The Chungshan Institute of Science and Technology (CIST) is interested in developing immersive simulator systems for the gaming market, a source said last week.
The institute has developed simulators for the military as well as for civilian entities, including the Taiwan High Speed Rail, the Taiwan Railways Administration and mass rapid transit companies, said the source, who is familiar with the institute and who spoke on condition of anonymity.
The institute has showcased some of the training simulators it developed at defense and aeronautic expos in Taiwan, the source said.
The simulators can accommodate solo or team play, are compatible with virtual-reality devices and can be adapted for recreational use, the source said.
The institute estimates that it could work with about a dozen private corporations and the venture would be worth at least NT$120 million (US$3.9 million), the source said.
While the institute is cautiously optimistic about its simulators’ potential profit in the video game market, no precise estimates are available, the source said.
The institute’s work on virtual-reality simulators was primarily intended for small-arms marksmanship training, with production of the machines involving more than 20 privately owned firms, the source said.
A government-operated arcade in Kinmen County’s Lieyu Township (烈嶼) uses a simulator system developed by the institute, in which players can select from multiple weapons to re-enact the Battle of Guningtou or a fight a fictional war, the source said.
Taiwan is to receive the first batch of Lockheed Martin F-16 Block 70 jets from the US late this month, a defense official said yesterday, after a year-long delay due to a logjam in US arms deliveries. Completing the NT$247.2 billion (US$7.69 billion) arms deal for 66 jets would make Taiwan the third nation in the world to receive factory-fresh advanced fighter jets of the same make and model, following Bahrain and Slovakia, the official said on condition of anonymity. F-16 Block 70/72 are newly manufactured F-16 jets built by Lockheed Martin to the standards of the F-16V upgrade package. Republic of China
Taiwan-Japan Travel Passes are available for use on public transit networks in the two countries, Taoyuan Metro Corp said yesterday, adding that discounts of up to 7 percent are available. Taoyuan Metro, the Taipei MRT and Japan’s Keisei Electric Railway teamed up to develop the pass. Taoyuan Metro operates the Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport MRT Line, while Keisei Electric Railway offers express services between Tokyo’s Narita Airport, and the Keisei Ueno and Nippori stations in the Japanese capital, as well as between Narita and Haneda airports. The basic package comprises one one-way ticket on the Taoyuan MRT Line and one Skyliner ticket on
Starlux Airlines, Taiwan’s newest international carrier, has announced it would apply to join the Oneworld global airline alliance before the end of next year. In an investor conference on Monday, Starlux Airlines chief executive officer Glenn Chai (翟健華) said joining the alliance would help it access Taiwan. Chai said that if accepted, Starlux would work with other airlines in the alliance on flight schedules, passenger transits and frequent flyer programs. The Oneworld alliance has 13 members, including American Airlines, British Airways, Cathay Pacific and Qantas, and serves more than 900 destinations in 170 territories. Joining Oneworld would also help boost
A new tropical storm formed late yesterday near Guam and is to approach closest to Taiwan on Thursday, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said. Tropical Storm Pulasan became the 14th named storm of the year at 9:25pm yesterday, the agency said. As of 8am today, it was near Guam traveling northwest at 21kph, it said. The storm’s structure is relatively loose and conditions for strengthening are limited, WeatherRisk analyst Wu Sheng-yu (吳聖宇) said on Facebook. Its path is likely to be similar to Typhoon Bebinca, which passed north of Taiwan over Japan’s Ryukyu Islands and made landfall in Shanghai this morning, he said. However, it