Model plan from the nation’s highest results achieving Academic TDP of MOEA guides domestic industries towards a leading position in Intelligent Cloud Technology and Video Surveillance Systems

The “Vision-Based Intelligent Environment Construction Project” (phases 1 and 2) presided by former NCTU Vice-president, former Asia University President and Chair Professor of NCTU’s Department of Computer Science, Prof. Wen-Hsiang Tsai, is a model project of the Academic Technology Development Program (Academic TDP) of MOEA that has gathered a total of 29 professors and approximately 120 intercollegiate researchers from 18 universities nationwide as well as from Academia Sinica, forming the strongest computer vision research and development team in the nation. The Project has received funding of approximately $200 million over seven years, and is the largest domestic visual research and development talent pool and technology bank.  

The Project to date has developed over 156 core technologies and 94 technologies that can be transferred immediately, including 7 embedded systems. The Project holds an annual technology transfer conference each year, and actively participates in various large-scale exhibitions to increase industry-academia exchange opportunities. Until now, 73 technologies have been transferred to the related industry, approximately NT$38 million in technology/patent royalties has been received and industrial investment amounting to over NT$400 million has been facilitated. In addition, the Project is also actively developing its patent deployment, with 30 domestic and foreign patents already obtained and ten already in practical application in the related industry.

Project members are equally strong in practical experience and cutting-edge research, with over 350 outstanding academic papers published in total, many of which are in top international journals. The research and development ability of the Project members is well recognized by the related industry. The Project has already nurtured more than 250 Masters and Doctors over the past 7 years, all of whom are talent whom renowned enterprises compete with each other to recruit.

Project Director Prof. Wen-Hsiang Tsai shares his experiences on the eight years that he has presided over Academic TDP, and proposes his views on the effects of such a project on industry and academia cooperation and future academic development.

What do you think is the mutual benefit in the participation of Academic TDP of MOEA on academic research?

The research team of the Project comprises a total of 29 professors and approximately 120 intercollegiate researchers from 18 universities nationwide, and also from Academia Sinica. The research students of each university are able to learn from each other and spin off many new and innovative ideas. It is the strongest research lineup, and has become the largest domestic “talent pool” and “technology bank” in the “visual surveillance field”. The team was also recommendation by MOEA as a model Academic TDP project to participate in the “Industry Contribution Award”. During the past 8 years, the Project has been granted a total of approximately NT$200 million in funding, developed close to 200 core technologies and nearly 100 technologies that can be immediately transferred, including 7 embedded systems.

Each year, the Project holds a results publication and technology transfer conference, and actively participates in various large-scale exhibitions to increase industry-academia exchange opportunities. To date, 73 technologies have been transferred to the related industry, garnering over NT$38 million in technology/patent royalties, and also promoted industrial investment worth over NT$400 million. In addition, the Project has placed great importance on patent acquisition. Currently, the Project has already obtained 30 domestic and foreign patents, and ten are already in practical application by the related industry.

The “Academic TDP” promoted by the MOEA should be credited for such abundant research results, which has supporting the academic research team in promoting industry–academia cooperation. In addition to increasing the opportunities for academia and the related industry to interact, and promoting professionalism and soundness of the industry-academia cooperation system, the Academic TDP also enabled the research direction of the academia to be closer to market requirements, to nurture the talent that is needed by the related industry, and accelerate Taiwan’s development of technology as a whole while enhancing its international competitiveness.   

What special contribution does this Project make to Taiwan’s industry and academia?

“The Vision-Based Intelligent Environment Construction Project” consists of phases 1 and 2, spanning over 8 years (4 years each), and uses the basic research and development energy accumulated by the academia and existing facilities to develop industrial technologies that are forward-looking and innovative, while taking into account the requirements of large, medium and small enterprises and corporations. Practical technology authorization is offered to SMEs to assist them in developing new products and new technology, to enhance the added value of their products, giving them an opportunity for transition and alleviating their dilemma of being subjected to paying high licensing fees to foreign large companies.

