NTU works with robotics firm to make ‘smart’ lawn mower

NTU works with robotics firm to make ‘smart’ lawn mower

2026-04-10

AI-powered robots are the future of mechatronics. Seeking to bring these gadgets into people’s daily lives, NTU partnered with a robotics firm to develop a brand-new “smart” lawn mower. They’ve also announced a new patrol robot that will soon be used to bolster campus security.

A robot turns in a circle twice to calibrate and returns to its starting point before heading off again. From data stored in the cloud, this “smart” mower can get a sense of its surroundings before even setting off.

Engineer
Through the app, you can adjust the mowing direction. You can also choose either a checkerboard or diamond shape, and different angles.

The user can set the angle and amount of grass to leave, then leave the mower to cut the grass by itself using an intelligent navigation system. This smart mower is the brainchild of a collaboration between NTU and a private robotics firm.

Chan Kuei-yuan
NTU mechanical engineering professor
The mechanical engineering department has always had a class on smart vehicle design and application. We’re accustomed to collaborating with manufacturers. For instance, last semester, we discussed the possibility of automating worksites with a manufacturer of excavators.

In 40 minutes, this fully automatic mower can cut a 330-square-meter lawn into a tidy checkerboard pattern. It usually takes a landscaper about an hour to mow 330 to 500 square meters. In about the same amount of time, the robot can nearly double the output, going for three to four hours on a single charge. It also uses cameras and ultrasound to detect obstructions within 1m away, and will stop automatically if something gets in the way.

Stephen Chen
Robotics firm CEO
The students can learn about the future of the robotics industry. Businesses can also learn in advance how to integrate these students. We’re expecting to incorporate the students’ ideas and roll out a patrol robot on campus by the end of the year.

Starting with the lawn mower, NTU will soon also see a smart patrol robot powered by AI detection, 360-degree cameras, and an emergency notification system to improve campus safety.

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#lawnmower #robot #robotics #automation #NTU #mechanicalengineering #patrolrobot #industryacademia #R&D #campussecurity #AI

工程走進校園! 台大攜手業界推"智慧割草機器人"

2026-04-10

AI機器人成為機電產業未來發展重點，為了讓智慧機器人更加生活化，台大與機器人公司合作，發表最新"智慧割草機器人"，更預告馬上會有巡邏機器人出場，可以協助加強校園安全維護。

先轉兩圈進行校正，再開到起始點重新出發，透過雲端數據，讓智慧割草機器人，先掌握環境再作業。

[[工程師]]
“可以透過APP裡面去調整它的除草的方向，也可以去選擇棋盤的或是菱形，就是它可以有不同的角度”

自由設定割草割度，決定留草量，再透過智慧導航系統，整地割草，這台割草機器人，是台大與機器人公司，自研自產。

[[台大機械工程學系教授詹魁元]]
“機械系也一直以來有一門智慧車輛設計與實務的課程。我們的慣性就是會跟廠商合作，像我們上個學期跟挖土機的廠商，在探討這種無人工地化的可能性”

全自動模式，約百坪大的草地，40分鐘，就能變成整齊美觀的棋盤格紋，相比園藝工人，一小時可處理100-150坪，相同時間內，割草機器人最多可增加一倍的量，充一次電，可續航3-4小時，而且透過鏡頭和超音波，偵測1公尺內有障礙物，機身就會停止運轉。

[[優式機器人公司執行長陳招成]]
“可以讓學生提早知道，機器人這個產業未來的發展，產業也可以提早知道，學術界這塊學生他們的一個整合。可以期待的巡檢機器人會在年底的時候，會整合到學生這塊的創意，進入到校園的巡邏”

從割草機器人出發，未來還將結合Ai智慧偵測、360全景攝影、以及緊急通報機制，設計智慧巡邏機器人，加強校園安全維護與巡檢。

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Related News

Security experts warn China is cultivating a fifth column for wartime sabotage

China’s growing ambitions to annex Taiwan means its tactics are also broadening. They’re no longer limited to military exercises. Security experts say China is cultivating a fifth column that involves recruiting people from temple associations, gangs and even rank-and-file soldiers. Once war breaks out, these people will no longer hide in the shadows. Instead, they will become saboteurs who will work to undermine Taiwanese society – from attacking power infrastructure to spreading rumors. Let’s find out more.

Xi Jinping
Chinese leader
The motherland must be unified and it will inevitably be unified. This is the historical conclusion drawn from the 70-year development of cross-strait relations and it is also an inevitable requirement for the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation in the new era.

