News on China's scientific and technological development.

"Taiwan is currently the world's No. 1 LED supplier by volume and No. 2 by revenue"


Rising sales of LED backlights for LCD TVs are driving strong growth of Taiwan’s LED industry. Firms involved in the supply chain include: LED TV panel makers AUO, CMO, CPT; LED TV brand names Amstran, BenQ, CMO; LED chip makers Epistar, Formosa Epitaxy, Tekcore, Huga, Optotech, Lextar, Chi Mei Lighting; LED packagers Unity Opto, Everlight, Harvatek, LiteOn, LHTC, Wellypower; and LED lead frame producer I-Chiun (Photo Credit: Samsung)



"Taiwan’s LED industry to grow 18% in 2011
13 October 2010
Semiconductor Today

Taiwan’s LED industry revenue is likely to grow 18% next year from this year’s estimated NT$86.4bn (US$2.7bn at US$1:NT$32) according to the government-backed Photonics Industry & Technology Development Association (PIDA), reports the Taiwan Economic News (CENS).

According to the PIDA, Taiwan is currently the world's No. 1 LED supplier by volume and No. 2 by revenue. Of its 2010 revenue of NT$86.4bn, an estimated NT$54.4bn (US$1.7bn) will be generated by the packaging segment and NT$32bn (US$1bn) by the chip-making sector.

LED backlights for mobile phones remain the major revenue earner, accounting for 37% of the total, followed by 32% contributed by LED devices used in electronic equipment.

However, road sign, outdoor billboard and lighting applications will serve as the revenue growth engine. PIDA’s statistics show that LED road signs and billboards accounted for 20% of Taiwan`s LED industry revenue in 2009, up from 2008's 5%, while lighting application comprised 7% of the revenue in 2009, also up from 5% in 2008. The PIDA also points out that this year LED TV and other consumer electronics applications will begin driving demand for LEDs.

In conjunction with its plan to also build Taiwan into the world’s center of LED lighting modules and light sources, the government has developed a plan to boost the island's LED industry revenue more than six-fold from 2010 to NT$540bn (US$16.8bn) in 2015, creating 54,000 jobs for the industry.

Industry executives says that the strength of Taiwan’s LED industry lies in its complete processing chain manufacturing everything from epitaxial wafers and chips to packaging and modules. However, the industry’s weakness lies in its 80% dependence on imported manufacturing equipment and materials, it is noted.

The executives add that cooperation with mainland China is crucial to Taiwan’s LED industry in the light of the mainland's huge market for LED lighting projects. In addition, they urge the Taiwan government to offer lucrative incentives to users of LED lighting, in addition to coming up with industry standards for LED lighting."


Millions of LED street lights are being deployed in Taiwan. The supply chain involves: LED chips from BridgeLux, Cree, Epistar, Formosa Epitaxy, Nichia, Osram, SemiLEDs; LED packages from Everlight, LiteOn, AOT, Bright, Harvatek, Lustrous; LED thermal modules from TTIC, CCI, AVC, Neng Tyi, Lustrous, NeoPac Opto, Advanced Thermal Devices, AuguX; LED lamp poles from Toalux, Everready Precision; and LED street lamp systems from FITI, NeoPac Opto, Bright LED, TTIC, Advanced Thermal Devices, Harvatek, LEOTEK, Delta, TGI, Unity Opto, Neo-Neon, Tatung, Genius, Topco, Anteya, Yeong Li, Alliance Optotek, AuguX, Everlight



"Taiwanese LED Makers Aggressively Expanding in Light of Bright Future
2010/04/13
...
The market potential of LED has also attracted the attention of major electronics firms on the island, many of which have bought into LED firms, including Hon Hai, AU Optronics, Inventec, Lite-On, United Microelectronics Corp. (UMC), and Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Corp. (TSMC). TSMC, for instance, has invested US$40 million in BridgeLux, a epitaxy-wafer maker in the U.S., thereby gaining a seat on the company`s board of directors. Some have set up their LED subsidiaries, such as AU Optronics.

Some local electronics firms have even set their sight on the market across Taiwan Strait.
Epistar, for instance, has teamed up with Lite-On and a Chinese home-appliances maker in setting up an LED firm in Changzhou of Jiangsu Province at cost of US$120 million, in addition to joining hands with UMC for investing US$16 million in an LED plant in Shandong Province. Powerchip, a memory-chip maker, has also resolved to invest US$15 million in establishing an LED firm in Xuzhou of Jiangsu Province.
...
As a result, market players foresees tremendous growth potential for the global LED market, now reaching only US$8 billion annually, in the coming years. Taiwan stands in a good stead to tap that potential, thanks to its well-established LED component industry, which ranks first place worldwide in output volume and second place in output value, trailing only Japan. Output value of Taiwan`s LED industry hit US$1.5 billion in 2008, for 20% of global market share.

