IfG.CC -
Institute for eGovernment

Kaohsiung City is setting a new standard for sustainable urban development & better healthcare services by leveraging 5G and AIoT (Artificial Intelligence of Things) technologies. Aligned with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, Kaohsiung’s vision for a smart city environment prioritizes both digital transformation and social well-being.

This ambitious plan integrates cutting-edge technologies like 5G and AIoT into public and private sectors, fostering digital governance and propelling industrial transformation. By promoting value-added traditional industries and establishing a hub for international export, Kaohsiung aims to create a unprecedented economic landscape.

On June 18th 2024, Kaohsiung Vice Mayor Charles Lin was invited to represent the Kaohsiung City Government to attend the 2nd Quarter 2024 Regular National Executive Board Meeting of the Vice Mayors’ League of the Philippines (VMLP) in Manila. He delivered a keynote speech entitled “People-Oriented Smart Cities: The Experience of Kaohsiung City,” highlighting Kaohsiung’s recent efforts and successes in developing a smart city and urban transformation. During the event, he exchanged insights on urban governance with Taguig City Vice Mayor Arvin Ian V. Alit, Malabon City Vice Mayor Ninong C. Dela Cruz, San Mariano-Isabela Vice Mayor Dean Anthony G. Domalanta, and 372 other vice mayor representatives from across the Philippines.

Leosys began its efforts in 2014 to develop an AI-based preventive healthcare platform for ophthalmoscopic eye exam through a collaboration project with Industrial Technology Research Institute (ITRI). In view of the fact that general clinical practice only focuses on early diagnosis and screening, Leosys' intention was to develop a solution that would help ease the workload of Taiwan's ophthalmologists. It then approached ITRI's Service Systems Technology Center for assistance and developed a solution on top of open-source software. The initial-stage objective is to gain recognition and support from Taiwan's healthcare sector.

According to Leosys senior vice president Tommy Tang, when talking about eye exams, people think of a lot of optical instruments and time-consuming tests. To rural residents who have to travel long distances or senior citizens who have to overcome a lot of inconveniences to get healthcare, they often put off their eye exams if they feel nothing wrong with their vision. However, eye problems progress slowly over a long period of time. If they are not caught in the early stages of development, vision loss may be irreversible, putting a huge burden on the National Health Insurance system.

Mayors of Klaipeda, Jonava meet with Kaohsiung Mayor Chen Chi-mai

The mayors of two Lithuanian cities on Friday (March 31) met with Kaohsiung Mayor Chen Chi-mai (陳其邁) to discuss smart city development.

Vytautas Grubliauskas, the mayor of Klaipeda, the largest port city in Lithuania, and Mindaugas Sinkevicius, the mayor of Jonava, traveled to Kaohsiung for the first time to attend the Smart City Summit and Expo, Liberty Times reported. In addition to smart city development, the two mayors talked about economy and trade, culture, and art during their meeting with Chen.

Ko Wen-je says capital’s digital infrastructure key to improving quality of life for citizens

The Taipei City Government is innovating to create a livable and sustainable smart city, seeking “smart” solutions to improve quality of life issues through public-private collaborations and optimizing transport, education, and contactless services.

“The Executive Yuan has approved the ministry’s plan to use biometric identification technology at border control points and we will start collecting biometric information from visiting foreigners as well as from Taiwanese with no household registration information this year,” Deputy Minister of the Interior Hsiao Chia-chi (蕭家淇) told a press conference.

“This will better maintain border security and the safety of the public,” he added.

Hundreds of government officials from 37 countries are to participate in next month’s Smart City Summit and Expo to exchange views on topics such as sustainable development and net zero emissions, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said yesterday.

The events, focusing on the themes digital and green transformation, are to take place from March 19 to 21 at the Nangang Exhibition Center in Taipei and from March 21 to March 23 at the Kaohsiung Exhibition Center.

The fourth phase of the program has been approved and is expected to be carried out between 2012 and 2016 with a budget of nearly NT$8.5 billion (US$280 million), Chen said at the 45th annual conference of the International Council for Information Technology in Government Administration (ICA), which opened that day in Taipei.

