨1:00

8-year-old search-and-rescue dog Roger finds the third victim on Taroko trail

Several rescue dogs have been taking part in the search efforts following last week’s earthquake in Hualien. One of them, a dog named Roger from a Kaohsiung search-and-rescue team, was able to locate the body of a woman surnamed Hu buried in the rubble. When asked about the exceptional canine, his team captain had nothing but good things to say about his four-legged team member.

The Hualien earthquake triggered a large-scale landslide along the Shakadang Trail. After picking up a scent in the rubble, search-and-rescue dog Roger went back to a spot a second time, and finally stopped in place and refused to leave. Only then did the search and rescue team notice that there was a body there, the third one to be found along the popular hiking trail.

In addition to being taught to obey the trainer, Roger has had to undergo search-and-rescue training on high platforms and seaside reefs.

Chen Chih-san
Kaohsiung search-and-rescue dog team captain
Roger is a very independent dog and is very smart. He has a very high IQ and EQ. He is also very active and strong. The dog handler provides him with food, clothing, housing and transportation, including exercise.

Eight-year-old Roger used to be a sniffer dog. He was a lively and active sniffer dog who worked for years prior to being decommissioned in 2017. However, he wasn’t out of the picture for long when he came out a winner at a World Championship of the International Search and Rescue Dog Organization, and was certified at an advanced level. Now he is back at work as a cherished member of the Kaohsiung search-and-rescue team.

Chen Chih-san
Kaohsiung search-and-rescue dog team captain
He was able to locate the deceased, and his movements and behavior were understood by his handler. I think this is quite commendable.

Roger’s agility and speed can be attributed to his daily swimming exercises, which help maintain his muscle strength. The basic training is now paying off, and Roger has developed a good rapport with his handler. The pair now are doing their utmost as they continue in the search-and-rescue process.

For more Taiwan news, tune in:
Sun to Fri at 9:30 pm on Channel 152
Tue to Sat at 1 am on Channel 53

2024-04-07

Train service restored between Zhonghe and Dapinglin on MRT’s Yellow Line

2024-04-07

Chef’s stool sample test positive for a toxin in food poisoning cluster case

As investigations into a Taipei food poisoning cluster continue, a chef has been found to have traces of the toxin Bongkrekic acid in his stool. Investigators say the toxin may have entered the chef’s body during the cooking process, but the chef did not become ill, and has no traces of the toxin in his blood. Meanwhile, the last person to become ill after eating at the restaurant associated with the cluster is also the first to test negative for the toxin. The female patron said she had symptoms of diarrhea and nausea after eating fried noodles at the restaurant.

In the latest update in a cluster of food poisonings at chain restaurant Polam Kopitiam’s Xinyi branch, Bongkrekic acid was found in a sample of a chef’s stool. Previous samples taken from the hands of the substitute chef, surnamed Hu, also showed traces of the toxin. Investigators on Sunday said Hu is now the key defendant in the case, which resulted in two deaths, and the hospitalization of seven others.

Voice of Victor Wang
Deputy health minister
We were also concerned about the chef’s physical condition, but blood results came back with normal values. We didn’t find Bongkrekic acid in his blood or urine. It’s possible that he consumed it, and the concentration was very low. So it didn’t have an impact on his body, and was subsequently metabolized.

However, environmental tests at the restaurant and at the chef’s home came out negative for any traces of the toxin. Commenting on the situation, one doctor said it could be a rare case where an individual carries a pathogen without being affected by it.

Chiang Kuan-yu
Internal medicine doctor
In such a case, there is a balance between the host’s immune system and the toxin produced by the pathogen, and it does not cause any symptoms to the host. This would not necessarily be the case with the immune systems of others.

The doctor also cited past studies, saying that it is very difficult to completely wash off traces of Bongkrekic acid, and that doing so effectively would require repeated application of complex chemical solutions. Meanwhile, a 39-year-old woman who got sick after eating fried noodles at the restaurant has been added to the list of those affected in the case. The woman developed diarrhea, nausea and general fatigue, but tested negative for traces of Bongkrekic acid. In total, among the 34 people reported in the case, 32 have tested positive for the toxin. Four individuals linked to the case are still in the intensive care unit.

For more Taiwan news, tune in:
Sun to Fri at 9:30 pm on Channel 152
Tue to Sat at 1 am on Channel 53

2024-04-07

Redball project comes to a final stop after a 10-day tour of Tainan

2024-04-07

How plants are bringing healing to care patients

We shall now turn to the power of plants. For many people, a forest hike or spending time in the garden is a surefire way to relax. At medical and care institutions across Taiwan, the power of plants is well known, and is being used to improve the lives of patients. Today we visit a care home in New Taipei, where horticultural therapy helps residents cast their troubles away. We also see how virtual forest hikes bring joy to hospice patients at the end of their lives. Our Sunday special report.