Epistar, for instance, is the world`s largest red-light and the third largest blue-light LED epitaxy supplier, boasting over 50% global market share for LED TV back-lit device. Among the world`s top five LED firms, it is the only one specializing in upstream epitaxy production, with 1,100 patents including those still pending, firmly consolidating its global status.

(by Philip Liu)"

Will the next one be Loongson CPU based? The following article doesn't give a hint on this.




Special Report October 5, 2010, 12:06AM EST

China's Leap in Supercomputer Rankings

In merely a decade, China has become the world's third-greatest power in high-performance computing. Will it soon boast the fastest computer?

By Rachael King

When a list of the world's 500 fastest computers is revealed on Nov. 15, it may contain a surprise. China, currently known to own the second-fastest computer, may reach the top spot. "Of the Top 10 machines today, China has two," says Jack Dongarra, director of the innovative computing laboratory at the University of Tennessee. "I know for sure they're going to have a third one in November." Dongarra has overseen the semiannual Top 500 list since it first appeared in 1993. "There's a great belief that the Chinese will be No.1," he says, adding that he has yet to see the data for next month's list.

Having the world's speediest computer carries more than bragging rights. "It means that China is taking computing seriously," says Dongarra. It's a sign that China is taking steps to spur innovation, he says.

"China gets it. These machines are useful for industry and it will help them maintain and continue on the current track of industrial growth," Dongarra says. More than half of the world's fastest computers are used by industry. Known as supercomputers, they are critical for research and simulation in areas such as climate modeling, genomics, alternative energy, and seismic imaging. Countries also use them for advanced defense. Because of the nuclear testing ban, most countries with nuclear weapons now test them virtually, on supercomputers, says Earl Joseph, an analyst at IDC. They're also used to design better tanks, submarines, aircraft, and body armor, he says.

The U.S. still dominates the Top 500. As of June, when it was last released, the U.S. accounted for more than 50 percent of the world's supercomputers, including the fastest. Yet as supercomputers become more affordable, other countries are able to narrow the U.S. lead. "Back in 2002, the Japanese became No. 1, with the Earth Simulator, and it shook things up in the U.S.," says Dongarra, who is also a professor of computer science at the University of Tennessee.

trailing the U.S. and European Union
Today, the fastest computer on the list is Jaguar, built by Seattle-based Cray (CRAY), with a theoretical peak speed of 2.33 petaflops, or more than 2 quadrillion calculations per second. Jaguar is installed at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory in Tennessee. In testing, the system clocked in at 1.759 petaflops. In June, China's Nebulae, at the National Supercomputing Centre in Shenzhen, took the No. 2 spot with a measured speed of 1.271 petaflops, although its theoretical peak speed is higher, at 2.984 petaflops. The system was built by Dawning Information Industry Co. with components from Intel (INTC) and Nvidia (NVDA).

China's rise in supercomputing power has been swift. At the beginning of the decade, it had few, if any, supercomputers. By 2002, the country had begun to invest in them. In June, China surpassed Japan in computing power. It is currently third, behind the U.S. and second-ranked European Union. "China is poised to overtake the EU countries. The real question is when they overtake the U.S.," says Dongarra.


Page 1 2 Next Page

"New Stem Cell Therapy for Heart Repair, First in the World"


Patrick C. H. Hsieh (right) showcases the results of his experiments on Oct. 12. (UDN photo)



"NCKU Research Team Developed New Stem Cell Therapy for Heart Repair, First in the World
Posted on Tue, Oct. 12, 2010 05:22 AM
Kansas City Star

Assistant Prof. Patrick C. H. Hsieh of Institute of Nanotechnology and Microsystems Engineering, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University (NCKU), Tainan, Taiwan, has led a research team of myocardial regeneration to conduct an experiment on pigs and has proved that by combining self-assembling peptide nanofiber hydrogel with autologous bone marrow stem cell, myocardial protection after acute myocardial infarction, vascular regeneration and heart functions can be improved.

The research achievement of the novel stem cell therapy for heart repair has been published in Circulation, the top international journal in the cardiovascular field, in September, 2010, and the technology is currently under the applications of domestic and foreign patents.

Each year, 17,000,000 people die from heart disease worldwide. In Taiwan, there are approximately 2,000,000 heart disease patients each year and 400,000 people pass away due to heart failure. The most common cause for the heart disease is coronary occlusion or myocardial infarction, preventing blood from going to the heart and thus leading to myocardial necrosis and apoptosis. The mortality rate reaches as high as 30%.

Even if the patients are fortunate to survive, their myocardial cells lack the ability to regenerate. The myocardial cells cannot take intraventricular pressure and thus they will gradually expand and become thin. Eventually, the patients will have heart failure and face death.

The best clinical treatment is heart transplant. However, due to limited heart donors and risks such as immune rejection and infection, it is not in common use. The most common clinical treatment is drug control, including ACE inhibitors, β-blockers, digitalis glycosides and diuretics. However, they can only slow down disease progression, and they normally have side-effects. Thus, the novel treatment method, the stem cell therapy for heart repair, has become the solution to one of the most urgent medical problems.

