Taiwan's inventors win in Pittsburgh

The Taiwan delegation attending the 2004 Pittsburgh International Invention and New Products Show was the top prize winner, capturing a total of 21 gold, three silver and four bronze medals.

As the Taiwan delegation won the largest number of medals, the organizers also presented it with a special group prize.

Moreover, two delegation members -- Lee Shui-yuan (李水源) and Hsiung Ying-sung (熊瀛松) -- won a Far East regional special prize and a creativity special prize, respectively, with their inventions.

The Taiwanese delegation exhibited scores of inventions manufactured by 20 companies. Many of the products at the exhibition have been commercialized for mass production.

Chen Chung-tai (陳宗台), head of the delegation, said that Taiwanese inventors are interested in participating in the Pittsburgh show and applying for patents in the US because they seek recognition as well as potentially vast trade opportunities.

Chen expressed gratitude for the Taiwanese government's assistance in helping the delegation participate in the four-day Pittsburgh show, which ended on Saturday. Inventors from more than 40 countries displayed 1,000-plus new inventions this year.

The number of patents won by Taiwanese in the US has risen to the fourth-largest in the world since 2000, after the US, Japan and Germany. Each year, Taiwan obtains around 4,300 US patents.