TIROS 2010 is Window on Robotic Sector in Taiwan and Globally

2011/01/06 | By Ben Shen

Production value of intelligent robots in Taiwan to total NT$125 billion by 2015

The 2010 Taipei International Robot Show (TIROS 2010), Taiwan's sole trade fair dedicated to robotics, wound up on Oct. 22 at the Taipei World Trade Center. Attracting more than 20,000 visitors, the four-day exhibition is a window on robotic development in Taiwan and worldwide, offering a rare look at the industry for interested visitors from academia, industry and research sectors.

Sponsored by the Industrial Development Bureau (IDB) under the Ministry of Economic Affairs and organized by the Robotics Association Taiwan (ROBORT) with the support of the Precision Machinery Research & Development Center (PMC), the annual TIROS attracted 85 institutes and firms occupying 296 booths.

Robotic Industry Hub

The Taiwan-developed robotic guides are both functional and amusing.

The organizer also held several seminars and technology presentations to better inform developers, as well as the workshop, competition and lectures by world-renowned experts in this field.

Taiwan's Vice President Vincent Siew noted that the government is fully behind the robotic industry, forecasting the overall production value for intelligent robots on the island will total NT$125 billion by 2015 to help Taiwan meet the goal of becoming the world's hub for robotic design and manufacturing.

Impacted by the global downturn, Taiwan's robotics industry production value reached NT$41 billion in 2009; but the IDB predicts the figure to rise to NT$45 billion this year to return to its 2008 level.

ROBORT is Taiwan's only private firm dedicated to robotic development. With the assistance of the MOEA's IDB, ROBORT was established on March 8, 2007 and led by chairman Eric Y.T. Chuo, also the chairman of the Hiwin Group, with the firm being platform for technological interchange and cross-industry alliance by holding seminars, industry forums, competitions and other activities. Chuo says the robotic sector is an emerging industry whose overall production value will reach NT$250 billion by 2015.

Driven by Graying Population
United Nations' statistics show that the graying population worldwide will reach two billion by 2025, fueling the accelerating development of robots for homes and other fields, while the global robotic industry over the past few years has seen surging sales of all kinds of robots, especially service-oriented models.

For instance, Japan has focused on the development of human-simulating robots, precision instruments and service robots, with incredibly human-like robots already working as receptionists at public premises and the government subsidizing the development of new-generation intelligent robots. In the U.S., the focus is on defense, military, space development and innovative applications, with the U.S. Department of Energy developing artificial intelligence and human/machine interaction technologies with industry.

South Korea has designated robotic development as one of the 10 major industries and plans to establish a dedicated robotic sector, hoping to become one of the world's top-three robotic technology nations by 2013. The German government has initiated a 12-year robotic R&D plan to facilitate the development of service, personal assistant and healthcare robots. The British government focuses on developing robots for transport, military, construction, and households.

Currently, Taiwan concentrates on developing robotic production lines, with most robot manufacturers working on robotic technologies as input/output modules, robotic control panels, software, components, jigs and fixtures.

Piano-playing Robot

These entertaining robots animate indigenous Taiwan gods.

A show-stopper at the TIROS 2010 was the booth set up by Hiwin Technologies, Taiwan's largest manufacturer of linear-motion products and technology developer. The flagship firm of the Hiwin Group, the company has rolled out various precision ballscrews, linear guideways and robots to offer value-added solutions.

In cooperation with its affiliate—Hiwin Mikrosystems Corp., Hiwin debuted at an international trade show an amazingly dexterous robot, one that plays the piano with 10 fingers, riveting the attention of many visitors.

Hiwin Technologies meets ISO9001, ISO14001, OHSAS18001 standards, runs factories with constant temperature, stable humidity, and zero vibration, turning out high speed, precision, multifunctional, and eco-friendly products, which are widely used in biochemistry, healthcare, semi-conductor manufacturing, automation, precision machine tools, transportation and energy-saving industries.

Security Robots

The Hiwin-developed piano-playing robotic arms captured attention at TIROS 2010.

Taiwan Shin Kong Security Co., a security-service subsidiary of the Shin Kong Group, showcased the Shin Kong No. 5 intelligent home security robot. Having been in the home and office security industry for three decades, the firm has also rolled out an array of sophisticated security systems.

Shin Kong's home security robot transmits warning signals back to the Shin Kong Security Service Center upon detecting abnormal sounds, as well as patrolling while a client is absent.

Claiming to be the exclusive home security provider in Taiwan to be ISO9001 and SGS information security certified, the firm has 6,200-some staffers handling systemic security, cash delivery, office and building security, satellite navigation, information security, image monitoring, and security system R&D and manufacturing.

Components for Automation
LNC Technology Co., formerly the precision department of Pou Chen International Group, was spun off as an independent firm in August 2007, whose expertise revolves around developing state-of-the-art controllers for automation.

Claiming that its controllers can be applied to machine tools, automation, semiconductor, precision equipment and measuring systems, LNC also makes high-end controllers for robots.