ASUSTeK Computer Inc. and National Health Research Institutes (NHRI) will be joining forces to develop a next-generation biomedical supercomputer. Health Minister Chiu Tai-yuan (邱泰源) oversaw the signing of a letter of intent for cooperation by NHRI President Huey-Kang Sytwu (司徒惠康) and ASUS Chairman Jonney Shih (施崇棠) on Friday.

The two parties will be utilizing AI computing power, real-world data, and medical information systems to build a biomedical big data ecosystem similar to the U.K. and Nvidia’s Cambridge-1. Taiwan’s "National Health 1" will provide important support for vaccine development, genetic analysis, and medical big data in the post-pandemic era.

Shih says that with the rapid arrival of the AI era, Taiwan has gained international competitiveness and visibility which is also providing the opportunity to integrate its superior biomedical resources. He emphasizes that now is the time to give full play to the public-private partnership (PPP) model to develop a precision medical industry. Sytwu adds that in addition to adopting the PPP model, both parties believe that data drives discovery and can truly contribute to the health and well-being of the Taiwanese people.
 

Chiu also points out that precision medicine and smart learning are the world’s leading development trends in medical technology and align with President Lai Ching-te’s (賴清德) important strategies to create a healthy Taiwan.