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This paper developed an approach based on data envelopment analysis and Malmquist productivity index to investigate the performance of power plants and conducted an empirical study with eight thermal power plants in Taiwan. The analysis resuIts show the productivity improvements, and thus, help Taiwan Power Company to monitor and diagnose changes in the productivity of its thermal power plants. Furthermore, this study also provides specific directions for improvements to increase competitiveness in the face of the continuing liberalization of the Taiwanese power generation market. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Drug-related problems, particularly those that result from sub- or overtherapeutic doses of high-alert medications, have become a growing concern in clinical medicine. In this paper, we use a model-tree-based regression technique (namely, M5) and support vector machine (SVM) for regression to develop learning-based systems for predicting the adequacy of a vancomycin regimen. We empirically evaluate each system's accuracy in predicting patients' peak and trough concentrations in different clinical scenarios characterized by renal functions and regimen types. Our data consist of 1099 clinical cases that were collected from a major tertiary medical center in southern Taiwan. We also examine the use of Bagging for enhancing the prediction power of the respective systems and include in our evaluation a salient one-compartment model for performance benchmark purposes. Overall, our evaluation results suggest that both M5 and SVM are significantly more accurate than the benchmark one-compartment model in predicting patients' peak and trough concentrations across all investigated clinical scenarios. MS appears to benefit considerably from Bagging, which has a positive but seemingly smaller effect on SVM. Taken together, our findings indicate supervised learning techniques that are capable of effectively supporting clinicians' use of vancomycin or similar high-alert drugs in their patient care and management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The "318 Blackout Incident" at the Maanshan Nuclear Power Station on March 18, 2001, is considered to be the most serious event over the 24-year history of nuclear power generation in Taiwan. This paper simulates a special overvoltage phenomenon that occurred 4 h before the blackout event, which could have caused the incident. The simulation results almost coincide closely with the actual conditions recorded. We found two major low-frequency and ferroresonant overvoltages caused by the motors which acted as generators when they lost power supply, interacting with power-line capacitance and power transformers. Since overvoltages were present for a short period, the breaker insulation did not break down immediately but the defects were accumulated. A blackout eventually occurred 4 h later, when the power supplied to the 4.16-kV essential bus A changed over from the 161-kV system to the 345-kV system, due to damage in the incoming breaker insulation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Taipei Metro adopted the diode-grounded scheme for stray current collection in construction of its cross rail network. During operation of the network, a high rail-to-earth potential (Vrail) has been observed at the east end of the Blue Line (i.e., stations BL13-BL16). To find effective countermeasures, a series of field tests in a step-by-step development nature was conducted from 1999-2000, which led to the decision of disconnecting the impedance bond at Gil of the tie line so that the negative return current of the Blue Line cannot flow to the rails of the Red-Green Line, and vice versa (detailed in Sections 111-A and V-C). This decision was implemented through contract-out work in 2003. Since then, the Vrail has been lowered by almost half before disconnection. To gain the insight characteristic before the contract-out, numerical simulations were also conducted by simulating the multi-train and multisection features of the cross transportation network. The simulation results (for Vrail and stray current, or Istray) were consistent with the field-test results. This paper presents the design of these field tests and their test results in comparison with the simulation results, based on which the countermeasures for reducing Vrail and the present status after Vrail reduction at Taipei Metro are presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper derives two fuzzy financial profitability models, namely, a least cost solution model and a cost-benefit analysis model, to evaluate the fuzzy financial profitability of load management alternatives. A straightforward vertex parameters' fuzzy mathematics operation using the function principle is derived as an alternative to the traditional extension principle and is applied to evaluate a number of different financial decision indexes. Compared to the extension principle, the function principle is simple to implement and is conceptually straightforward. The geometric moments of the fuzzy financial indexes are established in order to determine their relative ranking as part of a decision-making process. The performances of the proposed fuzzy financial models are verified by considering their application to two practical load management programs in Taiwan, namely, a cooling energy storage air conditioner and a cogeneration project. These investigations not only confirm that the results of the fuzzy financial models are consistent with those of the conventional crisp models but also demonstrate that the proposed models are more flexible, intelligent, and computationally efficient compared to the extension principle fuzzy mathematics approach. The developed models represent readily implemented possibility analysis tools for use in the arena of uncertain financial decision-making. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents a practical case for safety assessment of bulk supply substations (BSS) and traction supply substations (TSS) in Taipei Rail Transit Systems (TRTS). For a substation grounding system to be safe, the maximum touch-and-step voltages should not exceed postulated safety criteria. The safety criterion in IEEE Standard 80 is defined in terms of permissible body current. The permissible body current is then translated into the permissible touch-and-step voltages. Since the mesh voltage is usually the worst possible touch voltage inside the substation (excluding transferred potentials), the mesh voltage is used as the safety criteria. In other words, safety assessment of an ac substation grounding system in TRTS is referred to a procedure by which the mesh and step voltages are computed and compared to the maximum permissible (safe) touch-and-step voltages. Computation results for the orange line at 019 station are presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Examines the energy loss estimation of distribution systems by fuzzy-c-number algorithm and cluster-wise fuzzy regression in Taiwan. Reason for the energy loss; Purpose of loss estimation; Concept of fuzzy clustering technique.