Most of the enterprises that have received technology authorization by this Project can plan earlier, transform into emerging industries that have potential for development. For example, traditional information and communication manufacturers can take advantage of the panoramic image processing technology and facial expression model to cross into the robot technology field; facial recognition technology can be used in medical care systems to monitor the actions of the critically ill and strengthen the effect of healthcare; technology such as iris image capturing and biometric technology can also be combined to create Blue Ocean opportunities in the field of biology.

Research reports on the surveillance market indicates that: In all of the surveillance products produced in Taiwan, over 70% is exported and this output value is mainly contributed by cameras and digital video recorders, the production, manufacturing and assembly of hardware end-user equipment. It can be seen that what lacks in Taiwan’s surveillance manufacturers is intelligent software strength. The direction of the technology research and development of this Project focuses on “Intelligent Video Surveillance Software Technology”, which just happens to compensate for the inadequacies of the surveillance manufacturers in Taiwan. Through technology authorization, surveillance manufacturers can, on one hand, increase the high added value of cameras, digital video recorders and other hardware products, and on the other hand, reduce the “Time to Market”, thereby enhancing the international competitiveness of enterprises.   

What is the most representative research of this Project?

The R&D team of this Project will construct a scenario application integration system each year in cooperation with the National Science Council Eco-city team, to set up a dedicated laboratory at NCTU’s MIS Building for the long-term stationing of the system integration team, and regularly inspect on the progress of integration. Currently, four demonstration systems are completed: “Intelligent Human Surveillance Tracking System for Indoor Restricted Area”, “Intelligent Human and Vehicle Control System for Community”, “Intelligent Safety Surveillance System for Community Events” and “Intelligent Human, Vehicle and Event Surveillance System for City.” Each system has integrated dozens of mature and stable technologies, for example: license plate recognition, various weather and objects tracking, abnormal event detection, etc. Via this series of typical application scenarios, we aim to develop stable technologies that can be utilized by the related industry and stimulate the related industry to create more innovative application products.  

Also, the Project has proposed the concept of “Video Surveillance Cloud” in cooperation with Promise Technology Inc., combining various intelligent video surveillance technologies together with the latest cloud trend; it was successful in attracting the attention of the related industry to actively seek long-term cooperation. 

What are the future prospects of the Project?

We will continue to enhance the various technologies developed over these 8 years and enhance their performance and stability, for example, conduct technology development and integration for multi-person, multi-sensor, complex environment and diverse weather; develop various core technologies in video surveillance for urban roads, and help guide enterprises towards intelligent video surveillance integration systems and cloud services. This Project will evolve through professional technology development and become a transfer center in the future, offering an even greater contribution to the enhancement of the competitiveness of Taiwan’s video surveillance industry.

What’s your view on Taiwanese research institutes as a whole?

In Taiwan, the main authority responsible for promoting and assisting research and development efforts is the National Science Council (NSC). Aware of the importance of applying technology-related academic R&D results for industrial uses, the NSC has been urging schools nationwide to do so under its Project for Promoting the Basic Industrial Technologies, Industry-Academia Cooperation Projects, among other strategic frameworks. Given the fact that the Ministry of Economic Affairs has spent years implementing the Academic TDP across academia, and the Ministry of Education putting so much emphasis on nurturing talent for the industry, I think Taiwanese researchers are moving toward the goal of making the country’s industrial sector more competitive in a global context. Another positive progress is reflected in the growing number of on-campus centers for industry-academia collaboration, which are fervently devoted to promoting the schools’ R&D results.

At this very moment, the change we need the most is a comprehensive set of measures that bolsters technology transfers or entrepreneurship, so that the academic research results can be fully adopted by Taiwan’s industrial sector for improved global competitiveness. It is imperative that NSC supervise technology transfers through a designated agency, while integrating, with greater efficiency, what its projects have achieved in industrial processes. Moreover, in order to implement R&D projects more thoroughly and effectively in each branch of knowledge, NSC should hire its discipline-specific committee conveners on a temporary assignment and full-time basis, not as part-time employees. NSC is also advised to improve its academic administrative measures and make academic management more beneficial, so it can ultimately contribute to the effectiveness of both R&D integration and technology transfers.

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