NCKU Assistant Prof. Patrick C. H. Hsieh pointed out, “Even though recent research studies have indicated that many types of stem cells can be used to improve heart functions and be clinically effective and secure, there is still room which needs improvement. For instance, when stem cells are cultured outside the body and injected into the heart, most of them are immediately carried away by the blood flow or they face rapid death. Even if few of them survive, they hardly become mature and functional cardiac or vascular cells, thus lack effectiveness. So far, we know that when we inject stem cells into the heart, the survival rate of the cells staying in the heart after 24 hours is less than 1%. However, by combining self-assembling peptide nanofiber hydrogel with stems cells and injecting the mixture into cardiac muscle, the stem cells will not be easily carried away from the heart by the blood. Thus, the retention rate is increased to 100%. In addition, problems such as the source, amount and exclusion of stem cells, as well as how to accurately inject stem cells into damaged parts of cardiac muscle and how to pass trials in large animal experiments to ensure safety are issues yet to be solved.”

To solve the above-mentioned problems, the research team led by Assistant Prof. Patrick C. H. Hsieh has developed novel pharmaceutical compositions and treatment methods, engaged in an experiment on Lanyu miniature pig, which has similar cardiac structure to that of the human beings and used self-assembling peptide nanofiber hydrogel to inject to damaged areas of cardiac infarction, thus reducing sequelae such as ventricular wall thinning and ventricular dilation and improving diastolic dysfunction from 54.2% to 85.5% after cardiac infarction.

The self-assembling peptide nanofiber hydrogel can integrate stems cells from the bone marrow in the miniature pig to effectively prevent pathological ventricular remodeling and diastolic dysfunction, significantly improve the myocardial viability and systolic function from 65.6% to 91.4%, increase the myocardial angiogenesis from 13.7% to 46.5%, reduce the range of myocardial infarction from 18.6% to 11.3%, and even promote potential myocardial regeneration.

One of the characteristics of this research achievement is modeled on the implementation of clinical therapy, from extracting stem cells from the bone marrow and mixing it with nanofiber hydrogel to completing the surgery of cardiac injection, the process only requires 30 minutes.

Assistant Prof. Patrick C. H. Hsieh emphasized, “The time to save acute myocardial infarction patients is extremely precious. Thus a fast and effective treatment method can be applied to myocardial infarction patients in the future or provide a viable alternative to patients who are not suitable for traditional treatment methods.”

Once clinical trials are completed and are developed into treatment method, it is believed that it can benefit many patients and create huge business opportunities. In general, the advantages of this discovery include simple and rapid preparation within 30 minutes, zero side-effects, zero inflammation, zero immune response and currently 0% mortality rate, and research and development potential of integrating drug release of PDGF, FGF, p38, IGF.

The breaking research achievement is funded by the 5 Year 5 Billion Project of the Ministry of Education, Taiwan, National Science Council, National Health Research Institutes, Academia Sinica and NCKU Hospital.

Facilitated by Prof. Jyh-Horung Chen, the former Superintendent of NCKU Hospital and the President of Taiwan Society of Cardiology and Prof. Hua-Lin Wu of Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, the Director of Cardiovascular Research Center, the main members of the research team include Assistant Prof. Patrick C. H. Hsieh of Institute of Nanotechnology and Microsystems Engineering, Assistant Prof. Ming-Long Yeh of Institute of Biomedical Engineering, doctoral students Yi-Dong Lin and Ming-Yao Chang of Institute of Biomedical Engineering, research assistants Da-Ching Tsai, Ting-Yu Zhu, Shih-Ya Yun and Alan C.L. Tang of Stem Cell and Nano Technology Research Lab, Prof. Yu-Jen Yang of NCKU Hospital Department of Surgery, Dr. Yen-Wen Liu of NCKU Hospital Division of Cardiology, Dr. Tsai-Yun Chen of NCKU Hospital Division of Hemato-Oncology, and Dr. Kung-Chao Chang of NCKU Hospital Department of Pathology."

Electrified nano filter could mean cheap drinking water



"Electrified nano filter could mean cheap drinking water
By Ben Coxworth
04:56 October 17, 2010


The filter being treated with silver and CNTs (B,C), and SEM images of the cotton, silver nanowires, and CNTs (E,F,G)
[Note: CNT means carbon nanotubes. SEM means scanning electron microscope.]

Yi Cui, an Assistant Professor of Material Science and Engineering at Stanford University, has invented quite the water filter. It’s inexpensive, is very resistant to clogging, and uses much less electricity than systems that require the water to be pumped through them. It also kills bacteria, as opposed to just trapping them, which is all that many existing systems do.

Cui and his Stanford colleagues started with a basic cotton filter, as the material is cheap, widely-available and robust. Next, they covered it with sub-microscopic silver nanowires, as silver nanoparticles are well-known for their antibacterial qualities. They then added a layer of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) to increase the filter’s electrical conductivity, as electricity is also known to be lethal to bacteria. Finally, they experimented with running various strengths of electrical currents through the device, eventually settling at 20 volts.

