The results of the National Science Council’s Eco-City project, which integrates smart life technologies into daily life, were announced yesterday, giving a glimpse of possible future lifestyles.
Dzeng Ren-jye (曾仁杰), a civil engineering professor at National Chiao Tung University and chairperson of the Eco-City project, said the main purpose of the project, begun in 2008, was to incorporate the fields of humanity and technology in creating smart living environments and better lifestyles.
“Individual technology or individual devices cannot fulfill all the needs of daily life, so integrated systems, as well as related services, are necessary,” he said.
Using an “intelligent toilet” as an example, he said such toilets could monitor blood sugar levels in urine, thereby helping diabetics control their condition, but such a device would still need other equipment or medical services to help diagnose problems or give suggestions.
Lee Ching-ting (李清庭), director of the council’s Department of Engineering and Applied Science, said the project had integrated 88 technologies and provides 14 types of services, and had been applied in an actual community under construction in New Taipei City (新北市).
A major construction company has invested about NT$228 million (US$7.66 million) to have the team’s smart eco-system technologies integrated into the facilities it is building to improve public infrastructures and services, the professor said.
Among 12 technologies currently planned for the community are street lights that incorporate art, but can also be used for emergency rescue communications. When a pedestrian calls for help, surveillance cameras mounted nearby would automatically turn to bring the caller into view, Dzeng said.
Since most of the project’s researchers are at the university in Hsinchu City, many of the projects results are now on display in the city’s Vision Hall.
Several other technologies are being tested in other cities in cooperation with local governments, officials said.
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