Over 1,000 to Compete in ITRI’s U19 Award Competition
- Organized by?Industrial Technology Research Institute
- In Collaboration With ?NEXT Consortium? SYM ?VIA?Liu li Gong Fang?HIWIM?CHILIN?HCG?PRODUCTIVITY ARCHITECH ?Chunghwa Telecom
- Sponsored by?MIT Media Lab?HYPERSCORE HLOUNGE ?
- Special Thanks To?Y17 TAIPEI YOUTH ACTIVITY CENTER
- Curated by?UNISON ART ASSOCIATION
ITRI is holding Taiwan's first U19 Creativity Awards competition to encourage creativity and innovation among Taiwan's youth. To this point, youth from throughout Taiwan have signed up to submit over 1,300 entries. ITRI hopes the competition will spark the imagination of Taiwan's upcoming generation and provide them an opportunity to response to the needs of society with smart application, unearthing a new group of star innovators here.
ITRI President Dr. Johnsee Lee pointed out that Taiwan has the world's highest concentration of high-tech talent and resources, which provides a unique foundation to cultivate a new generation of leading innovators. ITRI is borrowing the successful U19 model from Austria and is tailoring it to Taiwan. Dr. Lee said ITRI hopes the competition will provide Taiwan youth a venue in which to express their creativity and spark momentum among this talent as they take prepare to enter the creative industry.
Creativity Lab Director Dr. Wen-Jean Hsueh said the origin of the U19 competition can be traced to Austria's world-renowned technology arts Ars Electronica Festival. Given the spectacle surrounding the festival, many refer to it as the Oscar awards for innovation. After years promotion by U19 curator, Shu-Min Lin , ITRI successfully stretch the U19 essence from Austria and originate a exclusive competition in Taiwan. ITRI has established five competitive categories for the first competition , including inventions for future lifestyles, virtual characters, digital music, digital animation, and science fiction novels. Winners in each division will not only receive an award of NT$100,000, but will also have an opportunity to visit international creative institutions. "We hope to ignite the creative power of youth in this competition and offer an international platform. They will surprise us," Dr. Hsueh said.
ITRI is introducing two types of software developed by its international strategic partner MIT Media Lab to help participants in their creative efforts. The HYPERSCORE music production software and SCRATCH animal production software will be provided to all U19 competition participants free of charge. This software will largely reduce the digital divide and also bolster confidence and creative ability among participants. ITRI also plans to hold a number of workshops in northern, central and southern Taiwan in which teachers and school children will have an opportunity to learn how to use this software. ITRI is confident that making the software widely available will enable more children to come in contact with digital innovation at a young age, which will foster creativity. The developer of the SCRATCH software, Professor Mitchel Resnick of the MIT Media Lab, explained the unlimited creative possibilities that the software offers and has urged the new generation to think outside the box. Dr. Resnick expressed his full support for ITRI's initiatives in sparking innovation.
ITRI wants to provide an outlet for youth to express their creative abilities and pave the way for Taiwan's young people to reach the forefront amid the wave of global technological innovation. ITRI welcomes anyone under the age of 19 to sign up to participate in the competition. The U19 competition's website is: http://www.u19award.com
Media Contacts (ITRI PR Department):
- Phoebe Hsu pei@itri.org.tw
- Ching-Hwa Meng HMeng@itri.org.tw