Oct 30, 2024
"Inclusive Technology Project" Press Conference
In 2020, the Executive Yuan proposed a people-centric technology policy during the 11th National Science and Technology Conference, emphasizing inclu-sion as a core value to address the needs of different generations, communities, and sectors. Since 2023, the National Science and Technology Council (NSTC) has promoted the Inclusive Technology Project, targeting key social challenges that Taiwan may face over the next decade. Through the application of appropriate technologies, the project aims to solve social issues, ensuring that non-profit or-ganizations and marginalized communities benefit from technological advance-ments, fostering broader societal inclusion.
The following are key outcomes achieved so far:
1. Technology Benefits for the Elderly and Disabled
"Mutual Support Respite Service" Offers Relief to Taiwan's Family Caregivers
As Taiwan navigates the challenges of a rapidly aging society, an innovative program known as the "Mutual Support Respite Service" is offering much-needed relief to family caregivers. The project adopts a "Two-to-Many Matching Strategy" pairing professional caregivers with volunteers. Caregivers may also participate as volunteers, earning additional respite hours through a "1-for-2 exchange system". Ms. Zhuo, a family caregiver benefiting from the service, shared: "Caregiving can be overwhelming at times. The weekend respite service offers a much-needed break to relieve stress." This platform optimizes resources, enabling family caregiv-ers, foreign caregivers, middle-aged workers, and new immigrants to participate, and makes effective use of idle spaces and manpower during weekends.
Technology Empowers Seniors to Reclaim Mobility and Independence
This initiative, piloted at the Gongguan Long-term Care Center in Zuozhen, Tainan, focuses on comprehensive physical assessments, rehabilitation tracking, and health education. Many participants, initially struggling with independent liv-ing, have regained strength and confidence, with some even traveling abroad. The project not only enhances the quality of life for seniors but also helps reduce long-term care costs in Taiwan’s aging society.
Disaster Preparedness for Individuals with Disabilities
The project leverages Geographic Information System (GIS) technology to analyze and categorize disaster risks, providing precise indicators to assist high-risk areas in planning and simulating disaster preparedness strategies. The initiative, which began in Hualien, is expanding nationwide to enhance the disaster response capabilities of individuals with disabilities.
2. AI-Enhanced Communication and Language Tools
AI-Assisted Communication for Individuals with Speech Impairments
The project has developed tools such as "ezTalk" and "Voice Bank" to sup-port individuals with ALS, cerebral palsy, and other speech impairments in com-municating more effectively. Hung-Shing Huang, a doctoral student living with he-reditary spastic paraplegia (HSP) and dysarthria, uses AI-powered tools to inter-pret his speech, transforming it into understandable language and demonstrating the empowering potential of technology.
New Communication Technologies for Individuals with Hearing Impairments
The project introduces Mixed Reality (MR) glasses that "visualize" sound through speech recognition, an easy-to-read application with graphics, and articu-lation networks that enhance speech clarity. Additionally, a VR-based communica-tion training program helps individuals with hearing impairments develop their communication skills and increase their social participation.
AI for Indigenous Language Preservation
The project built the world’s first Truku language corpus and AI models for indigenous languages to support text translation, chatbots, and speech synthesis. Virtual animated videos in indigenous languages provide enriched learning re-sources for those interested. In the second year, the project will expand the corpus to include other languages, such as Tsou.
Kasih App for Better Communication Between Foreign Caregivers and Care Re-cipients
As Taiwan's population ages and long-term care needs increase, the reliance on foreign caregivers continues to grow. Of the nearly 300,000 social welfare mi-grant workers, a significant proportion are from Indonesia. The Kasih App facili-tates communication between Indonesian caregivers and elderly care recipients who speak Taiwanese, helping bridge language barriers. It also features a "Re-source Toolbox" that enables family members and caregivers to quickly access caregiving information.
3. Digital Platforms for Social Inclusion
Digital Optimization of Meal Delivery Services
The project developed a case management system, a delivery app, and a de-livery map website to optimize delivery routes and resource allocation for social welfare organizations, ensuring efficient and effective meal services for users.
Digital Empowerment and Partnership for NPOs and Citizens
The project strengthens NGOs' digital literacy through workshops, courses, and counseling. Participating NGOs, such as PWSA Taiwan, conducted surveys to better understand patient needs and expand their services. The program address-es the digital divide by empowering NGOs to leverage technology for advocacy and service delivery.
