The Eye on Taiwan news staff
Emerging technologies like the fifth generation wireless systems (5G) and blockchain or global online database platform will be the bright spots among six key themes in COMPUTEX 2018 to be held in Taipei from June 5 to June 9.
Artificial intelligence (AI), Internet of Things (IoT), innovations and startups, gaming and virtual reality (VR) will be the other themes of this year’s COMPUTEX TAIPEI, now known as the world’s second-largest computer and technology trade show, organizer Taiwan External Trade Development Council (TAITRA) announced in a news conference in Taipei.
During the conference held on Wednesday, representatives from ASUS, Intel, NVIDIA, SUPERMICRO, and Amazon which participates for the first time, were also invited to speak on trends and opportunities driven by emerging technologies.
“From cloud computing to big data analytics, AI has been a very popular topic,” said TAITRA President & CEO Walter Yeh.
“We are seeing emerging applications delivering iconic transformation as well as achievements in various key industries, such as finance, manufacturing, and healthcare,” Yeh said.
He pointed out this year, COMPUTEX integrates Blockchain and 5G into its themes for the first time, supporting global tech partners to plan ahead for the next generation technologies while enabling COMPUTEX to continue its journey into the world of building a global technology ecosystem.
The 2018 event will gather 1,602 exhibitors from 28 countries to showcase in 5,015 booths that cover the complete Information and Communication Technology (ICT) supply chain:
The IoT theme includes the special exhibit of SmarTEX which will demonstrate products in seven categories: security, smart healthcare, Internet of Vehicles, smart wearables and sports technologies, AI and big data, smart tech solutions, and smart home and entertainment, TAITRA said, adding key exhibitors include Microsoft, Intel, EDIMAX, ECS, and Syscom Group.
The Innovations & Startups theme includes the InnoVEX exhibit which showcases from June 6th to 8th, with over 300 startups from 19 countries joining the force, a 10% growth from 2017.
Up to 40% are international teams, and one-third of these exhibitors are AI related. The section will also include nine pavilions: EU, The Netherlands, Belgium, France, Spain, Poland, Malaysia, Mexico, and Korea, triple than 2017, according to TAITRA
Gaming & VR zone, established 2 years in a row, will display cutting-edge products and latest developments in the gaming ecosystem from nearly 70 local and international exhibitors.
As AI, 5G, Blockchain and other emerging technologies advance, COMPUTEX is committed to offering the best international platform for exhibitors from around the world, TAITRA said.
It said the forums and contests this year will continue to support global technology ecosystems.
COMPUTEX Forum will gather 15 global tech giants and pioneers to share insights on AI ecosystem, technology prospects, and IoT developments, TAITRA said.
Speakers will include top executives from AI and IoT leaders such as NVIDIA and Intel, leading research and advisory company Gartner, 5G innovators Qualcomm and Ericsson, Blockchain application leading developer IBM, as well as ARM, NXP, Amazon, Samsung, SUPERMICRO, and National Taiwan University (NTU) AI Lab. They will focus on latest technology trends and industry updates.
Based on their observations and perspectives, attendees will envision the next stages of tech innovations, it added.
Meanwhile, InnoVEX Forum will include visionary startups from around the world that range from Augmented Reality (AR), VR, IoT, AI, wearables, cloud services, and healthcare. They will bring all new technology views as well as offer innovative dynamics at COMPUTEX 2018, TAITRA noted.
COMPUTEX d&i awards showcase interdisciplinary applications, devices, and solutions, and provide an international platform for the industry. Innovation is the highlight, it said.
The awards are open for entries until April 30th, where exhibitors or non-exhibitors can leverage COMPUTEX as a platform to showcase their innovation prowess to the world. To better align with the latest trends in the technology industry, the 2018 awards will add four new categories— “AI”, “IoT”, “Startups” and “Applications & Solutions”— to promote cross-segment integration and innovation, TAITRA said.
All winning ICT products and solutions will be on display at COMPUTEX 2018, bringing more elements of innovation to the exhibition and the entire industry, according to TAITRA.
Entering its 11th year, COMPUTEX d&i awards constitute a panel of distinguished experts from global ICT industry, venture capitalists and leading industrial designers to serve as judges. They evaluate each entry base on five key criteria—”Innovation and Elaboration”, “Functionality”, “Aesthetics”, “Responsibility” and “Positioning”— and select only ground-breaking innovations, which will be promoted in global markets through a comprehensive international campaign.
In view of the rapid evolution in the global ICT industry, this year’s COMPUTEX d&i awards will recognize innovations in ten different categories, including “Artificial Intelligence + Robotics”, “IoT”, “Applications + Solutions”, “AR/VR Devices + Content”, “Gaming Devices + Content of Games”, “Cloud Communication + Storage”, “Systems + Mobile Communication”, “(Computer) Hardware + Software”, “Audio/Video” and “Peripherals + Accessories.”
The purpose is to encourage more companies to invest in innovative research and development and to help outstanding innovations obtain attention from international venture capitalists, crowdsourcing platforms or strategic partners to promote their brands to the global market, TAITRA said.
