Secretariat, Taipei City Government

On October 10, Taipei Mayor Chiang Wan-An and his delegation visited the Media Lab and the Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory (CSAIL) in the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). During lunch, Mayor Chiang signed a Letter of Intent with Professor Eric von Hippel and his research team. Mayor Chiang emphasized that Taipei will continue to engage with MIT to introduce advanced research, systems, and frameworks, thereby fostering innovation and transforming Taipei into a highly efficient smart city.

The Letter of Intent that Mayor Chiang signed with Professor Eric von Hippel included sharing relevant innovative course resources, collaborating with experts from institutions and companies like the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the NASA through the lab. Mayor Chiang noted that during a discussion with Boston Mayor Michelle Wu on the previous day, they talked about various cases of using technology to solve existing urban problems. He expressed hope to work with the MIT to accelerate Taipei's development into an AI-driven smart city.

Mayor Chiang and his delegation visited various labs. Their first stop was the Media Lab where despite comprising only 3% of the MIT population, the students and faculty secured 50% of the school's research funding. The first demonstration was on "bionic prosthetics," led by Taiwanese doctoral student Robin Hsieh. He shared that his prosthetics research team is instructed by Professor Hugh Herr, a renowned scholar in the field who, after losing a limb in a climbing accident, became motivated to ensure that “people are not disabled; what is disabled is the technology that needs development.” Robin proudly showcased two advanced foot prosthetics and explained, "This is my master's and doctoral thesis," and he elaborated on how he has integrated mechanics and AI algorithms, collaborated with Harvard Medical School’s neurology research team, and brought advanced prosthetics and specialized surgeries close to commercial development. The delegation praised Robin as the pride of Taiwan and warmly welcomed him to start up in Taipei.

The next project they examined was a "wearable ultrasound breast patch." This device integrates micro-ultrasound sensors into a bra to address the challenges of traditional breast examinations, which can be invasive and expensive, allowing high-risk groups to monitor their breast health daily and assess various medication effects. The delegation was pleasantly surprised to see the lab's members’ national flags displayed, including a flag of the Republic of China. As discussing how to promote health monitoring and smart healthcare, Mayor Chiang anticipated to introduce more mature smart devices paired with data management to protect citizens’ health.

Next, they visited the Lifelong Kindergarten Lab and engaged with Professor Mitchel Resnick, the creator of the world-renowned Scratch programming language aimed at 8 to 16-year-olds, based on the principles of “Imagine, Create, Share.” Mayor Chiang was excited to share that Taipei has been hosting large-scale Scratch competitions in recent years, benefiting many students. The professor introduced their latest project, Octostudio, and presented the mayor a book as gift titled "Lifelong Kindergarten." Mayor Chiang stated that Taipei is committed to creating new-generation learning spaces that integrate technology, establishing the Taipei STEAM and New Technology Development Office to promote digital education and enhance students' technological literacy. He expressed hopes for future collaboration to combine children’s coding skills with smart education systems in a smart city, building community resources that support lifelong learning.

In their exploration of the “City Science Lab,” Dr. Lin Chia-Liang guided the delegation and introduced various applications of urban data modeling. Mayor Chiang mentioned that Taipei has established a Smart City Project Office (TPMO) to foster public-private partnerships, inviting the creativity and resources from private sector and validating proposed solutions through Proof of Concept (PoC) projects. He shared how Taipei utilizes data analytics to support urban decision-making, enabling the city to respond more accurately to the challenges in transportation, energy, and the environment. The delegation concluded their visit at the CSAIL, where they explored the MIT's current research in computer science and artificial intelligence, wrapping up a fruitful day before taking a long train ride to Philadelphia.

After the visit, Mayor Chiang spoke with journalists, stating that the day’s itinerary included visiting both the Media Lab and CSAIL, and they also took photos in the front of the building named after Dr. Lisa Su, highlighting the significance of experiencing the advancements and prosperity in artificial intelligence. Mayor Chiang actively invites globally influential AI-related companies, such as AMD and NVIDIA, to invest in Taipei, and plans to propose concrete collaboration projects with these labs.