149 replies to this topic

[Martian]

Cruise on the Love River

The following video illustrates the reason that Taiwanese are reluctant to make an abrupt political change. Life is very pleasant. Why rock the boat? Therefore, China-Taiwan reunification must be a gradual process.

Let's take a video-cruise along the Ai (i.e. Love) River in Kaohsiung, Taiwan.

Please make sure to select 720p in the bottom right-hand corner. It is far clearer than 480p.

[Martian]

Why is China giving Taiwan some space - By Nicholas Consonery | The Call

"Why is China giving Taiwan some space?
Posted By Ian Bremmer Thursday, August 12, 2010 - 11:24 AM



By Nicholas Consonery

Last week, in a major policy shift, Chinese officials gave Taiwanese President Ma Ying-jeou and his ruling Kuomintang (KMT) party a big victory by signaling that China will not block Taiwan's trade negotiations with Singapore. In the past, Beijing has used heavy diplomatic pressure to block all but five of the island's potential bilateral trade agreements as part of a long-term campaign to limit Taiwan's global recognition.

What's more, the Ma administration appears convinced that Beijing will allow them to pursue trade agreements with other Southeast Asian governments in the months and years ahead. Malaysia, Thailand and the Philippines are the likeliest partners. Officials in Taipei also announced last week that they're pursuing an investment agreement with Tokyo that they hope will produce a trade agreement down the road. A higher level of economic integration with the broader Asian economy will encourage domestic restructuring in Taiwan and will boost the island's exports -- and therefore its economic strength. And all with Beijing's blessing.

What's going on here?

The Chinese government is looking for ways to bolster support within Taiwan for Ma and the KMT -- and, by extension, for the current direction of cross -- Strait relations. Ma's government has moved Taiwan toward ever-closer economic integration with the mainland and is probing the political implications of this integration. But Beijing is aware that skepticism of the mainland's intentions remains strong in Taiwan, and that Ma must avoid being cast as overly solicitous of Beijing.

That said, a major driver of Beijing's approach is a trend I laid out on this blog last year: Beijing is seeking to avoid steps that create opportunities for Taiwan's major opposition party -- the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) -- and is working hard to avoid any risk of a DPP resurgence. The Chinese leadership does not want to revisit the lows reached during the presidency of former DPP head Chen Shui-bian in Taiwan.

Beijing is playing this game deftly. For the past year, Ma has promised Taiwanese voters that he would boost Taiwan's international profile by signing the controversial Economic Cooperation Framework Agreement (ECFA) with China, a deal he said would open the door to trade agreements with other countries. If Beijing had pressured Singapore to back away from these negotiations with Taiwan after ECFA, it would not only have raised Taiwanese ire toward Beijing -- it would have inflicted serious harm on Ma's domestic credibility and strengthened DPP arguments that Taiwan should simply go it alone.

Beijing has made clear that any potential trade agreement must acknowledge the "One China" policy, a caveat that suggests the agreements will be pitched as economic cooperation pacts rather than formal free trade agreements between countries. Beijing will also insist that the agreement refer to Taiwan as something other than Taiwan. Taiwanese officials have already acknowledged this necessity. The joint statement from Taiwan and Singapore announcing the deal referred to Taiwan as the "Separate Customs Territory of Taiwan, Penghu, Kinmen and Matsu," the title with which Taiwan was recognized by the World Trade Organization and the GATT.

For their part, DPP officials are arguing that Ma's willingness to compromise on the names undermines Taiwanese sovereignty.

A portion of the Taiwanese electorate will have their chance to decide who's right during five upcoming mayoral elections on November 27. The outcomes will be cast as an important indicator of popular support for Ma, foreshadowing his own reelection prospects in 2012 -- and the shape of things to come for cross -- Strait relations.

Nicholas Consonery is an Asia analyst with Eurasia Group."

[Martian]

Strong vs. the weak

Author: mr. bean
Date: 09-08-10 02:48

Beijing is doing so because it is dealing from a position of strength. The strong/big brother can let the little brother have more leeway. There is no way Taipei can compete with Beijing anymore. The competition is pretty much over (except a few niches) so mainland can give more to help a KMT leadership under Ma Yingjeou.

The men in Beijing always look at the long term & think strategic so a revitalized tw ultimately benefits the whole china. This giving space to tw is like killing several birds with 1 stone. It benefits the Ma/KMT administration in revitalizing tw's economy thus strengthening their rule. It hits at the DPP & hopefully shatters their dream for coming back to office 2012. It is also another step in pulling tw economy into the Chinese economic orbit.

But note that even as if mainland gives tw greater space and concessions, the DWARF TAIWAN strategy has not slowed down but intensified! For the mainland, this is just a warm up. The game has not even started yet.

That is a very impressive analysis. I especially like the reference to the "DWARF TAIWAN" strategy. Let's make Taiwan feel a little smaller. :-)

[Martian]

China Focus: Taiwan seeks to join northeast Asian economy

Most Taiwanese enjoy a comfortable life. They would not want to relinquish their lifestyle. Now that the Mainland is Taiwan's largest trade partner, Taiwan will become increasingly vulnerable to the threat of the imposition of economic sanctions.

The U.S. wields the stick of sanctions against smaller countries all the time (e.g. witness the current campaign against Iran). On purely economic grounds, it may be fanciful to discuss a Taiwanese independence movement. China could probably crash Taiwan's economy through massive economic sanctions if it wished. Realistically, Taiwan's economic fate lies increasingly in China's hands.

China Focus: Taiwan seeks to join northeast Asian economy | NewsyStocks.com

"China Focus: Taiwan seeks to join northeast Asian economy
Sunday, September 05, 2010 12:11 PM

CHANGCHUN, Sep. 5, 2010 (Xinhua News Agency) -- While northeast Asian economies have stepped up their cooperation in recent years, Taiwan, a smaller economic player, is trying to integrate into the fast-growing region to expand its presence and gain more benefits.

From ultra-thin laptops and 3D projectors to barbecue sauce and milk tea, almost every kind of product displayed by Taiwan attracted attention at the 6th China Jilin Northeast Asia Investment and Trade Expo.

Taiwanese entrepreneurs at the expo said they would increase their investments and further expand their businesses on the Chinese mainland as it has the world's largest market and great growth potential.

Taiwan Haw-Di-I Foods Co., the largest barbecue sauce producer on the island, attended the expo for their second year.

Wei-Te Lee, sales manager of the company's mainland operations, said the company prepared 100,000 yuan (14,705.88 U.S. dollars) of sauce for last year's expo and it only took 5 days to sell out.

"We brought 200,000 yuan of goods with us this time. And sales have exceeded 110,000 yuan during the first two days of the expo," Lee said.

Li Suping, a 57-year-old Changchun resident, bought three bottles of barbecue sauce at the company's stall.

"It's yummy. I'll recommend it to my friends and relatives," she said.

"I could feel that consumers here really like our products," Wei-Te Lee said, adding that the company would continue its localization strategy to target products to the mainland consumers.

Haw-Di-I Foods Co. 2009 mainland sales doubled from one year earlier to 6 million yuan, and sales for this year were expected to hit 9 million yuan, he said.

The company was also considering building a factory on the mainland, he added.

Lee, who was born in Taiwan but now lives in Shanghai said, as a person familiar with both Taiwan and mainland, he was sure that the mainland is vital to Taiwan's future economic development as it has already become Taiwan's largest investment destination and also home to a growing number of Taiwan businessmen.

Taiwan's economy grew at a rate of 13.1 percent in the first half of the year, partly fueled by increased exports to the mainland, which has surpassed the United States to become the island's largest trading partner.

Taiwan and the mainland deepened economic ties in recent years, removing many barriers to cross-strait trade and investment.

The two sides signed the Economic Cooperation Framework Agreement (ECFA) in June, under which the mainland would reduce tariffs on 539 Taiwan-produced goods worth 13.83 billion U.S. dollars, accounting for 16.1 percent of Taiwan's exports to the mainland, while the island would reduce tariffs on 267 mainland goods worth 2.86 billion U.S. dollars, accounting for 10.5 percent of mainland exports to Taiwan.

"I believe the signing of such agreements and attending expos will help Taiwan integrate more with the regional economy," said Chih-Kang Wang, president of Taipei World Trade Center, a trade promotion body.

Taiwan businesses displaying products jumped to 306 at the ongoing expo, from 158 last year, showing that increasing numbers of Taiwan firms are looking to northeast Asia as potential markets.

"The expo provides opportunities for Taiwan firms to seek cooperation with their Japanese, Russian and Korean counterparts and also helps them enter the burgeoning markets," Wang said.

The five-day expo began Thursday in Changchun, northeast China's Jilin Province, attracting 50,000 businessmen from home and abroad, including those from 110 of the world's top 500 companies."

[Martian]

Taiwan challenge to Korea, Japan

Actually I see the Free Trade agreements between ASEAN countries and ROC as a part of a wider hedge against possible Protectionism and Containment by the West. Now the FTA agreement exists across the Straits further agreements with Taiwan also benefit the PRC

If the West tries to use such measure against the PRC, it retains a backdoor against them through Taiwan which will continue to channel Goods and Investment. This is win win as if the West were to try and block this route by including Taiwan in the same "Containment" regime, it is a tacit acknowledgement of reunification in all but name.

I fully agree with you that China has a very sophisticated strategy to blunt the potential threat of "protectionism and containment by the West." Firstly, China signed a Free Trade Agreement (i.e. FTA) with ASEAN. ASEAN exports to China overlap with some Taiwanese agricultural exports. This spurred Taiwan to sign an ECFA (e.g. effectively a FTA) with Mainland China. The Koreans and Japanese are now worried that the ECFA will give Taiwanese LCD, electronics, and semiconductor manufacturers an "unfair" advantage in the vast China market.

China is in the process of pulling ASEAN (e.g. CAFTA or China-ASEAN FTA), Taiwan (e.g. ECFA), Korea, and Japan into a giant Asian Trade Bloc. Attempts at protectionism or containment of China will not work. The Asian Trade Bloc is roughly equivalent in nominal GDP to NAFTA (e.g. U.S., Canada, and Mexico) and it is growing at a far faster rate.

http://www.atimes.co...s/LG22Cb01.html

"Taiwan challenge to Korea, Japan
By Jens Kastner
Jul 22, 2010

TAIPEI - The recent signing of the Economic Cooperation Framework Agreement (ECFA) between Taipei and Beijing has put South Korea and Japan in an unfavorable position. Through tariff exceptions and reductions, Taiwanese businesses are to enjoy more advantages in the huge mainland market compared with their Korean and Japanese counterparts.

The issue has become more prominent due to still sluggish demand from United States and European Union markets. Since a high percentage of Korean and a considerable share of Japanese exports to China overlap with those from Taiwan, Tokyo and Seoul are afraid of losing their competitive edge.

As Korean businessmen are pressuring their government to sign its own free-trade agreement (FTA) with China, Japanese companies see Taiwan as a short-cut to the mainland Chinese market. The formula is simple: the Japanese side establishes joint ventures in Taiwan to produce goods on the island and thus enjoys the same preferential treatment in China as fully owned Taiwanese companies.

Japanese companies from sectors as various as consumer electronics, semiconductors, optoelectronics, solar cells, machine tools, comics and e-books have reportedly been seeking to get a foothold in Taiwan with the objective of getting easier access to the Chinese mainland market.

Although there are a number of ways Japanese companies could take advantage of Taiwan's new position under the ECFA, the establishment of joint ventures is the most promising. With the help of these, Japanese businesses will be able to benefit from the ECFA just like any native Taiwanese company as soon as the ECFA comes into force in January 2011. By contrast, it would take at least three years before a fully Japanese-owned venture that operates from Taiwan would be allowed to penetrate the mainland market.

Apart from the tariff exceptions and reductions Japanese companies strive to take advantage of, there are other reasons that make Taiwan a closer trading ally for Japan than it has been. Recent labor protests at Japanese-invested factories on the mainland cast increased doubts among the Japanese whether China, the so-called factory of the world, will continue being a good choice for Japanese investments. A significant rise in Chinese labor costs is expected. Widespread anti-Japanese resentment in the mainland also frightens Japanese expatriates and their families residing there, while living conditions and other social factors can make Taiwan appear more appealing.

Last but not least, Taiwan's bureaucracy is seen as far less prone to corruption than China's. Transparency International's 2009 Corruption Index puts Taiwan in 37th place, well ahead of China's ranking of 79.

Japanese businesses establishing links in Taiwan may also help them to compete better with their Korean counterparts.

"South Korea is Japan's first and foremost trade rival, not Taiwan," Liou To-hai, professor of diplomacy at Taiwan's National Chenchi University and Director of the Center for WTO Studies, told Asia Times Online. "By establishing joint ventures with Taiwanese companies, Japan gains advantages in competing with South Korea."

Viewed from a security angle, however, the picture is different. South Korea and Japan - the US's main military allies in the region - should work on a Japan-Korea FTA first before thinking of negotiating on bilateral pacts with others, said Liou. One hindrance is the trade imbalance between the two countries. "The main obstacle a Japan-Korea FTA faces is Korea's trade deficit with Japan," Liou said.

The deficit that has been growing rapidly since 2004 due to imports of high-technology parts for Korea's manufacturing sector and increased tourism to Japan.

China replaced the US as Japan's biggest export destination in 2008, two years after becoming the top destination for Korean goods.

The leaders of China, Japan and Korea agreed in 2002 on undertaking non-governmental academic research on setting up a regional free trade zone. In-depth studies dragged on until 2009, and when China and Taiwan began negotiating on the ECFA, the China-Japan-Korea trade talks fell back as a priority for Beijing.

After the signing of ECFA, the absence of an FTA between Korea and China is believed to be hurting Korean businesses in particular since 14 of Korea's 20 key export items already faced competition from Taiwanese goods, according to the Korea International Trade Association.