Chinese President Xi Jinping’s ambitions to annex Taiwan are intensifying. His tactics range from military aircraft harassing Taiwan to military exercises surrounding the nation. He’s also actively cultivating a fifth column in Taiwan.

Shen Ming-shih
Institute for National Defense and Security Research
In fact, the CCP is not only just trying to win people over with united front tactics. Ultimately, it hopes that the military will not resist. Its internal agents are organized into armies or bands of guerillas. When military actions begin, they will attack major internal targets. There may also be a small group of people who, at the beginning of the attack, will infiltrate and sabotage, such as destroying power infrastructure or releasing toxins so that it affects the troops’ morale or health. Or they can spread rumors. Broadly speaking, these people can be called a fifth column.

From gangsters to temple associations to junior military officers: all are fifth column recruitment targets.

Ho Cheng-hui
Taiwan National Security Institute
They might even incite disgruntled people or criminals to do these things. Or they could tell you that our military has already collapsed or surrendered, conveying that it would be better to surrender than resist.

Even jewelry stores have assisted China to make contact with Taiwanese soldiers, prosecutors say, and have lured them with low-interest loans.

Wang Ting-yu
Lawmaker (DPP)
When you borrow money, NT$5,000, NT$10,000, and accumulate it to a certain amount, he will tell you: It’s OK if you can’t pay it back, we’re all friends. This NT$50,000 sum can be waived. Just get hold of any document from the military to prove you are a soldier. I will tell the financial backers behind me that soldiers are usually short of money, so we can write off your debt of NT$50,000. If you don’t do this, they’ll expose your previous actions and you might have to pay a heavy price. You’ll have no choice but to submit to their demands.

When it comes to the fifth column, the pro-China China Unification Promotion Party is probably the group that is treated with most suspicion in Taiwanese society.

Chang An-le
China Unification Promotion Party
We are not a fifth column. We have made it very clear that we will step forward when the time comes to act as a bridge for peace across the Taiwan Strait, focusing on protecting ordinary citizens. It’s that simple.

Faced with a fifth column colluding with foreign forces, Taiwan’s national security can only be ensured by heightening people’s vigilance and strengthening an anti-infiltration defense network.

For more Taiwan news, tune in:
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#spies #fifthcolumn #sabotage

2026-04-10

Children under seven may now receive nine regular checkups

To help children in Taiwan grow up happy and healthy, as well as make things easier for parents, the Health Promotion Administration announced that starting from July, the number of checkups for children under the age of seven would be increased from seven to nine. The Ministry of Health and Welfare said consultations would be included, helping parents better understand their children’s health and growth.

This child said that her mother lets her watch TV for 30 minutes on Fridays. Do doctors support limited screen time?

Chang Hung-yang
MacKay Children’s Hospital
It’s advised to use electronics for one hour a day at most, so it’s great that she limits it to 30 minutes, and only once a week. Using electronics for extended periods can not only cause vision problems, but can also cause some issues with language development.

Conversations between doctors and parents about children’s health are part of preventative healthcare. The Health Promotion Administration recently announced that checkups for children up to the age of seven would be increased from seven to nine, including growth tracking, physical examinations, and developmental assessment.

Chuang Jen-hsiang
Deputy Minister of Health and Welfare
Checkups will be increased to nine from the original seven. One checkup is added each for the infancy and preschool periods, targeting these two critical ages.

The new policy begins in July. Checkups and consultations are also being integrated into a bundled service, with doctors also giving advice the same day. The budget for these services has been increased by NT$450 million this year.

Shen Ching-fen
HPA Director-General
Children’s preventive healthcare is actually related to pediatric specialists, as they provide most of the services.

The new policy will help parents better understand their children’s growth and support a healthy Taiwan.

For more Taiwan news, tune in:
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#healthcare #childrenshealth #children #checkup #HPA #publichealth #preventativehealthcare #wellbeing #MOHW

2026-04-10

Pingtung farmers grow new jicama variety resembling pears

To combat climate change, the Jiuru Township Farmers’ Association in Pingtung County experimented with a new kind of jicama that’s three times the size of the standard variety. Weighing in at a whopping 2 kilograms each, they’re not only an appealing shape, but taste better, too. They’re a bit like pears, and can even be blended into a juice with honey for a refreshing thirst-quencher.

The skin on this enormous new type of jicama can be peeled off by hand. It’s three times as large as the standard variety and has a finer texture, resembling a pear.

