ITRI builds innovation alliance for technological advancement

ITRI builds innovation alliance for technological advancement

2026-03-04

The Industrial Technology Research Institute, or ITRI, announced the formation of an innovation alliance on Tuesday. The R and D institution is partnering with 17 research institutes and 33 universities to implement a mid- to long-term technology strategy and road map for Taiwan. ITRI hopes to play the role of coordinator in Taiwan’s R and D ecosystem, thereby laying a solid foundation for global partnerships.

Unmanned systems help farmers keep their crops free of pests and disease, as well as conduct regular inspections and harvesting. These systems were all developed by ITRI, which has outlined a technology strategy and road map for Taiwan.

Wu Tsung-tsong
ITRI Chair
ITRI can help promote unmanned technologies. Taiwan must be able to achieve a certain level of integration before seeking external collaboration. Government agencies can suggest how collaboration with other organizations should go about to produce a greater added value.

Chang Pei-zen
ITRI President
The Ministry of Economic Affairs should support ITRI in building a smaller-scale rare earth refinery, which should be completed within the next couple of years, and the process should then be finalized. That will reduce some of our reliance on imports. We also hope that once we’ve developed a successful process, we’ll be able to share our experience with countries we’re close with and help them develop their very own rare earth technology.

In addition to global partnerships, domestically, ITRI is also partnering with 17 research institutes and 33 universities to form an innovative alliance, with a focus on emerging sectors including AI, robotics, and unmanned systems.

Chang Pei-zen
ITRI President
Not only research institutes affiliated with the Ministry of Economic Affairs, we also want to integrate those under other ministries. That will make R&D more systematic. In other words, research bodies won’t have to do it all. Smaller research institutes can focus on just one or two things, and large ones like ITRI can be tasked with coordination.

Facing rapid developments in AI and supply chain restructuring, this period is critical for Taiwan. ITRI aims to play an integrative role in Taiwan’s technological advancement, so that the country stays on top of the game.

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 #industry #AI #unmannedsystem #rareearth

工研院+學界+法人組聯合艦隊布局全球鞏固台灣科技優勢

2026-03-04

工研院週二舉辦新春記者會，談到新年目標，除了要鞏固高科技產業優勢，更希望與學界、法人組成聯合艦隊，投入中長期的技術發展，並幫助產業拓展全球市場。工研院董事長吳政忠舉無人機為例，國內技術開發、進行整合後，再向外尋求合作，可提升更高的價值。

無人機系統協助農民，防治病蟲害，還能巡檢、採收，這些都是來自工研院的技術。工研院作為產業科技的開路先鋒，在新的一年，也定出三大策略，除了要深耕台灣，鞏固高科技產業優勢，也要凝聚專才，拓展全球市場。

[[工研院董事長吳政忠]]
“工研院可以來幫忙推動這個，包括剛剛講無人化科技，台灣內部必須要做到，一定比例的整合以後，才對外來協作，政府單位來建議，看看怎麼，尤其其他的法人一起協作的話，對外，那個價值會更高”

[[工研院院長張培仁]]
“經濟部要支持工研院，建立一個比較小型的(稀土)試量產工廠，幾年時間內把這個工廠建起來，然後把這個製程的配方調出來，取代部分的進口以外，也希望說，這樣的技術能夠協助其他跟我們互動密切的國家，建立他們的這個稀土經驗的能力”

協助台灣產業向外走，也要強化國內研發實力！工研院攜手17個研發法人，組成"法人匯智聯盟"，並與33所大專院校合作，組成聯合艦隊，布局台灣中長程技術，例如當前最夯的AI、機器人和無人載具。除了硬體製造外，未來幾年，台灣也要同步加強軟體實力。

[[工研院院長張培仁]]
“希望不只是經濟部旗下，我們希望把其他部會旗下的，研究單位也整合起來，系統性的這個研發，會比較簡單一點，就是說，不必所有研究機構什麼都做，有些比較小的研究機構，就專精做一兩件事情，像工研院這種大型研究機構，就負責整合”

面對AI快速發展、供應鏈重組，台灣處於轉型關鍵期，工研院要整合研究單位資源，進行跨部門，甚至跨業界合作，才能持續保持領先地位。

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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Elementary students become human chess pieces for competition warm-up

Qipan means chessboard in Chinese, and for four years running, Qipan棋盤 Village in Yunlin’s Gukeng Township has been hosting a national Chinese chess competition. To promote the village’s namesake competition, students at a local elementary school created a life-sized chessboard. With the trademark round characters emblazoned on their shirts, students stood in for the pieces as they played out a live game called by their teachers.