Surveys voltage and current harmonic distortion levels at 40 power transformers and 10 capacitor units in Northern Taiwan. Data reported and analyzed; Indications of each power transformer; What transformers supply; Reason for suggestion given in relation to harmonic voltage; Discussion arising out of study; Detailed information on survey.

As the penetration of photovoltaic (PV) solar generation has increased, a significant number of residential and commercial solar PV systems have been installed without meters. The majority of these systems, however, are also not monitored by power system operators. Therefore, the uncertainty of the net load owing to this “invisible” solar power generation has raised additional challenges for power system operation. To reduce the impact of this, we propose a novel method to estimate the total solar power generation in a large region from a small representative subset. The proposed method is capable of capturing all relevant information that could assist in the identification of the representative subsets. Moreover, different optimization algorithms are utilized and evaluated to select the optimal number of clusters and representative subsets. As a case study, the power generation of 166 PV sites in Taiwan was collected and analyzed. The proposed method demonstrates a significant improvement in estimating aggregated power generation compared to other existing methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Corrections to articles in previous issues related to markup of the quantities, a paper presented at the "IEEE International Conference on Robotics and Automation," held in Taipei, Taiwan in September 2003, and the reference of MTS Systems Corp. are presented.

The six articles in this special issue were originally presented at the 2009 International Conference on Electromagnetic Near-Field Characterization and Imaging (ICONIC'09), held at the Oriental Institute of Technology, Taipei, Taiwan, on June 24-26, 2009. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The progress of industrial development naturally leads to the demand for more electrical power. Unfortunately, due to the fear of the safety of nuclear power plants, many countries have relied on thermal power plants, which will cause more air pollutants during the process of coal burning. This phenomenon as well as increased vehicle emissions around us, have constituted the primary factors of serious air pollution. Inhaling too much particulate air pollution may lead to respiratory diseases and even death, especially PM $_{2.5}$ 2. 5 . By predicting the air pollutant concentration, people can take precautions to avoid overexposure to air pollutants. Consequently, accurate PM $_{2.5}$ 2. 5 prediction becomes more important. In this study, we propose a PM $_{2.5}$ 2. 5 prediction system, which utilizes the dataset from EdiGreen Airbox and Taiwan EPA. Autoencoder and Linear interpolation are adopted for solving the missing value problem. Spearman’s correlation coefficient is used to identify the most relevant features for PM $_{2.5}$ 2. 5 . Two prediction models (i.e., LSTM and LSTM based on K-means) are implemented which predict PM $_{2.5}$ 2. 5 value for each Airbox device. To assess the performance of the model prediction, the daily average error and the hourly average accuracy for the duration of a week are calculated. The experimental results show that LSTM based on K-means has the best performance among all methods. Therefore, LSTM based on K-means is chosen to provide real-time PM $_{2.5}$ 2. 5 prediction through the Linebot. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fault detection and classification has been employed to enhance yield and product quality for smart semiconductor manufacturing. For early detection of abnormal events that cause defects, the status variables identification data collected by the sensors embedded in advanced machines can be analyzed to derive the actions for advanced process control and advanced equipment control. However, the validity and effectiveness of fault detection and classification technologies may highly depend on domain knowledge and experience of the process engineers who should redefine the monitoring rules quickly when new process excursion occurred especially when ramping up new technologies and products. Motivated by realistic needs, this study aims to propose a novel strategy to empower intelligent fault detection and classification that employed convolutional neural network to analyze the feature SVID data and determine the conditions of the wafers, while shorten the cycle time for self-learning from domain knowledge and redefining new monitoring rules for fault classification in real time. This approach is validated with an empirical study in a leading semiconductor manufacturing company in Taiwan. The results have demonstrated the practical viability of the developed solution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Because of climate changes, natural disasters are becoming more serious. For instance, the intensity of typhoons has been increasing in recent years. Typhoons and other natural disasters have high-impact low-probability characteristics. Thus, procedures for preparing for natural disasters and increasing power system resilience are important issues. This article proposes an all-inclusive process for system operators to make decisions for enhancing power system resilience and economic value during a severe weather event. This process first considers the typhoon track, the fragility curve and the recovery time of transmission lines. After