Taiwan Today

Government and industry collaborate to offer technology aids for Taiwan’s aging population.
 

Free Bionics Taiwan Inc. has been making its mark in the health care sector­ for advanced assistive products­ since its start in 2016. “We focused on ­marketing devices to physiotherapy rehabilitation departments at hospitals, targeting­ users of all ages, but this year we’ve shifted attention to care homes and senior citizens,” said Free Bionics Director Alan Ho (何侑倫‬). “That’s why we have a much larger market than before.” 
 

The enterprise fine-tuned its marketing­ strategy due to awareness of the demographic transition at home and worldwide, together with growing ­government ­support for businesses ­engaged in developing­ eldercare tech solutions. The release of the White Paper on Aged Society in 2015, which projected Taiwan’s future demographic structure, anticipated subsequent ­societal impact and outlined positive action to care for older adults, acted as a catalyst for many ­businesses. The document was ­revised in 2021 to emphasize interministry cooperation­ to develop the health and wellness industry and the role of technology­ in maintaining the well-being of the older generation. 
 

In 2023 a Cabinet-level Strategic Review Board meeting on the age-tech industry was convened with officials from various government agencies. Its conclusions informed the Age-Tech Industry Action Plan approved by the Executive Yuan the same year. “All attendees, whether from government, corporate or academic sectors, reached a consensus on the need to formulate an action plan for Taiwan’s aging population,” said Lu Pei-jung (呂佩融), deputy executive director of the Office of Science and Technology Policy under the National Science and Technology Council (NSTC). Government data indicates that Taiwan became an aged society in 2018, with more than 14 percent of the population aged 65 or over. It will become superaged next year with the percentage projected to reach over 20 and an ultra-aged era will ­commence in 2036 when the percentage exceeds 28. 

Robotic Resources

As part of the action plan, the Ministry of Economic Affairs’ (MOEA) Small and Medium Enterprise and Startup Administration (SMESA) helped the age-tech industry mature through ­strategies such as guiding 10 tech ­com­panies to adapt existing products for older users, including a robot from Free Bionics that strengthens joints affected by degenerative arthritis and augments ­post-operative care after joint surgery. 
 

Each company receives a subsidy of up to NT$2 million (US$62,500) to refine products. Ho noted that matching SMESA-recommended mentors with interested care homes to bring the robots into facilities is equally important. “Mentors effectively build links between us and older adult end-users, who are usually unfamiliar with novel high-tech products,” Ho said, adding that the SMESA also supports the company in taking part in overseas trade shows to explore the international market. In ­addition to the joint-strengthening robot, Free Bionics has another innovative ­product: a mechanical exoskeleton designed to enable people with lower limb weakness to walk again. To date, the enterprise’s assistive devices have sold in over 20 countries. 
 

Multiple government agencies are involved in the action plan to develop the high-tech eldercare market. As well as the NSTC, which initiated and oversees the plan, three other ministries target four ­areas. The MOEA is responsible for expanding the market, the Ministry of Digital Affairs (moda) for promoting digital empowerment of the older demographic and the Ministry of Health and Welfare (MOHW) for both upgrading care to lessen caregiver burdens and optimizing­ quality-of-life services to ­seniors. Most MOHW projects are ­executed by the National Health Research Institutes (NHRI), which is supported by the ministry.  
 

Several other government agencies play an auxiliary role, including the Ministry of Education (MOE), whose Department of Lifelong Education is working with the moda to improve digital access for the elderly. The MOE currently operates 369 senior learning centers around Taiwan offering courses such as basic computer skills. Starting in 2024, it is renovating five locations each year into venues where seniors can learn how to use devices like drones and 3D printers. Meanwhile, the MOE has commissioned multiple universities to produce short films for seniors on ­subjects like online banking, medication safety and anti-fraud tips to make their lives easier and safer. The ministry will post the videos on its website and screen them at learning centers across Taiwan next year. 

Smart Care

To ensure health inclusivity in remote areas, the Cabinet-level Council of Indigenous Peoples has equipped 25 of its 425 cultural and health stations in Indigenous communities around the country with smart devices that ­monitor seniors’ vital signs. It is also currently running a pilot scheme installing fall detection sensors in seniors’ homes in Indigenous neighborhoods. Apart from central-level agencies, the MOHW also works with local government ­departments of health along with nongovernmental organizations in Kaohsiung, New Taipei and Taoyuan Cities, as well as in Miaoli and Yilan Counties. One collaborative project involves equipping venues with smart devices that detect vital signs. Information from these can be immediately transmitted to local medical services like pharmacies and clinics to obtain advice on health issues. “This raises awareness among the population of how they can autonomously monitor and manage their health. Public health ­experts can step in if a particular ­disease is identified in a specific ­location,” said Liu Ming-hsun (劉明勳), head of the ministry’s Office of Science and Technology. 
 

As various pilot projects are implemented, Liu noted that the goal is to ­replicate projects elsewhere in Taiwan within four years. He cited the promotion of smart walkers that prevent users from falling, lessening the burden on caregivers while effectively ­improving users’ ­independence. Two MOEA-recommended businesses producing smart walkers were matched earlier this year with three medical institutions ­chosen by the MOHW as demonstration sites. More facilities will follow suit and introduce the walkers to their ­residents. “The two ministries work closely on the Age-Tech Industry Action Plan, with each offering information from its ­particular brief to provide a bridge ­between ­medical institutions and ­aspiring businesses,” Liu added. 

Practical Matters

Hsu Yeh-liang (徐業良), professor of mechanical engineering and director of the Gerontechnology Research Center at Yuan Ze University in northern Taiwan’s Taoyuan City, was an advisor to the government on the revised White Paper on Aged Society in 2021. “It’s great to see Taiwan embracing business ­opportunities and paying serious attention to ­developing the industry in a way that meets senior citizens’ needs,” he noted. As editor-in-chief of Gerontology, the official journal of the International Society for Gerontology, Hsu shares information about recent global developments in the sector. He is also the founder of SEDA G-Tech, an enterprise that ­designs products like smart mattresses that ­allow caregivers to monitor users remotely and respond when anything ­unusual is ­detected. There are now over 4,500 SEDA smart mattresses in care ­facilities around Taiwan. 
 

The country’s population is not only aging but increasingly doing so alone. Lu noted that there are currently 480,000 households with a single occupant aged 65 and over, approximately double the number a decade ago, and the trend is irreversible due to increased longevity and low birth rates. “The government is tackling the challenges that come with an aged society,” he said. “The widespread use of technology will enable more ­effective solutions for both caregivers and those they care for.”

Write to Oscar Chung at mhchung@mofa.gov.tw