South Korean President Lee Myung-bak has been coming under pressure from his country's business groups to remedy the situation since shortly before the ECFA was signed. The demands from various corners of Korea's economic landscape come in unison: The negative impact from the China-Taiwan ECFA must be minimized by signing a Korea-China FTA as soon as possible.

This, however, is a complex task, given that a proposal to establish a US-Korea FTA keeps sticking in the US Congress over sensitive issues in the auto sector.

According to Liou, President Lee's hands are tied because the issues of a China-Korea FTA and the US-Korean FTA are related. "Although Lee is nervous and eager to sign an FTA with China, he couldn't possibly do so before the US-Korea FTA has been approved, since otherwise he would hurt his country's strategically vital relation with the US," said Liou.

In Japan, at least, many companies have decided not to wait for their government to hammer out favorable deals with China. To the Japanese businessmen, the Taiwan-Japan joint-venture concept is the most promising option and are finding support in the media.

"Japanese commentators recommend that Japan sign an FTA with Taiwan and the US first, before they start negotiating with Beijing," he said.

Jens Kastner is a Taipei-based writer."

[Martian]

Taiwan's Yani Tseng aims to be world's No.1 woman golfer this year

This is a little complicated. If the LPGA rankings were based on only this year's wins, Yani Tseng would be number one. However, it turns out that the LPGA rankings are based on a two-year average. Under the LPGA formula, Yani Tseng is not number one. She can become number one if she wins more victories this year or next year.

http://www.google.co...GaBTl9oETSdU-TA

"Taiwan's Yani Tseng aims to be world's No.1 woman golfer this year
By The Associated Press (CP) – 10 hours ago


Yani Tseng, of Taiwan, poses for a photo with her trophy after winning the LPGA's Northwest Arkansas Championship golf tournament in Rogers, Ark., Sunday, Sept. 12, 2010. Tseng shot a 6-under-par 65 on the day and was 13 under par for the tournament. (AP Photo/April L. Brown)

TAIPEI, Taiwan — Taiwan's Yani Tseng says she aims to become the world's No. 1 in women golf this year.

Tseng claimed her third LPGA victory of the current campaign when she won in Arkansas on Sunday. Other 2010 victories were at the Kraft Nabisco Championship and the Women's British Open.

Speaking to reporters in Taipei on Tuesday, Tseng said her game needs to reach even higher levels if she is to improve on her current No. 4 ranking.

"I have to work on my putting and stamina ... and make more birdies in the upcoming tournaments," she said. "I have a good opportunity to become world No.1 this year."

Following her victory in Arkansas, Tseng is reckoned by many to become the next dominant female player following the recent retirements of Annika Sorenstam and Lorena Ochoa.

"In my heart they are still the best women's players in the world," Tseng said. 'I hope in the future I can also be involved in more charity efforts just like them.'"

[Martian]

Taiwan is 98% Han

I find the DPP to be really irritating. Taiwan is 98% Han. My paternal grandfather's name was Guilin. You get only one guess where his lineage originated in China.

The DPP wants to rewrite Taiwanese history and start with the 2% aborigines on Taiwan from 400 years ago. This is ridiculous. The DPP cannot pretend that the 98% of Taiwan's Hans did not come from Mainland China.

I am in desperate need of a magical lamp and three wishes from a genie. Actually, I only need one. I wish the DPP to be banished from Taiwan for rejecting their Han heritage. In my view, they are dangerous separatists.


Guilin, China

http://www.chinapost...DPP-opposes.htm

"DPP opposes tracing Taiwan's history to the Three Kingdoms
Updated Tuesday, September 14, 2010 11:08 am TWN, The China Post news staff

TAIPEI, Taiwan -- The legislative caucus of the opposition Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) yesterday lashed out at the Ministry of Education (MOE) for purposely tracing Taiwan's history back to the era of The Three Kingdoms, which ran from A.D. 180 - A.D. 280, to pave the way for the reunification of both sides of the Taiwan Strait.

Lawmaker Kuan Bi-ling, convener of the DPP's legislative caucus, told a press conference that the MOE's latest draft revisions to the guidelines of senior high school history textbooks intentionally associate Taiwan with China in a bid to give the impression that Taiwan was historically part of China to pave the way for Taiwan's eventual reunification with China.

Kuan said that the curriculum guidelines for senior high school textbooks drafted in 2003 by the then DPP government and set for implementation in 2006 clearly stated that the history of Taiwan should start with the aboriginals living in the southern part of the island some 400 years ago, who then spread to other parts of the island.

But after taking power, the Ma Ying-jeou administration has suspended the implementation of the 2006 curriculum guidelines for senior high school history textbooks, and revised the guidelines to associate Taiwan with China, according to Kuan.

She said under the revised guidelines, the Wu Kingdom headed by Sun Quan invaded Taiwan and the neighboring Okinawa, trying to build a historical linkage between Taiwan and China. The Wu Kingdom was among the Three Kingdoms in mainland China that emerged after the decline of the Donghan Dynasty around A.D. 180. The other two were Wei Kingdom headed by Cao Cao and the Shu Kingdom headed by Liu Bei.

Another DPP lawmaker Yeh Yi-jin also noted at the press conference that the ruling Kuomintang is trying hard to inject the concept to the minds of local people that Taiwan is part of China to pave the way for the reunification of both sides of the Taiwan Straits. “This is quite a ridiculous and childish practice,” Yeh said.

Both Kuan and Yeh stressed that the DPP legislative caucus will try its best to bar the historical association between Taiwan and China from being part of the curriculum guidelines for the history textbooks of senior high schools."

[Martian]

Mainland China reminds Taiwan of common Han enemy

Chinese warship bombed by Japan to go on display in Taiwan - People's Daily Online

"Chinese warship bombed by Japan to go on display in Taiwan
22:16, September 14, 2010

RELICS FROM CHINESE WARSHIP BOMBED BY JAPAN TO BE EXHIBITED IN TAIWAN

Nearly 60 items retrieved from a famous Chinese warship, Zhongshan, will be exhibited in Taiwan before the 100th anniversary of the Revolution of 1911.

The exhibition will run from Sept. 20 to 27, said Huang Chuqing, director of the Taiwan Affairs Office in Wuhan, capital city of central China's Hubei Province.

On October 24, 1938, the ship was bombed by Japanese invaders near Wuhan, during the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression (1937-1945). It was salvaged January 28, 1997, and transported to the Hubei Shipyard for preservation.

Zhongshan Warship was named after Sun Yat-sen, whose name in Mandarin Chinese is "Sun Zhongshan." Sun was an important figure in the Chinese Democratic Revolution."

For your information, Sun Yat-sen is a revered figure on both Mainland China and Taiwan.


Chinese tourists gather to watch a flag lowering ceremony near a portrait of Sun Yat-sen who is widely revered as the founder of modern China on Tiananmen Square in Beijing, China, Monday, Sept. 28, 2009. Chinese authorities plan to shut down access to Tiananmen Square in the coming days to prepare for the Oct. 1 National Day parade.


Sun Yat-Sen Memorial Hall - Changing of Guards Hourly

[Martian]

EDITORIAL : Does Taiwan need nuclear weapons?

The answer is clearly NO. The DPP crazies will get all Taiwanese killed. Becoming extinct is the road that the lunatic DPP favors.

In the hands of the KMT, nuclear weapons are useless. In the end, no true KMT member would use nuclear weapons against fellow Hans. In any case, it's pointless. China loses a few cities and recovers within one generation (e.g. see Hiroshima and Nagasaki).

In the meantime, the epitaph for Taiwan will be: "Here lies the world's foremost country in United States patents granted per capita (e.g. Taiwan was number one). However, Taiwanese had no geostrategic brains and pursued nuclear weapons."

It got them all killed. Well, maybe not all. The armchair general in Boston decided to drop the hyphenated part of his Taiwanese-American identity.

http://www.taipeitim...9/14/2003482847

"EDITORIAL : Does Taiwan need nuclear weapons?
Tuesday, Sep 14, 2010, Page 8

The recent publication of a memoir by former US negotiator Jeremy Stone re-ignited a controversy last week over alleged plans under former president Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) to launch a nuclear weapons program.

Stone’s allegations, which ostensibly were sourced from and corroborated post facto by former National Security Council secretary-general Su Chi (蘇起) — who at the time the controversy emerged was a Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) legislator — are hard to substantiate. That the Chen administration, for all its faults, would have engaged in nuclear adventurism stretches credulity. Though it has the technical know-how to do so (and inside sources say a turnaround could take as little as one year), Taiwan could hardly have launched a nuclear weapons program without the US, let alone China, becoming aware of it.

One does not have to read Stone’s book too closely to realize that the views of the former president of the Federation of American Scientists-turned-cross-strait-troubleshooter are wildly skewed in Beijing’s favor. Nothing makes this more evident than the many variations he uses to portray the Chen administration as a “troublemaker,” which may account for Stone’s credulity on the alleged nuclear program.

Unbeknownst to Stone, this very bias against Taipei — not his alone, but that of the international community — lies at the very heart of Taiwan’s defense malaise. In fact, the inherent imbalance was the main reason behind this newspaper’s decision, in August 2004, to publish an editorial that put the nuclear option on the table (despite what Su and Stone may believe, however, the Taipei Times did not and does not have a direct line to the Presidential Office or Democratic Progressive Party headquarters).

More than six years have elapsed and the balance of power in the Taiwan Strait has only continued to shift in Beijing’s favor. Furthermore, nuclear-armed China continues to threaten Taiwan, the would-be “troublemaker” who at no point under Chen adopted anything that could have been interpreted as a belligerent posture.

Given that this situation appears to be a comfortable “status quo” for the likes of Stone, is it not conceivable that Taiwanese would ponder various means to oppose China militarily and present it with a credible deterrent? In and of themselves, peace and democracy will be of little help against an opponent who plays by different rules, as highlighted by Beijing’s refusal to renounce the use of force against Taiwan amid supposedly warming ties. While nuclear weapons may be an extreme recourse — and an unadvisable one at that — Taiwan cannot afford the gullibility that has marked the course adopted by President Ma Ying-jeou’s (馬英九) administration in cross-strait rapprochement.

While his Cabinet has rightly stuck to less problematic, though by no means inconsequential, matters like economics in its dialogue with Beijing, there is no doubt that in the months ahead — especially as we get closer to Chinese President Hu Jintao’s (胡錦濤) stepping down as head of state — talks will touch on more controversial issues such as identity and sovereignty. Once those topics are tackled, friction is bound to emerge, which could quickly escalate and spin out of control. Any outcome to the 2012 presidential poll in Taiwan that isn’t to China’s taste could also serve as a catalyst for a military option.

In such a situation, Beijing, seeing a weakened opponent, could calculate that it can get away with the use of force at little cost, making military action more likely.

That is why, even amid untested signs of rapprochement, Taiwan must continue to acquire and develop not only the means to protect itself, but solid deterrent capabilities so that any military adventurism on Beijing’s part to fulfill its irredentist dreams would come at great cost. A strong Taiwan means less risk of war, not the other way around.

Does Taiwan need nuclear weapons for this? Probably not, but it certainly needs more than naivety and Ma sloganeering, and more than the dishonest diplomacy exercised by the likes of Stone."

[Martian]

Taiwan is world's most innovative country on a per capita basis

A retired American inventor, "TruthSeeker," had normalized the patents granted by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (i.e USPTO) on a per capita basis for the top ten largest recipients of U.S. patents for 2008.

"Patents granted by the United States for the year 2008. If you normalize by the populations of each country, you get the following in terms of number of people per each issued patent:

1. Taiwan -->2,957 people/patent
2. U.S. --> 3,348
3. Japan --> 3,490
4. South Korea --> 5,498
5. Germany -->8,130
6. Canada -->8,242
7. U.K. -->16,133
8. France --> 17,046
9. Italy --> 31,315
10. China -->712,380"

From one of my previous posts:

"China continues to climb the ranks of countries that receive the most patents in the United States.

Patents By Country, State, and Year - All Patent Types (December 2009)

Patents granted by the United States for the year 2008.

1. U.S. 92,000 patents
2. Japan 36,679
3. Germany 10,086
4. South Korea 8,731
5. Taiwan 7,779
6. Canada 4,125
7. U.K. 3,843
8. France 3,813
9. Italy 1,916
10. China 1,874
...
Hong Kong 717 (Patent office counts Hong Kong as a separate entity)
India 672
Singapore 450
Russian Federation 181
Brazil 133"

[Martian]

Microfluidic chip device identifies bacteria types

http://www.gizmag.co...bacteria/16389/

"Microfluidic chip device identifies bacteria types

By Bridget Borgobello
06:06 September 16, 2010


A team of biomedical engineers at Taiwan's National Cheng Kung University has created a new on-chip method to identify bacteria

A team of biomedical engineers at Taiwan’s National Cheng Kung University has created a new “on-chip” method to identify bacteria. By creating microchannels between two roughened glass slides containing gold electrodes, the researchers are able to sort and concentrate bacteria. A form of spectroscopy is then applied to identify them, providing a portable device that can be used for tasks like food monitoring and blood-screening.

The team, led by Hsien-Chang Chang, a professor at the Institute of Biomedical Engineering and the Institute of Nanotechnology and Microsystems Engineering.

A tiny electric field is applied to the specially designed microfluidic chip to separate the bacteria (a phenomenon known as dielectrophoresis). A roughened metal shelter in front of the trapping electrode enhances the collection process.

The identification technique relies on “surface enhanced Raman spectroscopy”. Raman spectroscopy. In layman terms, when electrically stimulated, the different components on the surface of a bacteria strand attach themselves to the gold electrodes, creating different wavelength peaks which then form a spectral signature.

This spectral signature or “fingerprint” can then be used to identify different strands or families of bacteria. "In the future, different species of fungi could also be sorted based on their different electrical or physical properties by optimizing conditions such as the flow rate, applied voltage, and frequency," continued Chang. "This portable device could be used for preliminary screening for the pathogenic targets in bacteria-infected blood, urethral irritation, and of raw milk and for food monitoring."