- It’s like a pear.
- Does it seem like you’re eating a fruit?
- It really is like a pear. Just not as sweet.

Put some slices in a juicer with plenty of honey, blend it up, and you can get a refreshing juice for the summer.

Member of public
Since it has honey and the jicama itself isn’t that sweet, I think it’s pretty good.

Member of public
I suppose it’s all right. I’d say the jicama with the honey might need something else to blend the flavors together better.

Pingtung’s Jiuru Township is known for its melons and fruits, but extreme weather has made them harder to grow. The local farmers’ association therefore recruited three famers to try growing underground tubers instead. For the first trial, they chose jicama, known as the “underground pear.” After four months, the results have been promising.

Kung Tai-wen
Farmers’ association general manager
Each one weighs about two-and-a-half kilos. At a supermarket, they currently sell for NT$49 per 0.6 kilograms. This variety has already been around for two years. Aside from the Taipei agricultural corporation, we also sell at supermarkets. Prices have been relatively stable over the past two years.

As jicama can last for a year without spoiling, the association said it’s often used with other foods, such as oden and meatballs to add texture, or blanched to use in cold salads. It can also be used in soup or stewed with pork ribs, making it an extremely versatile crop. However, it’s important to keep in mind that only the tuber is edible. The stem, leaves, pods, and seeds are all poisonous and should never be eaten.

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#jicama #tuber #crop #Pingtung #farmers #climatechange #juice #pear #agriculture #produce

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Vendor combines speciality local tofu with egg cake for salty-sweet treat

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Taiwan records less than 9,000 births in March

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Central Taiwan prepares for Baishatun Mazu Pilgrimage

The Baishatun Mazu Pilgrimage is about to set off this Sunday! The event takes the Mazu at the GongtianTemple in Tongxiao, Miaoli all the way to Beigang in Yunlin. The trip is full of rituals, including the smudging of the leading banner three days before departure. This year, registrations have setting a new record, surpassing 460,000 participants. The Mazu’s famous palanquin, known affectionately as the “Pink Supercar” is ready for the trip, and so are the localities it will grace. Among them is Tukuin Yunlin, which has set up service stations so that pilgrims can rest, wash up and regain the energy to follow the deity around Taiwan.

Temple staff and the censer master lead worshipers in prayer with incense. The leading banner is brought out and presented to the team, then hung on the pillar at the entrance to Gongtian Temple, marking the start of the Baishatun Mazu pilgrimage, which will set off on Sunday.

This century-old ceremony is held late at night three days before the actually pilgrimage starts. In the following three days, worshippers do a cleanse with bathing, and fasting.

Tuku in central Yunlin is a must-visit for the procession every year. As pilgrims gather in the town, there is a frenzy of preparations underway.

Chen Ying-hao
Cocoa farmer
During the pilgrimage, we let pilgrims use our customer parking lot as a lodging or camping area, regardless of whether they are walking or driving.

Su Shao-chi
Tuku Township
This is one of our service points for pilgrims, where campers have a space to set up their tents. There’s also indoor resting areas at Zhongzheng Assembly Hall.

The Tuku Township Office and local groups have set aside car-camping zones and rest areas to create 13 service stations with supplies and washing facilities. They expect to accommodate more than 5,000 pilgrims.

Chen Ter-kai
Tuku Mayor
We’re providing well-equipped bathrooms, shuttle busses and medical teams to take good care of the pilgrims.

This year, 460,000 people have registered for the pilgrimage, and local authorities say that about 1 million people will participate in some way or another. To meet demand for transport, additional train and bus services have been arranged on the Taiwan Railway, Taiwan High Speed Rail and by coach bus companies.

For more Taiwan news, tune in:
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#mazu #culture #religion #hsr #basiatunmazu #wonderful #amazing

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Taiwan Ranks No. 3 in 2026 Top 100 Global Innovators

Taiwan’s innovation prowess is once again turning heads around the world. In the newly released 2026 Top 100 Global Innovators list, Taiwan has secured the number three spot for the fifth consecutive year. At the awards ceremony, leading names including Industrial Technology Research Institute, TSMC, Hon Hai Precision Industry, MediaTek, and Delta Electronics gathered alongside other honorees, showcasing the depth of Taiwan’s R&D strength. ITRI stood out with its tenth win, leading the Asia-Pacific in public-sector research by leveraging cross-disciplinary innovation and strong intellectual property strategies.

