iPhone’s Emergency SOS feature key in locating crashed helicopter

iPhone’s Emergency SOS feature key in locating crashed helicopter

2026-01-21

Technology proved to be indispensable in the recent helicopter crash involving two Taiwanese tourists in Japan. Thanks to the iPhone’s Emergency SOS via satellite feature, the crash site was reported, aiding rescue efforts. But it’s no longer an iPhone exclusive feature. Flagship models from other brands also have an equivalent function. It’s also proved to play a crucial role in several cases over the years.

A moving car collides against an obstacle and rolls over.

An alarm goes off from a phone. In another ten seconds, the incident will be automatically reported to rescuers and emergency services. This is Apple’s Emergency SOS via satellite, introduced with iPhone 14. The feature proved effective during a recent helicopter crash near Japan’s Mount Aso. An iPhone belonging to a passenger on the helicopter detected the crash and automatically sent out GPS coordinates with SOS alerts, helping local authorities to quickly identify the crash site.

3cTim
Influencer
The car crash detection functions through the accelerometer, gyroscope, microphone and barometer—all these sensors together determine whether there’s a strong collision. Once the system determines it to be the case, a countdown notification will pop up on the screen. If the user is fine, they can delete the notification manually. Otherwise when the countdown ends, an SOS alert will be triggered.

The function doesn’t just work for collisions. Apple Watch also has Fall Detection, notifying the wearer’s emergency contact if they fall down.

The function was seen in action when Premier Cho Jung-tai attended a TV show. Even though it may be oversensitive, it’s better safe than sorry.

There are already several cases of iPhone users saved by the feature, including a couple in the US State of California when they drove straight down a cliff in 2022, and another user in Florida caught in a car accident on the way home in 2023. In Taiwan, the feature also helped an elderly person living alone, when they slipped and fell in the shower. What’s more, the feature does not require cellular connection to work. It can issue an alert via satellite.

But the feature isn’t only available on iPhone anymore. Flagship models from other brands, such as Samsung Galaxy and Google Pixel, also have an equivalent. The gadget that lives inside our pockets can actually save our lives.

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

#technology #gadgets #wearables #smartdevices #apps

日本阿蘇火山墜機靠iPhone"自動偵測"通報意外

2026-01-21

日本阿蘇火山觀光直升機墜毀意外，能很快鎖定搜救，全賴機上乘客的手機在墜毀瞬間，自動觸發’’撞擊偵測’’通報。其實這是iPhone內建的救命功能，包括三星Galaxy、Google Pixel等智慧型手機，也有類似功能。不僅在阿蘇山的濃霧中成為指路明燈，也在全球多次各種意外爭取到「黃金救援時間」。

行進間的車子，突然劇烈撞擊，嚴重翻車....

手機不斷發出警報聲，倒數10秒，就會自動通報消防救難單位以及緊急連絡人，這是iPhone14以後內建的救命功能。這次日本阿蘇火山觀光直升機墜毀，也因為乘客的iPhone在墜毀瞬間，觸發’’撞擊偵測’’，自動發送GPS座標求救，消防單位才能很快掌握失事位置。

[[3C達人 Tim哥]]
“這種撞擊車禍偵測功能，它是透過加速器，陀螺儀，還有麥克風，氣壓計，這種多種感測器，去看說它是否有出現一個，重大的衝擊力道，那一旦系統判定的話，那手機就會跳出一個警示，而且會倒數，如果我們覺得沒什麼事，你可以用手動取消，那如果沒有的話呢，它就會去觸動求救機制”

事實上，不只撞擊偵測，踉蹌跌倒、重摔在地，手上戴的Apple Watch，早就有’’跌倒偵測’’，會自動通報緊急聯絡人。

連行政院長卓榮泰上節目，專訪到一半，也出現插曲。雖然偶爾會失誤，但救命勝過一切。

包括2022年，美國加州情侶開車墜入峽谷，2023年佛州民眾返家遭遇嚴重車禍，還有台灣獨居老人在浴室重摔，都成功爭取到「黃金救援時間」。就算沒有手機訊號，也能透過衛星發送緊急 SOS。

