In the global trend toward smart and green manufacturing, STUST officially unveiled the AIoT Smart Manufacturing R&D Center on August 28. Led by Assistant Professor Chih-Yuan Hsu from the Department of Computer Science and Information Engineering, the center combines high-value near-production-line equipment and technical resources donated by Wistron Corporation to create a forward-looking and practical R&D environment, demonstrating a new paradigm of industry-academia collaboration. The unveiling ceremony was presided over by President Nen-Fu Huang of STUST. Five executives from Wistron Corporation, including Director Chi-Feng Peng from the Operations Management Office, also attended, representing the company's commitment to this industry-academia partnership.

【STUST and Wistron Corporation join forces to hold the unveiling ceremony for the AIoT Smart Manufacturing R&D Center. Pictured were President Nen-Fu Huang, Vice President Hong-De Chang, Vice President Jenn-Chuan Wang, and Wistron Director Chi-Feng Peng and his team.】

AIoT Leads Educational Innovation and Industrial Upgrading

STUST President Nen-Fu Huang stated that the establishment of the AIoT Smart Manufacturing R&D Center is a crucial strategic step for the university in promoting higher education innovation and connecting with the industry. The university is also actively participating in the Joint Center for AI and Green Industry Innovation (JCAG), jointly promoted by National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University and Wistron Corporation. With artificial intelligence (AI), the Internet of Things (IoT), and smart factories as its core, STUST promotes an innovative three-in-one model of interdisciplinary teaching, cutting-edge R&D, and industrial application. By integrating the R&D capabilities of the four major departments—Computer Science and Information Engineering, Electronic Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, and Electrical Engineering—and establishing an AIoT Smart Manufacturing Industry Master's Program, STUST hopes to cultivate high-level practical talent with both problem-solving skills and the ability to implement technology, bridging the gap between academia and industry and responding to the urgent need for new-generation talent.

【STUST and Wistron Corporation join forces to hold the unveiling ceremony for the AIoT Smart Manufacturing R&D Center. Pictured were President Nen-Fu Huang, Wistron Director Chi-Feng Peng, and executives from the College of Engineering, together witnessing the birth of this new industry-academia collaboration base, which lays a solid foundation for the smart transformation of Taiwan's manufacturing industry.】

A Powerful Alliance for a Win-Win Paradigm

Professor Chih-Yuan Hsu of STUST stated that the center's R&D focuses on forward-looking technologies such as AI Automated Optical Inspection (AOI), Industrial Internet of Things Sensing (IIoT), Digital Twin, and Robot Collaboration (ROS+AMR), demonstrating a unique advantage of “what others don't have, we do; what others have, we do better.” To support this research, the center is equipped with several high-value software and hardware, including an optical application visual platform, a CV conveyor platform, an object-flipping and static optical experiment platform, and a six-axis collaborative robotic arm, forming a complete near-production-line experimental base from visual inspection to robot collaboration. This not only provides a realistic simulation environment for teachers and students to verify technology but also greatly improves R&D efficiency and teaching quality.

【Chih-Yuan Hsu, Assistant Professor and Director of the STUST AIoT Smart Manufacturing R&D Center, personally explains the operation of the six-axis collaborative robotic arm to students. The center is equipped with several high-value pieces of equipment, allowing students to have close contact with industry technology, improving R&D efficiency and teaching quality, and accelerating their mastery of industrial processes.】

【Chih-Yuan Hsu, Assistant Professor in the Department of Computer Science and Information Engineering and Director of the STUST AIoT Smart Manufacturing R&D Center, posed with his student team inside the center. The center focuses on forward-looking technologies such as AIoT, Digital Twin, and robot collaboration, providing teachers and students with a realistic near-production-line environment for R&D and hands-on practice, cultivating practical talent with problem-solving skills.】

Wistron Director Chi-Feng Peng also stated that Wistron Corporation's deep involvement is a major highlight of this collaboration. In addition to donating nearly four million NT dollars to build the forward-looking near-production-line platform, the company also provides feedback on industry needs, and its executives participate in master's program teaching and project guidance. This collaboration not only achieves the strategic goals of “technical value-add and resource sharing” but also promotes “talent cultivation and early planning,” allowing the university's R&D results to directly meet industry demands, forming a rapid R&D-practice-commercialization cycle and establishing a mutually beneficial win-win paradigm.