Chuang Ming-chih
Ministry of Economic Affairs
This demonstrates the vibrancy of Taiwan’s innovation and R&D, and the strong foundation for our industry. Technological innovation is an extremely important force that drives our industry forward. It’s also an important foundation that supports our country’s continued progress.

Innovation from 12 institutions and companies including ITRI, TSMC, and Hon Hai have helped Taiwan shine on the world stage once again, ranking it at No. 3 in the Top 100 Global Innovators Report for five years in a row, only behind Japan and the US.

Representatives came together at the awards ceremony, where they were recognized for their contributions.

Chang Pei-zen
ITRI President
Over the past few years, ITRI’s Technology Transfer and Law Center has spared no effort on the front of intellectual property management. For instance, we have formed an IP alliance with 14 companies involved in advanced technology to hold 140,000 patents collectively and protect these industries from IP attacks by non-practicing entities.

ITRI has been honored for the 10th time, ranking first among R&D institutions in the Asia-Pacific region. The institute focuses on integrated interdisciplinary innovation and has brought together the knowledge of 14 high-tech firms in the form of a license on transfer industry alliance, and keep patent trolls at bay. In addition, this year, ITRI has been a key supporter of the drone industry, taking advantage of the benefits of non-red supply chains to swiftly break into the US market.

Ed White
Clarivate
The strength of ITRI, we really see, is its ability to turn publicly funded research into commercially ready real-world technologies that can be used in the economy. One of the things that we track at Clarivate is the increasing difficulty of modern research and development and the need for interdisciplinarity, and ITRI really represents that as a capability for the Taiwanese economy.

By safeguarding the value of intangible assets ITRI hopes to let Taiwan’s industrial chains continue to benefit from the power of innovation and attract worldwide attention.

For more Taiwan news, tune in:
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#ITRI #innovation #technology #IP #Taiwan #Clarivate

2026-04-10

KMT Chair Cheng Li-wun criticized after meeting Xi Jinping in Beijing

KMT Chair Cheng Li-wun on Friday met with Chinese leader Xi Jinping at the East Hall of the Great Hall of the People in Beijing. Cheng had long expressed anticipation for the meeting, even referring to herself as a “sunshine doll.” The sit-down took place during a grand reception that underscored Beijing’s regard for the politician. As expected, backlash in Taiwan has been swift. Critics in the DPP have slammed it as a political show, accusing Beijing of using Cheng to create the impression that both sides of the strait support unification. Let’s hear more.

Xi Jinping
Chinese leader
The territory cannot be divided, the country cannot be thrown into disorder, the nation cannot be split apart. The broad trend of compatriots on both sides of the strait becoming closer, interacting more, and coming together will not change.

Cheng Li-wun
KMT Chair
That the Taiwan Strait will no longer be a focal point of potential conflict, nor become a chessboard for outside forces to intervene in. On the shared political foundation of adhering to the “1992 Consensus” and opposing Taiwan independence, we will make peaceful development across the strait irreversible, with harmonious coexistence at the core.

Rosalia Wu
Lawmaker (DPP)
This meeting between Xi and Cheng is nothing but a pre-written script. It’s a political show, an attempt by Beijing to use Cheng Li-wun’s voice to shape international perception into believing that Beijing can influence Taiwan’s political direction. The international community has also interpreted Cheng Li-wen’s cooperation as support for this false peace, which is in reality more of a surrender. This narrative supports Xi Jinping’s anti-independence, pro-unification line, and it’s sending a very misleading message to the world.

Chen Ming-chi
Taiwan Ministry of Foreign Affairs
One, the ROC and the PRC are not subordinate to the other. Two, Taiwan’s future must be decided by its people through democratic means. Three, China must immediately stop its harassment with military aircraft and vessels near Taiwan. These three points should’ve been clearly conveyed to Xi Jinping.

During her trip in China these past few days, Cheng has constantly made reference to the so-called “1992 Consensus.” But she conveniently did not mention a key part of the supposed cross-strait consensus, which is that each side of the strait agrees that there is one China, while leaving the definition of China up to different interpretations. Critics say that has made the consensus essentially an endorsement of Beijing’s “One China” framework. Cheng has repeatedly attempted to frame her visit as paving the way for peace, but critics say the only direction she is pushing for is toward China’s unification ambitions.

For more Taiwan news, tune in:
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#taiwan #crossstrait #china #xijinping #chengliwun #習近平 #鄭麗文

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