When subjected to a 1 liter-per-hour gravity-fed stream of E. coli-tainted water, the water flowed through the filter relatively quickly and easily, due to its large pores – at tens to hundreds of micrometers in width, the pores are much wider than individual bacterium, and much wider than the pores of most filtering media. This should minimize occurrences of the filter becoming clogged with bacterial matter, a condition known as biofouling.


A diagram of the filtration process

After samples of the filtered water had been left in agar dishes overnight, it was found that up to 98 percent of the bacteria had been killed. Given the water’s flow rate, it was calculated that the bacteria only needed to be in the filter for a little over one second for lethal exposure to occur. A combination of the silver, the electrical field, and/or changes in the water chemistry caused by the electricity were responsible, although the scientists are still trying to figure out just how much of a role each of those factors played.

The researchers are now investigating how effective the material is at killing other microorganisms, and whether or not trace silver and CNT residue in the filtered water is cause for concern. They are also looking into using the filter for purifying air, foods and pharmaceuticals.

The research was recently published in the journal Nano Letters."

[Note: I have kept the scientific discoveries of ethnic Chinese scientists in the United States to a minimum. I know that most of you want to know about the discoveries of Chinese scientists in China itself. However, an occasional exception is made when the discovery is sufficiently interesting.

How do I know that "Yi Cui" (the research scientist in this article) is most likely a Chinese national? It's actually quite simple. Most Chinese-Americans that I've encountered have an Anglicized first name and retain their family surname as their last name.

For example, my Anglicized first name is Martin. Since Mr. Yi Cui does not have an Anglicized first name, he is probably a Chinese national working at Stanford.]

Maestro piano robot makes global debut


A man looks at the "Piano Robot" during the Taipei International Robot Show at the World Trade Center yesterday. Some 300 exhibitors from 66 companies are taking part in the four-day exhibition.
(Credit: AFP Photo/Sam Yeh)



"Maestro piano robot makes global debut
2010/10/19 22:01:00


Taiwan Hiwin's maestro piano robot

Taipei, Oct. 19 (CNA) A Taiwanese robot capable of playing the piano with both hands made its global debut at the Taipei International Robot Show (TIROS) on Tuesday, marking another milestone in the development of Taiwan's precision machine industry.

"Up to now, other types of robots have used only one finger to play the piano," Enid Tsai, spokeswoman for Hiwin Technologies Corp., told CNA.

"Our robot uses 10 fingers and can play a complex melody, " she said, noting that it was the first in the world to do so.

Using key components manufactured by Hiwin including linear motors, linear guideways and ball screws, the robot will appear next at the Japan International Machine Tool Fair Oct. 28- Nov. 2, before returning home for a starring performance at the Taiwan International Machine Tool Show in Taichung on Nov. 3.

Since 2008, Hiwin has also encouraged local universities to design robots for different applications.

For example, as Taiwan faces the problems of an aging society, the company wants to see robots take care of old people or patients, Tsai said.

The 10-finger robot is among many entertainment, industrial and other robot applications displayed by 66 exhibitors in a total of 296 booths exhibiting at the (TIROS), which runs through Friday.

Vice President Vincent Siew attended the opening and had a brief interaction with V Baby, a robot spokesman for the Taipei International Flora Expo, which begins next month. (By Alex Jiang)"

Taiwan's Genius "holds the U.S. patent for mouse scroll-wheel technology"

This is a surprise. I was unaware that Taiwan's Genius "holds the U.S. patent for mouse scroll-wheel technology." It is amusing that Taiwanese patents show up in the most unexpected places.



"Genius Navigator 905BT Wireless Bluetooth Mouse Available Now for $32.99
By Evan Selleck on Thu Aug 26th, 2010

Considering some of you out there are probably heading back to school around this time (or if you’re already there), you might be looking for a new electronic toy to buy. And hey, if you can write it off as a school-related purchase, why not, right? That’s what Genius is hoping to rope you in with, as they’ve just announced their new Navigator 905BT wireless mouse, featuring Bluetooth technology inside.


Genius Navigator 905BT Wireless Bluetooth Mouse

The wireless mouse is capable of connecting (without wires!) to any PC or Mac, and Genius says it’s instantly, so that’s pretty impressive. If you do decide to connect to your computer courtesy of the Bluetooth EDR 2.0 technology, then you’ll be happy to know you can go up to 10m from your PC or Mac and still have a functioning device. And, if you don’t happen to have any Bluetooth connectivity on your PC or Mac, then you can plug in the Stick-N-Go mount to your USB port, and still utilize that wireless goodness.

Interestingly enough, because when we think mouse peripherals, we also think anti-virus software, Genius is including a 60-day free trial of Norton Symantec anti-virus software, which will come on a CD. You have two color choices: ruby red or cold silver, and it will retail for $32.99. Check out the full press release below for all the extra juicy details.

