On 1 March 2019, Kyoto University held the fourth Digital Health Symposium, themed "AI & Multimedia Technologies for Smart Healthcare", in association with National Taiwan University (NTU) with sponsorship from Towa Pharmaceutical Co Ltd and T Square Solutions Co Ltd.
The first-ever KyotoU-NTU digital health conference drew a total of 199 attendees, including representatives of the two universities as well as Japanese and Taiwanese technology startups and other companies, and embassies.
Among the KyotoU officials in attendance were: Shinji Asonuma, executive vice-president for industry-government-academia collaboration and director-general of the University's Office of Society-Academia Collaboration for Innovation (SACI); Professor Kazuhiro Iwai, dean of the Graduate School of Medicine; Professor Tomohiro Kuroda, director of KyotoU Hospital's Division of Medical Information Technology and Administration Planning; and other members of SACI.
Presenters from Taiwan included Dr Juin-Rong Chen, director of the Science and Technology Division of Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office in Japan (TECO-Japan), and Professor Li-Chen Fu, director of the NTU Department of Computer Science and Information Engineering (CSIE). Dr Chen delivered opening remarks, and Professor Fu presented a lecture.
Research presentations from both sides addressed topics such as potential clinical and diagnostic roles of artificial intelligence (AI) and robotics, which are anticipated to lead to the establishment of "Society 5.0", an ultra-smart society envisioned in the Japanese government's "5th Science and Technology Basic Plan". These talks and discussions highlighted the two institutions' respective research strengths in AI-powered healthcare, and helped develop a common understanding among the scholars on how to advance collaboration on a smart healthcare system suitable for both Japan and Taiwan.
The symposium also paved the way for joint research between the NTU Industry Liaison Office (NTU ILO) and SACI, focused on bringing together industry and academia.
As the event came to a close, representatives from both institutions expressed their expectations for the fifth Digital Health Symposium, to be organized by NTU in partnership with KyotoU, and for the ongoing and future joint endeavors between their universities, which are committed to driving innovation and creating a harmonious society, while continuously promoting industry-academia collaboration.
Attendees at the symposium venue
Exhibition hall
Distinguished officials at a courtesy visit, including SACI Director-General/KyotoU EVP Asonuma (front row, third from left), and NTU CSIE Director Professor Fu (front row, second from left)