The report on Professor Chang’s new microfluidic chip was published in the American Institute of Physics’ (AIP) journal Biomicrofluidics."

[Martian]

Taiwan is "world's largest semiconductor equipment market"



SEMICON Taiwan marks 15th anniversary - The China Post

"SEMICON Taiwan marks 15th anniversary
Updated Tuesday, September 7, 2010 11:17 pm TWN, By Alan Fong, The China Post

In the important exhibition's 15th year being held in Taiwan, the 2010 SEMICON will highlight eight themes pivotal to the future of the industry: LEDs (light-emitting diodes), MEMS (micro-electro-mechanical systems), 3D ICs (three-dimensional integrated circuits) & Advanced Packaging/Testing, green management, compound semiconductors, CMP (chemical mechanical planarization), AOI (automated optical inspection) and secondary markets for capital equipment. Specific pavilions are allocated to each of these themes with three additional region-themed pavilions: Cross-Strait Pavilion, Korea Pavilion and France Pavilion, said Terry Tsao, president of SEMI (Semiconductor Equipment and Materials International) Taiwan and Southeast Asia at a pre-show press conference yesterday.


From left: Huang Kae, Christopher Wargo, Dr. Tong Ho-ming, Dr. Burn Lin, Dr. Ching Hu, Giuseppe Izzo, and Terry Tsao pose for photos during a news conference for the SEMICON Taiwan 2010, held yesterday. (Courtesy of SEMICON Taiwan)

A total of 560 exhibitors from 17 countries will participate in the exhibition, occupying 1,150 booths, in which over 163 exhibitors will be showcasing their new products.

The host country has been the center of the semiconductor industry in 2010. According to the 2010 mid-year edition of the SEMI Capital Equipment Forecast, Taiwan accounted for the lion's share of the global semiconductor equipment market; experiencing rapid growth in all regions in 2010. The island is home to the world's largest semiconductor equipment market, occupying US$9.18 billion of the US$32.5 billion in global sales forecasted.

In the highlight of yesterday's press conference, a panel of executives from some of the industry's main players discussed how innovative collaboration can be the key of for technology advancement. Giuseppe Izzo, STMicroelectronics' regional vice president of greater China and South Asia, pointed out that mobility will be an important trend for the semiconductor industry, leading to the need for ever-smaller CPUs, GPUs and APs in mobile devices such as smartphones and tablet computers, more powerful telecommunication networks, power supply with higher sufficiency, etc. Innovations in semiconductor applications in other fields such as cloud computing, LEDs, bio-medical devices and data security will also be important to the industry, Izzo said.

As the exponential advancement of miniaturization technology predicted by the once seemingly infallible Moore's Law, which states that the amount of transistors on a chip will double roughly every two years, is questioned by its creator, Intel co-founder Gordon Moore, himself, the industry is looking for cutting-edge technologies to sustain its growth. One such emerging technology is MEMS; the groundbreaking mix of nanoelectromechanical systems (NEMS) and nanotechnology that has the potential to change the future for every silicon-related product.

Dr. Ching Hu, president of Touch Micro-system Technology Corp., pointed out that while wide application of MEMS is at its early stage and mass production of such technologies is still a challenge, the micro-system can revolutionize products such as mobile devices, game consoles, 3-dimensional projectors, pico-projectors, etc. One of the challenges facing Taiwanese manufacturers is their lack of know-how in developing a humanized interface, Hu said.

Another way around Moore's Law is the 3D IC and packaging technologies, said Dr. Tong Ho-ming, general manager and chief technology officer of the ASE Group. Despite tremendous progress in recent years, 3D IC with through silicon vias (TSVs) still presents significant challenges in cost, design, manufacturing, test and supply chain readiness and the technology is still three to five years away from mass production, Tong said.

Innovation and cooperation are also needed in green semiconductor manufacturing, said Hsu Fang-ming, deputy-director of the Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC). He called for the industry to work at both global and local levels to tackle the challenge.

Other executives at the panel included Dr. Burn Lin, senior director at TSMC's Nano Patterning Technology Division."

[Martian]

WTO places Taiwan 16th in export rankings


"According to the WTO’s latest statistics, Taiwan was the world’s 16th largest exporter and 17th largest importer in the first half of 2010." (Photo: Taipei. Taiwan's economic capital city.)

Taiwan Today

"WTO places Taiwan 16th in export rankings
* Publication Date：09/17/2010
* Source： Taiwan Today
* By Audrey Wang

Taiwan advanced one spot to become the world’s 16th largest exporter and 17th largest importer in the first half of 2010, according to statistics released Sept. 16 by the World Trade Organization.

According to the WTO’s short-term merchandise trade statistics, Taiwan’s exports in the first six months of the year surged by 49.1 percent from a year ago to US$131.92 billion, overtaking the position of Spain in the economies surveyed.

Taiwan’s imports soared to US$119.98 billion, posting the largest annual gain of 64.8 percent among the top 30 importing countries.

The Bureau of Foreign Trade under the Ministry of Economic Affairs said the encouraging results can be credited to the country’s robust recovery after the global financial crisis in 2008.

Among all regions worldwide, mainland China continued to top the lists with both the highest exports and imports in the world. South Korea jumped two spots and three spots in the imports and exports categories to finish at No. 9 and No. 7, respectively.

The BOFT said South Korea’s wide variety of export items helped the country recover faster than Taiwan, whose major exports are concentrated more densely in the information and communication technology sector.

Now that Taiwan has signed the Economic Cooperation Framework Agreement with mainland China, it will be better positioned to enter free trade agreements with its major trading partners, the BOFT noted.

The ECFA and the expected FTAs should both help Taiwan’s trade volume continue to expand and the nation should move up further in the global trade rankings next year, the BOFT said. (HZW)

Write to Audrey Wang at audrey@mail.gio.gov.tw"

Taiwan - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

"Taiwan's rapid economic growth in the decades after World War II has transformed it into an advanced economy as one of the Four Asian Tigers.[9] This economic rise is known as the Taiwan Miracle. It is categorized as an advanced economy by the IMF and high-income economy by the World Bank. Its technology industry plays a key role in the global economy.[10] Taiwanese companies manufacture a large portion of the world's consumer electronics, although most of them are now made in their factories in mainland China.[11]"

[Martian]

Paper-Thin Screens With a Twist

Paper-Thin Screens With a Twist - WSJ.com

"Paper-Thin Screens With a Twist
Gold Winner | Industrial Technology Research Institute
SEPTEMBER 26, 2010
By MICHAEL TOTTY

Lots of researchers have been trying to come up with a way to make flexible displays that work like computer screens but with a literal twist—they can be bent, rolled and folded like a sheet of paper.

The Taiwan-based Industrial Technology Research Institute, or ITRI, won the top prize in this year's Innovation Awards contest for a manufacturing technique that promises to clear the way for commercial development of high-quality displays on flexible materials.

Flexible displays are attractive for several reasons: They're lighter than glass displays, making it possible to build larger consumer devices, such as e-readers or tablet computers, that aren't too heavy. They can also be used in some novel applications, such as interactive newspapers that can be bent or rolled and be as portable as the paper-based versions.

"With a stable, viable and cost-effective flexible-display technology," says Barry H. Jaruzelski, an Innovation Awards judge and a partner at consulting firm Booz & Co., "the door is opened to a wide range of truly new applications in consumer electronics and device interfaces."

But producing flexible displays in commercial quantities has proved challenging. To understand why, and why ITRI's innovation has promise, requires a brief tutorial.


A flexible display from Taiwan's Industrial Technology Research Institute

Making a flexible display as fully functional as the typical flat-panel computer screen requires layering thin-film transistors on a flexible substrate. Because the flexible material can curl or shift during this process, it's bonded temporarily to a rigid piece of glass. The completed flexible display then has to be detached from the glass without being damaged, which is difficult to do efficiently enough to make the displays on a commercial scale.

ITRI's solution—which it calls FlexUPD, for flexible universal panel for displays—is novel yet simple. It places a "debonding" layer of nonadhesive material between the flexible substrate and the glass. The substrate, which has an adhesive backing, is made slightly larger than the final flexible display and the debonding layer, so it stays steady on the glass. Once the transistors are layered on the substrate and enclosed, the display can be cut out from the excess substrate and easily lifted off the glass.

The idea for the debonding layer, says an ITRI spokeswoman, came from watching cooks prepare paper-thin Taiwanese pancakes, which can be easily peeled from a pan at high temperatures. Cheng-Chung Lee and Tzong-Ming Lee, ITRI division directors, are credited with the idea.

The technique, the institute says, can be used with a variety of displays, including current liquid-crystal-display, or LCD, screens and the next-generation displays made with organic light-emitting diodes, or OLEDs.

ITRI has demonstrated a prototype paper-thin display made with this process, and has licensed the technology to display maker AU Optronics Corp. of Taiwan. The first product using the technology, a flexible display for an e-reader, is planned for release by the end of the year, an ITRI spokeswoman says.


A flexible display from Taiwan's Industrial Technology Research Institute

Other companies have demonstrated flexible-screen prototypes and plan to bring them to market using a different manufacturing technology. None, including ITRI's technology, have yet seen commercial success, but ITRI says its improvements make its entry more cost-effective than competing technologies. Also, it says, the technology is compatible with existing factories for fabricating displays, so it can be widely adopted by display makers.

Judges for the Innovation Awards, while noting that ITRI is still in the early stages of commercializing the technology, cited the possible benefits of flexible displays. "This looks like a simple and elegant solution to a manufacturing problem," says William Webb, director of technology resources for Ofcom in the U.K.

ITRI, a nonprofit organization, won an Innovation Award in 2009 for its FleXpeaker, a paper-thin loudspeaker system.

Mr. Totty is a news editor for The Journal Report in San Francisco. He can be reached at michael.totty@wsj.com."

[Martian]

Researchers Make Paper-thin Stereo Speakers for LCD TVs, More


FleXpeaker: The Flexible Super-Thin Speaker by Taiwan's Industrial Technology Research Institute

Researchers Make Paper Stereo Speakers for LCD TVs, More - PCWorld

"Researchers Make Paper Stereo Speakers for LCD TVs, More
Dan Nystedt, IDG News
Apr 27, 2009 12:20 am

A Taiwanese research group has developed stereo speakers in paper, which will lead to low-cost speakers perfect for thin devices such as LCD TVs or even talking movie posters to be used as advertisements.

Engineers at Taiwan's Industrial Technology Research Institute (ITRI) have already produced rolls of paper stereo speakers and say they will be used in cars starting from next year. They are also planning a splash introduction of the new technology at a big exhibition in Taipei next year in which they will unroll a three-story high banner that can blare out tunes.

"A lot of companies are interested in this product," said Chen Ming-daw, a research director at ITRI. "We don't have enough people to handle all the attention right now."

They call it Flexpeaker because you can roll it up or fold it just like regular paper.

One cool way the technology will be used is on movie posters.

The goal for the researchers is to be able to mass produce standard poster-size speakers (A2, or 60centimeters by 44cm) costing just US$20 each. Movie makers could then put out posters with soundtrack music or movie highlights emanating from them as people walk by.

The special paper is made by sandwiching thin electrodes that receive audio signals and a prepolarized diaphragm into the paper structure. A special Flexpeaker adapter between the MP3 player and the speaker is used to play music through the paper. But in a year, ITRI hope to develop a chip that will do away with the adapter and allow people to plug a digital music player directly into the speaker.

They're also working on wireless technologies.

In July, the group will show off its first Bluetooth enabled paper speaker, which will eliminate the need for wires, said Liou Chang-ho, project manager of ITRI's Flexpeaker initiative.

One limitation with Flexpeaker is that while it's very good with sounds at frequencies between 500Hz to 20KHz, it doesn't handle low frequency sounds well.

That problem can be offset by adding a subwoofer to any system with the paper speakers, said Liou. That's the idea ITRI is working on for LCD TV makers. The paper speakers are so thin that they're perfect for the current push to ultra thin LCD TVs, a maker simply has to add a subwoofer to make a quality sound system.

ITRI is already working with a company to produce the speakers in rolls, like rolls of paper.

"Once it's being made in rolls, the cost will drop a lot," said Liou."

[Martian]

Taiwan's GDP growth to hit fastest pace in 21 years


Shopping district in Taipei, Taiwan

http://taiwantoday.t...9474&ctNode=445

"Taiwan's GDP growth to hit fastest pace in 21 years

Publication Date：09/27/2010
Source： Taiwan Today
By Audrey Wang

The Economist Intelligence Unit expects Taiwan’s gross domestic product to grow by 9.2 percent in 2010, the fastest rate in 21 years, according to the Council for Economic Planning and Development on Sept. 24th.

The EIU report noted that Taiwan’s economy grew by an average of 13.1 percent in the first two quarters of 2010. This stellar performance, the EIU said, “largely reflects the global economy’s return to health, which has translated into an upsurge in Taiwan’s exports and domestic demand.”

According to the EIU report, Taiwan should see a rapid recovery in fixed investment in the months to come, as local companies have expanded their operations in line with increases in domestic and external demand."

Taiwan`s Export Order Value Hits Record US$34.88B. in August | CENS.com - The Taiwan Economic News

"Taiwan`s Export Order Value Hits Record US $34.88 billion in August
2010/09/27

Taipei, Sept. 27, 2010 (CENS)--Thanks to the appreciation of the Japanese yen and hectic sales of iPad and iPhone, Taiwan’s export orders in August reached a record monthly high of US $34.88 billion, according to the statistics released by the Ministry of Economic Affairs (MOEA).

The August export order value surged year-on-year by 23.3%, with the increase of US $2.23 billion in IT & telecom product exports being the biggest contributor to the rise.

In the same month, orders for electronic products totaled US $8.637 billion, the highest of its kind ever recorded; and those for IT & telecom items came to US $8.515 billion, the third highest of its kind. As for LCD panels, the corresponding value totaled US $3.344 billion, the second highest.

