Singapaore, May 8, 2009: The Medical Electronics and Device Technology Center (MED) of Taiwan's Industrial Technology Research Center (ITRI) launched an opening ceremony for the establishment of the biomedical laboratory at the National Cheng Kung University (NCKU) Tzu-Chiang Campus. This NCKU-ITRI laboratory is aiming to establish a research platform, liaising with 17 other academic and research institutes in southern Taiwan in order to strengthen the industries of biomedical technology in electronics and devices.

Followed by the establishment of southern office at ITRI Southern Branch in April 2008, this year ITRI-MED conjointly with NCKU built a laboratory in NCKU campus, which is said to have been playing a leading role in R&D among academic institutes in southern Taiwan and the Southern Taiwan Science Park. The conjointly-built laboratory for ITRI-MED is aiming to make the best use of NCKU research achievements it has chalked up over the years and the expertise it has been in the areas of engineering and medicine. Apart from these goals, NCKU lab for ITRI MED will also make efforts to bolster the industrial value chain and strengthen the second leg of effort to commercialize research successes.

According to NCKU, with the launch of "Biotechnology Takeoff Package" by the Executive Yuan, biotechnology-related industry has been specially selected for intensive development in the southern Taiwan. Meanwhile, the economic value added on the industry of biomedical technology and medical device is said to have skyrocketed. Therefore, NCKU is said to have taken up this responsibility and opportunity in supporting development of medical-device related technology in Southern Taiwan.

In the opening address, Prof Wen-Teng Wu claimed that the collaboration is expected to bring Taiwan's medical-device related and biomedical industries and environment to international standards and help the biomedical industry take root and prosper on Taiwan, especially in Southern Taiwan Science Park. “NCKU has also made great achievements on industry-academia collaboration. Our goals will be carried out by making the best use of NCKU superior research achievements on engineering and medicine," added Prof Wu.

Dr Shing-Yuan Tsai, ITRI Vice President and South Executive Director and also a NCKU alumnus, mentioned that precision machinery industrial sectors provide advantageous foundation to the development of medical electronics and device technology. The development of homecare and remedial appliances will be selected as primary step of collaboration with NCKU College of Engineering and Medicine. "Efforts will be made to foster and train research talents for medical-device related industry as well as to generate rapid development of and foster momentum in southern Taiwan’s biotech industries," said Dr Tsai.

ITRI also showcased its research and development achievements on medical devices, three of which mainly focus on physiological monitoring systems, biomedical detection technology and rehabilitation and remedial appliances. All of the key fields unfold that the current trend of medical device is on miniaturization, intelligence and personalization.