---------- Forwarded message ---------- From: <alvinlk(a)itri.org.tw> Date: 2008/4/29 Subject: [News Release]The Next Consortium Unveils a New Concept Vehicle-ITRI, SYM and MIT Jointly Produce the New-age RoboScooter To: alvinlk(a)itri.org.tw ************************************************************************************* The Next Consortium Unveils a New Concept Vehicle ITRI, SYM and MIT Jointly Produce the New-age RoboScooter The Next Consortium on April 29 unveiled a new-age concept vehicle called RoboScooter. This scooter is the product of joint efforts by the Creativity Lab, SYM, and the MIT Media Lab. This innovative vehicle is environmentally friendly, energy saving, light, foldable and easy to park. It is sure to satisfy the needs of urban dwellers, helping to conserve energy and reduce carbon emissions. ITRI President Dr. Johnsee Lee said that Taiwan industry must turn away from trying to be competitive from only a perspective of price, and instead focus on gaining a competitive edge through creating high value-added products. This is the only way the island's manufacturers will develop a new "Blue Ocean", he said. The open innovation model adopted by the Next Consortium has helped to unite the creative prowess of ITRI and MIT, successfully realizing cooperation between Taiwan industry, the academic sector, the government, and local and foreign research institutions. This multicultural and multidisciplinary team worked together with SYM. The end result has been that industry was able to overcome traditional models and ways of thinking, paving the way to create a transportation tool that meets the needs of society of the future. In addition to fostering innovative technological applications, this initiative has helped SYM to open a new page in concept motorcycles and has established a successful model for industry to follow. Moreover, this marks the first success in cooperation between the Next Consortium and the MIT Media Lab. SYM President Huang K.W said that participating in the Next Consortium has provided a new foundation to help SYM engage in innovative R&D. To fulfill its responsibility as a global citizen, Huang said that SYM wanted to find a means to address increasingly clogged roads, difficulty in parking, pollution, high oil prices and the needs for a high degree of mobility in an urban setting. SYM worked together with ITRI and the MIT Media Lab, giving birth to a solution for the urbanite who needs to get around – RoboScooter. This concept vehicle is both light and can be folded. It can be used in tandem with other types of transportation systems. The development of the Robot Wheel has alleviated the need for large numbers of spare parts. Meanwhile, the environmentally friendly battery can be easily replaced and charged. The integration of this variety of innovative applications will significantly make it easier for city dwellers to move about, making life all the more interesting. SYM plans to bring the vehicle to the market in stages. It hopes that the first of its environmentally friendly electric scooters will hit the road in the second half of next year. This goal will only be able to be achieved, however, if the government commits itself to providing the basic infrastructure required and provides production incentives. If so, the new age scooter could soon become a common sight on city streets. ITRI Creativity Lab General Director Hsueh Wen-jean said the Next Consortium will continue to foster interaction and cooperation in a variety of disciplines and industries, helping to boost innovation momentum in companies throughout Taiwan. This will create a new image for Taiwan products. Rather than being "Made in Taiwan," Taiwan's products will be best known for being "Created in Taiwan." Hsueh said that the three years of experience and knowledge accumulated via the Next Consortium has helped the industrial sector see innovation and creativity as something that can be tangible, rather than just a concept. Cross-sector cooperation has helped to foster product innovation and create new opportunities for industry, enabling industry to break through present bottlenecks. The Next Consortium is working on a number of projects that focus on a happy life, urban energy conservation systems, sub-tropical urban lifestyles, and items to help the aged. The consortium, hoping to bring together even more local and foreign creative individuals from a wide range of sectors, welcomes forward-looking companies to join the initiative. The results will help spark new economic development on Taiwan and pave the way for the arrival of an economic era based on creativity. (Please visit http://NC.itri.org.tw for related information and how to participate.) Press Liaison: ITRI Department of Marketing Communications Alvin Liang Kuo 03-5916371 0932-237707 alvinlk(a)itri.org.tw Note 1 Next Consortium: ITRI's Creativity Lab in 2005 launched the Next Consortium, offering a means for collaboration between the industrial, government, academic and research sectors. The mission of the consortium is to help the industrial sector forge breakthroughs in creativity and innovation, offering an avenue for multidisciplinary and cross-industrial collaboration. The Next Consortium maintains a strategic partnership relationship with the MIT Media Lab. This cooperation helps to foster ideas and share innovation, while reducing the risks by operating on one's own. The goal is to set a foundation to build a "Created in Taiwan" vision for the future. Note 2 RoboScooter Introduction 1. A mode of transportation based on future urban development trends. 2. The vehicle employs an environmental friendly battery and is driven by an electric motor. The battery is easily replaced and is easy to recharge. The body of the vehicle is light, significantly boosting energy efficiency, while reducing noise and air pollution. 3. The RoboScooter can be folded, saving on parking space. It is easy to tote to public mass transit systems or to stow at home. 4. The unique Robot Wheel design integrates suspension systems and the wheel, making it a single module. The RoboScooter can be propelled by one or two wheels. It is also easy to maintain. 5. The vehicle's frame is based on a stylized design concept, making it quite attractive. The interesting headlamp, directional lights and tail light design help to further the "wow factor" of the vehicle. Alvin Liang Kuo Office of Marketing Communications Industrial Technology Research Institute Tel:03-5916371，Fax:03-5820494 Email: alvinlk(a)itri.org.tw