Press Release

GENIUS LAUNCHES WIRELESS LASER MOUSE
WITH BLUETOOTH CONNECTION

Fast-tracking, trendy Navigator 905BT mouse offers comfort, accuracy and convenience

MIAMI (August 26, 2010) – Genius (), a brand division of KYE Systems Corp., today announced a new addition to the company’s extensive line of mice, the Navigator 905BT mouse that connects instantly to any PC or Mac that is Bluetooth enabled. The new mouse includes Genius’ innovative ‘Flying Scroll’ technology for scrolling web pages or documents in eight directions all through the scroll wheel.

The Navigator 905BT’s Bluetooth EDR 2.0 gives the user a 10 meter working range and 1600 dpi resolution for accurate cursor tracking and speed. The Navigator 905BT also includes the Stick-N-Go mount that allows users to attach the mouse to a notebook or laptop, creating an ultra portable mouse. A complimentary Norton Symantec 60 day free trial is included in the CD driver to prevent the user’s notebook from virus attack and firewall breach. Now available in royal ruby and cold silver, the Navigator 905BT mouse is attractively priced at MSRP USD $32.99.

Features:
* Sporty design with Bluetooth EDR 2.0
* 1600 dpi sensor for precision cursor control
* Innovative ‘Flying Scroll’ for eight way scrolling
* Stick-N-Go mount for convenient portability
* Norton Symantec 60 day free trial
* Power switch for extended battery life (two alkaline batteries included)

Sales/Purchase:

The new Navigator 905BT mouse starts shipping in August 2010. Interested shoppers can go to New Egg.com, Amazon.com, , Tiger Direct, Buy.com or for more information on the entire line of Genius products and other retailers and distributors please visit: .

ABOUT KYE SYSTEMS CORP.

Genius is an international leading company in computer peripherals. Genius was established in 1985, product portfolio includes computer mice, keyboards, web and security cameras, speakers, gaming peripherals, remote controls, headphones, digital cameras, digital camcorders and digital photo frames. It also holds the U.S. patent for mouse scroll-wheel technology. Genius expanded from computer peripherals into consumer electronic products that include mobile phone accessories, Bluetooth headsets, digital cameras, digital photo frames, iPod speakers and EeePC mice."

Taiwan wins big at prestigious Intel International Science and Engineering Fair

Some of you are probably wondering: Why does he spend a significant amount of time and effort to focus on Taiwan?

There are two notable reasons. Firstly, using the benchmark of U.S. patent grants for 2009, Taiwan has the innovative power of 77.1% of Europe's largest economy, Germany (e.g. Taiwan's 7,779 patents compared to Germany's 10,086; see my thread/post on "Greater China outnumbers German patents").

Secondly and the more important reason, Taiwan is 98% Han. China is 92% Han. Taiwan and China are comprised of the same Han people. Taiwan is a leading indicator of China's future development. As China's educational system and development mature, China's per-capita innovations will eventually resemble Taiwan's current performance.



"Taiwan students clean up at Intel science fair
Publication Date：05/17/2010
Source： United Daily News


Winners are grinners. Budding high school scientists from Taiwan show off their awards from the 2010 Intel International Science and Engineering Fair. (CNA)

Taiwan’s reputation as a “clever country” continues to rise following a record seven-award haul by local students at this year’s Intel International Science and Engineering Fair in California May 14.

Nine students from Taiwan entered the world’s largest high school science competition, collecting one top prize, five third place honors and a fourth in categories ranging from animal and mathematical science to chemistry and electrical and mechanical engineering. This was the highest winning percentage of all national representations.

Jacqueline Hung and Lin Chi-chieh of Taipei Municipal First Girls’ Senior High School won first place in the team projects category for their study “Synthesis and Analysis of the New Superconducting Material—FeSe Nanocrystals.”

A beaming Hung credited her teachers and classmates for the victory. “I would like to share this prize with everyone involved in the process,” she said. “The award is a great motivation for our future endeavors.”

Hung and Lin were awarded US$3,000 for their performance, with Taiwan’s Ministry of Education giving each winning student up to NT$200,000 (US$6,300). In addition, Hung and lin will receive scholarships for overseas study.

A total of 1,611 students from 55 five countries battled it out at the weeklong event for 600 awards and prize money of US$4 million. (PCT-JSM)

(This article originally appeared in The Liberty Times May 16.)"



"Taiwan wins big at British Invention Show
2010/10/17 20:53:58



London, Oct. 16 (CNA) Taiwan emerged as the biggest winner at the British Invention Show 2010 (BIS) that ended Saturday, capturing 12 gold and two silvers, as well as special awards of diamond, platinum and double-gold medals.

Taiwan submitted 19 entries to the UK's largest invention and technology exhibition and garnered its best score in the four years since it first participated in the event. Sixteen countries took part this year.

Katharine Chang, Taiwan's representative to the U.K., and Chen Tsung-chieh, head of the the economic division of Taiwan's representative office in London, both extended congratulations to the winners.