Huang Chi-shih, director of the Statistics Department of the MOEA, disclosed that in August the overseas orders received by domestic manufacturers accounted for 50.72% of that received by the IT & telecom industry, whose overseas orders totaled 84.32%, the highest among all export items.

Huang further indicated that the booming sales of Apple`s two popular items—iPad and iPhone—have also benefited Taiwan`s related industries as IT & telecom, electronics, machinery, auto vehicles & parts, LED, flat TV sets, etc.

Huang said that the orders in August from the United States, Europe, Japan and the ASEAN focused on IT & telecom products; while those from China on electronic items. During the month, the orders from China totaled US $9.3 billion, for a year-on-year growth of 8.84%, of which US $7.676 billion were for electronic products, the highest of its kind ever recorded.

With the economic recovery, Huang predicted, the order value for the full-year might reach US $400 billion, or up 24% from last year`s US $322.44 billion.

(by Judy Li)"

[Martian]

Lite-Med LM-9200 ELMA Lithotripter (for non-invasive kidney stone removal)


Lite-Med’s dual-module localization Extracorporeal ShockWave Lithotripter (ESWL) LM-9200 ELMA

LITE-MED :: About

"Lite-Med Inc. was founded in 1991 to carry out Taiwan government's push in manufacturing and development of medical equipment locally for advancement of the medical equipment industry in Taiwan. With successful integration of electronic, mechanical, computer and automation techniques, which is at least equal if not better than the modern world standard, Lite-Med successfully developed a high-tech medical device for the treatment of patients with kidney stones. This is a pioneer development in Taiwan and has been approved to enter the market by Department of Health (DOH) in 2005.

Lite-Med’s dual-module localization Extracorporeal ShockWave Lithotripter (ESWL), LM-9200 ELMA, consists of a high efficiency, painless, no anesthesia-needed shockwave generator, a dual-module auto stone localization system, and a ultrasound stone tracking & locking system.

Utilizing the special functions provided by the above subsystems, Lite-Med’s Lithotripter can not only reduce the side effects such as hematuria, hematoma, reduced renal function and less radiation damage but also increase the stone-hitting efficiency & patient safety, and improve the stone treatment quality.

Basing on the same shockwave technology, Lite-Med also developed an Extracorporeal Shock Wave Therapy (ESWT) unit, named Bonstar. With ease of operation, simple localization, friendly user interface, and high mobility Bonstar can effectively treat frozen shoulder, tennis elbow, plantar fasciitis, and other bone, tendon, ligament related diseases. In the near future, the application of shockwave technology can be expanded into treatment of other diseases and fields such as vascular obstruction, cancer treatment, cosmetic surgery, and nervous system diseases, etc.
...
2004 Passed ISO- 13485 Certification

2006 Obtained Certificate of Approval of Extracorporeal Shock Wave Therapy.

2008 Acquired the “2008 Taipei Biotech Award” for our product of “Automatic Dual Localization & Calculus Tracking / Locking System ESWL”

2008 Acquired the “Industrial Innovation achievement award” created by the Ministry of Economic Affairs for our product of “Automatic Dual Localization & Calculus Tracking / Locking System ESWL”

2009 Lite-Med was one of the companies receiving this year's awards of the 'Taiwan Healthcare Industry Innovation and Excellence Awards 2009'"

[marshall]

That's why I never posted Taiwan's IQ results to explain Taiwan's world's highest per-capita U.S. patents in the articles "Greater China Outnumbers German Patents" or "China Claims #9 Rank In U.S. Patents." A long time ago, I wrote a lengthy article on IQ and its correlation with economic performance. However, I decided not to post it.

What does U.S. patent applications per capita have to do with I.Q. results? A country can have an abnormally high percentage of super geniuses but as long as these inhabitants are not business oriented, not doing foreign trade or simply not applying for U.S. patents, it doesn't mean they aren't still super geniuses. What makes U.S. patents the benchmark instead of Japanese patents? Does this mean mainland Chinese are retarded by comparison? 30 years ago, Taiwan's per capita U.S. patents was quite pathetic by comparison. Did the Fujianese descendants of present day Taiwan evolve in the last 30 years? LOL

Using this sort of logic, the southern Chinese can justify their superiority over all other Chinese because their measured IQs are the highest of the Chinese, that they have the highest economic and educational attainment of the Chinese outside mainland China and that the so-called super successful Chinese diaspora mostly originate from southern China. The ancient tongue of most Chinese dynasty before the Qing Dynasty also spoke dialects that were similar to present day Cantonese with little resemblance to Mandarin. What is my point? The point is, in China, nobody talks about this or that Chinese being inferior or superior to another Chinese. These sorts of ideas are foreign to the Chinese consciousness and are the sort of elitist thoughts that I think have infected the world and is the root cause of many of the world's conflicts today.

Besides, I think choosing any benchmark upon which to measure intelligence is a losing battle. There isn't even a consensus over what constitutes intelligence. Being a musical genius doesn't mean you have the potential to do rocket science. Being a rocket scientist doesn't mean you're a genius. As I said before, claiming African Bushmen having measured IQs of 54 doesn't mean most of them are severely retarded who drool all over the floor, even though they can survive in the wilderness against Leopards, Hyenas and Lions. This doesn't mean I doubt IQ tests test some measure of Human capability. What I am disputing is the current state of intelligence tests as they exist today. As it stands, they are grossly lacking because they focus on a narrow sub-category of visual-spatial/verbal tests which very much depend on memory and education.

[Martian]

ITRI showcases biofuel production breakthrough


"Taiwan unveils microalgal biofuel technology."

Taiwan Today

"ITRI showcases biofuel production breakthrough

Publication Date：10/04/2010
Source： Taiwan Today

The Industrial Technology Research Institute unveiled its newly-developed technology for producing biofuel from microalgae on Oct. 1.

The high-efficiency processes developed with the financial support of the Department of Energy under the Ministry of Economic Affairs were showcased at the four-day Taipei International Invention Show and Technomart.

Lin Yun-hui, head of the ITRI’s biofuel lab, said like plants, microalgae consumes carbon dioxide in the air through photosynthesis and converts it into materials containing oils, or lipids, that can be processed into biofuel.

He pointed out that up until now, Taiwan has been promoting the use of biodiesel products made from recycled cooking oil. Currently, diesel sold at local filling stations contains about 2 percent biofuel.

However, Lin said, if Taiwan wants to raise the percentage of biofuel in diesel, it must find other source materials for producing the biofuel.

Microalgae is a perfect candidate as Taiwan, surrounded by seas, enjoys an abundance of the material that can be harvested in large quantities.

According to Lin, every liter of ocean water contains about 1 gram of microalgae. This figure can be raised to 5 grams after one week of cultivation and further boosted to as high as 150 grams per liter using the ITRI’s advanced ocean water filtering process.

Also, the institute’s new continuous-extraction process allows for more than 0.5 grams of lipids to be produced from a single gram of microalgaes.

Aside from better extraction process, another advantage is that the leftover microalgae in the bioefuel production process is high in polysaccharides, Lin explained.

The leftover could be used as feed for livestock and poultry. This in turn could help cut down on the use of agricultural land for growing feed such as soybean and corn, eventually reducing commodity price fluctuations, Lin said. (SB)"

[Martian]

Cancer diagnosis breakthrough

"Cancer diagnosis breakthrough
October 1, 2010 by Lin Edwards


Image credit: J. Am. Chem. Soc., doi:10.1021/ja1035013

(PhysOrg.com) -- Researchers in Taiwan have developed a new imaging contrast agent that will enable cancer patients to undergo CT and MRI scans on the same day, cutting diagnosis time in half.

When cancer patients undergo computerized tomography (CT) or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans, they are injected with an imaging contrast agent, and they must wait at least 24 hours for the previous contrast agent to clear before having the next scan. Now, for the first time, a research team in Taiwan has developed a contrast agent that can be used for both scans.

The new technology was developed by a team led by Professor Chen Chia-chun of Academia Sinica and the Chemistry Department of the National Taiwan Normal University in Taipei, and Professor Shieh Dar-bin, a doctor and lecturer at the National Cheng Kung University Institute of Oral Medicine and the Department of Stomatology in Tainan.

CT and MRI scans are time-consuming and expensive, and many patients have to wait up to two months to be examined so that a diagnosis can be confirmed. Professor Chen said some patients also develop side effects to the contrast agents currently used with the scans. Having a single contrast agent means the patient only needs one injection and can have both scans on the same day.

The new contrast agent for both CT and MRI scans consists of a water soluble alloy of iron (Fe) and platinum (Pt) nanoparticles up to 12 nanometers in diameter. The particles have been tested in vitro and in vivo and found to be stable and to have excellent biocompatibility and hemocompatibility. The FePt nanoparticles can also be mass produced, which would reduce their cost.

The new contrast agent shows the exact position of the tumor cells and the molecular characteristics of cancer lesions, which will help doctors to determine the best kind of chemotherapy to use on each patient.

The system will not be commercially available until clinical human trials have been completed, which will take approximately five years. When it does become available, Chen predicts it will become “a star product in the world’s nearly US$5 billion medical diagnosis market.”

The research results were published as a cover story in the Journal of the American Chemical Society on 29 September. The work was partly funded by the National Science Council. Patent applications have been made around the globe.

More information: Shang-Wei Chou et al., In Vitro and in Vivo Studies of FePt Nanoparticles for Dual Modal CT/MRI Molecular Imaging, J. Am. Chem. Soc., 2010, 132 (38), pp 13270-13278. DOI:10.1021/ja1035013

© 2010 PhysOrg.com"

[marshall]

at the title

although most chinese call themselves han... the physical and mental difference within the "han" people are very great... i wouldnt call han a race but its good slogan to unite ppl together and isnt that wat is all about.

if only europe shared the same ideology lol. i honestly cannot tell the difference between french, german etc etc unless they speak lol.

So you're saying you can't tell the difference between French or Germans but that there are vast differences between the black haired, brown eyed "Han" Chinese that most French and Germans think all look the same? LOL

[gnak]

So you're saying you can't tell the difference between French or Germans but that there are vast differences between the black haired, brown eyed "Han" Chinese that most French and Germans think all look the same? LOL

take chinese from the north and chinese from the south there are noticeable difference... or east and west

u from china u should know this more than anyone

i say french and german cus they similar... but Italians or greeks they more easier to tell

[marshall]

take chinese from the north and chinese from the south there are noticeable difference... or east and west

u from china u should know this more than anyone

i say french and german cus they similar... but Italians or greeks they more easier to tell

I know that most people think Chinese and indeed all East Asians look the same, far more so than the much greater difference between French and Germans. Despite being so much more uniform in comparison to Europeans, I have never heard anybody claim Han Chinese are a "race" as you mentioned earlier. I don't know where you heard this but this is like calling the Italian people the Italian race, it makes absolutely no sense.

Chinese, Japanese, Mongolians, Koreans, Vietnamese, Laotians, Tibetans, Thais and Burmese could be categorized as belonging to the same race or at the very least the same sub-race depending on the criteria. It would be more accurate to describe the Chinese peoples as a cultural identity rather than an ethno-linguistic identity that is more commonly attributed to ethnic-racial groups. I believe this is a fundamental reason why Chinese identity has survived, expanded and flourished for millenia because it is a more inclusive identity where it is much easier to "become" Chinese rather than only born into it. Witness the divisive language that is common everywhere else in the world that serves to divide differing groups along linguistic, racial, cultural lines and if you are knowledgeable about history, it becomes obvious why China has such an enduring history spanning the ages.

On the other end of this spectrum are so-called racially aware individuals such as white power race nationalists. These are the losers of society looking for excuses for either their own personal failures or the failures of the group they identify with because they have a psychological need to feel better than others. Such elitist thinking / entitlement mentality is one of the roots of evil in our world.

[gnak]

I know that most people think Chinese and indeed all East Asians look the same, far more so than the much greater difference between French and Germans. Despite being so much more uniform in comparison to Europeans, I have never heard anybody claim Han Chinese are a "race" as you mentioned earlier. I don't know where you heard this but this is like calling the Italian people the Italian race, it makes absolutely no sense.

really according to wiki han is a race/ethnicity and italians also a race

reason i compare with europe is roughly the same land mass as china if not smaller. yet china is one unified country as europe is many diff countries

maybe the different mindset between east and west led to this outcome

Chinese, Japanese, Mongolians, Koreans, Vietnamese, Laotians, Tibetans, Thais and Burmese could be categorized as belonging to the same race

i dunno bout u but i can tell the difference between all of them to some degree

or at the very least the same sub-race depending on the criteria. It would be more accurate to describe the Chinese peoples as a cultural identity rather than an ethno-linguistic identity that is more commonly attributed to ethnic-racial groups. I believe this is a fundamental reason why Chinese identity has survived, expanded and flourished for millenia because it is a more inclusive identity where it is much easier to "become" Chinese rather than only born into it. Witness the divisive language that is common everywhere else in the world that serves to divide differing groups along linguistic, racial, cultural lines and if you are knowledgeable about history, it becomes obvious why China has such an enduring history spanning the ages.

exactly u just proved my point the same reason u cant call european a race applies to han

On the other end of this spectrum are so-called racially aware individuals such as white power race nationalists. These are the losers of society looking for excuses for either their own personal failures or the failures of the group they identify with because they have a psychological need to feel better than others. Such elitist thinking / entitlement mentality is one of the roots of evil in our world.

seriously i couldnt care less bout races or nationalist as they dun affect me on a personal level... the reason why i mentions han is not a race is due the statement martian made "Han Economic Growth for 2010" implying that "hans"

are economically successful race lol... to me that sounds suss especially on a Pakistan forum

[marshall]

really according to wiki han is a race/ethnicity and italians also a race

I can login to Wiki and change the word "race" to Species so that Chinese race will read as the Chinese Species. It's 100% true, because I say so. Btw, I looked up "Han Chinese" on wikipedia and there is no mention of Han Race as you mention. Even the millions of laymen out there able to edit wikipedia know that would be bogus. ;)

http://en.wikipedia....iki/Han_chinese

reason i compare with europe is roughly the same land mass as china if not smaller. yet china is one unified country as europe is many diff countries

This is a simplistic comparison in my opinion and along the same lines of reasoning that some people use to compare India to China because they have similar population sizes and whose current governments were created around the same time. These are vastly different countries otherwise. The closest European analogy to China conceptually was during the height of the Roman Empire. Even then it was very different because the concept of China at that time was already a deeply ingrained identity across China for over a thousand years. By contrast, the Roman Empire was kept together by force alone and once it broke up, there was not enough popular support to rebuild and sustain it. China on the other hand is nothing but a long history of dynasty upon dynasty rebuilding, reforming and sustaining China, because the popular will is there to do so.

maybe the different mindset between east and west led to this outcome

I'm not sure where you're getting this. It's not about mindset, it's about history. The history of Europe is much more analogous to the history of the Indian sub-continent with their multitudes of distinct ethnic identities. The Chinese peoples and all under Heaven are Chinese concepts that formed ~3000 years ago which eventually lead to the unification of all the Chinese states to a singular Chinese super-state that is still today known as the Middle Kingdom (China).

i dunno bout u but i can tell the difference between all of them to some degree

I think you should look up the definition "race". I'm sure I can tell the difference between your parents and you and not say you're from different races.

