Southern Taiwan University of Science and Technology and National Cheng Kung
University co-hosted the 1st National Festival of Assistive Technology Aids and Devices.

The 1st National Festival of Assistive Technology Aids and Devices, an event co-sponsored by the Department of Electrical Engineering, Southern Taiwan University and the Department of Electrical Engineering, National Cheng Kung University, was held on May 16 in the Department Building of DEE at the National Cheng Kung University. The event was organized by "Sunshine Assistive Technology Team,” whose team members include Department of Electrical Engineering and Department of Mechanical Engineering, Southern Taiwan University of Science and Technology; Department of Electrical Engineering, Department of Occupational Therapy, and Creative Design Research Institute, National Cheng Kung University; Department of Electronic Technology, Kunshan University; Department of Special Education, National Tainan University; and teachers and students of the Institute of Rehabilitation Counseling, National Changhua University. Among them, the first three universities are in charge of the development and evaluation of assistive science and technology, while the last two universities are responsible for training in the use of assistive devices on the side of disabilities. This shows great results of a specific inter-institution research of inter-campus cooperation.

【Southern Taiwan University of Science and Technology and National Cheng Kung University co-hosted the 1st National Festival of Assistive Technology Aids and Devices.】

The festival was mainly sponsored by the Ministry of Science Assistive Aids Sponsorship Funds to promote the project, with the purpose to realizing the development and promotion of scientific and technological achievements of Taiwan's assistive aids. The festival invited friends to participate in the disability aids games; they are disabled persons from Tainan National Special Education School, the Affiliated Hearing Impaired School of National University of Tainan, Tainan Catholic Tobias Social Welfare Foundation, The Flying-Love Charity Association, Eden Social Welfare Foundation, Derain Special Education Center and other organizations.

【The General Assembly presented certificates to participating teams】

The festival organized this year was different from those held before: this was the first national festival, organized by the Ministry of Science and sponsored by the central government units, showing that there is an increasing attention from the central government to the development of aids and care for vulnerable groups.

【President Tai of Southern Taiwan University of Science (left) and a participating student】

The invitation cards of this event were designed by Fa-Chun Fang, a disabled student, who made use of assistive devices in his work. The general assembly gave him a certificate of appreciation in recognition of his performance. In addition, as Professor Shi-Chung Chen said, Sunshine Assistive Technology Aids Team offers training for victims of very severe cases of spinal cord injury. Team members would personally demonstrate the use of the electric car—an achievement of their research and development. The assistive technology aids is seen for the first time domestically. This science and technology aids in enhancing the spinal cord injury independence of action is expected to fulfill their dreams of freedom.

【The invitation cards of this event were designed by Fa-Chun Fang, a disabled student, who made use of assistive devices in his work. The general assembly gave him a certificate of appreciation in recognition of his performance.】

This activity also allowed other domestic research and development team to demonstrate their findings of assistive aids; there were six domestic research and development teams participating in this event, including the Chung Shan Medical University, National Yang-Ming University, Mackay School of Medicine, National Dong Hwa University, China Medical University, and Providence University. It is greatly expected that by this opportunity, ideas and experiences in the use of assistive devices can be shared and exchanged, thereby promoting the science and technology of assistive aids and devices and helping the research and development teams produce better MIT (made in Taiwan) assistive aids and devices in the future.

【Professor Shi-Chung Chen (right) designed an automatically wear-and- off pants (skirt) system to assist an disabled student (left) to overcome the inconvenience in her life】

At the same time, through the exchange of assistive aids and devices, the festival brought forth a pluralistic exchange platform for R & D team of assistive technology that have developed sophisticated high-tech assistive aids can become practical as they began to make friends with disabilities, have further interaction, and collect their feelings and experiences. By the auxiliary equipment, manufacturers can plan, organize, and create packaging promotions for the marketing of assistive aids before they enter the market at home and abroad.

【Sunshine Assistive Technology Team developed mock cases of extremely severe spinal cord injury to demonstrate how to use one’s mouth to put Morse code into the control switch of electric cars.】