TAIPEI (Taiwan News) – Taiwan’s Ministry of Economic Affairs unveiled a domestic quadruped robot development platform on Wednesday to enhance resilience, per the ministry's press release.
Quadruped robots can maneuver on difficult terrain for tasks such as patrols, inspections, and reconnaissance due to their scaled size and flexibility. These environments are often fraught with elements dangerous to humans but tolerable to robots.
The ministry said that the platform is led by the Industrial Technology Research Institute, in cooperation with Solomon, Compal, Inventec, Teco, and others, and has produced two completed prototypes and multiple field-tested applications.
Deputy Minister Ho Chin-tsang (何晉滄) said robotics has been elevated under Taiwan’s Ten AI Initiatives Promotion Plan, as AI sees widespread use. He added that the platform combines mechanics, sensing, chips, and systems integration, per UDN.
The Department of Industrial Technology said quadruped robots can walk up and down stairways, go prone, read dials and meters, and travel long distances. Demonstrations included utility inspections and coordinated supply transport, using laser-assisted mapping for navigation.
The Industrial Technology Research Institute President Chang Pei-zen (張培仁) said quadruped developments elsewhere are mostly closed to local participation. He added that this platform provides technical accessibility while connecting with suppliers to accelerate commercialization.
The institute said that the quadrupeds have passed fire safety certification in simulated scenarios. The institute added that simulations can improve situational awareness for firefighters, increasing operational safety.
For immersion, the platform uses Nvidia’s computing and simulation solutions to simultaneously train more than 4,000 robot dogs. The department said this is to help the quadrupeds quickly adapt to most environments.
The event drew representatives from the public and the private sectors. The aim is to build a one-stop, MIT robotics ecosystem to compete globally.
