College students in Taiwan win hackathon award
台灣大學生榮獲黑客松競賽大獎
| Students develop railway track inspection module using AI and sensor technology
TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Students from National Taiwan University of Science and Technology won a top honor at a national hackathon for technical and vocational education. The students integrated ultrasound, accelerometers, and AI image recognition technology to develop a miniature railway track inspection module. Designed to be mounted beneath a train, the device is capable of detecting track cracks and anomalies in real time, per CNA. The module can also serve as an alternative to diesel-powered inspection vehicles, improving efficiency while reducing carbon emissions. The Ministry of Education, which organized the competition, said the project was recognized for its practicality and market potential, contributing to the operation and sustainability of the railway industry. The ministry said that this year’s competition featured 74 teams with a total of 211 participants. Over the two-day event, participants developed solutions based on assigned challenges and transformed their ideas into tangible projects on-site using provided equipment and materials. This year's competition theme was based on one of the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals: Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure. The ministry said participants were required to design solutions that enhance the resilience and sustainability of transportation, energy, or infrastructure quality. The competition aimed to foster critical thinking, promote teamwork, and enhance participants’ problem-solving abilities, the ministry said. The judging panel included experts from industry, research institutions, and government agencies. The solutions developed during the event have the chance to serve as references for future industrial and urban development. Students from Southern Taiwan University of Science and Technology were also recognized for their project focused on a road monitoring system. National Taipei University of Technology students won an award for their solution integrating power generation with public transportation. Meanwhile, students from National Kaohsiung University of Science and Technology were honored for developing an AI-powered waypoint planning system. |
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| Carol Yang, Taiwan News, Staff Writer | |
| 2025-05-27 |