[Martian]

Government plans to impose new tax on idle private land

'Idle land tax' speculation weighs down construction shares - CNA ENGLISH NEWS

"'Idle land tax' speculation weighs down construction shares
2010/10/11 20:17:22



Taipei, Oct. 11 (CNA) Construction shares faced heavy pressure Monday after reports emerged that the government plans to impose a special tax on privately owned land left idle without any plan for immediate development, dealers said.

Construction stocks closed down 2.19 percent, while the benchmark weighted index fell 0.81 percent to 8,176.76.

Cathay Real Estate fell 3.02 percent to NT$17.65, Kindom Construction shed 3.18 percent to NT$24.05 and Prince Housing shed 3.80 percent to NT$24.05.

Media reports on Monday hinted that the government would impose a land value tax (an annual tax on land holdings) that would actually serve as an "idle land tax" to curb property speculation.

Developers have hoarded many prime lots of land in recent years without developing them, waiting for land prices to rise before selling them for a hefty profit.

This is one of the factors driving up property prices, especially in the Greater Taipei area, and the rumored tax was said to be part of a government strategy to put a lid on such practices, scaring investors.

After the reports surfaced, the Ministry of Finance (MOF) clarified that the planned tax adjustment would only be to narrow the scope of land value tax reductions and exemptions on privately owned land used by the general public.

Many developers currently receive land value tax exemptions when they landscape idle land holdings and give the public access to them.

But under the new plan, only private land used for roads or other passage without payment will receive preferential tax status, while companies "greening" their land and opening it to the public will have to pay land value tax beginning next year, the MOF said.

"Despite the clarification, the first idea that came to investors' minds was that the government would tighten measures to cap high flying property prices, " Hua Nan Securities analyst Henry Miao said.

Miao said the construction sector had recently staged a strong showing on a rising Taiwan dollar against the U.S. dollar on hopes that a higher local currency would boost asset prices in the domestic market.

"Regardless of whether investors misunderstood the MOF's plan or intentionally interpreted the plan as a measure to cap property prices, it was time for investors to pocket the recent significant gains," Miao said.

Miao said rapidly rising property prices in the local market have drawn complaints from the public, and he expected that the government would not sit back to allow the situation to get worse.

A recent indication of that was the central bank's 0.125 percentage point rate hike on Sept. 30, which followed a rate boost in late June.

"Investors should stay on the sidelines before adding property holdings to closely watch what further measures the government will come up with to deal with the local property market," he said.

(By Wei Shu and Frances Huang)"

[Martian]

"Taiwan is currently the world's No. 1 LED supplier by volume and No. 2 by revenue"


Rising sales of LED backlights for LCD TVs are driving strong growth of Taiwan’s LED industry. Firms involved in the supply chain include: LED TV panel makers AUO, CMO, CPT; LED TV brand names Amstran, BenQ, CMO; LED chip makers Epistar, Formosa Epitaxy, Tekcore, Huga, Optotech, Lextar, Chi Mei Lighting; LED packagers Unity Opto, Everlight, Harvatek, LiteOn, LHTC, Wellypower; and LED lead frame producer I-Chiun (Photo Credit: Samsung)

Semiconductor Today

"Taiwan’s LED industry to grow 18% in 2011
13 October 2010
Semiconductor Today

Taiwan’s LED industry revenue is likely to grow 18% next year from this year’s estimated NT$86.4bn (US$2.7bn at US$1:NT$32) according to the government-backed Photonics Industry & Technology Development Association (PIDA), reports the Taiwan Economic News (CENS).

According to the PIDA, Taiwan is currently the world's No. 1 LED supplier by volume and No. 2 by revenue. Of its 2010 revenue of NT$86.4bn, an estimated NT$54.4bn (US$1.7bn) will be generated by the packaging segment and NT$32bn (US$1bn) by the chip-making sector.

LED backlights for mobile phones remain the major revenue earner, accounting for 37% of the total, followed by 32% contributed by LED devices used in electronic equipment.

However, road sign, outdoor billboard and lighting applications will serve as the revenue growth engine. PIDA’s statistics show that LED road signs and billboards accounted for 20% of Taiwan`s LED industry revenue in 2009, up from 2008's 5%, while lighting application comprised 7% of the revenue in 2009, also up from 5% in 2008. The PIDA also points out that this year LED TV and other consumer electronics applications will begin driving demand for LEDs.

In conjunction with its plan to also build Taiwan into the world’s center of LED lighting modules and light sources, the government has developed a plan to boost the island's LED industry revenue more than six-fold from 2010 to NT$540bn (US$16.8bn) in 2015, creating 54,000 jobs for the industry.

Industry executives says that the strength of Taiwan’s LED industry lies in its complete processing chain manufacturing everything from epitaxial wafers and chips to packaging and modules. However, the industry’s weakness lies in its 80% dependence on imported manufacturing equipment and materials, it is noted.

The executives add that cooperation with mainland China is crucial to Taiwan’s LED industry in the light of the mainland's huge market for LED lighting projects. In addition, they urge the Taiwan government to offer lucrative incentives to users of LED lighting, in addition to coming up with industry standards for LED lighting."


Millions of LED street lights are being deployed in Taiwan. The supply chain involves: LED chips from BridgeLux, Cree, Epistar, Formosa Epitaxy, Nichia, Osram, SemiLEDs; LED packages from Everlight, LiteOn, AOT, Bright, Harvatek, Lustrous; LED thermal modules from TTIC, CCI, AVC, Neng Tyi, Lustrous, NeoPac Opto, Advanced Thermal Devices, AuguX; LED lamp poles from Toalux, Everready Precision; and LED street lamp systems from FITI, NeoPac Opto, Bright LED, TTIC, Advanced Thermal Devices, Harvatek, LEOTEK, Delta, TGI, Unity Opto, Neo-Neon, Tatung, Genius, Topco, Anteya, Yeong Li, Alliance Optotek, AuguX, Everlight

Taiwanese LED Makers Aggressively Expanding in Light of Bright Future | CENS.com - The Taiwan Economic News

"Taiwanese LED Makers Aggressively Expanding in Light of Bright Future
2010/04/13
...
The market potential of LED has also attracted the attention of major electronics firms on the island, many of which have bought into LED firms, including Hon Hai, AU Optronics, Inventec, Lite-On, United Microelectronics Corp. (UMC), and Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Corp. (TSMC). TSMC, for instance, has invested US$40 million in BridgeLux, a epitaxy-wafer maker in the U.S., thereby gaining a seat on the company`s board of directors. Some have set up their LED subsidiaries, such as AU Optronics.

Some local electronics firms have even set their sight on the market across Taiwan Strait.
Epistar, for instance, has teamed up with Lite-On and a Chinese home-appliances maker in setting up an LED firm in Changzhou of Jiangsu Province at cost of US$120 million, in addition to joining hands with UMC for investing US$16 million in an LED plant in Shandong Province. Powerchip, a memory-chip maker, has also resolved to invest US$15 million in establishing an LED firm in Xuzhou of Jiangsu Province.
...
As a result, market players foresees tremendous growth potential for the global LED market, now reaching only US$8 billion annually, in the coming years. Taiwan stands in a good stead to tap that potential, thanks to its well-established LED component industry, which ranks first place worldwide in output volume and second place in output value, trailing only Japan. Output value of Taiwan`s LED industry hit US$1.5 billion in 2008, for 20% of global market share.

Epistar, for instance, is the world`s largest red-light and the third largest blue-light LED epitaxy supplier, boasting over 50% global market share for LED TV back-lit device. Among the world`s top five LED firms, it is the only one specializing in upstream epitaxy production, with 1,100 patents including those still pending, firmly consolidating its global status.

(by Philip Liu)"

[Martian]

"New Stem Cell Therapy for Heart Repair, First in the World"


Patrick C. H. Hsieh (right) showcases the results of his experiments on Oct. 12. (UDN photo)

NCKU Research Team Developed New Stem Cell Therapy for Heart Repair, First in the World - KansasCity.com

"NCKU Research Team Developed New Stem Cell Therapy for Heart Repair, First in the World
Posted on Tue, Oct. 12, 2010 05:22 AM
Kansas City Star

Assistant Prof. Patrick C. H. Hsieh of Institute of Nanotechnology and Microsystems Engineering, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University (NCKU), Tainan, Taiwan, has led a research team of myocardial regeneration to conduct an experiment on ###### and has proved that by combining self-assembling peptide nanofiber hydrogel with autologous bone marrow stem cell, myocardial protection after acute myocardial infarction, vascular regeneration and heart functions can be improved.

The research achievement of the novel stem cell therapy for heart repair has been published in Circulation, the top international journal in the cardiovascular field, in September, 2010, and the technology is currently under the applications of domestic and foreign patents.

Each year, 17,000,000 people die from heart disease worldwide. In Taiwan, there are approximately 2,000,000 heart disease patients each year and 400,000 people pass away due to heart failure. The most common cause for the heart disease is coronary occlusion or myocardial infarction, preventing blood from going to the heart and thus leading to myocardial necrosis and apoptosis. The mortality rate reaches as high as 30%.

Even if the patients are fortunate to survive, their myocardial cells lack the ability to regenerate. The myocardial cells cannot take intraventricular pressure and thus they will gradually expand and become thin. Eventually, the patients will have heart failure and face death.

The best clinical treatment is heart transplant. However, due to limited heart donors and risks such as immune rejection and infection, it is not in common use. The most common clinical treatment is drug control, including ACE inhibitors, β-blockers, digitalis glycosides and diuretics. However, they can only slow down disease progression, and they normally have side-effects. Thus, the novel treatment method, the stem cell therapy for heart repair, has become the solution to one of the most urgent medical problems.

NCKU Assistant Prof. Patrick C. H. Hsieh pointed out, “Even though recent research studies have indicated that many types of stem cells can be used to improve heart functions and be clinically effective and secure, there is still room which needs improvement. For instance, when stem cells are cultured outside the body and injected into the heart, most of them are immediately carried away by the blood flow or they face rapid death. Even if few of them survive, they hardly become mature and functional cardiac or vascular cells, thus lack effectiveness. So far, we know that when we inject stem cells into the heart, the survival rate of the cells staying in the heart after 24 hours is less than 1%. However, by combining self-assembling peptide nanofiber hydrogel with stems cells and injecting the mixture into cardiac muscle, the stem cells will not be easily carried away from the heart by the blood. Thus, the retention rate is increased to 100%. In addition, problems such as the source, amount and exclusion of stem cells, as well as how to accurately inject stem cells into damaged parts of cardiac muscle and how to pass trials in large animal experiments to ensure safety are issues yet to be solved.”

To solve the above-mentioned problems, the research team led by Assistant Prof. Patrick C. H. Hsieh has developed novel pharmaceutical compositions and treatment methods, engaged in an experiment on Lanyu miniature ######, which has similar cardiac structure to that of the human beings and used self-assembling peptide nanofiber hydrogel to inject to damaged areas of cardiac infarction, thus reducing sequelae such as ventricular wall thinning and ventricular dilation and improving diastolic dysfunction from 54.2% to 85.5% after cardiac infarction.

The self-assembling peptide nanofiber hydrogel can integrate stems cells from the bone marrow in the miniature ###### to effectively prevent pathological ventricular remodeling and diastolic dysfunction, significantly improve the myocardial viability and systolic function from 65.6% to 91.4%, increase the myocardial angiogenesis from 13.7% to 46.5%, reduce the range of myocardial infarction from 18.6% to 11.3%, and even promote potential myocardial regeneration.

One of the characteristics of this research achievement is modeled on the implementation of clinical therapy, from extracting stem cells from the bone marrow and mixing it with nanofiber hydrogel to completing the surgery of cardiac injection, the process only requires 30 minutes.

Assistant Prof. Patrick C. H. Hsieh emphasized, “The time to save acute myocardial infarction patients is extremely precious. Thus a fast and effective treatment method can be applied to myocardial infarction patients in the future or provide a viable alternative to patients who are not suitable for traditional treatment methods.”

Once clinical trials are completed and are developed into treatment method, it is believed that it can benefit many patients and create huge business opportunities. In general, the advantages of this discovery include simple and rapid preparation within 30 minutes, zero side-effects, zero inflammation, zero immune response and currently 0% mortality rate, and research and development potential of integrating drug release of PDGF, FGF, p38, IGF.

The breaking research achievement is funded by the 5 Year 5 Billion Project of the Ministry of Education, Taiwan, National Science Council, National Health Research Institutes, Academia Sinica and NCKU Hospital.