Students try to tell what seeds are inside the shakers. This is the weekly horticultural therapy session at the Bali Ai-Hsin Home for Persons with Disabilities in New Taipei.

Today, the therapist is taking residents to experience spices and herbs through the five senses. They look at them, touch them, smell them and even have a taste.

The horticultural therapy program started in 2008 and has been running for more than 15 years. The past five years, the program has been led by Chang Po-jan.

Chang Po-jan
Horticultural therapist
They all have severe and extremely severe disabilities, or have multiple disabilities. Some of them can only communicate through facial expressions or by making sounds. Sometimes they move their eyes and that’s how you know whether they like something or not, if they are feeling happy or if something’s up.

Hsieh Hsin-ming
Bali Ai-Hsin Home for Persons with Disabilities
Our residents are interested in taking part in courses like this. They get very invested in them. So I think there should be more courses like this.

She opens the door to the garden and everyone rushes out to bask in the sunshine and be one with nature. Discarded hospital beds have been converted into planters, allowing wheelchair users to get up close with the greens.

Specially designed spades and gardening tools let residents with limited mobility have a go at turning over the soil and planting seeds.

Chang Po-jan
Horticultural therapist
They can put the seeds in this slide to slide them into the holes. That makes it easier to plant the seeds.

Watering the plants is a fun activity that is actually part of rehabilitation. This is what horticultural therapy is all about. Getting close to plants and tending them helps participants relax and relieve stress. This form of therapy has been popular internationally for many years. Therapists act as a bridge between humans and plants.

Chang Po-jan
Horticultural therapist
People often think that horticultural therapists do our jobs to heal others. But after being in this profession for a long time, we realize that we ourselves are being healed.

She maneuvers her wheelchair all around the garden, inspecting every plant. This is Lin Li-hsueh’s routine.

She’s lived in the home for 30 years, and she pours her heart into gardening.

Lin Li-hsueh
Bali Ai-Hsin Home for Persons with Disabilities resident
It’s kind of like taking care of a baby. You have to care for them, cherish them and tend to them patiently. I’m very happy. You realize that all your troubles aren’t actually troubles when you are immersed in gardening. I like being with my plants.

With muddy hands, Weng Yen-ju is having fun playing with the soil.

Weng Yen-ju
Bali Ai-Hsin Home for Persons with Disabilities resident
You can see how seeds become shoots and eventually bear fruit. To me, it is quite encouraging. No matter what you look like, or whether you can walk or not, you have your own life and a place to showcase your strengths. It reminds me not to give up.

Sunlight trickles through the thick foliage of towering trees.

Yu Chia-pin
NTU School of Forestry and Resource Conservation
At the beginning, I was feeling symptoms of depression after certain life events. When I got in touch with nature, it improved my physical and mental wellbeing.

Nature can soothe the soul, and that is something that NTU forestry professor Yu Chia-pin has experienced firsthand. Over the years, he has become an advocate and pioneer of forest therapy in Taiwan.

Yu Chia-pin
NTU School of Forestry and Resource Conservation
To a certain extent it’s about how the natural environment and leisure activities can boost health. When that’s taken into the forest, we refer to it as forest therapy.

Today, Yu has brought filming equipment up Yangmingshan to capture the landscape at Lengshuikeng.

On the tripod is a 360-degree spherical camera with six lenses to film the tranquility of the forest.

Yu Chia-pin
NTU School of Forestry and Resource Conservation
Nowadays we have advanced technology. You can watch the footage of this 360-degree camera live on your phone to check whether you like the scene or whether it suits your purposes. See? These are the images captured by the cameras from different angles. Of course, the better the image quality, the higher the resolution, and therefore the more immersive it feels. I take videos in 360 degrees, and record the sounds to get the full effect.

The healing power of forests has been proven by science.

Chen Chun-lin
Far Eastern Memorial Hospital psychiatrist
A medical study from 1984 found that patients who had undergone surgery recovered faster when they were put in hospital beds outside with greenery and trees. This has been known since the ’80s.

This class led by Yu isn’t just about virtual reality. It’s also about social responsibility, and how to use technology to bring the power of nature to more people.

Yu Chia-pin
NTU School of Forestry and Resource Conservation
The VR productions made by previous class participants have been used in many different places, for example the hospice ward at Far Eastern Memorial Hospital.

Most patients in hospice care have little physical strength, making a trip into nature a luxury they can’t afford. NTU’s forestry department brought VR into the ward to make their wishes come true.

