The 2019 National Compassion Science and Technology Competition, jointly organized by Tzu Chi Foundation and Tzu Chi University of Science and Technology, was successfully concluded. The competition attracted 61 teams from 24 universities, including Taipei University of Science and Technology, Taipei University of Education, Mingzhi University of Science and Technology, and South Taiwan University of Science and many others, with more than NT$ 200,000 prize money. Wen-Rui Luo, President of Tzu Chi Technology University, said that invention would bring convenience to the environment while it may also cause environmental damage. The competition was expected to promote the development on the premise of environmental protection. Participating teams were based on the concept of environmental protection, and the works of research and development needed to meet two of the five environmental protection requirements. The theme of technological innovation was divided into charity or medical treatment. The charity part aimed at disaster preparedness, disaster relief, minority care of the disadvantaged, humanistic care of remote areas. On the other hand, the medical part focused on improving the daily care of the elderly people and improving the safety of patients.

【The "Warm Technology" team was having a presentation in the competition.】

The work "Smart Guide," which own first prize in the competition and a total of NT$ 80,000 as prize money, was created by the cross-university “Warm Technology” team. Among the team members, Yi-Jin Tsai, Zhi-Ching Wang, and Jun-Shiang Yang were directed by Associate Professor Wan-Rong Chang from the Electronic Science and Technology Laboratory of Southern Taiwan University of Science and Technology. Rong-Yao Zhuo was directed by Associate Professor Kun Ouyang of the Department of Creative Product Design, Southern Taiwan University of Science and Technology. Ting-Wen Hsu and Jin-Yi Chen were directed by Associate Professor Zhu-Jun Lin from the Department of Nursing, Tzu Chi University of Science and Technology.

【Members of "Warm technology," a cross-university team formed by the Department of Electronic Engineering, the Department of Creative Production Design, Southern University of Science and Technology, and the Department of Nursing, Tzu Chi University of Science and Technology.】

Their work aims to improve the safety of visually impaired people while walking out. It is equipped with smart glasses, smart canes, and smart guide boxes. It comes with mounting lenses on the smart sunglasses, which can transmit road conditions to the smart guide box, identify and detect such obstacles as bus stop signs, receive traffic lights, and then, by means of Bluetooth connection with his/her headphone or the vibration device of his/her cane, remind him/her of road conditions to ensure that he/she can stay in a safe range. If the visually impaired person falls, he/she would be able to inform his/her family of his/her location through the mobile APP. At present, 30 visually impaired people have done live tests on the road to confirm its viability.

【Associate Professor Wan-Rong Chang from the Electronic Science and Technology Laboratory of Southern Taiwan University of Science (standing second0; Associate Professor Kun Ouyang of the Department of Creative Product Design, Southern Taiwan University of Science and Technology(standing second from right); and Associate Professor Zhu-Jun Lin (first from the left) from the Department of Nursing, Tzu Chi University of Science and Technology—their team won first place in the 2019 National Compassion Science and Technology Competition.】

Associate Professor Wan-Rong Chang and Associate Professor Kun Ouyang of the Electronics Science and Technology Network Laboratory, Southern Taiwan University of Science and Technology, said that the technology always comes from human nature. If the invention is given a great purpose, it would be compassionate technology. This time the work brought by the Department of Creative Product Design and the Department of Electronic Engineering is a cross-university one in collaboration with a humanitarian partner—the Department of Nursing, Tzu Chi University of Science and Technology. It proposed a product that can address the needs of the disadvantaged groups and implement the purpose of humanistic concern. As the Compassionate Technology Competition has entered its third year, the Department of Nursing of Tzu Chi University of Science and Technology carried out inter-disciplinary cooperation across universities, inducing engineering and design into the soul of humanity and winning first place eventually. It brought the strong energy of research and development from STUST into its promotion of humanitarian concerns with the disadvantaged, so that science and technology can enter the life of the group of people.

Deng-Maw Lu, President of Southern Taiwan University of Science and Technology, said that Southern Taiwan University of Science and Technology attaches great importance to the production of students' special topics. Theoretical explanations provide only structures and concepts. The key point is to apply concepts effectively to solving problems, in order to realize the benefits of learning and practice. The education of the future will not be limited to a single orientation. It will be an interdisciplinary and collaborative learning, not only to truly solve real-life problems but also to provoke from students more creativity and imagination. The award-winning students will implement the creative ideas into innovative and innovative works through cross-university team research. The professional and industrial application technologies acquired by students in the process of project development will enable them to devote themselves to workplace and industry after graduation. The seamless integration of the world will further promote the development opportunities for students to start a business.