Chen Tsung-tai, president of the Taiwan Invention Association and leader of the Taiwanese team, said that pieces invented by Taiwan's youth amazed the judges with their creativity and innovative ideas, adding that these young people represented the hopes of the future and the keys to improving Taiwan's competitiveness.

Kane Kramer, president of the assembly and founder of the British Inventors Society, said at the award presentation ceremony that he was attracted by the top award entry, a multi-channel headphone system submitted by Taiwan's Cotron Corp, describing it as a well-deserved winner.

Kramer, inventor of the first digital audio player and whose work helped inspire the design of Apple's iPod, said he would work together with a Taiwanese firm regarding his latest invention.

The headphone system has won contracts from Japan and the United States, Lin Pi-fen, a director of the Cotron Corp, said.

Another Cotron invention, a wireless audio player, also won the special platinum medal, making the company the biggest winner at the event.

A student team from Far East University in Tainan won four gold medals for its coffee machine capable of adjusting caffeine content and aroma strength, a device designed to completely destroy information stored on a CD disc, a water-saving planting container, and a solar-powered vacuum tube heat collector.

The five-member team from the Affiliated Experimental High School of Tunghai University earned two golds with its new video monitor and PC Mirror Cam.

The team's youngest winner, 12-year-old Chi Yu-chen, said "I feel good that I could transfer ideas to inventions."

Held Oct. 13-16 in London's Alexandra Palace, the show attracted more than 130 entries from around the world. (By Jennifer Huang and Maia Huang)"



"U.S. Wins Gold In Chemistry Olympiad
Taiwan is big winner; U.S. has best showing since 2002
Linda Wang
August 3, 2009
Chemical & Engineering News


TEAM EFFORT Wang (from left), Benjamin, Lu, and Seifried show off their medals.

Taiwan dominated the 41st International Chemistry Olympiad, held on July 18–27 in Cambridge, England. Taiwan's team won four gold medals, more than any other country.

The U.S. also put on a strong performance, with its four-member team earning a gold medal and three silver medals.

The international competition drew 250 high school students from 64 countries. The 164 medals that were awarded included 28 gold, 54 silver, and 82 bronze medals.

Ruibo Wang of China won the top gold medal; Assaf Mauda of Israel won the second highest gold medal; and Hung-I Yang of Taiwan won the third-ranking gold medal. China and Russia each garnered three gold medals and a silver medal. England earned four silver medals.

On the U.S. team were Nathan Benjamin of West Lafayette, Ind.; Colin Lu of Vestal, N.Y.; Brian Seifried of Dunwoody, Ga.; and Yixiao Wang of Westfield, N.J. They were accompanied by head mentor Linda J. Wood, a chemistry teacher at Lowndes High School, in Valdosta, Ga., and mentor John C. Kotz, an emeritus professor of chemistry at the State University of New York, Oneonta.

The U.S. team's performance is significant because the U.S. has not won a gold medal since the 2002 competition in Groningen, the Netherlands, Kotz says. "The fact that we got a gold medal this year shows that we're working hard on training our students, and the students are pushing themselves even further," he says.

Wang, who won the gold, says he owes his achievement to the rigorous preparation he received during the U.S. National Chemistry Olympiad study camp, held in June at the U.S. Air Force Academy, in Colorado Springs (C&EN, June 29, page 9). "All the skills we learned at camp were applied in the practical exam," Wang says. "That was well done on the part of the mentors."

Peter Wothers, chair of the 41st International Chemistry Olympiad, says the exam questions tested students' ability to think creatively. For example, in one of the laboratory experiments, students were asked to design a procedure for determining the critical micelle concentration of sodium n-dodecyl sulfate (SDS) by measuring the conductivity of different SDS concentrations.

"To be a good scientist, you need to be able to devise your own experiments," Wothers says. "When you start doing a Ph.D., it's all about doing your own research."

During the 10-day program, the students also participated in cultural activities in and around London, including visiting Westminster Abbey and playing medieval games at Belvoir Castle. Students stayed at the University of Cambridge, which is celebrating its 800th anniversary this year.

Every student, whether they won a medal or not, should feel like a winner, Seifried says. "If they don't, then they missed some of the experience."

Lu says that having a network of friends around the world who share his love for chemistry prepares him well for a career in science.

Benjamin agrees, saying that the relationships they created will remain long after the joy of winning a medal subsides.

The 42nd International Chemistry Olympiad will take place on July 19–28, 2010, in Tokyo (icho2010.org). The U.S. will host the 44th International Chemistry Olympiad in 2012 at the University of Maryland, just outside of Washington, D.C.

Chemical & Engineering News
ISSN 0009-2347
Copyright © 2010 American Chemical Society"



"Taiwan wins big at International Earth Science Olympiad
2010/09/27 23:09:10



Taipei, Sept. 27 (CNA) Taiwan students captured three gold medals and one silver at the just-concluded 4th International Earth Science Olympiad in Yogyakarta, Indonesia.

