NTU Department of Biomechatronics Engineering

On May 6, 2025, the Department of Biomechatronic Engineering (BME) at National Taiwan University (NTU) formally signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Faculty of Associated Medical Sciences (AMS) at Khon Kaen University (KKU), Thailand, marking the beginning of a new chapter in academic collaboration and student exchange between the two institutions. The visiting delegation, led by AMS Dean Prof. Jureerut Daduang and three faculty members along with five undergraduate students, conducted a two-week research internship and cultural exchange program at our department from May 5 to 16. The program focused on biosensor development and smart agriculture chip applications, featuring hands-on projects, data analysis, and presentation sessions, with guidance and assistance provided by our graduate students to facilitate in-depth technical and cultural interactions. On the morning of the MOU signing ceremony, the Office of International Affairs arranged a reception where guests enjoyed panoramic views of the campus while listening to presentations about NTU's profile and international collaboration policies. The formal signing took place in our department's conference room after academic introductions, followed by laboratory tours and thematic research discussions. The well-organized schedule demonstrated our department's active achievements in promoting international cooperation and interdisciplinary learning. Prof. Yen-Wen Lu, the faculty member who initiated this exchange, mentioned that the collaboration originated from his visit to KKU during an academic conference in Thailand last summer. What began as simple interactions and conversations gradually developed into mutual trust and a foundation for cooperation. "This MOU not only represents a starting point but also symbolizes our shared commitment to education, academic excellence, and cultural understanding," he remarked. Looking ahead, both institutions will continue to develop long-term, stable collaborations through various initiatives including student exchange programs, faculty visits, joint research projects, and co-publications, aiming to enhance international academic influence and visibility.     p { line-height:1.7; }  

  Student 1 President Wu introduced himself and his globally distributed company team, sharing his experiences in agricultural information and data analysis. What resonated with me the most was his discussion on Taiwan’s pineapples. Although President Wu is a data science expert, he also possesses deep knowledge of agronomy, understanding factors that affect pineapple texture, such as soil moisture. I believe that pursuing a career in smart agriculture should follow this approach. As President Wu mentioned, it is not just about becoming an expert in a single field, but rather about being an interdisciplinary bridge who can connect different domains.   Author: PhD student: Yin-Hao Lai Student 2 "First of all, I would like to express my gratitude to the Department of Bio-Industrial Mechatronics Engineering for inviting the President of DATAYOO to share this insightful lecture, which is highly relevant to our field. The cases presented by President Wu closely resemble the work done in our department and laboratory, but they are more refined, advanced, and scaled for greater economic value. Among them, FarmiSpace was particularly eye-opening for me. Unlike traditional RGB color images, DATAYOO utilizes satellite imagery to achieve smart agriculture. Moreover, they present data analysis results through intuitive visualizations, offering a highly effective solution. From this talk, I learned many valuable techniques for data visualization and presentation."   Author: Master student: Hao-Ping Chen p { line-height:1.7; }

  Workshop group photo of faculty and students (Screen right: From left 1 to 5: Professor Kenji Osafune, Professor Yung-Te Hou, Professor Tsung-Chi Cheng, Assistant Professor Hsiao-Mei Wu) Post-workshop dinner group photo (From left 1 to 5: Associate Professor Po-Chuan Hsieh, Professor Yung-Te Hou, Professor Kenji Osafune, Professor Li-Chi Chen, Professor Tsung-Chi Cheng)     Professor Yung-Te Hou from the Department of Bioenvironmental Systems Engineering once again invited Professor Kenji Osafune, Vice Director of the Center for iPS Cell Research and Application (CiRA) at Kyoto University, to visit the department from December 18 to 19, 2024. On December 18, Professor Osafune joined faculty and students in Room 401 of Chih-Wu Hall for the 2nd National Taiwan University and Kyoto University Joint Symposium. During the symposium, in addition to Professor Osafune's lecture titled "iPSC technology-based regenerative therapy and drug discovery for liver diseases," the following research presentations were included: Assistant Professor Chien-Fang Ding: "Evaluation of hepatocyte separation and culture in laser-fabricated microchannels" Professor Yung-Te Hou's team: Development of a DLM-coated liver-on-a chip for enhanced hepatic functions and drug testing applications Development of a vascularized liver-on-a chip platform for liver tissue engineering Establishment of a fatty liver detection and drug prediction platform using a machine learning-based liver-on-a chip system Associate Professor Po-Chuan Hsieh's team: "An aptamer-based capacitive biosensor for gluten detection" Professor Tsung-Chi Cheng's team: "Determination of o‑phthalaldehyde for dose verification of the clinical disinfectant by fluorescent sequential injection analysis" Assistant Professor Hsiao-Mei Wu's team: "Development of a smart automated microscopic image tracking system for precision of living cells" Professor Yen-Wen Lu's team: "Innovative technologies in blood filtration and component separation" Professor Lin-Chi Chen's team: "Rapid D-dimer colorimetric assay based on unmodified aptamer-gold nanoparticle conjugates" The symposium not only provided another opportunity for faculty members to discuss research topics with Professor Osafune but also strengthened future collaboration. Professor Hou had previously sent two master's students to Professor Osafune's laboratory for a two-month exchange from October 15 to December 15, 2024, further enhancing mutual cooperation.