Nvidia, leveraging AI, has collaborated with Taiwan-based academics to develop innovative clinical solutions.
The Ministry of Education (MOE) of Taiwan held a joint awards ceremony on March 18th for the "National Chair Professorship," the "National Award for Distinguished Contribution to Industry Academic Cooperation," and the "Academic Awards." The event was attended by President Tsai Ing-wen and Premier Chen Chien-jen.
Among those recognized was Professor Li-Chen Fu from National Taiwan University(NTU)'s Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, who participated in the AI project with Nvidia and Mass General Brigham Taipei City Hospital. Professor Ta-Wei Kuo from NTU's Department of Computer Science, who specializes in memory computing, was also recognized for participating in the project.
Academics lead the way
President Tsai emphasized the pivotal role of academic research in fostering innovation and propelling industrial progress. She highlighted the government's commitment to invest in higher education.
"Such talent cultivation efforts would entail the integration of resources across academia, industry, and research," Tsai elaborated. "The academic prowess and educational quality would continue to lead Taiwan forward, contributing to global advancements," she added.
Professor Fu, actively involved in promoting research outcomes in industries and healthcare, stressed the importance of advancing robots' cognitive abilities to enhance their utility. He discussed his ongoing research on developing socially intelligent robots capable of spatial awareness, emotional cognition, and social interaction.
He aims to create AI-powered companions that can empathize and evolve alongside humans.
Professor Fu collaborated with Professor Weichung Wang from NTU's MeDA Lab and the Ministry of Health and Welfare's Central Health Insurance Administration on the COVID-19 federal learning project initiated by Nvidia and Mass General Brigham Taipei City Hospital.
Together, they developed AI models capable of predicting the respiratory needs of COVID-19 patients, leveraging extensive international collaboration.
Meanwhile, Professor Kuo identified the future potential of non-volatile memory in Taiwan's semiconductor industry and redirected his lab's efforts toward software development for flash memory storage systems. He further delved into edge AI research within memory computing, combining AI computation and storage capabilities on a single chip to significantly reduce power consumption and enhance overall efficiency.
Funding for the future
Kuo underscored the global nature of computer engineering research, highlighting the need for increased investment in higher education to foster research excellence and cultivate top talent. He urged the government to address funding disparities in higher education to ensure Taiwan's competitiveness and future leadership in the field.
The MOE noted that the "National Chair Professorship Award" has honored 165 recipients, representing the highest academic and teaching recognition. In addition to resources provided by the teaching institutions, each recipient receives a total of NT$6,000,000 in funding over three years.
Such funding from MOE supports cross-institutional elective courses and nationwide lectures, promoting their research and teaching achievements in the process.