Elementary students standing in as human chess pieces move across the board according to their teachers’ instructions.

Sometimes they move to the wrong spot. Other times, they can’t help but crack up when facing down one of their classmates. Once they’re knocked out, they leave the board. The rules are the same as regular Chinese chess, only these are life-sized pieces. The exercise gives the kids a feel for the game.

The reason these students at Qishan Elementary are acting out a match is to promote the annual chess competition hosted by Qipan Village in Yunlin’s Gukeng Township.

Lin Hui-ju
Gukeng Township Mayor
It exercises the mind while keeping kids off their phones. It’s a good activity.

Liu Chien-kuo
Legislator (DPP)
Anyone who likes playing Chinese chess, Western chess, Go, should come to Qipan Village for thoughtful discussions and friendly matches. For this, Qipan in Gukeng Township has an important role to play.

The school’s chess instructor returned to his alma mater to teach in the hopes of cultivating the skill among the younger generation.

Peng Mu-kuei
Qishan Elementary chess instructor
Chess is a very positive, intellectually stimulating game. I’ve been promoting chess programs at Qishan Elementary for many years now, laying the foundations for its development.

Real-life chess gives these kids a chance to step away from their phones and into an intellectually stimulating game, while also serving as an exciting warm-up for the competition in April.

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

#chess #Chinesechess #lifesizedchess #game #Yunlin #elementaryschool #students #intellectual

2026-03-04

Lost phone found in tupperware buried in soil in deserted plot

A man in Pingtung recently found his lost phone in an unexpected location. It was in a ziplock bag, inside a tupperware, buried under the soil of a large deserted plot of land in Chaozhou. He was able to track down the phone, and could even hear it ringing, but was unable to find it, as he had never thought that it would be underground. In the end, he called the police for help, and they managed to recover the phone.

The officers are demonstrating how they recovered a lost phone in this large plot of land. The search took quite some time in the bushes.

- The location of the phone was identified, so I turned on the tracking function, but the plot of land was more than 300 ping.

The plot of land was on Beimen Road in Chaozhou Township, Pingtung. The owner knew that the device was somewhere here. After making a phone call to the device, he could hear it ring, but still couldn’t find it anywhere, so he called the police for help.

Wu Chun-sheng
Pingtung County Police
I knelt down and noticed that the ringtone grew increasingly louder. I dug into the ground with my bare hands, and there it was, covered with a white towel.

Voice of Mr. Hsu
Owner of lost phone
It sounded like it came out of a speaker, but I couldn’t figure out where exactly it was. I could tell that it’s underground. We were all surprised when the officer dug it up.

The phone was sealed in a ziplock bag and placed in a tupperware. After an hour, the police finally found it and dug it up, much to the surprise of the owner. But how did it end up there in the first place? Not to mention that the location actually changed once.

Shopowner
Beimen Road, Chaozhou Township
The day before, it was on the other side. After just one day, it was here on our side. They probably wanted to embezzle it, but the device was locked, so it was of no use and couldn’t be sold or pawned.

Fortunately, the rightful owner managed to recover his lost device with the help of the police. It was an almost impossible feat in this large crop of deserted land.

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

#lostandfound #nomophobia #findmyiphone #publicservice #smartphone

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From planting coffee trees to roasting: NCNU offers unique coffee courses

Aspiring baristas and coffee lovers, take note! National Chi Nan University in Nantou is offering a series of courses relating to the coffee industry, the first of its kind. The courses cover all aspects of the coffee making process, from planting coffee trees, to roasting and making your own hand-brewed cup of joe. There’s even a coffee plantation on campus with more than 1,000 coffee trees. Let’s find out more.

Each tiny red fruit, with its glossy skin and wafting aroma, sheds its red coat and undergoes washing, sorting, and many other intricate processes to become the coffee beans we know so well.

Nantou’s National Chi Nan University is offering an unprecedented series of courses and research related to the coffee industry in its College of Management. The university also has a coffee plantation of over 1,000 square meters on campus, with over a thousand coffee trees.

Zheng Jian-xiong
National Chi Nan University
The area around the university, including Guoxing Township, Puli Township, and Sun Moon Lake, had already started planting coffee. We thought, if coffee can grow in the surrounding region, could we also cultivate it at National Chi Nan University? In 2020, we began planting about 1,000 coffee trees here, providing a hands-on learning field for our undergraduate, master’s, and doctoral students.

From planting coffee trees, through flowering, fruiting and harvesting, to washing, drying, roasting and brewing the beans, this course combines hands-on practical experience, allowing students to master professional skills at each stage.