Among the gold medal winners was Yang Hung-yi from National Tainan Senior High School, who also won a gold medal at the International Chemistry Olympiad last year,

Yang, back home after his victory, said he was thrilled with his gold medal performance. But despite his winning performances in earth science and chemistry, he said he "loves physics most" and is hoping to compete in the International Physics Olympiad next year.

In addition to Yang, Huang Po-han of National Taichung First Senior High School and Chang Chih-chin of National Yilan Senior High School also won gold medals.

Lu Kun-lin of National Taichung Senior High School pocketed a silver medal.

Lin Pay-liam, an associate professor at National Central University and Taiwan's team leader, said this year's Olympiad featured field tests in the areas of geology, astronomy, atmospheric sciences, and oceanology, and Yang had the highest scores in the latter two categories.

The competition consists of two parts: theoretical and practical examinations. The theoretical examination asked participants to solve earth science problems. The practical exam includes experiments that the participants must complete within a set period of time.

Sixty-seven senior high school students from 19 countries took part in this year's competition, and a total of seven golds, 14 silvers and 26 bronzes were awarded.

Taiwan has performed well since first taking part in the competition in 2007. It has ranked at the top for the fourth consecutive year and has won a total of 12 gold medals and four silver medals. (By Lin Szu-yu and Lilian Wu)"

Short-range scattering in quantum dots
Discovery advances novel devices

Washington, D.C. (October 19, 2010) -- Chinese researchers, reporting in the Journal of Applied Physics, published by the American Institute of Physics, have described a new breakthrough in understanding the way electrons travel around quantum dots. This might lead to promising new fabrication methods of novel quantum devices.

Guodong Li and colleagues at the National Center for Nanoscience and Technology in Beijing carried out an experiment using self-assembled quantum dots and a two-dimensional electron gas, and then fit the data to a model to find out the type of scattering exhibited.

Much recent work has examined the internal structure of electron states of these 10-nm-scale quantum dots, which are tiny, very efficient energy absorbers that can release energy at custom frequencies depending on their size. Self-assembled quantum dots hold great promise for inexpensive fabrication of all kinds of novel applications such as lasers, detectors, and optical data storage, as well as in nanotechnology research. What is missing, says the team, is an understanding of the scattering effects of the electrons. Optimizing scattering may be useful as a way of efficiently transporting electrons and thereby maximizing the performance of quantum dot-based devices.

To study these effects, the researchers placed an AlGaAs/GaAs two-dimensional electron gas (2DEG) near embedded GaSb/GaAs type-II quantum dots at a temperature of 4.2 K.

"The type-II GaSb quantum dots only confine the holes and not the electrons," says coauthor Chao Jiang, "so they are free to interact with the 2DEG."

Measurements at various voltages in the coupled system showed that the scattering mechanism is short-range, an idea verified by a simple model with a constant scattering potential.

"For the first time, we have clarified that the mechanism of electron scattering in this type of quantum dot system is short-range," says Chao. "The result is particularly significant for the future designing of very efficient quantum-dot-based devices."

Three Gorges Dam generates the electricity of 21 Hoover Dams

The Hoover Dam on the Colorado River is an American icon. It generates a massive 4 billion kilowatt-hours of electricity each year. Astonishingly, China's Three Gorges Dam produces the electricity of 21 Hoover Dams at 84.7 billion kilowatt-hours.


China's Three Gorges Dam is "the world's largest electricity-generating plant of any kind."


"One of the nation's best-known engineering marvels, the Hoover Dam"



"China fills Three Gorges Dam to capacity
October 26, 2010|By the CNN Wire Staff

China's Three Gorges Dam, the world's largest water project, was fully filled Tuesday, state media said.

The water level hit the dam's design capacity of 175 meters (574 feet) at 9 a.m. Tuesday, said the corporation that developed the dam.

The 175-meter milestone will "enable the project to fulfill its functions of flood control, power generation, navigation and water diversion to the full," said Cao Guangjing, chairman of the China Three Gorges Corporation.

When the dam in central China reaches full generating capacity next year, it will produce 84.7 billion kilowatt-hours of electricity, the Xinhua news agency said. That's enough to meet Beijing's needs for a year.

By comparison, the United States' Hoover Dam produces about 4 billion kilowatt-hours each year, enough to serve 1.3 million people in Nevada, Arizona, and California.

The 2,309-meter-wide (1.4 mile-wide) Three Gorges project, built in the upper-middle reaches of China's longest river, began storing water in 2003. Water is diverted to the parched farmlands and cities of China's north.

The Yangtze River has been responsible for some of the worst floods on record, with hundreds of thousands of people killed over the past century alone. The Three Gorges Dam relieves 15 million people and 1.5 million hectares of farmland in the Jianghan Plain from the threat of flood, the developer says.

Critics say the dam worsens pollution by trapping sewage and industrial waste. They also warn that an accident or natural disaster could create a catastrophe in the densely populated region. Smaller dams could have met China's needs, critics say.