Facilitated by Prof. Jyh-Horung Chen, the former Superintendent of NCKU Hospital and the President of Taiwan Society of Cardiology and Prof. Hua-Lin Wu of Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, the Director of Cardiovascular Research Center, the main members of the research team include Assistant Prof. Patrick C. H. Hsieh of Institute of Nanotechnology and Microsystems Engineering, Assistant Prof. Ming-Long Yeh of Institute of Biomedical Engineering, doctoral students Yi-Dong Lin and Ming-Yao Chang of Institute of Biomedical Engineering, research assistants Da-Ching Tsai, Ting-Yu Zhu, Shih-Ya Yun and Alan C.L. Tang of Stem Cell and Nano Technology Research Lab, Prof. Yu-Jen Yang of NCKU Hospital Department of Surgery, Dr. Yen-Wen Liu of NCKU Hospital Division of Cardiology, Dr. Tsai-Yun Chen of NCKU Hospital Division of Hemato-Oncology, and Dr. Kung-Chao Chang of NCKU Hospital Department of Pathology."

[Martian]

Maestro piano robot makes global debut


A man looks at the "Piano Robot" during the Taipei International Robot Show at the World Trade Center yesterday. Some 300 exhibitors from 66 companies are taking part in the four-day exhibition.
(Credit: AFP Photo/Sam Yeh)

Maestro piano robot makes global debut - CNA ENGLISH NEWS

"Maestro piano robot makes global debut
2010/10/19 22:01:00


Taiwan Hiwin's maestro piano robot

Taipei, Oct. 19 (CNA) A Taiwanese robot capable of playing the piano with both hands made its global debut at the Taipei International Robot Show (TIROS) on Tuesday, marking another milestone in the development of Taiwan's precision machine industry.

"Up to now, other types of robots have used only one finger to play the piano," Enid Tsai, spokeswoman for Hiwin Technologies Corp., told CNA.

"Our robot uses 10 fingers and can play a complex melody, " she said, noting that it was the first in the world to do so.

Using key components manufactured by Hiwin including linear motors, linear guideways and ball screws, the robot will appear next at the Japan International Machine Tool Fair Oct. 28- Nov. 2, before returning home for a starring performance at the Taiwan International Machine Tool Show in Taichung on Nov. 3.

Since 2008, Hiwin has also encouraged local universities to design robots for different applications.

For example, as Taiwan faces the problems of an aging society, the company wants to see robots take care of old people or patients, Tsai said.

The 10-finger robot is among many entertainment, industrial and other robot applications displayed by 66 exhibitors in a total of 296 booths exhibiting at the (TIROS), which runs through Friday.

Vice President Vincent Siew attended the opening and had a brief interaction with V Baby, a robot spokesman for the Taipei International Flora Expo, which begins next month. (By Alex Jiang)"

[Martian]

Taiwan's Genius "holds the U.S. patent for mouse scroll-wheel technology"

This is a surprise. I was unaware that Taiwan's Genius "holds the U.S. patent for mouse scroll-wheel technology." It is amusing that Taiwanese patents show up in the most unexpected places.

Genius Navigator 905BT Wireless Bluetooth Mouse Available Now for $32.99 - SlashGear

"Genius Navigator 905BT Wireless Bluetooth Mouse Available Now for $32.99
By Evan Selleck on Thu Aug 26th, 2010

Considering some of you out there are probably heading back to school around this time (or if you’re already there), you might be looking for a new electronic toy to buy. And hey, if you can write it off as a school-related purchase, why not, right? That’s what Genius is hoping to rope you in with, as they’ve just announced their new Navigator 905BT wireless mouse, featuring Bluetooth technology inside.


Genius Navigator 905BT Wireless Bluetooth Mouse

The wireless mouse is capable of connecting (without wires!) to any PC or Mac, and Genius says it’s instantly, so that’s pretty impressive. If you do decide to connect to your computer courtesy of the Bluetooth EDR 2.0 technology, then you’ll be happy to know you can go up to 10m from your PC or Mac and still have a functioning device. And, if you don’t happen to have any Bluetooth connectivity on your PC or Mac, then you can plug in the Stick-N-Go mount to your USB port, and still utilize that wireless goodness.

Interestingly enough, because when we think mouse peripherals, we also think anti-virus software, Genius is including a 60-day free trial of Norton Symantec anti-virus software, which will come on a CD. You have two color choices: ruby red or cold silver, and it will retail for $32.99. Check out the full press release below for all the extra juicy details.

Press Release

GENIUS LAUNCHES WIRELESS LASER MOUSE
WITH BLUETOOTH CONNECTION

Fast-tracking, trendy Navigator 905BT mouse offers comfort, accuracy and convenience

MIAMI (August 26, 2010) – Genius (http://www.geniusnetusa.com/), a brand division of KYE Systems Corp., today announced a new addition to the company’s extensive line of mice, the Navigator 905BT mouse that connects instantly to any PC or Mac that is Bluetooth enabled. The new mouse includes Genius’ innovative ‘Flying Scroll’ technology for scrolling web pages or documents in eight directions all through the scroll wheel.

The Navigator 905BT’s Bluetooth EDR 2.0 gives the user a 10 meter working range and 1600 dpi resolution for accurate cursor tracking and speed. The Navigator 905BT also includes the Stick-N-Go mount that allows users to attach the mouse to a notebook or laptop, creating an ultra portable mouse. A complimentary Norton Symantec 60 day free trial is included in the CD driver to prevent the user’s notebook from virus attack and firewall breach. Now available in royal ruby and cold silver, the Navigator 905BT mouse is attractively priced at MSRP USD $32.99.

Features:
* Sporty design with Bluetooth EDR 2.0
* 1600 dpi sensor for precision cursor control
* Innovative ‘Flying Scroll’ for eight way scrolling
* Stick-N-Go mount for convenient portability
* Norton Symantec 60 day free trial
* Power switch for extended battery life (two alkaline batteries included)

Sales/Purchase:

The new Navigator 905BT mouse starts shipping in August 2010. Interested shoppers can go to New Egg.com, Amazon.com, Mini Mouse - Webcams - Speakers - Keyboards - PC Mouse - Wireless Mouse, Tiger Direct, Buy.com or for more information on the entire line of Genius products and other retailers and distributors please visit: http://www.geniusnetusa.com/.

ABOUT KYE SYSTEMS CORP.

Genius is an international leading company in computer peripherals. Genius was established in 1985, product portfolio includes computer mice, keyboards, web and security cameras, speakers, gaming peripherals, remote controls, headphones, digital cameras, digital camcorders and digital photo frames. It also holds the U.S. patent for mouse scroll-wheel technology. Genius expanded from computer peripherals into consumer electronic products that include mobile phone accessories, Bluetooth headsets, digital cameras, digital photo frames, iPod speakers and EeePC mice."

[Martian]

Taiwan wins big at prestigious Intel International Science and Engineering Fair

Some of you are probably wondering: Why does he spend a significant amount of time and effort to focus on Taiwan?

There are two notable reasons. Firstly, using the benchmark of U.S. patent grants for 2009, Taiwan has the innovative power of 77.1% of Europe's largest economy, Germany (e.g. Taiwan's 7,779 patents compared to Germany's 10,086; see my thread/post on "Greater China outnumbers German patents").

Secondly and the more important reason, Taiwan is 98% Han. China is 92% Han. Taiwan and China are comprised of the same Han people. Taiwan is a leading indicator of China's future development. As China's educational system and development mature, China's per-capita innovations will eventually resemble Taiwan's current performance.

Taiwan Today

"Taiwan students clean up at Intel science fair
Publication Date：05/17/2010
Source： United Daily News


Winners are grinners. Budding high school scientists from Taiwan show off their awards from the 2010 Intel International Science and Engineering Fair. (CNA)

Taiwan’s reputation as a “clever country” continues to rise following a record seven-award haul by local students at this year’s Intel International Science and Engineering Fair in California May 14.

Nine students from Taiwan entered the world’s largest high school science competition, collecting one top prize, five third place honors and a fourth in categories ranging from animal and mathematical science to chemistry and electrical and mechanical engineering. This was the highest winning percentage of all national representations.

Jacqueline Hung and Lin Chi-chieh of Taipei Municipal First Girls’ Senior High School won first place in the team projects category for their study “Synthesis and Analysis of the New Superconducting Material—FeSe Nanocrystals.”

A beaming Hung credited her teachers and classmates for the victory. “I would like to share this prize with everyone involved in the process,” she said. “The award is a great motivation for our future endeavors.”

Hung and Lin were awarded US$3,000 for their performance, with Taiwan’s Ministry of Education giving each winning student up to NT$200,000 (US$6,300). In addition, Hung and lin will receive scholarships for overseas study.

A total of 1,611 students from 55 five countries battled it out at the weeklong event for 600 awards and prize money of US$4 million. (PCT-JSM)

(This article originally appeared in The Liberty Times May 16.)"

- CNA ENGLISH NEWS

"Taiwan wins big at British Invention Show
2010/10/17 20:53:58



London, Oct. 16 (CNA) Taiwan emerged as the biggest winner at the British Invention Show 2010 (BIS) that ended Saturday, capturing 12 gold and two silvers, as well as special awards of diamond, platinum and double-gold medals.

Taiwan submitted 19 entries to the UK's largest invention and technology exhibition and garnered its best score in the four years since it first participated in the event. Sixteen countries took part this year.

Katharine Chang, Taiwan's representative to the U.K., and Chen Tsung-chieh, head of the the economic division of Taiwan's representative office in London, both extended congratulations to the winners.

Chen Tsung-tai, president of the Taiwan Invention Association and leader of the Taiwanese team, said that pieces invented by Taiwan's youth amazed the judges with their creativity and innovative ideas, adding that these young people represented the hopes of the future and the keys to improving Taiwan's competitiveness.

Kane Kramer, president of the assembly and founder of the British Inventors Society, said at the award presentation ceremony that he was attracted by the top award entry, a multi-channel headphone system submitted by Taiwan's Cotron Corp, describing it as a well-deserved winner.

Kramer, inventor of the first digital audio player and whose work helped inspire the design of Apple's iPod, said he would work together with a Taiwanese firm regarding his latest invention.

The headphone system has won contracts from Japan and the United States, Lin Pi-fen, a director of the Cotron Corp, said.

Another Cotron invention, a wireless audio player, also won the special platinum medal, making the company the biggest winner at the event.

A student team from Far East University in Tainan won four gold medals for its coffee machine capable of adjusting caffeine content and aroma strength, a device designed to completely destroy information stored on a CD disc, a water-saving planting container, and a solar-powered vacuum tube heat collector.

The five-member team from the Affiliated Experimental High School of Tunghai University earned two golds with its new video monitor and PC Mirror Cam.

The team's youngest winner, 12-year-old Chi Yu-chen, said "I feel good that I could transfer ideas to inventions."

Held Oct. 13-16 in London's Alexandra Palace, the show attracted more than 130 entries from around the world. (By Jennifer Huang and Maia Huang)"

U.S. Wins Gold In Chemistry Olympiad | Latest News | Chemical & Engineering News

"U.S. Wins Gold In Chemistry Olympiad
Taiwan is big winner; U.S. has best showing since 2002
Linda Wang
August 3, 2009
Chemical & Engineering News


TEAM EFFORT Wang (from left), Benjamin, Lu, and Seifried show off their medals.

Taiwan dominated the 41st International Chemistry Olympiad, held on July 18–27 in Cambridge, England. Taiwan's team won four gold medals, more than any other country.

The U.S. also put on a strong performance, with its four-member team earning a gold medal and three silver medals.

The international competition drew 250 high school students from 64 countries. The 164 medals that were awarded included 28 gold, 54 silver, and 82 bronze medals.

Ruibo Wang of China won the top gold medal; Assaf Mauda of Israel won the second highest gold medal; and Hung-I Yang of Taiwan won the third-ranking gold medal. China and Russia each garnered three gold medals and a silver medal. England earned four silver medals.

On the U.S. team were Nathan Benjamin of West Lafayette, Ind.; Colin Lu of Vestal, N.Y.; Brian Seifried of Dunwoody, Ga.; and Yixiao Wang of Westfield, N.J. They were accompanied by head mentor Linda J. Wood, a chemistry teacher at Lowndes High School, in Valdosta, Ga., and mentor John C. Kotz, an emeritus professor of chemistry at the State University of New York, Oneonta.

The U.S. team's performance is significant because the U.S. has not won a gold medal since the 2002 competition in Groningen, the Netherlands, Kotz says. "The fact that we got a gold medal this year shows that we're working hard on training our students, and the students are pushing themselves even further," he says.

Wang, who won the gold, says he owes his achievement to the rigorous preparation he received during the U.S. National Chemistry Olympiad study camp, held in June at the U.S. Air Force Academy, in Colorado Springs (C&EN, June 29, page 9). "All the skills we learned at camp were applied in the practical exam," Wang says. "That was well done on the part of the mentors."

Peter Wothers, chair of the 41st International Chemistry Olympiad, says the exam questions tested students' ability to think creatively. For example, in one of the laboratory experiments, students were asked to design a procedure for determining the critical micelle concentration of sodium n-dodecyl sulfate (SDS) by measuring the conductivity of different SDS concentrations.

"To be a good scientist, you need to be able to devise your own experiments," Wothers says. "When you start doing a Ph.D., it's all about doing your own research."

During the 10-day program, the students also participated in cultural activities in and around London, including visiting Westminster Abbey and playing medieval games at Belvoir Castle. Students stayed at the University of Cambridge, which is celebrating its 800th anniversary this year.

Every student, whether they won a medal or not, should feel like a winner, Seifried says. "If they don't, then they missed some of the experience."

Lu says that having a network of friends around the world who share his love for chemistry prepares him well for a career in science.

Benjamin agrees, saying that the relationships they created will remain long after the joy of winning a medal subsides.

The 42nd International Chemistry Olympiad will take place on July 19–28, 2010, in Tokyo (icho2010.org). The U.S. will host the 44th International Chemistry Olympiad in 2012 at the University of Maryland, just outside of Washington, D.C.

