Defense Tech Meets Design: Ten Innovative New Prototype Products

Defense technology generally gives the impression that it is cold and rigid, and good only for making war. In fact, however, this type of technology has been playing a key role in commercial applications for as long as you might imagine.

The Taiwan Design Center (TDC) is trying to marry defense technology with state-of-the-art design by integrating advanced technologies developed by the island's Chung-Shan Institute of Science and Technology (CSIST) into the work of 10 local designers in a bid to pave new ways ahead for the domestic design industry. From the more than 100 proposals for such integration that were proposed, the TDC chose 10 for the development of prototype products in such areas as entertainment, health, parent-child relations, and environmental safety.

All of the resulting prototypes have strong potential for commercialization; and, since they have been designed and developed using home-grown technology and design skills, they are meant to highlight the island's global competitiveness.

The TDC notes that the CSIST is the key institution for the development of defense technology in Taiwan. In 1995 it began implementing a series of science and technology development projects under the sponsorship of the Ministry of Economic Affairs (MOEA), thereby moving into the field of dual-use (military and commercial) technology. Among the fruits of this effort are the development of wide-spectrum inspection devices, nanometer optoelectronic devices, composite micro-optoelectronic devices, imaging optical modules, and infrared transmission technology.

The 10 designers involved in the new program were chosen for their experience with international exhibitions and for winning awards. All have concrete ideas about how to make defense technology more user-friendly and attractive to consumers-ideas that deal with such areas as interdisciplinary learning, inter-industry integration, open operation, and innovation.

The TDC displayed the 10 prototypes, which are described below together with the awards which they won, at its office for three days in late November.

iUi Jump Rope (Gold Award)

The iUi Jump Rope emits musical sounds from its handles and colorful lights from the transparent rope itself when used, thus providing extra motivation to exercise. No batteries are needed.

Health Care Bracelet (Silver Award)

The Health Care bracelet is designed for people who are frequently exposed to sunlight and want to protect their skin in a fashionable and high-tech way. A built-in UV sensor is powered by a solar-cell battery, and an organic light-emitting diode (OLED) screen displays colors that show the level of sunlight exposure (green for safe, yellow for light exposure, orange for medium exposure, red for dangerous). This lets you know how often to apply sunblock lotion.

Music (Bronze Award)

This is a round tray designed to train babies' eye concentration and teach them basic music-scale know-how with colorful and attractive sounds and lights. It transforms a toy into a musical instrument and teaching device.

Little Sun on the Floor (Bronze Award)

This remote-control floor cleaner and sterilizer turns cleaning the house into a fun hobby. It has a UV plus photo-catalytic sterilization function that totally kills bacteria in every corner of the home, and a built-in camera transmits what it is about to clean (or fight, if it is being used as a game machine or model car) to a screen on the remote control. The modularized design of the product allows manufacturers to develop their own special models in different shapes and with different functions)

Color (Excellent Award)

This toy integrates a colorful design with a learning function, allowing infants and children (who can continue using it as they grow through different ages) to gain a basic knowledge of colors. Lighting modes including single colors, complementary colors, and mixed colors.

Light Safe (Excellent Award)

A sophisticated design allows this LED lighting device to be used as fancy decorative illumination in public places such as department stores, exhibition venues, and conference halls as well as in passenger vehicles such as trains and airplanes; in emergencies, it can immediately transform into a light projector that clearly displays lights showing directions to the exit.

Light Learning (Excellent Award)

This is a computerized parent-child interactive learning device that promotes happy interaction between parents and children. CSIST scientists have used webcam image-capturing technology to transform an LCD screen into a touch screen that helps provide more opportunities for interaction between parents and children in their daily lives, including an interactive digital game function.

I-Security (Excellent Award)

This stylish integrated high-tech door security system has a solar battery so that it can keep operating even during electrical outages. There is a built-in camera to transmit real-time images (to a TV screen or a screen on a refrigerator, for instance), an OLED screen for facial identification, an intercom that allows the resident to talk with visitors, 3D fingerprint identification, and remote-control door lock. The device can grant entry by matching the person's fingerprint with a memorized one, and double check by using facial identification.

Woodpecker K (Excellent Award)

This is a voice-message recorder/player that stores the words you want to say and replays them at the right time to surprise whomever you want. It can convey best wishes in the morning or on a birthday, or offer a warm greeting in the office or the home.

Loved Image (Excellent Award)

This integrated projector screen has a built-in miniature LCOS (liquid crystal on silicon) projector, thereby minimizing the size ad weight of the projector while shortening the minimum projection distance. You can install this big screen wherever you want and share images with your customers, colleagues, and friends. (January 2008)