AI Project of Promoting Transportation Service for Remote Rural Communities
Nanzhuang Township in Miaoli County is one of the pilot sites. The project team assessed local demands and transportation resources to expand the service capacity of the Happiness Bus 2.0 service. The team also supported the integra-tion of the Ministry of Transportation’s “Rural car sharing service platform (Bubu)” with customized solutions, replacing traditional manual dispatch and scheduling with an automated reservation system. This automated system, combined with small and medium-sized vehicle transportation, reduces operating costs, improves the efficiency of national public transportation subsidies, and strengthens the ad-ministrative resilience of civil organizations.
Demand-Driven Social Welfare Information Platform
The Intelligent Medical Social Worker (iMSW) system has been developed to analyze data and understand the welfare needs of the public and the medically disadvantaged. The system provides matching, consultation, and application ser-vices to support social workers, ensuring that the medically disadvantaged can more easily access the welfare resources they need.
Inclusive Technology Project (project website: https://www.ttfi.com.tw/) is a collaborative effort between academia and non-profit organizations, ensuring that no one is left behind in the course of technological development.
Research results contact
TSAI, ANG-JUI
Research Assistant
Promoting and Coordinating the Inclusive Technology Project
Tel: +886 (2) 8170-5125 Ext. 6050 (Office)
ray2023@gate.sinica.edu.tw
Yi-Ju Hsieh
Department of Humanities and Social Sciences, NSTC.
Tel: +886-2737-7551(Office)
Attachment 1: Innovative Respite Care Model Brings Relief to Family Caregiv-ers
As Taiwan navigates the challenges of a rapidly aging society, an innovative program known as the "Mutual Support Respite Service" is offering much-needed relief to family caregivers. Developed through a collaboration between the Taiwan Association of Family Caregivers and the Department of Long-Term Care at Na-tional Taipei University of Nursing and Health Sciences, the program aims to ease the burden on family caregivers by providing them with opportunities for rest and respite.
Professor Chen-Fen Chen, the project lead, explained that the core principle behind the "Mutual Support Respite Service" is to integrate elderly individuals into the community through shared caregiving and rotational rest. This approach not only benefits the elderly by fostering a sense of belonging and social interaction, but also allows caregivers to take breaks from their demanding responsibilities, re-ducing the risk of burnout. The program achieves this by pairing professional care workers with volunteers to provide care for groups of four to six elderly individuals with disabilities or dementia.
One of the key innovations of the "Mutual Support Respite Service" is its technology platform. The platform features a user-friendly appointment match-making system that allows volunteers to exchange one day of service for two days of respite. This "1-for-2 exchange system" incentivizes volunteer participation and ensures the long-term sustainability of the program. Additionally, the platform in-corporates a time-banking system, which further enhances the program’s appeal and longevity.
Ms. Zhuo, a family caregiver who has benefited from the program, shared her experience: “The long hours of caregiving can be hard to sustain. The weekend respite service provides much-needed relief and helps reduce stress.” Her words highlight the critical need for such support systems, particularly in a society where family members often shoulder the primary responsibility of caregiving.
Professor Chen emphasized, "The true success of the 'Mutual Support Respite Service' lies not only in its innovative caregiving model but also in its ability to build a robust support network for family caregivers." By empowering caregivers to take necessary breaks and prioritize their own well-being, the program ensures that they can continue to provide quality care for their elderly loved ones.
The "Mutual Support Respite Service" has already been successfully imple-mented in several counties, including Taipei City and Chiayi City, with plans for fur-ther expansion in the near future. As Taiwan continues to grapple with the chal-lenges of an increasingly super-aged society, initiatives like the "Mutual Support Respite Service" offer a promising glimpse into the future of elder care. By ad-dressing the practical aspects of caregiving while also enhancing the quality of life for both caregivers and care recipients, the program represents a significant step forward in Taiwan’s healthcare system.
Attachment 2: Revolutionizing Communication for Individuals with Speech Im-pairments Through AI
At the forefront of technological innovation, Professor Yue-Shan Chang and his team from the College of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science at Na-tional Taipei University are developing a transformative communication platform specifically for individuals with speech impairments, including those living with ALS, cerebral palsy, and other language disorders. This advanced platform aims to significantly enhance their ability to communicate effectively and improve their quality of life.