Chemical & Engineering News
ISSN 0009-2347
Copyright © 2010 American Chemical Society"

Taiwan wins big at International Earth Science Olympiad-????-??????? CNA-NEWS.COM

"Taiwan wins big at International Earth Science Olympiad
2010/09/27 23:09:10



Taipei, Sept. 27 (CNA) Taiwan students captured three gold medals and one silver at the just-concluded 4th International Earth Science Olympiad in Yogyakarta, Indonesia.

Among the gold medal winners was Yang Hung-yi from National Tainan Senior High School, who also won a gold medal at the International Chemistry Olympiad last year,

Yang, back home after his victory, said he was thrilled with his gold medal performance. But despite his winning performances in earth science and chemistry, he said he "loves physics most" and is hoping to compete in the International Physics Olympiad next year.

In addition to Yang, Huang Po-han of National Taichung First Senior High School and Chang Chih-chin of National Yilan Senior High School also won gold medals.

Lu Kun-lin of National Taichung Senior High School pocketed a silver medal.

Lin Pay-liam, an associate professor at National Central University and Taiwan's team leader, said this year's Olympiad featured field tests in the areas of geology, astronomy, atmospheric sciences, and oceanology, and Yang had the highest scores in the latter two categories.

The competition consists of two parts: theoretical and practical examinations. The theoretical examination asked participants to solve earth science problems. The practical exam includes experiments that the participants must complete within a set period of time.

Sixty-seven senior high school students from 19 countries took part in this year's competition, and a total of seven golds, 14 silvers and 26 bronzes were awarded.

Taiwan has performed well since first taking part in the competition in 2007. It has ranked at the top for the fourth consecutive year and has won a total of 12 gold medals and four silver medals. (By Lin Szu-yu and Lilian Wu)"

[Martian]

Taiwan`s PPP-based Per-capita GDP to Exceed Japan`s This Year


Taipei 101 view of Taipei city, Taiwan

Taiwan`s PPP-based Per-capita GDP to Exceed Japan`s This Year | CENS.com - The Taiwan Economic News

"Taiwan`s PPP-based Per-capita GDP to Exceed Japan`s This Year
2010/10/22

Taipei, Oct. 22, 2010 (CENS)--Taiwan`s per-capita GDP, based on purchasing power parity (PPP), is expected to hit a record high of US$34,743 this year to exceed Japan`s US$33,828, according to the International Monetary Fund (IMF).

Taiwan`s Council for Economic Planning and Development (CEPD) says “PPP” is a theory of long-term equilibrium exchange rates based on relative price levels of two countries. A “PPP” exists when the exchange rates of two currencies equalize their purchasing power in their home countries for a given basket of goods. The theoretical exchange rates are often used to compare the standards of living of two or more countries.

CEPD says that the nominal per-capita GDP of both Japan and South Korea is higher than that of Taiwan, yet higher commodity prices in these two countries dampen purchasing willingness and meanwhile suppress purchasing power, resulting in real purchasing power that is actually weaker than in Taiwan.

In 2001 Taiwan`s PPP-based per-capita GDP was US$20,278, lower than Japan`s by US$5,614 and Germany`s by US$7,006. However, in 2010 such figure for Taiwan has outstripped Japan`s by US$915, but still lags Germany`s by US$1,187. In the same period, the gap between Taiwan and South Korea has widened to US$4,952 from US$2,870.

PPP-based Per-capita GDP of Major Asian Economies Unit: US$

[*]...................2001........2010
[*]Taiwan.......20,278.....34,743
[*]Japan.........25,892.....33,828
[*]S. Korea.....17,408.....29,791
[*]Singapore...32,218.....57,238
[*]Hong Kong..26,891.....45,277

Source: IMF

(by Judy Li)"

[Martian]

HD.Club-2010 Taipei 101 FireWorks (dtsHD 7.1聲道)

With 28,080 views, this is one of the most popular widescreen and HD videos about Taiwan.

Please make sure to select 720p in the bottom right-hand corner. It is far clearer than 480p.

[Martian]

42,045,665 views of Korean pop sensation Wonder Girls' "Nobody"

This is the first time and probably the last time that I will step out of the Sinosphere. However, with 42,045,665 views, the Korean pop sensation Wonder Girls are simply incredible. The performance and choreography for "Nobody" are outstanding.

The original video with 42,045,665 views. Almost one percent of the planet's population has seen this video.
Please make sure to select 480p in the bottom right-hand corner.



Wonder Girls in widescreen and HD. This version is in English.
Please make sure to select 720p in the bottom right-hand corner. It is far clearer than 360p.



Wonder Girls in widescreen and HD. They sing partly in Korean.
Please make sure to select 720p in the bottom right-hand corner. It is far clearer than 480p.
http://www.youtube.c...feature=related

[Martian]

ITRI Introduces FlexUPD and i2/3DW, Award-Winning, Breakthrough Technologies

http://www.marketwir...ize-1342423.htm



Oct 27, 2010 13:12 ET

ITRI Introduces FlexUPD and i2/3DW, Award-Winning, Breakthrough Technologies That Will Revolutionize the Visual Display Industry

FlexUPD Is the First Paper-Thin, Low-Cost Flexible Display Technology and i2/3DW Allows for the Simultaneous Integration of 2D and 3D Display Visible to the Naked Eye

HSINCHU, TAIWAN--(Marketwire - October 27, 2010) - ITRI (Industrial Technology Research Institute), Taiwan's largest and one of the world's leading high-tech research and development institutions, introduces FlexUPD, the first technology to enable the commercialization of paper-thin, low-cost flexible flat displays for electronic products, and i2/3DW, an innovative technology to integrate 2D and 3D information for simultaneous display on the same screen visible to the naked eye. ITRI will receive the Overall Gold Wall Street Journal Technology Innovation Award for FlexUPD next week and a "2010 R&D 100 Award" from R&D Magazine in November for both breakthrough technologies.

[I have previously made a post regarding ITRI's FlexUPD that won the "Overall Gold Wall Street Journal Technology Innovation Award" for 2010.]
...

i2/3DW is a next generation 2D/3D switchable display technology that is the first to fully and simultaneously integrate 3D displays for the naked eye with traditional 2D information.

ITRI's award-winning i2/3DW is a next generation 2D/3D switchable display technology that is the first to fully and simultaneously integrate 3D displays for the naked eye with traditional 2D information. This breakthrough solves the problems previously associated with 2D/3D displays -- a lack of integration forcing viewers to switch between 2D and 3D modes -- and 3D displays -- blurry text and specific eyewear. With i2/3DW, 2D texts are as clear as they are on a 2D screen and 3D images are as fascinating as on a 3D screen, but can now coexist on the same screen for optimal viewing quality.

"We are at the brink of the new 3D generation," said Stephen Jeng, ITRI's division director of Electronics and Optoelectronics. "With the rise of 3D technology in the entertainment, video game, mobile device and medical industries, and in Internet applications, ITRI's i2/3DW will revolutionize displays, catapulting them into the 3D era. It will change the way people watch TV and use computers, and is also designed for specialty applications such as endoscopic surgery, digital signage, remote medical care and e-books, among others."

The construction of an enabled i2/3DW display is comprised of three primary component layers: the conventional liquid crystal display panel (LCD panel), the dynamic black-light unit (DBLU) and the 2D/3D switching layer -- that lies in between the LCD and DBLU panels, allowing the 2D and 3D display mode to be switched automatically. This feature differentiates ITRI's i2/3DW technology from its competitors -- to date, similar technologies have only focused on whole screen 2D or 3D display. i2/3DW is the first to make the integration of a partial switch possible. ITRI's switching component is made of two polarization films, one microretarder and one low-resolution LC panel -- all extremely inexpensive to make, making the i2/3DW technology affordable.

The i2/3DW could reenergize the struggling panel and display market. Prices of LCDs used in computers and TVs fell 7.8 percent in the third quarter of 2010 for a major manufacturer. The i2/3DW could revitalize the industry by revolutionizing the concept of 3D viewing.

ITRI has applied for 62 patents for FlexUPD and 11 patents for i2/3DW, and is currently licensing both technologies. Interested companies can contact ITRI at 1-408-428-9988 or 0800@itri.org.tw for more information.

ITRI, headquartered in Taiwan, has offices in the United States, Japan, Russia and Germany in an effort to extend its R&D scope and promote opportunities for international cooperation. In the U.S., it has long-term collaborative arrangements with MIT, Carnegie Mellon University, the University of California at Berkeley and Stanford University. Globally, it has 23 international cooperations with major companies such as IBM, HP, Microsoft, Nokia, Sun Microsystems, Kodak, Lucent and Motorola.

To date, ITRI holds more than 14,571 patents and has assisted in the creation of more than 163 start-ups and spin-offs. In 2010, the institute has received five prestigious international awards: The Overall Gold Wall Street Journal Technology Innovation Award for its FlexUPD technology, runner-up in the Semiconductor category for its MDPS (Micro-Deformable Piezoresistive Sensor Technology) and three R&D 100 Awards for FlexUPD, i2/3DW and Reddex. In 2009, the institute also received four prestigious international awards: The Wall Street Journal's 2009 Technology Innovation Award for its FleXpeaker technology, an R&D 100 Award for the High Safety STOBA Lithium Battery Material Technology, the iF Design Award from the International Forum Design in Germany for ITRA's Fluid Driven Lighting System, and the Red Dot Design Award by the Design Zentrum Nordrhein Westfalen in Essen, Germany, for its Flexio Radio Technology.

About ITRI (Industrial Technology Research Institute)
Industrial Technology Research Institute (ITRI) is a nonprofit R&D organization engaging in applied research and technical services. Founded in 1973, ITRI has played a vital role in transforming Taiwan's economy from a labor-intensive industry to a high-tech industry. Numerous well-known, high-tech companies in Taiwan, such as leaders in the semiconductor industry TSMC and UMC, can trace their origins to ITRI.

Innovative Research
ITRI is a multidisciplinary research center, with six core laboratories, three focus centers, five linkage centers, several leading labs and various business development units. The six fields ITRI focuses on include Information and Communication; Electronics and Optoelectronics; Material, Chemical and Nanotechnologies; Biomedical Technologies and Device; Advanced Manufacturing and Systems; and Green Energy and Environment. ITRI has aggressively researched and developed countless next-generation technologies, including WIMAX wireless broadband, solar cells, RFID, light electric vehicles, flexible displays, 3-D ICs and telecare technologies. In addition, ITRI's Flexible Electronics Pilot Lab and Nanotechnology Lab provide international-level research platforms where R&D can be conducted jointly with partners. ITRI has also seen significant growth in intellectual property business and new ventures in recent years and is devoted to creating a model that would make Taiwan manufacturing even more competitive in the international arena.

Fostering Entrepreneurship and CEO Leadership
ITRI employs 5,728 personnel, including 1,163 who hold Ph.D.s and 3,152 with master's degrees, resulting in an average of five patents produced every day. By disseminating both technology and talent, ITRI has led the technology industry into the 21st century and has cultivated 70 CEOs in the local high-tech industry. In addition to its headquarters in Taiwan, ITRI has branch offices in the California Silicon Valley, Tokyo, Berlin and Moscow.

[Martian]

Reddex--First Non-Toxic, Fire Resistant Composite Material from ITRI

"Reddex--First Non-Toxic, Fire Resistant Composite Material from ITRI
Posted Nov 4, 2010

ITRI (Industrial Technology Research Institute), Taiwan's largest and one of the world's leading high-tech research and development institutions, introduces Reddex, the first non-toxic fire resistant composite material technology to simultaneously offer ignition resistance and fire protection in one system, effectively reducing the risks associated with structure fires.

ITRI will receive a "2010 R&D 100 Award" from R&D Magazine next week for this breakthrough technology.


Reddex composites

Reddex introduces a new family of polymer inorganic composite which provides ignition resistance and effectively slows down the rate at which fire burns -- it is unique in its combination of these advantages. This allows more time for people to escape, for less -- and non-toxic -- smoke to be produced -- one of the most harmful aspects of a fire -- and for fire fighters to get to the scene before the fire has dramatically spread and intensified, limiting the building's structural damage -- which can save lives and money.

Reddex sets a new standard in fire protection and offers versatility in its applications. It can be prepared as a paint, paste or foam, and is offered in mechanical properties ranging from flexible to rigid. It is ideal for buildings, hospitals, schools and residences, as well as for interiors of cars, airplanes and boats. With its flexibility, Reddex is useful in applications never imaginable: films, tapes, hoses, tubes, electrical cables and wires. Reddex can be coated onto the surface of substrates, polymeric foams, woods, silicate boards and metals, etc. for the construction of fire-resistant layered structures. The Reddex composites have excellent adhesion to these useful substrates.

"Reddex signals a breakthrough in fire prevention and will to play an integral role in reducing the risks associated with fires," said Echo Tseng, director of business development at ITRI's Commercialization and Industry Service Center. "Reddex's versatility makes it cost-effective. We anticipate material manufacturers being particularly interested in this technology."

Fires are harmful and destructive, and can cost millions of dollars in maintenance and repairs. In a recent study, the U.S. municipal fire departments responded to an estimated average of 109,300 structure fires in non-residential properties annually. These fires resulted in 100 deaths, 1,410 injuries and $42.5 billion in direct property damage each year. High-rise buildings had an average of 13,400 reported structure fires per year and $179 million in direct property damage.

Reddex's key breakthrough is the polymer component that chars and burns at a slower rate than any other fire retardant. The Reddex material eventually converts into a bound inorganic porous structure, which effectively becomes a structure that has low thermal conductivity to insulate heat and good mechanical rigidity to maintain structural integrity. Reddex's formulation does not use conventional ignition resistant additives that contain halogen, sulfur or phosphor components. As a result, no toxic gas is generated when exposed to fire. By using polymers such as PU as the organic component, which is turned into water vapor and carbon dioxide when burned, much less smoke is produced."