collecting these data, system simulations and a calculated resilience index are implemented according to cases with and without disaster prevention. Next, the probability threshold and calculated economic value index are obtained based on numerical weather prediction wind speeds and the cost-loss ratio. Finally, the two indexes are considered in combination to obtain the highest resilience with the greatest benefit. The proposed process helps system operators make decisions for appropriate preventive actions at the least cost. An actual Taiwan power system and a severe weather event are used as an example to demonstrate the proposed decision analysis. The simulation results indicate the feasibility of the proposed method, which can reduce potential risks caused by extreme weather events with the maximum economic benefits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A calendar of computer-related events for January to November 2010 is presented which includes the IEEE International Workshop on Wireless, Mobile and Ubiquitous Technology in Education in Kaohsiung, Taiwan, the PerCom 2010 International Conference on Pervasive Computing and Communications in Mannheim, Germany and International Conference on Data Engineering in Long Beach, California.

Some new 3D image technologies including image capturing, digital data processing, 2D/3D video conversion, and naked eye 2D/3D compatible display have been developed in Taiwan for the future 3D world applications. An innovative 3D image capturing and displaying architecture is a cost effective system for 3D content generation, transmission, and display. The multiview images of fine art such as sculpture can be captured by using 3D scanner or camera. The obtained multiview images can be transmitted though popular streaming channel to the cloud computing center that handles huge tasks of 2D/3D image processing. Then, the multi-view images are fed into the new types of 2D/3D compatible display. This new type of display using a specially designed microretarder can present 2D and naked eye 3D images on the same display simultaneously. Some new 3D applications with real-time 2D to 3D conversion technology are also introduced. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The coevolutionary algorithm (CEA) based on the Lagrangian method is proposed for hydrothermal generation scheduling. The main purpose of hydrothermal generation scheduling is to minimize the overall operation cost and the constraints satisfied by scheduling the power outputs of all hydro and thermal units under study periods, given electrical load and limited water re- source. In the proposed method, a genetic algorithm is successfully incorporated into the Lagrangian method. The genetic algorithm searches out the optimum using multiple-path techniques and possesses the ability to deal with continuous and discrete variables. Regardless of the objective function characteristic the genetic algorithm does not have to modify the design rules and possesses the ability to go over local solutions toward the global optimal solution. The genetic algorithm can improve the disadvantages of the traditional Lagrangian method, which updates Lagrange multipliers according to the degree of system constraint violation by the gradient algorithm, and further searches out the global optimal solution. The developed algorithm is illustrated and tested on a practical Taiwan power system. Numerical results show that the proposed CEA based on the Lagrangian method is a very effective method for searching out the global optimal solution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The R&D output and global commercialization of intellectual properties (IPs), especially patents filed in many countries, have increased dramatically over the past decade. The overwhelming growth in research and IP activities has led to a major challenge to understand and forecast technology development insights and trends. Evidence-based data analytics is essential for technology mining. The assessment of patent values is a critical aspect of technology mining, which remains a highly subjective task performed by domain experts. As businesses become globalized, subjectivity in underlying assessments of large volumes of patent documents leads to overpriced or undervalued IP sales or licensing that exposes stakeholders to legal and financial risks. Thus, the development of intelligent methods for patent valuation requires new research emphasis. This article applies a deep learning analytical method for automatic and intelligent patent value estimation. Principal component analysis (PCA) is used to identify significant patent value indicators from the given patent dataset. Then, deep neural networks (DNN) for value prediction are modeled and trained using the training set. A detailed case study of 6466 manufacturing Internet of Things (IoT) patents is analyzed to demonstrate the improved results of building PCA-preprocessed DNN models to perform patent valuations. Finally, selected higher value IoT patents owned by leading Taiwan assignees are identified and analyzed to verify the technological competitive intelligence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Proposes a method for estimating fault sections in power substations. Knowledge representation and inference procedures based on the cause-effect networks and rule matrix transformation techniques; Testing of the method on a typical Taiwan Power Co.'s secondary substation; Superiority of the method to existing production systems in the inference speed and the process of implementation.