A key member of the team, Hung-Shing Huang, a Ph.D. student at the same university, exemplifies the project’s spirit. Living with hereditary spastic paraplegia (HSP) and dysarthria, Huang relies on a wheelchair for mobility and has faced sig-nificant communication challenges throughout his life. However, his determination to overcome these barriers is truly inspirational. His personal journey into speech recognition technology was motivated by a desire to break free from his commu-nication limitations. By using AI-powered tools to interpret his voice and convert it into understandable language, Huang has not only improved his own quality of life but also paved the way for others facing similar challenges.
The core of this project lies in a sophisticated toolkit that combines speech signal processing, AI deep learning, and natural language processing (NLP). This toolkit offers a seamless communication experience for individuals with speech impairments, helping them interact more effectively and enhancing their overall social engagement.
Professor Chang's team has also collaborated with various professionals, in-cluding social workers, to design specialized assistive communication devices for those with speech impairments. The project further integrates Voice Bank tech-nology, developed in partnership with the ALS Association. This tool allows pa-tients to record their voices before losing the ability to speak, ensuring they can continue to communicate with their authentic voice in the future.
In addition, the team is building a multimodal, cross-lingual task-oriented dia-logue system that functions like a customer service platform. It accepts input in the form of text, speech, or images, and responds across these modalities, offering versatile communication options. This innovative system highlights the project’s potential to enhance social inclusion for individuals with communication impair-ments.
The work led by Professor Chang exemplifies not only technological innova-tion but also a profound commitment to empathy and inclusion. By leveraging technology to bridge communication gaps, the team affirms that with the right tools and support, everyone has the ability to express themselves and actively en-gage with the world. This project represents a major milestone in both technologi-cal advancement and social inclusion, embodying a commitment to giving a voice to those who need it most.
Attachment 3: Technology for Diverse Communication to Assist Individuals with Hearing Impairments
To address the challenges of social participation for individuals with hearing impairments, Professor Hsiu-Tan Liu and her team at National Taiwan Normal Uni-versity have been working diligently to develop various communication aids. These innovations include Mixed Reality (MR) glasses that integrate speech recognition to enable individuals with hearing impairments to "visualize" sound, an articula-tion generation network to improve speech clarity, an easy-to-read application with graphics that converts information into an easy-to-understand visual format, and VR-based interactive video training programs to enhance communication skills.
In July, the team visited the Hsinchu Bright Sound Association and gathered valuable suggestions and feedback from participants. One attendee remarked, "Thank you for setting up a booth that allowed members and their families to ex-perience and learn something new!" The event fostered meaningful interaction between individuals with hearing impairments and their families, while also raising public awareness of how technology can enhance education for those with hear-ing impairments.
Through continuous promotion, the team aims to provide even better com-munication tools and resources for the community, empowering individuals to participate more fully in society.
Attachment 4: Rural Transportation Redefined for Greater Accessibility
In Nanzhuang Township, Miaoli County, the innovative "Happiness Bus 2.0" initiative, supported by the National Science Council's Project of Promoting Trans-portation Service for Remote Rural Communities, marks a significant transfor-mation in rural transportation. This upgraded service moves beyond the limita-tions of traditional fixed-timetable bus routes by offering flexible, on-demand transportation directly to residents’ doorsteps, greatly improving access to essen-tial services.
The Happiness Bus 2.0 addresses the specific mobility needs of both the el-derly and schoolchildren, providing much-needed transportation options in an ar-ea where public services have been sparse. The service has closed a long-standing gap in the Luchang tribal village (P'anoh in Atayal), which had been without public transportation for over fifty years.
In recent years, many public bus routes in Nanzhuang were reduced or dis-continued due to financial losses, leaving the community with few transportation options. The township’s steep and dispersed terrain further complicated local mo-bility. In response to these challenges, Hsing-Wei Chiu, a local innovator, led the launch of Happiness Bus 2.0 under relaxed regulatory conditions that enabled community-based transportation solutions.