除了蘋果iPhone、包括三星 Galaxy、Google Pixel等智慧型手機，都有內建’’碰撞警報’’功能，全球不少人靠這項SOS緊急服務，成功挽回一命。

更多新聞內容，請鎖定：
民視台灣台（152頻道）週一至週五晚上9:30
民視新聞台（53頻道）週二至週六凌晨1:00

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Traditional band wins children’s hearts by playing K-pop hits

Pop culture can be fused with tradition in many creative ways. At a recent temple performance in Tainan, a suona player performed the hit song Golden from the movie K-pop Demon Hunters. Children in the audience started singing along, surprising the band with their enthusiasm. By combining traditional instruments with pop music, this musician connected across generations.

As the suona player launches into an unexpected rendition of the song Golden from the movie K-pop Demon Hunters, the children in the audience enthusiastically sing along.

Then the musician played the song APT by Bruno Mars and K-pop star Rosé, and the kids went crazy again.

This suona player, Tu Chun-kuan, is the artistic director of a band made up of traditional instruments. At 28 years old, Tu already has over 20 years of experience playing instruments.

Tu Chun-kuan
Artistic director
These songs all have English lyrics, but I didn’t expect that when I started playing it, the kids would react so well and even sing along in English with me as I played. It seems that they really like that movie.

The band is committed to making people more familiar with traditional instruments by incorporating pop culture.

Hsiao Yeh
Band leader
It shows the younger generations that traditional music is not just for old people. We perform mostly at temples now, and also hope to change temple culture.

Young audiences have reacted very enthusiastically to the band’s innovative approach.

Tu Chun-kuan
Artistic director
They must have heard it many times and know how to sing it. I think it’s incredible.

Liu Feng-yu
Kindergarten principal
We have morning exercises every day, so the kids really like it. They’ll ask for certain songs that they want to sing and dance to.

The kids even listen to these songs at school. Some songs are so popular that they reach all corners of society, connecting generations and fusing cultures.

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

#kpop #KpopDemonHunters #Golden #APT #Tainan #suona #tradition #traditionalmusic #popmusic #temple #templeculture

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Japan’s Kumamoto promises to spare no effort following helicopter crash

Search-and-rescue continues for two missing Taiwanese tourists and a Japanese pilot, following a helicopter crash near Mount Aso in Japan’s Kumamoto Prefecture. Japanese authorities have found the helicopter’s remains, but the three victims are still missing. Due to unfavorable weather and geographical conditions, it’s going to be a tough mission for Japanese authorities. Still, the governor of Kumamoto Prefecture promised to spare no effort.

The police temporarily suspended search-and-rescue efforts last night, and resumed it on site this morning, as they assessed the situation and continued to track down the three victims’ whereabouts.

Early in the morning, Japanese authorities gathered almost 50 rescuers by Mount Aso in Kumamoto Prefecture. They are now part of a command center guiding the search-and-rescue mission for the two missing Taiwanese tourists and Japanese pilot. The conditions were harsh, with temperatures dipping as low as -4.2°C. Snowfall persisted, and volcanic gases filled the air, making it difficult to get close to the crater and thus hindering their efforts.

The search is on. However, due to harsh weather and a high concentration of volcanic gases, it’s a tough road ahead for the mission.

Thick smoke significantly lowered visibility around the crater and drones couldn’t be deployed, making the mission almost impossible. A day earlier, rescuers identified remains of the helicopter by the largest crater of Mount Aso. However, the two Taiwanese tourists and the 64-year-old Japanese pilot remain missing. The incident sparked discussions about the helicopter itself.

They flew on a Robinson R44, a light, four-seat single-engine helicopter. It’s simple, lightweight and cost-effective. According to an expert, turbulence can be quite strong near a volcanic crater, making this non-fixed-wing, single-engine aircraft a rather risky choice.