Lin Hsin-i
Far Eastern Memorial Hospital counselor
After the patient put on the goggles, we created a breeze and used essential oils to give him the feeling that he was really in the forest. It’s 360 degrees, so it’s very immersive. It’s not like watching a video. You perceive the environment very directly.

Yu Chia-pin
NTU School of Forestry and Resource Conservation
The short escape from the hospital cheered him up a lot. It can really help with people’s physical and mental wellbeing. That’s what moved me the most.

At Far Eastern Memorial Hospital, the hospice ward has a secret garden, with more than 50 kinds of plants spread over 300 pings. This green oasis is where patients, their families and medical staff can take a breather. As long as the patient’s condition permits it, they can leave the ward and enjoy the bliss of nature without leaving the hospital.

Lin Hsin-i
Far Eastern Memorial Hospital counselor
Patients can be taken to the garden to spend time with people, with their families, and to reconnect with nature. That way they don’t feel like they are cooped up in their wards all the time.

The scent of flowers, the gentle breeze and the warm sun are a natural feast for the senses. For one cancer patient in particular, the garden was a major mood boost, especially paired with blowing bubbles into the air.

Some patients in hospice care are able to be discharged. But for others, the hospital is where they’ll spend their final days.

Lin Hsin-i
Far Eastern Memorial Hospital counselor
The patient’s condition had been deteriorating for some days. His daughter asked us whether we could let him pass away in the garden. That posed a big challenge for us, especially when it came to timing, as we didn’t know when he would pass. It so happened that the weather was good, so I told her we’d go out at noon. I brought him out and we pushed his bed outside. He appeared to be at peace, looking at the blue sky dotted with white clouds. I looked at his eyes. For me, seeing the reflection of the sky in his eyes is a precious moment I cherish.

Chen Chun-lin
Far Eastern Memorial Hospital
I advise everyone to have about 10 potted plants at home. Every day, before you go to work and after you come back home, you can spend 10 minutes checking on them. Just calm down and connect with the plants and the trees. It’s something that can help you wind down, and forget about all the rest.

Be it small potted plants at home or lush forests outside, nature is proven to bring peace of mind. So step outside, slow down and take it all in, to set aside the troubles of daily life.

For more Taiwan news, tune in:
Sun to Fri at 9:30 pm on Channel 152
Tue to Sat at 1 am on Channel 53

2024-04-07

Professor launches intellectual property rights platform to protect musicians amid AI’s

AI technology is developing rapidly in the field of pop music songwriting. Now, the protection of intellectual property rights has become even more important. Plagiarism is no longer confined to humans. Unique compositions can also be appropriated and duplicated by AI. Wen-Pin Hope Lee, a National Taiwan Normal University professor, has launched a platform to help protect musicians’ intellectual property rights. FTV reporter Stephany Yang gives us the details.

Singers Hsu Meng and Davis Ni perform their original songs.

Recently, AI technology has developed rapidly in the field of pop music songwriting. This is highlighting the importance of the protection of intellectual property rights.

Hsu Meng
Singer
AI composing is super fast. It can generate quite nice lyrics and music in 30 seconds. Sometimes one’s songs are used by others without you even knowing it and you receive no revenues from royalties.

Wen-Pin Hope Lee
NTNU professor
AI involves big data. Through AI data, through everyone’s ways of creating, output is produced under so-called calculations of melody and harmony. However, the music that humans frequently create is unpredictable. This will define the difference between AI and human creation in the future. And it’s a topic worth exploring. A new tool I’m interested in is the conversion of vocal sounds. That is, when you write a song, you have someone to help you sing the chorus. This AI vocal is very new.

Wen-Pin Hope Lee’s talents as a composer have been rewarded with a Golden Melody Award. He’s also a professor at National Taiwan Normal University. Now he’s launching a new platform. Using protective blockchain technology, the platform can record an artist’s creation process, and allow an artist to manage the copyrights of their lyrics, music, and recording works. Creators are protected throughout the entire process.

Wen-Pin Hope Lee
NTNU professor
We use blockchain technology to solve this problem so that the creator can achieve complete records in every second and every hour of creation. In the future, all so-called contractual or creative disputes will be resolved all at once. This is the first in Taiwan.

The use of AI technology to create lyrics and music, coupled with the popularity of social media and audio creation platforms, has given rise to an era where everyone can be a creator. The protection of intellectual property rights is all-important.

For more Taiwan news, tune in:
Sun to Fri at 9:30 pm on Channel 152
Tue to Sat at 1 am on Channel 53

2024-04-07

A drone team arrives in Taiwan to join search-and-rescue efforts in Taroko National Park