The National Applied Research Laboratories (NARL) yesterday unveiled a compact integrated chip that can not only track users’ exercising habits and analyze their physical condition, but also meshes well with wearable devices.
Project leader and NARL Chip Implementation Center researcher Tsai Han-hui (蔡翰輝) said the integrated chip is the result of the laboratories’ collaboration with local chip manufacturers and is the first of its kind.
With the help of the technology, people could wake up in the morning to the voice of a microcomputer in a headset informing them of the state of their health and things to look out for in their lifestyle.
Combining sensor chips that detect the conditions in one’s surroundings — such as air quality and humidity — motion and physical conditions, the integrated chip recommends the best exercise for users at a given time and informs them of changes in their blood sugar level and heartbeat, while using a built-in antenna to transmit the data to a nearby hospital for processing, Tsai said.
Following analysis, the data is then transferred back to the chip to inform user of the state of their health and make suggestions accordingly, he said.
The chip measures just 2mm2, making it small enough to fit onto a headset or an earring and, therefore, is true to the concept of Internet of Things (IoT) applications, Tsai said.
Existing technologies deals with sensor chips and ordinary chips separately because the manufacturing processes are very different, Tsai said.
Previous attempts by researchers to combine the chips have resulted in damaged circuits, but the NARL was able to overcome the technical difficulties by developing the world’s first multitasking chip that integrates different types of sensors, as well as circuits for electromagnetic signal transmission and data processing, into a single circuit board, Tsai said.
The next-generation chip is low-cost, compact and consumes less energy than ordinary chips, he said.
Citing a survey by French market research firm Yole, Tsai said Taiwan, a leader in integrated circuit fabrication with a 60 percent global market share, has room for improvements in terms of sensor chip design, with local firms making up less than 1 percent of the number of firms in the sector globally.
Tsai said the chip is remarkable since all the major technologies on sensor chip fabrication are owned by overseas firms.
He said the Chip Implementation Center would seek opportunities to work with academic institutions and the private sector to develop more types of sensor chips that offer consumers more options on IoT applications and help Taiwan become a world leader in IoT and wearable devices.
FUKUOKA SITUATION: Japanese media reported that the pathogen is expected to be identified by the summer, while the CDC downplayed the idea that it was hMPV A “mysterious cold-like illness” reported in Japan’s Fukuoka Prefecture does not seem to be a new disease, but Japanese authorities have been asked about the situation, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) said yesterday. The Fukuoka Prefectural Medical Association on Wednesday told a news conference that a “mystery cold” that has become a hot topic on social media is “highly likely to be caused by some kind of viral infection,” Japan’s KBC News reported. “Many people are experiencing symptoms starting with a sore throat, followed by a runny nose, phlegm and a severe cough,” KBC News reported, citing association officials. Health authorities are
Nvidia Corp CEO Jensen Huang (黃仁勳) arrived in Taiwan yesterday ahead of upcoming AI and technology events, saying he plans to meet with clients and Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co Chairman C.C. Wei (魏哲家) during his visit. After landing at Taipei Songshan Airport, Huang posed for photos with fans and handed out Yakult drinks to reporters and supporters waiting at the scene, saying he has “a lot to do” during the trip. Asked about reports that Nvidia’s planned headquarters site in Taipei’s Beitou Shilin Technology Park could break ground on May 27, Huang said that if the company holds an event, he would
The Ministry of Finance this afternoon announced the winning numbers for the March-April uniform invoice lottery. The winning number for the NT$10 million (US$318,060) special prize is 19531471, and the winning number for the NT$2 million grand prize is 85941329. Three numbers were drawn for the NT$200,000 first prize: 07225810, 20231230 and 83518781. Those with receipts matching the last seven digits of any of the first-prize numbers will win the NT$40,000 second prize, while those matching the last six digits will win the NT$10,000 third prize. Those whose receipts match the last five digits of the first-prize numbers can claim the NT$4,000 fourth prize,
Taiwan Travelogue (臺灣漫遊錄), which earlier this week became the first Taiwanese novel to win the International Booker Prize, is to be adapted into a television series through a Taiwan-Japan coproduction, producer Chang Chen-yu (張辰漁) said yesterday. Chang, a producer at World Softest Production Film Co, wrote on Facebook that the company had been searching for projects with international appeal that retain a strong Taiwanese identity after colleagues and Japanese partners strongly recommended the novel. After reading the book, Chang said he immediately decided to pursue the screen rights. “A great story has the power to transcend time and borders, and connect countless people,”
RSS