Hwang Tay-lin
Chang Jung Christian University
This is the single-engine Robinson R44 helicopter. It was actually manufactured more than 30 years ago. In the event that the engine malfunctions, there isn’t another engine to keep it up. Additionally, it can be quite turbulent in volcanic areas. A light helicopter plus turbulence multiplies the risk.

Family members of the two Taiwanese tourists arrived in Japan Wednesday, assisted by Taiwan’s representative office in Fukuoka. The governor of Kumamoto Prefecture, Kimura Takashi also issued a statement on video, promising to spare no effort in the search-and-rescue mission.

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

#kumamoto #travel #japan #helicopter #breakingnews

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Taipei’s Xingtian Temple hiring attendant to recite sutras and interpret fortunes

If you’ve been looking for a job online recently, you may have stumbled upon this unusual posting. Xingtian Temple in Taipei posted an opening for a “religious service attendant.” The position pays up to NT$48,000 per month, including accommodation and meals. Applicants would not only need to recite sutras and perform rituals, but also work extended hours during festivals in what is sure to be a high-stress position.

What question would you like to ask today?
I want to ask about work.
Ok, let’s take a look at your fortune.

Temple attendants here at the bustling Xingtian Temple in Taipei keep busy interpreting fortunes for worshipers, even on weekdays. The temple recently caught attention for its job post seeking an attendant for a monthly salary of up to NT$48,000.

Member of public
You can stay within the Buddha’s aura. For NT$48,000, it’s possible if you have the time.

Member of public
If I had the ability, I might apply.

The duties required of an attendant at Xingtian Temple include reciting sutras, preaching, interpreting fortunes, public service, translation of religious texts, and administrative affairs. Applicants must have a bachelor’s degree and be fluent in Taiwanese. New hires would earn NT$37,000, with raises up to NT$48,000granted upon completion of training, the probation period, and successful performance evaluations, with lodging and meals also provided. One person said there were staff trips to Japan, but the temple denied it.

Tseng Ssu-kai
Xingtian Temple senior member
I’ve been here 17 years, but I’ve never been abroad. Since we’re an incorporated foundation, our income and expenditures are subject to government oversight. All the kind donations from our devotees are spent where it counts most, on top of maintaining temple operations. So we spend it on social welfare. For instance, we offer scholarships to students from low-income families, emergency relief, aid during wintertime, and even lend a hand during natural disasters.

Religious clergy primarily focus on public service. Beyond chanting sutras and performing rituals, they also work long hours during festivals. Other temples including Mingsheng Temple in Xindian and Yan-Zang Dharma Forest are also seeking an abbot and administrator, with salaries ranging from NT$35,000 to NT$40,000. But serving the gods is no easy task—not everyone can handle the job.

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

#temple #oddjobs #religion #Taoism #Buddhism #XingtianTemple #jobapplication #fortuneteller #jobsearch #104JobBank

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Office films video showcasing ‘useless’ workplace skills

The coworkers sitting beside you every day may have special skills tailored for the workplace, but are useless everywhere else. Workers at the Zhubei Farmers’ Association in Hsinchu made a video showing off their unique skills. One of them, a human money-counting machine, can grab precisely the right amount of bills. Even more astonishing, another can calculate precise figures using only an abacus. Viewers were charmed by the video, asking if everyone at the farmers’ association is as talented.

Coin collection plates are strewn about a table. In just a few seconds, this man can stack them up neatly, even faster than the eye can follow.

Stamp in one hand and flipping pages with the other, this woman can stamp each one without missing a beat. And they’re not the only ones with special “useless skills” in this office.

How much is 597 times 251? This woman doesn’t need a calculator to figure it out. Just pull out an abacus and voila.

This human money-counting machine can tell just by feel how many bills are in a stack of cash.

The employees here at the Zhubei Farmers’ Association in Hsinchu shot a video showing off their “useless office skills,” leaving some viewers shocked to find that they work this hard. Others said the first skill, stacking money trays, was the least useful. No matter the reaction, the amusing video sparked widespread discussion online.

