Technological advancements such as the Internet of Things (IoT), artificial intelligence (AI), cloud computing and 5G, have made work and life simpler, easier, and more efficient. With these comes the possibility of ubiquitous connectivity across all rural and urban landscapes, so that the benefits of digitization can be enjoyed anytime, anywhere. The goal, ultimately, is to have fully connected smart cities equipped with networks and devices that allow work to be fully automated, and play to be maximized.
Key to the development of smart cities is the availability of reliable cutting-edge equipment on every level, whether in Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) or large corporations.
A global leader in technology
The nerve center of the innovation and manufacturing of cutting-edge devices that make the building blocks of smart cities is Taiwan. Ranking 4th in global competitiveness and 13th globally in innovation, the nation has been widening its expertise from high-tech manufacturing to an economy based on intellectual property (IP) and innovation.
Taiwan, which already produces over 60% of the world’s integrated circuits and electronic components, is poised to become a leading provider of equipment supporting the growth of smart cities.
Fostering regional and international collaboration through excellence
A significant step to doing this has been to showcase new, high-quality Made in Taiwan products in international markets. This year, the nation debuted at Asia Tech x Singapore 2023 — held from June 7 to 9 — with the Taiwan Excellence Pavilion. The Pavilion exhibited 30 products from 15 leading brands that have won the Taiwan Excellence Awards established by the Bureau of Foreign Trade and the Taiwan External Trade Development Council (TAITRA).
Taiwan’s participation at the event is expected to be a key step in increasing bilateral cooperation between Taiwan and Singapore, as well as with other nations in the Asia Pacific region in smart cities and other priority applications of ICT.
Here, we highlight three innovations featured at the Taiwan Excellence Pavilion:
SP230-S5 Outdoor Wireless Access Point by Z-COM
Z-COM, a winner of Taiwan Outstanding SME 2022-2023 award, specializes in manufacturing wireless networking solutions. Its latest outdoor wireless access point, the SP230-S5 can operate in point to point and bridge and coverage modes. It is an essential last mile or backhaul connectivity solution for smart technology infrastructure applications.
Suitable for use in remote areas and extreme weather conditions, it comes with lightning protection as well as wind and temperature resistance features. At the same time, the SP230-S5’s MU-MIMO technology makes it suitable for use in high density urban environments. Based on the 802.11ac Wave 2 technology, it can transmit signals up to 6 km and has a wireless coverage range of 400 meters, with Power over Ethernet (PoE) technology for cost-effective, labor-saving deployment.
IoT Smart Water Meter by EMS
Energy Management System (EMS) has won the Taiwan Excellence award multiple times for its water management solutions. This year, its IoT Smart Water Meter, a hybrid digital meter, was selected for the award for its innovative use of edge computing and smart technologies.
This smart but robust water meter can track water consumption and log the data onto a platform accessible by mobile, and automatically detect tampering and leakages in pipes. With high sensitivity to flow and a 10-year battery life, it is suitable for commercial, industrial, and domestic use.
802.11ax (WiFi 6) Dual-Radio PoE Access Point by Zyxel
Zyxel has served over one million businesses and has won numerous global awards for its access points and routers. Its 802.11ax (WiFi 6) Dual-Radio PoE Access Point, a true WiFi 6 access point for 2.4Ghz and 5Ghz frequencies, helps SMEs and small office-home office (SoHo) users affordably upgrade and future proof their businesses.
Designed for easy installation and configuration, the access point requires no networking expertise to install and supports the latest WPA3 personal standard for stronger encryption.