【Wistron Corporation's Director of Operations Management Office, Chi-Feng Peng, was giving a speech at the center's unveiling ceremony. He emphasized the importance of cultivating future talent. This deep collaboration between Wistron Corporation and STUST not only provides a high-value near-production-line platform but also includes participation in master's program teaching, realizing “technical value-add and resource sharing” and creating a win-win paradigm for both parties.】

Higher Education Innovation and Industry Connection Leads New Talent in the AI Era

STUST President Nen-Fu Huang stated that the activation of the AIoT Smart Manufacturing R&D Center marks an important milestone for STUST in promoting higher education innovation and deep industry-academia collaboration. This center, with technology R&D as its foundation, talent cultivation as its core, and facility establishment as its support, perfectly combines the university's faculty expertise with industry technology to create a smart manufacturing innovation ecosystem that is truly implementable and fully connected to industry needs. STUST will continue to promote interdisciplinary integration and technological innovation to cultivate more AIoT R&D talent with industry competitiveness, aiming to lead Taiwan's smart manufacturing industry into a new era.

【President Nen-Fu Huang of STUST stated that the activation of the AIoT Smart Manufacturing R&D Center marks an important milestone for STUST in promoting higher education innovation and deep industry-academia collaboration. This center, with technology R&D as its foundation, talent cultivation as its core, and facility establishment as its support, perfectly combines the university's faculty expertise with industry technology to create a smart manufacturing innovation ecosystem that is truly implementable and fully connected to industry needs.】

The administrators and faculty members who participated in the ceremony included Vice President Hong-De Chang, Vice President Jenn-Chuan Wang, Dean of Academic Affairs Chao-Tang Yu, Dean of the College of Engineering Ming-Tsung Tsai, Chair of the Department of Electronic Engineering Li-Yang Wang, Chair of the Department of Electrical Engineering You-Jen Chen, Chair of the Department of Computer Science and Information Engineering Kuo-Chun Hung, Chair of the Department of Mechanical Engineering Ru-Li Lin, Distinguished Professor Po-Ming Lee from the Department of Electronic Engineering, Associate Professor Hsin-Pu Fang from the Department of Electronic Engineering, Associate Professor Ming-Che Chen from the Department of Electronic Engineering, Associate Professor Tsung-Sheng Cheng from the Department of Electronic Engineering, Assistant Professor Jia-Xing Shi from the Department of Electrical Engineering, Associate Professor Ji-Che Huang from the Department of Electrical Engineering, Assistant Professor Chih-Yuan Hsu from the Department of Computer Science and Information Engineering, Assistant Professor Zong-Ru Li from the Department of Computer Science and Information Engineering, Assistant Professor Yu-Sheng Lin from the Department of Mechanical Engineering, and Assistant Professor Ming-Hsien Shih from the Department of Mechanical Engineering.

【STUST and Wistron Corporation join forces to hold the unveiling ceremony for the AIoT Smart Manufacturing R&D Center. Pictured were Wistron Corporation's Director of Operations Management Office Chi-Feng Peng, Vice President Hong-De Chang, Vice President Jenn-Chuan Wang, Dean of Academic Affairs Chao-Tang Yu, Dean of the College of Engineering Ming-Tsung Tsai, Chair of the Department of Electrical Engineering You-Jen Chen, Chair of the Department of Computer Science and Information Engineering Kuo-Chun Hung, and Professor Chih-Yuan Hsu from the Department of Computer Science and Information Engineering, together witnessing the birth of this new industry-academia collaboration base, which lays a solid foundation for the smart transformation of Taiwan's manufacturing industry.】