Hsu Han-yang
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The outdated stereotype of our association that we’re rigid and bureaucratic has been changed by shooting this video, leaving a new impression on our customers.

Yang Chin-lien
Credit department director
Monotonous work can be enjoyable in its own way. Habitual actions can become second nature.

They might all be useless office skills, but they can still put a smile to people’s faces.

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

#skills #uselessskill #officework #deskjockey #farmersassociation #work #moneycounting #abacus #Hsinchu

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Lai declines to appear at impeachment hearing on constitutional grounds

Opposition lawmakers on Wednesday lashed out at President Lai Ching-te after he was a no-show at a hearing on an impeachment initiative directed at him. The Presidential Office explained the Legislative Yuan legally did not have the power to hold a president accountable, and so President Lai declined an invitation from opposition lawmakers to go to the legislature. TPP lawmaker Huang Kuo-chang and the KMT’s Fu Kun-chi flew into a tirade of criticisms of the president, while DPP lawmakers countered that two thirds of votes from the legislature is needed to impeach President Lai, and so the opposition lacks the numbers. The DPP says that’s why it’s all a show to drum up publicity for their candidates in the year-end local elections.

Bringing out life-sized effigies portraying President Lai Ching-te as an emperor of antiquity and self-proclaimed monarch Yuan Shikai, the opposition parties continued with impeachment proceedings on Wednesday. The Legislative Yuan held a plenary hearing and invited President Lai. But the Presidential Office said that Lai would not attend as the Legislative Yuan does not have the authority to hold the president accountable. That only gave opposition politicians more reason to hurl insults at him.

Huang Kuo-chang
TPP caucus convener
Laws passed by the legislature with three readings are not done for any lawmaker’s personal gain. The laws we passed in three readings are related to the allocation of fiscal revenues and expenditures between the central and local governments. As the president is dictatorial, it is the Legislative Yuan’s inescapable responsibility to exercise the power of impeachment in accordance with the Constitution.

Chung Chia-pin
DPP caucus
You can’t get two-thirds of supporting votes before May. How do you think you can do this? If you can’t get two-thirds of impeachment votes now, do you think you can get them before May? You say you’ll go on nationwide speaking tours. Why? To build momentum for the TPP’s mayoral candidates. They are fighting for the mayoral seats of KMT incumbents and yet, you’re foolishly helping them stage this tour, essentially going through the motions for show.

The DPP is criticizing the TPP’s high profile impeachment push, arguing it’s just to get media exposure ahead of the year-end mayoral elections. Furthermore, according to laws governing the Legislative Yuan’s authority, while the legislature has the power to impeach the president, there’s no article stipulating that the president needs to be present. However, KMT caucus whip Fu Kun-chi paid no attention and lashed out at everything, from US tariffs placed on Taiwan to TSMC’s direct investments in the US.

Fu Kun-chi
KMT caucus whip
He has not only corrupted Taiwan’s democracy and constitutional system, but also destroyed our national security, our defense shield, and our economy, including TSMC, which is our pride and is world renowned. All citizens should join in to impeach Lai Ching-te.

Puma Shen
DPP lawmaker
So it goes like, TSMC does too well, that’s not OK, come here and we’ll question you. You negotiated tariffs well, that’s not OK, come here and we will question you. Today we’ll approve your budget and you still dare to resist coming here and answering questions? What kind of democracy is this? Isn’t the budget session supposed to be about reviewing the budget? The budget has been sitting here since last August. It’s been 146 days, but you are using this impeachment case to put on a political show.

There will be another day of plenary committee meetings on Thursday. Instead of reviewing the general budget, the opposition is dealing with impeachment proceedings that are unlikely to pass. The DPP is questioning whether the KMT and TPP are only focused on political infighting, instead of people’s livelihoods.

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

#Taiwanpolitics #Taiwanimpeachment #impeachment #賴清德 #彈劾案

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