◎NCU Gloria Editorial Team 2019-01-20

Taoyuan Metro and NCU GLORIA signing a technical MOU on January 24th, 2019.

(Left: Chi-lyang Shing, Vice General Manager of Taoyuan Metro; Right: James Chu, CEO of NCU GLORIA)

On July 10th, 2018, together with National Taipei University, Yuan Ze University, and Ming Chuan University, National Central University signed a “Big Data Industry-Academic MOU” with Taoyuan Metro to promote the intelligent transformation in the public transportation system, specifically for the Taoyuan metro system. Since then, NCU signed another technical MOU with Taoyuan Metro on January 24th, 2019, to solidify both parties’ ambitions in developing industry-academia collaborations for the long run.

Taoyuan Metro launched its formal operation on March 2nd 2017, providing public transportation across 3 cities, with the uppermost station at Taipei Train Station, along the way of New Taipei City, and the lowermost station located at the intersection of Huan-Bei Road and Jhong-Feng Road in Jhongli District of Taoyuan City. The Taoyuan Metro is comprised of 21 stations and thus far the newest metro system in Taiwan.

During the first half of 2018, Taoyuan Metro was connected to many professors through NCU GLORIA, hoping to take advantage of specialized technology, namely IoT (Internet of Things), Big Data Analysis, and Enterprise Resource Planning, to enhance its service quality and development in traffic volume, maintenance and repairment, management and services, as well as real-time intelligent monitoring.

Upon the signing of the joint MOU between Taoyuan Metro and the 4 universities, National Central University immediately began working closely with NCU GLORIA to discuss relevant planning and details. Between August and October, 2018, 6 working meetings took place, as various innovative plannings were being actively discussed. With collaborative endeavors between NCU GLORIA and a team of professors (Dr. Rong-Seng Chang, Dr. Jia-Ching Wang, Dr. Li-De Chou, and Dr. Ching-Cheng Sun), a collection of 30 technologies from the area of big data analysis, information, machinery, electrics, optics, management, etc., was compiled. Furthermore, 9 major projects were drawn up for 2019, including optical micro-vibration mode detection technology, face recognition in complex scenes, suspect and criminal notification system, stroke detection, human behavioral identification, incident reporting, highway big data (with big data model construction), AI customer service robot, CIVIS (Central Intelligent Vision), and 3D indoor map (automatic model construction technology).

Focusing on specific projects, National Central University will work with various departments of Taoyuan Metro, including the traffic control center, transportation planning and management team, electronics factory, rail and civil engineering factory, and the information technology section. First phase involves collaboration with Dr. Rong-Seng Chang’s Smart Tag and Dr. Jia-Ching Wang’s AI Visual Safety Detection Notification System. These technologies will be applied to metro compartments, repairing equipments, and other relevant locations. By collecting data and conducting analysis on the temperature, displacement, pressure, and vibrations, extended understanding through big data on the environment, components, and equipments may be better grasped while AI identification model is being constructed.

Next, by connecting AI visual detection technology to the traffic control center, places with passengers will be equipped with on-site support of automatic platform gates’ danger notification and escalator monitoring with fall detection. Moreover, the aforementioned technologies will be further integrated and applied towards “safety, energy-saving, smart maintenance, and equipment localization” as developing strategies, before reaching the eventual goal of “Smart MRT.”

Taoyuan Metro’s invitation to participate in the promotion of intelligent transformation in the metro system is a true recognition of National Central University’s research capacity and professionalism. This in turn gives National Central University the opportunity to contribute to the society with various research accomplishments. NCU GLORIA’s efforts to bring about this major industry-academia collaboration not only builds the vision of Smart MRT, but also attributes to a milestone for Taiwan’s railway system. On the other hand, by building high-quality operation and servicing reputation will strengthen the public’s common sense and literacy when it comes to riding the public transportation. One day, the railway transportation system will be self-driven, ticket-checking becomes obsolete, payment system evolves into complete automation – showcasing Taiwan’s research & development capabilities as a world-leading indicator.

Taoyuan Metro and NCU GLORIA signing a technical MOU on January 24th, 2019.

(Left: Chi-lyang Shing, Vice General Manager of Taoyuan Metro; Right: James Chu, CEO of NCU GLORIA)

Group photo of representatives of NCU GLORIA, professors from NCU, and the Taoyuan Metro management team.