The 2026 Taiwan Innotech Exposition, jointly organized by 12 government agencies—including the Ministry of Economic Affairs (MOEA), the National Science and Technology Council (NSTC), and the Ministry of Agriculture (MOA)—came to a successful close. This year’s exhibition featured 436 participating organizations from 18 countries, and drew over 50,000 visitors from more than 55 countries during its three-day run. National Pingtung University of Science and Technology (NPUST) delivered an outstanding performance in the Invention Competition, hosted by the Taiwan Intellectual Property Office (TIPO) of the MOEA, sweeping 8 awards in total: 2 Golds, 1 Silver, and 5 Bronzes!
This year’s Invention Competition attracted a nationwide pool of up to 550 patented entries. Among these, NPUST entered 11 R&D works spanning four major fields: precision agriculture, green sustainability, biomedical automation, and smart healthcare. Achieving an incredible win rate of over 70%, the university demonstrated its diverse research output and technical innovation capacity. The awarded projects highlighted strong cross-disciplinary collaboration and the successful translation of research into practical field applications. Meeting precise industry demands, these achievements showcase NPUST’s abundant innovation and exceptional practical application capabilities.
Demonstrating deep and diverse research capabilities
the award-winning projects included:
2 Gold Medal winners:
- “A Method and System for Simulating Pest Distribution and Infestation Risk Prediction,” developed by Professor Li-Hsin Wu of the Department of Plant Medicine. This system integrates species distribution models with real-time weather data to accurately forecast current pest occurrences and risks, providing key technology for smart agriculture upgrades.
- “Cocoa Pod Husk Retarder and Manufacturing Method Thereof,” developed by Associate Professor Chia-Jung Tsai of the Department of Civil Engineering. By utilizing agricultural waste cocoa pod husks to develop a concrete retarder with a simple manufacturing process that can replace traditional chemical agents, this innovation effectively optimizes concrete setting performance and enhances the structural resilience of buildings against extreme weather.
1 Silver Medal winner:
- “Activity Management System,” a cross-disciplinary collaboration by Assistant Research Fellow Tsai-Chiao Wang of the Research and Development Center, Professor You-Jia Chen of the Department of Biotechnology, and Professor Tsung-Meng Wu of the Department of Aquaculture. Combining AI, big data, and gamification technologies, it intelligently recommends optimal exhibition routes to enhance visitor experiences, helps vendors target potential clients, and promotes precise industry-academia matching.
5 Bronze Medal winners:
- In the field of biomedical testing and automation: “Nucleic Acid Amplification Testing Method and Portable Nucleic Acid Amplification Testing Device,” brought by Professor Chih-Chien Chen of the Department of Bio-Mechatronics Engineering and Professor Ming-An Tsai of the Department of Veterinary Medicine, which combines rapid on-site extraction with AI remote fluorescence monitoring to create an all-in-one real-time testing device.
- “Automation System for Collaborative Robot Application in Cell Culture Medium Dispensing,” jointly developed by Lecturer Yi-Ling Chen and Associate Professor Shang-Li Wu of the Department of Mechanical Engineering, alongside Professor Kuo-Pin Chuang of the Graduate Institute of Animal Vaccine Technology, which introduces collaborative robots into cell culture medium dispensing to elevate biomedical manufacturing precision.
- In the field of green sustainability and innovative living: “Organic Fertilizer Material Containing Waste Recycled Substances and Manufacturing Method Thereof,” by Professor Yung-Hung Lin of the Department of Plant Industry, which incorporates sulfur-containing livestock waste to enhance organic fertilizer functions while allowing leachate to be recovered and reused.
- “Fluorescent Zinc/Carbon Nanogel Composite Catalyst and Application Thereof,” developed by Assistant Professor Wei-Yu Chen of the Department of Materials Science and Engineering, which uses green chemistry to develop nanocatalysts that efficiently transform waste polyester into recycled raw materials, promoting resource circularity.
- “Sports Training System for Relieving Psychological Stress,” developed by Assistant Research Fellow Tsai-Chiao Wang of the Research and Development Center, Professor You-Jia Chen of the Department of Biotechnology, and Distinguished Professor Shang-Min Ma of the Department of Leisure, Recreation and Sports Management, which combines non-contact stress analysis with dynamic resistance modulation to generate personalized smart prescriptions for physical and mental well-being.
NPUST remains committed to technological innovation and industry-academia collaboration. Parties interested in technology transfer or collaboration for any of the aforementioned patented technologies are welcome to contact the Center for Technology Transfer, Office of Research and Development, NPUST (Tel: 08-7703202 ext. 6281, or Email: ip@mail.npust.edu.tw).