From integrating advanced technologies to fostering community engagement, New Taipei City offers a wealth of lessons that can guide Indian cities towards a smarter and more sustainable future

New Taipei City, Taiwan’s most populous city, has emerged as a leading example of smart city development, integrating advanced technology, sustainable practices, and citizen-centric services. As India embarks on its ambitious Smart Cities Mission, there are valuable lessons to be learned from New Taipei City’s approach to urban planning and management.

Taiwan Solidarity Union caucus whip Huang Wen-ling said at a press conference that Zain Dean, who was sentenced to four years in prison on drunk-driving charges, was able to leave Taiwan because the immigration agency botched the screening process.

Coordinated by the RDEC Minister Sung Yu-hsieh, the national conference of IT chiefs from all levels of government organizations across Taiwan provides the key platform for nationwide e-government services.

Smart cities use Wi-Fi HaLow Mesh for robust connectivity in current sensing, air quality, water, and gas metering, enabling real-time data analysis.

In the era of smart cities, the integration of cutting-edge technologies is crucial for efficient urban management. From optimizing traffic flow to enhancing public safety, the deployment of innovative solutions is reshaping urban landscapes worldwide. One such advancement lies in the utilization of Wi-Fi HaLow Mesh technology, offering robust connectivity and scalability across diverse urban environments. Leveraging this technology, cities can revolutionize data collection and analysis, particularly in areas like current sensing, air quality monitoring, water metering, and gas metering.

With a population of 2.7 million, Taipei City serves as Taiwan’s cultural, economic and political hub. However, the city has witnessed an onslaught of malicious attacks in recent years. These were driven by various motives ranging from socio-political issues to simply workplace unhappiness. In 2016, a discontented employee planted a malware in Taipei City’s bicycle sharing network. This affected thousands of residents who depended on the service for commuting.

The incident demonstrated that any form of cyber attack can lead to crippling results in the form of disruption of service.

Countries are making significant investments in smart city applications. According to one survey, consumers spend 70% of their time on transportation, making smart traffic management a lucrative opportunity for a variety of firms. Smart parking management systems integrated with charging stations have gained popularity, with businesses such as Acer and Asustek Computer targeting this market through their respective affiliates.

Peter Wu, general manager of Asus Cloud and Taiwan Web Service (TWSC), sees significant potential in the use of smart parking poles. These not only provide roadside parking but can also collect data within smart cities via AIoT. TWSC, an Asustek subsidiary, seeks to deliver integrated one-stop system services, according to Wu.

Vending machines that scan student ID cards might be aimed at collecting data, a councilor said, but the city said they only scan card numbers

Taipei Mayor Ko Wen-je (柯文哲) yesterday said that he would ask the Taipei Department of Information Technology to draft a special regulation to protect personal information, after smart vending machines placed on school campuses in the city sparked privacy concerns.

Taipei was rated “Best” in the awards category of services, while New Taipei was listed as “Best” in the category of digital divide, the organization said in a statement released Wednesday.

The system provides a user-friendly interface which integrates spatial information crucial for the city’s Emergency Dispatch Centre to manage and mobilise rescue operations. This includes information derived from digital maps, building and block maps, aerial photographs and water resource maps among others.

The City Government has been building mobile Apps for residents and visitors since last year, covering areas such as city administration, transportation and tourism. And now the portal becomes the unified access point for the public to use government open data.

The data sets will be made available in batches. Chang Chia-sheng, Commissioner for IT of Taipei City Government, explains to FutureGov that the selection criteria for the first bath include:

1. focus mainly on data which city residents could use
2. mainly information that has already been open for citizens to enquire free of charge
3. focus on the data sets which have been formatted for easy export.

Taipei is the eighth smartest city in the world, according to an index published by the International Institute for Management Development (IMD) on Thursday.

Taipei, Taiwan's capital, saw its ranking fall by one notch from last year in the IMD index, which is in its second year.

In Taipei, though, an app uses the government’s real-time transport data to notify people when they are approaching their destination. It is just one of the many ways that government data has been used since the city started releasing data four years ago - making it the leader in the Asia Pacific.