An estimated 1.2 million people had to move to make way for the Three Gorges, which inundated 632 square kilometers (244 square miles) of land. Historians decried the loss of centuries of relics and antiquities, and the loss of a way of life for myriad rural residents in hundreds of villages, towns and cities."

China now has the fastest computer in the world. If it's true, it's a big achievement for China.

Chinese Supercomputer Wrests Title From U.S.
By ASHLEE VANCE
A Chinese scientific research center has built the fastest supercomputer ever made, replacing the United States as maker of the swiftest machine, and giving China bragging rights as a technology superpower.

The computer, known as Tianhe-1A, has 1.4 times the horsepower of the current top computer, which is at a national laboratory in Tennessee, as measured by the standard test used to gauge how well the systems handle mathematical calculations, said Jack Dongarra, a University of Tennessee computer scientist who maintains the official supercomputer rankings.

Although the official list of the top 500 fastest machines, which comes out every six months, is not due to be completed by Mr. Dongarra until next week, he said the Chinese computer “blows away the existing No. 1 machine.” He added, “We don’t close the books until Nov. 1, but I would say it is unlikely we will see a system that is faster.”

Officials from the Chinese research center, the National University of Defense Technology, are expected to reveal the computer’s performance on Thursday at a conference in Beijing. The center says it is “under the dual supervision of the Ministry of National Defense and the Ministry of Education.”

The race to build the fastest supercomputer has become a source of national pride as these machines are valued for their ability to solve problems critical to national interests in areas like defense, energy, finance and science. Supercomputing technology also finds its way into mainstream business; oil and gas companies use it to find reservoirs and Wall Street traders use it for superquick automated trades. Procter & Gamble even uses supercomputers to make sure that Pringles go into cans without breaking.

And typically, research centers with large supercomputers are magnets for top scientific talent, adding significance to the presence of the machines well beyond just cranking through calculations.

Over the last decade, the Chinese have steadily inched up in the rankings of supercomputers. Tianhe-1A stands as the culmination of billions of dollars in investment and scientific development, as China has gone from a computing afterthought to a world technology superpower.

“What is scary about this is that the U.S. dominance in high-performance computing is at risk,” said Wu-chun Feng, a supercomputing expert and professor at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University. “One could argue that this hits the foundation of our economic future.”

Modern supercomputers are built by combining thousands of small computer servers and using software to turn them into a single entity. In that sense, any organization with enough money and expertise can buy what amount to off-the-shelf components and create a fast machine.

The Chinese system follows that model by linking thousands upon thousands of chips made by the American companies Intel and Nvidia. But the secret sauce behind the system — and the technological achievement — is the interconnect, or networking technology, developed by Chinese researchers that shuttles data back and forth across the smaller computers at breakneck rates, Mr. Dongarra said.

“That technology was built by them,” Mr. Dongarra said. “They are taking supercomputing very seriously and making a deep commitment.”

The Chinese interconnect can handle data at about twice the speed of a common interconnect called InfiniBand used in many supercomputers.

For decades, the United States has developed most of the underlying technology that goes into the massive supercomputers and has built the largest, fastest machines at research laboratories and universities. Some of the top systems simulate the effects of nuclear weapons, while others predict the weather and aid in energy research.

In 2002, the United States lost its crown as supercomputing kingpin for the first time in stunning fashion when Japan unveiled a machine with more horsepower than the top 20 American computers combined. The United States government responded in kind, forming groups to plot a comeback and pouring money into supercomputing projects. The United States regained its leadership status in 2004, and has kept it, until now.

At the computing conference on Thursday in China, the researchers will discuss how they are using the new system for scientific research in fields like astrophysics and bio-molecular modeling. Tianhe-1A, which is housed in a building at the National Supercomputing Center in Tianjin, can perform mathematical operations about 29 million times faster than one of the earliest supercomputers, built in 1976.

For the record, it performs 2.5 times 10 to the 15th power mathematical operations per second.

Mr. Dongarra said a long-running Chinese project to build chips to rival those from Intel and others remained under way and looked promising. “It’s not quite there yet, but it will be in a year or two,” he said.

He also said that in November, when the list comes out, he expected a second Chinese computer to be in the top five, culminating years of investment.

“The Japanese came out of nowhere and really caught people off guard,” Mr. Feng said. “With China, you could see this one coming.”

Steven J. Wallach, a well-known computer designer, played down the importance of taking the top spot on the supercomputer rankings.

“It’s interesting, but it’s like getting to the four-minute mile,” Mr. Wallach said. “The world didn’t stop. This is just a snapshot in time.”

The research labs often spend weeks tuning their systems to perform well on the standard horsepower test. But just because a system can hammer through trillions of calculations per second does not mean it will do well on the specialized jobs that researchers want to use it for, Mr. Wallach added.

The United States has plans in place to make much faster machines out of proprietary components and to advance the software used by these systems so that they are easy for researchers to use. But those computers remain years away, and for now, China is king.

“They want to show they are No. 1 in the world, no matter what it is,” Mr. Wallach said. “I don’t blame them.”

Click to expand...