Student
Joined the course
I found out that the university had this coffee course, so I joined. I learnt how to savor a cup of coffee and brew a cup of coffee that I like.

By arranging a comprehensive curriculum and transforming the campus into a dedicated coffee house, students can immerse themselves in the world of coffee and cultivate their interests. Meanwhile, more talents are being cultivated for Taiwan’s coffee industry.

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

#Taiwan #coffee #NCNU #nantou

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Cute sheep turn to life of crime munching sakura on leisure farm

With cherry blossoms in full swing up in the mountains, the ever-popular sheep at Nantou’s Qingjing Farm have turned to a life of crime. A herd of several sheep were caught red-handed munching on pink petals in broad daylight, leaving tree branches bare. But far from being upset, visitors and members of the staff were delighted by their adorable antics.

The cherry blossom trees are in full bloom at Qingjing Farm, making for a magical moment. But among the flower admirers, there is a herd of thieves munching on the pink petals and leaving the tree branches bare.

They take bite after bite, and even let out a satisfied burp. These wooly culprits were caught red-handed ruining the trees. Far from upset, holidaymakers let them keep going, as the sheep make for an adorable picture.

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- No, I didn’t. Coming to see it was really worth it.

Visitor
Qingjing Farm
They must be very clever. There are so many flowers close together and they feast on them. If they’re high up, they even leap up.

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Huang Jui-wen
Qingjing Farm
Sheep won’t get sick from munching on flower petals every now and then. We’ve been keeping an eye on them for several days now, and the sheep that have been eating cherry blossoms are in good health.

Qingjing Farm posted about the incident on social media with a humorous tone, “The suspects remained calm and showed no remorse. Though cherry blossom levels were decreasing dangerously fast, their adorable factor only increased exponentially. Facing such cute opponents, the battle to protect the sakura was declared lost.”

For more Taiwan news, tune in:
Mon to Fri at 9:30 pm on Channel 152
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Doctors warn of dangers of self-injecting weight-loss medications

Weight loss injections are becoming increasingly popular in Taiwan. Though they are marketed as easy solutions, they can have serious side effects. The Taiwan Medical Association for the Study of Obesity recently shared the case of a 40-year-old man who gave the popular treatment a try, after buying online syringes purported to contain the medication. The injections did make him lose weight as promised, but they also caused vomiting and dehydration, and eventually the man put the weight back on. Experts say the injections should only be used after an assessment by a qualified doctor. Let’s hear more.

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Businesses in Taiwan join baseball craze ahead of WBC

Amid the baseball craze that is sweeping Taiwan ahead of the World Baseball Classic, many companies are coming up with special baseball-themed products for their customers. Airlines have launched special themed flights while the Taiwan Railway has rolled out a "Home Run" bento box to wish Team Taiwan success. Even a hotel and a century-old bakery have joined in the excitement, launching dim sum shaped like baseballs and pastries to snack on in hopes that Taiwan can devour the competition.

A succulent pork drumstick to hit a home run, and red braised carrots to get fiery, red-hot success every game. This is the Taiwan Railway’s newly launched “Home Run” bento to celebrate the World Baseball Classic.

Member of public
Would buy bento
I think any form of support is good. I would buy it, if I got the chance. Winning or losing is one thing, but I think the most important thing is making it to the end of the tournament in good health.

Support for Team Taiwan is coming in all forms, even on this China Airlines plane, which is packed with good wishes for the baseball players.

The pillows and cups on this charter flight all say “Team Taiwan.” Even the in-flight meals have been especially designed to wish the team success. Meanwhile, Starlux Airlines has put together a mile-high baseball fan package.

Each seat has an adorable baseball player card memento. Until March 8, all flights from Taipei to Tokyo will feature these mementos and baseball-themed videos on the entertainment system. But if you can’t make it to Japan to watch the games and don’t want to miss out on the fun, you can head to this hotel.

The Chateau de Chine in Kaohsiung is going full-out for baseball fans offering a dim sum menu featuring baseball balls bursting with a succulent filling.

Member of public
Eating baseball dim sum
They really look like baseballs, they have the stitching line. They’re so cute. It’s perfect for the upcoming competition.

Over in Tainan, a century-old bakery is now selling its famous brown sugar pastries stamped with messages of support for team Taiwan, a reminder to eat up the competition.

Ms. Ho
Baker
Eat these if you want them to eat their competition. The seals are spray-painted on the top of the pastries after they are done and they already have set into their domed shape. You have to consider the curvature.

Everyone is excited to see Taiwan succeed at the World Baseball Classic, and businesses are making sure fans get their baseball fix.

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

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