[Martian]

CPT showcases sunlight readable color display

CPT showcases sunlight readable color display
Posted on Friday, November 5th, 2010, 9:49 am by Brad Linder


CPT Colorful Sunlight Readable display

CPT is showing off a new display technology in Taiwan that will let you view a full color display in direct sunlight. Oh yeah, it’s also described as a low power display, although CPT isn’t giving a lot of specifics. Netbook News reports that the new CPT screens should use about half the power of a typical display, but there’s no word on what the company counts as “typical.”

By comparison, the Pixel Qi transflective display (and a similar solution from CPT), uses just about 0.5 Watts of power with the backlight turned off… or about 2.5 watts with the backlight on.

It sounds like this new CPT solution will likely use more power than that, but the difference is that when you cut the backlight on a transflective screen, the display effectively switches from color to black and white. That’s not the case with the new SunLight Viewable technology.

You can check out a demo video after the break. Unfortunately Netbook News encountered the screen at a trade show, so the video was shot indoors. I’m looking forward to seeing how this display looks in real sunlight.


[To see a hi-res video, make sure to select 720p in the bottom right-hand corner.]

CPT transflective display could give Pixel Qi a run for its money

CPT transflective display could give Pixel Qi a run for its money
Posted on Wednesday, June 9th, 2010, 9:10 am by Brad Linder


CPT transflective display

Pixel Qi has gotten a lot of attention lately for its display which combines some of the best elements of a E Ink and full color displays. Indoors, you can use the screen in full color mode and you’d have a hard time telling it apart from any other display. Outdoors, you can shut off the backlight, reduce the screen’s power consumption by about 500 percent, and easily see the screen in direct sunlight.

But Pixel Qi isn’t the only company working on this sort of technology. Netbook News spotted a transflective display from CPT that promises similar functionality. The company is demonstrating a 10.1 inch, 1366 x 768 pixel display with wide viewing angles that works with the backlight off.

The CPT screen doesn’t seem to be quite as energy efficient as Pixel Qi’s solution. Instead of drawing 5 times less power with the backlight off, it cuts energy consumption by 50 percent. That ain’t bad, but it could certainly be better.

Nicole Scott from Netbook News suggests that text doesn’t look quite as sharp with the backlight off.

Transflective displays aren’t entirely new. If I remember correctly, a number of early Windows Mobile and Palm PDAs used similar technology nearly 10 years ago. But it should be interesting to see how CPT’s solution scales to netbooks or tablets.

You can check out Nicole’s hands-on video after the break.


[To see a hi-res video, make sure to select 720p in the bottom right-hand corner.]

CHUNGHWA PICTURE TUBES, LTD. - Company Profile

"Chunghwa Picture Tubes Ltd. (CPT) was established in 1971. In order to satisfy people’s need of visual desire, CPT is enthusiastically devoted to the development of the new display technologies and has fabricated various products which have amazing quality.

Based on strong and concrete core foundation in display technologies for many years, CPT has been very successful in the industry. Coupled with the superior technologies of wide viewing angle performance, faster response time for moving picture, and high color saturation, etc., CPT continuously develops new products, aggressively raises the quality of products as well as services. With the corporate philosophy of “CREATION, PERFECTION and TEAMWORK”, CPT is dedicated to offer full-sized product line and position itself as a leader for visual telecommunication products and the all-around innovator for optronic technology."

[Martian]

NCKU SMART Team Achieved Breakthrough in Precision Gene Surgery


NCKU Banyan tree

http://www.taiwantod...7409&ctNode=445

"NCKU team makes ‘nano scissors’ breakthrough

* Publication Date：11/08/2010
* Source： Taiwan Today

A National Cheng Kung University research team has succeeded in using the world’s first “artificial targeting light activated nano scissors,” which it developed, and a custom-made photon device to carry out precision gene surgery that could be applied to cancer therapy in the future.

The team, lead by Shieh Dar-bin, head of the NCKU Medical College’s Institute of Oral Medicine, made the announcement Nov. 5.

Shieh said the team used ATLANS, currently in the clinical trial stage, to successfully switch off three types of drug resistance genes in cultivated cancer cells in laboratory mice.

According to Shieh, under the intracellular gene manipulation method, targeted genes are located, and then precise double-strand cuts are performed on the desired DNA sequences with the molecular-scale scissors.

The process, Shieh explained, is controlled by specific photon energy.

The research findings were published in the September issue of Biomaterials, the leading international journal in the field of biomedical devices. The team is working on patent applications.

Su Wu-chou, director of NCKU Hospital’s Clinical Trial Center, noted that all cancers stem from changes caused by genes. He said practical application of the new ATLANS method to cancer treatment would focus on late stage cancer patients. More work is needed in order to apply the new technology to early stage patients, he added. (SB)"


NCKU campus

http://www.businessw...-Precision-Gene

"NCKU SMART Team Achieved Breakthrough in Precision Gene Surgery through Photonic Manipulation of ATLANS
November 05, 2010 04:45 AM Eastern Time

TAINAN, Taiwan--(BUSINESS WIRE)--A cross-disciplinary Small Medicine and Advanced Research Translation (SMART) team led by Prof. Dar-Bin Shieh of Institute of Oral Medicine in Medical College at National Cheng Kung University (NCKU), Tainan, Taiwan, has announced a breakthrough in the precision in-cell gene scission at pre-designed sequence sites using Artificial Targeting Light Activated Nano Scissors (ATLANS) and a custom build photonic device.

The research achievement is supported under National Nano Science and Technology Program funded by National Science Council (NSC), Taiwan. This innovative discovery is recently accepted by internationally renowned journal Biomaterials and is currently under patent application.

The nano-enabled novel technology recognize, capture and perform double strand cutting of the desired DNA sequence like restriction endonuclease did but it is completely artificially synthesized and controlled by specific photon energy. In addition, the team successfully shut down target drug resistant gene STAT3 in cancer cell using ATLANS and created a new inspiration toward future cancer gene therapy.

NCKU President Michael Ming-Chiao Lai expressed in the press conference of the ATLANS, “There are many technical difficulties of making modifications to cell genes and treating various diseases. In the past, even though we can enter cells to destroy genes with virus or drugs, we cannot control the genes properly. The ATLANS developed by the research team led by Prof. Dar-Bin Shieh is an innovative method which can target specific genes in the cells and make modifications, thus it is a very significant breakthrough of the clinical research technology.”

Prof. Dar-Bin Shieh pointed out, “Many human diseases such as cancer or genetic diseases are caused by gene mutations. Cancer cell and infectious pathogen may develop drug resistance through activation of certain genes. Therefore, one of the major values of the Artificial Targeting Light Activated Nano Scissor is its ability to identify the target genes in the nucleus and optically-control the precise genetic cutting to block its pathogenic functions, thus reaching treatment effect.”

Prof. Dar-Bin Shieh explained, “The ATLANS is an innovative method and it is also the first time this method is applied for in-cell gene manipulation. This technology uses nanoparticles as a quencher to protect the cutter from non-specific activation at wrong sequence sites and also protect the entire TFO layer from being disrupted by the body before reaching the final destination. Once the genetic targets are locked on, the ATLANS will be activated as the proximity of the photo-cutter is no longer restricted by the particle surface plasma. This precision molecular dynamic control is required during the execution of gene cutting in the atomic level accuracy like a molecular ‘Nano Scissors.’”

With the Nano Scissors technology, Prof. Dar-Bin Shieh’s research team further developed a GeneErasor optical system, which functions to “erase” specific target gene in the culture cell. The gene eraser is anticipated to test-run early next year. The GeneErasor system is currently of blue-ray band. The team has successfully tested a second-generation system in test tube for near-infrared laser-scan activation that performs better tissue penetration for diseases in deep organ system.

Cross-disciplinary medical research has become a global trend. The innovations of the SMART research team led by Prof. Dar-Bin Shieh has set an excellent model of trans-disciplinary and cross-university clinical-oriented research integration and demonstrated advanced niches for medical innovations, integrating the knowledge and experience of organic chemistry, optoelectronic, nano-synthesis, biochemistry, molecular biology and genomic medicine scholars and experts and creating great achievements under the long-term support of Taiwan National Science and Technology Program for Nanoscience and Nanotechnology, National Science Council, Taiwan.

Prof. Dar-Bin Shieh believed, “The success of the research achievement is due to the joint effort of the team. National Cheng Kung University has provided an excellent environment, allowing professors with different disciplines from College of Medicine, Center of Excellent for Clinical Trials and Research in Oncology Specialty, College of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, College of Engineering, and College of Science to form a research team, find effective solutions to clinical issues and benefit future patients through the combination of medicine and clinic. The University is proposing a new concept to foster clinical and industrial translation of fundamental discovery and engineering power through a partnership network, the Center for Biomedical Excellent and Synergy in Taiwan (The BEST Center).”

Director Wu-Chou Su of Center of Excellent for Clinical Trials and Research in Oncology Specialty is an outstanding clinical oncologist. He stated, “All cancer diseases arise from genetic mutations. The Artificial Targeting Light Activated Nano Scissor applied on cancer treatment initially focuses on late stage. We still need to put in more efforts to package ATLANS for effective tumor-targeting when entering human body. The ATLANS based therapy to modify tumor sensitivity to anti-cancer drugs and improve early disease intervention is still a challenging yet to be confronted.”

The members of the nanomedical research team led by Prof. Dar-Bin Shieh of Institute of Oral Medicine in NCKU Medical College include Director Wu-Chou Su of NCKU Center of Excellent for Clinical Trials and Research in Oncology Specialty; Dean Yonghua Tommy Tzeng of College of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science; Distinguished Professor Chen-Sheng Yeh of Chemical Department; and Professor Jih Ru Hwu of National Tsing Hua University Chemistry Department who synthesized the photocleaver compound. The doctoral student Tsung-Lin Tsai of NCKU Basic Medical Science Institute and the master student Tsung-Ju Li of NCKU Institute of Oral Medicine have put in significant efforts in this work.

Through the cooperation with Dr. Wah Chiu, the Director of National Center for Macromolecular Imaging at Baylor University in United States, the team has preliminarily analyzed the ultrastructure of ATLANS and begun the development of ATALANS-2 and also the advanced nonlinear optical system GeneErasor-3D, hoping to achieve major breakthroughs in the future."

[Martian]

Taiwan soon to have largest IC wafer capacity of any country - CNA ENGLISH NEWS

"Taiwan soon to have largest IC wafer capacity of any country
2010/11/12 20:52:24



Taipei, Nov. 12 (CNA) Taiwan is expected to replace Japan in 2011 as the country with the world's biggest IC wafer capacity, following aggressive moves to expand manufacturing capacity in the industry, IC Insights said Friday.

The semiconductor market researcher said in a report that as of mid-2010, Taiwan's monthly production capacity had hit 2.66 million 8-inch equivalent wafers, compared with Japan's 2.71 million units.

"As of mid-2010, there was virtually no gap between fab capacity levels in Taiwan and Japan," IC Insights wrote.

As recently as 2006, Japan's capacity was 25 percent greater than Taiwan's, according to the market researcher.

Looking ahead, Taiwan's monthly wafer capacity is expected to grow to 3 million 8-inch equivalent units to top Japan's estimated 2.78 million units in 2011, and the gap should widen further by 2015.

By that time, IC Insights said, Taiwan should have a monthly capacity of 4.08 million 8-inch equivalent units, or a 25 percent global share, compared with Japan's 3.10 million units, representing 18 percent of the world's total.

IC Insights said that over the past two decades, Taiwan, which is home to Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. (TSMC) and United Microelectronics Corp. (UMC) , has transformed itself into a primary source of advanced chip manufacturing services.

Both have moved to increase their capacity this year. TSMC raised its 2010 capital expenditure to US$5.9 billion from the previous US$4.8 billion in the second quarter, while UMC's spending was raised to US$1.8 billion, from US$1.2 billion to US$1.5 billion.

TSMC and UMC are the world's top two contract chip makers.

"When it comes to IC fabrication, Taiwan is no longer considered merely a second source for capacity. It is now the only source of fab capacity for many companies," the report said.

(By Jackson Chang and Frances Huang)"

[Martian]

DailyTech - Made In Taiwan: Scientists Turn Trees Into Natural Light Source

"Made In Taiwan: Scientists Turn Trees Into Natural Light Source
Tracie McDaniel - November 16, 2010 3:15 PM


"A group of scientists in Taiwan recently discovered that placing gold nanoparticles within the leaves of trees causes them to glow." (Source: Inhabitat)

Gold nanoparticles are the key to creating bio-LEDS

Harnessing bioluminescence, a team of scientists have found a new way to light the streets of the world. Synthesizing gold nanoparticles shaped like sea urchins, Taiwanese researchers are turning trees into streetlights.

The researchers, at Academia Sinica and the National Cheng Kung University in Taipei and Tainan were looking for a non-toxic and less expensive alternative to the phosphor powder used for LED lights.

“Light emitting diode (LED) has replaced traditional light source in many display panels and street lights on the road," said Professor Shih-Hui Chang. "A lot of light emitting diode, especially white light emitting diode, uses phosphor powder to stimulate light of different wavelengths. However, phosphor powder is highly toxic and its price is expensive. As a result, Dr. Yen-Hsun Su had the idea to discover a method that is less toxic to replace phosphor powder.”

They took Bacopa caroliniana plants and diffused the leaves with gold nanoparticles. The scientists discovered that while using ultraviolet light, the gold nanoparticles produced a blue-violet fluorescence which triggered a red emission in the surrounding chlorophyll. That chlorophyll caused the leaves to exude the red glow.

The researchers believe that their creation could offer a safer alternative to traditional lighting by reducing light pollution and carbon emissions, while also whittling down the costs of electricity.

“In the future, bio-LED could be used to make roadside trees luminescent at night. This will save energy and absorb CO2 as the bio-LED luminescence will cause the chloroplast to conduct photosynthesis,” said Dr. Yen-Hsun Su.

A paper detailing the findings of the research has been published in the journal Nanoscale."