Air Force Institute of Technology Engineering School Colonel Hsu Tzu-kuei (徐子圭) on Oct. 19 won two gold medals and a special contribution award at the International Warsaw Invention Show for his designs incorporating artificial intelligence (AI) with fighter jet software.
Taiwanese individuals and teams submitted 47 entries to this year’s show and the nation won 40 awards, including five platinum, 16 gold, 11 silver, two bronze and six special awards.
The Ministry of National Defense said that it was mulling the possibility of incorporating Hsu’s “Fault Trend Diagnosis and Condition Prediction by AI on an Aircraft Engine” into the nation’s Indigenous Jet Manufacturing Program.
Photo: Military News Agency
“The engine is to aircraft like the heart is to humans, it is the most important bit of machinery,” Hsu said.
Aside from routine maintenance, engines are usually attended to only after a malfunction, he said.
The system would be similar to the Autonomic Logistics Information System system on Lockheed-Martin F-35s, alerting maintenance crew of a malfunction, he said.
The system can also learn about maintenance processes and help rookie maintenance crews in predicting potential faults in engines, Hsu said.
Hsu said he had been working on the system since 2007, adding that it started from small-scale research for the air force.
With such humble origins, the system grew ever more complex, then he and his team introduced AI functions into the system, Hsu said.
The system is installed on F-5 jets and Indigenous Defense Fighters, he said.
With his system, the ministry can save about NT$150 million (US$4.8 million) annually in F-5 maintenance costs, as well as saving maintenance visits by 11,884 mechanics.
Regarding his nickname “The Inventor,” Hsu said that his avid love of research stems from his family background.
The son of a military researcher, Hsu said he grew up around research material and processes, which was one of the reasons he pursued a career in the field.
The other reason was his impoverished childhood, after his father was defrauded and lost his life savings, Hsu said.
He thanked the people who helped him, including National Pingtung University of Science and Technology dean Tai Chang-hsien (戴昌閒).
The ministry commended Hsu as a “role model for the military,” saying he has published more than 285 papers in various journals and holds 41 patents.
“It is my greatest honor to be able to serve my nation,” Hsu said.
‘DENIAL DEFENSE’: The US would increase its military presence with uncrewed ships, and submarines, while boosting defense in the Indo-Pacific, a Pete Hegseth memo said The US is reorienting its military strategy to focus primarily on deterring a potential Chinese invasion of Taiwan, a memo signed by US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth showed. The memo also called on Taiwan to increase its defense spending. The document, known as the “Interim National Defense Strategic Guidance,” was distributed this month and detailed the national defense plans of US President Donald Trump’s administration, an article in the Washington Post said on Saturday. It outlines how the US can prepare for a potential war with China and defend itself from threats in the “near abroad,” including Greenland and the Panama
A magnitude 4.9 earthquake struck off Tainan at 11:47am today, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said. The hypocenter was 32.3km northeast of Tainan City Hall at a depth of 7.3km, CWA data showed. The intensity of the quake, which gauges the actual effect of a seismic event, measured 4 in Tainan and Chiayi County on Taiwan's seven-tier intensity scale, the data showed. The quake had an intensity of 3 in Chiayi City and County, and Yunlin County, while it was measured as 2 in Kaohsiung, Nantou County, Changhua County, Taitung County and offshore Penghu County, the data showed. There were no immediate reports of
The Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) is maintaining close ties with Beijing, the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) said yesterday, hours after a new round of Chinese military drills in the Taiwan Strait began. Political parties in a democracy have a responsibility to be loyal to the nation and defend its sovereignty, DPP spokesman Justin Wu (吳崢) told a news conference in Taipei. His comments came hours after Beijing announced via Chinese state media that the Chinese People’s Liberation Army’s Eastern Theater Command was holding large-scale drills simulating a multi-pronged attack on Taiwan. Contrary to the KMT’s claims that it is staunchly anti-communist, KMT Deputy
RESPONSE: The government would investigate incidents of Taiwanese entertainers in China promoting CCP propaganda online in contravention of the law, the source said Taiwanese entertainers living in China who are found to have contravened cross-strait regulations or collaborated with the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) could be subject to fines, a source said on Sunday. Several Taiwanese entertainers have posted on the social media platform Sina Weibo saying that Taiwan “must be returned” to China, and sharing news articles from Chinese state media. In response, the Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) has asked the Ministry of Culture to investigate whether the entertainers had contravened any laws, and asked for them to be questioned upon their return to Taiwan, an official familiar with the matter said. To curb repeated
RSS