With support from the National Science Council and in alignment with local revitalization efforts, the project expanded the service's reach. It was integrated with the "Bubu Car Sharing" platform, an innovative system that replaces manual dispatch with an automated, efficient reservation system. By employing smaller, cost-effective vehicles suited to the rugged terrain, the system reduces operational costs and enhances service reliability.
Between January and August 2024, the Happiness Bus provided 8,077 pas-senger trips across 2,798 services, highlighting the program’s success in addressing transportation needs and fostering greater social participation among residents.
Tailored, community-focused transportation solutions like this significantly enhance the quality of life in rural areas, promoting greater equity and inclusion in mobility services. This program not only fills a critical need but also sets a prece-dent for other rural areas facing similar challenges, demonstrating the potential for rural transportation systems to adapt to and effectively serve their communi-ties.
Attachment 5: Technology Empowers Seniors to Reclaim Mobility and Inde-pendence
In the Gongguan community of Zuozhen District, Tainan, a transformative project led by Associate Professor Mei-Ling Tsai from the Department of Physiolo-gy at National Cheng Kung University is addressing the health and mobility needs of the elderly. The initiative leverages technology to monitor seniors' health condi-tions, starting from this community hub.
A 2019 frailty assessment conducted by the Health Promotion Administration found that one in three people aged 85 and above in Taiwan is at risk of frailty. Many seniors, however, often mistake physical frailty as a natural part of aging, making it difficult to distinguish between healthy aging and frail aging. Through continuous rehabilitation programs, Professor Tsai’s team has helped many older adults regain strength, allowing them to live independently and, in some cases, even travel abroad. This has significantly boosted their motivation for self-directed training, improving their quality of life.
In 2022, the Ministry of Health and Welfare introduced the "Six Abilities of the Elderly" assessment to help reduce the occurrence of geriatric syndromes. In alignment with this, Professor Tsai’s team developed the iMirror Fitness Detection System, which uses AI technology to assist in physical assessments and rehabilita-tion tracking. The system encourages seniors to engage with tools such as AR glasses and smart knee braces, making rehabilitation exercises both more engag-ing and more precise.
Data collected through these tools is integrated into the iCOPE platform, ena-bling both preliminary and follow-up assessments. This allows for early interven-tion when abnormal conditions are detected, helping seniors maintain their health and independence. By leveraging technology for proactive care, the initiative re-duces long-term care costs and equips Taiwan to better face the challenges of an aging society.
Professor Tsai’s comprehensive approach demonstrates how technology and healthcare can work together to promote healthy aging, empowering seniors to age with dignity, independence, and joy. Through these efforts, the project sets a promising example for future strategies in supporting Taiwan's elderly population.
Attachment 6: Digital Program Empowers NGOs with Enhanced Technological Capabilities
Associate Professor Hsin-Yi Yeh from the Department of Sociology at National Taipei University leads the Civic Intelligence Empowerment Program, a transforma-tive initiative aimed at bolstering the digital skills of civic organizations (NGOs) across Taiwan. This program plays a crucial role in bridging the digital divide and strengthening Taiwan’s resilience by leveraging the power of a vibrant civil society actively engaged in addressing public social challenges.
The program offers a diverse mix of thematic seminars, onsite and online courses, and practical data analysis applications to elevate the digital literacy of NGO workers, thereby amplifying their societal influence. Tailored courses address the specific needs of different NGOs, helping them apply data analysis to social services and advocacy efforts. In addition, digital learning materials will be made available online to encourage autonomous learning among civic organizations.
Participants have shared that many NGOs struggle with a lack of IT expertise within their teams. Even when organizations manage to hire IT professionals, communication and collaboration challenges often arise. The program aims to bridge these gaps by offering targeted training to improve participants' under-standing and application of digital tools.
Among the participating NGOs is the Prader-Willi Syndrome Association Tai-wan (PWSA Taiwan), which conducted a survey of 300 patients to understand their concerns and expectations regarding the services they receive, expanding the scope of support accordingly. Other participants include the Taiwan Association for Disability Rights.
This comprehensive approach, led by Professor Yeh and her team, represents a significant step toward building a digitally inclusive society. It highlights how en-hanced digital capabilities can foster both resilience and sustainability within civil society. Through this program, Taiwan sets a precedent for digital empowerment as a means to fortify civic organizations, ensuring they play a key role in public preparedness and resilience.