Presents an accurate dynamic load estimation (DLE) algorithm capable of achieving the balance impact on the grid while providing a complete coverage of all the principles and parameters used during the derivation. Evaluation of the unbalanced impact of the Taiwan high-speed railway (HSR); Application of the proposed DLE algorithm; Traction power system structure of Taiwan's HSR system.

Deals with a study which investigated the impact of load models on an unstable low frequency oscillation damping through the eigenvalue analysis approach tested in the power system of Taiwan. Kinds of system-wide load models; Description of the study system; Application of power system stabilizers.

Examines the cost analysis of a hybrid photovoltaic and battery energy storage system for demand-side applications in southern Taiwan. System description; Operational procedures of the hybrid system; Sensitivity analysis.

Recently, Taiwanese Government has announced an ambitious energy policy: up to 20% of total power will be generated from renewable energy resources by 2025. Under such high-level penetration level of renewable energy resources, the typical net load curve will be definitely reshaped as the so-called duck curve. Operation modes of pumped hydro storage units in Taiwan power system will be totally changed. To tackle out this difficulty, the optimal scheduling of Taiwan power system is developed in this article for examining the coordination of highly penetrated renewable energy resources and pumped hydro storage plants under the required spinning reserve. The associated cost function and various constraints used in this optimal scheduling problem are described first. Physical characteristics of pumped hydro storage units in Taiwan will also be studied. By following the data format in the open source MATPOWER optimal scheduling tool, platform developments of this optimal scheduling program are reported. To validate the effectiveness of the proposed scheme, intensive simulations of both current scenarios and future scenarios are conducted. Simulation results indicate that existing pumped hydro storage units in Taiwan can indeed mitigate the impact of the duck-shaped net load curve in the generator scheduling of future Taiwan power system even under the worst scenario. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article proposes a fault identification method that is embedded in an asset management system (AMS) to identify the faulted location based on the fault flags reported from the fault indicators (FIs). The fault identification model based on the Petri-net technology is developed using the distribution network topology generated by a geographic information system. The proposed method uses the data set of fault flags generated by FIs, the statuses of circuit breakers, the available precurrent and postcurrent measurements of FIs, and the loadings of distribution feeders and laterals. The hybrid communication system is applied to provide two-way communication between the control center and FIs. The AMS with the embedded fault identification method can dispatch the repair crews to the fault location faster to accelerate the customer service restoration. A distribution feeder of Taiwan Power Company was selected for the computer simulation to demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed method by using the communication-capable FIs to identify the exact fault location of distribution lines after a short circuit fault occurs in a distribution system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Reports on a type of solid contamination on overhead distribution equipment found in some regions of the Taiwan Power Co. Direct deposit of coastal sand dust during the winter season; Account of the field condition; Characteristics of the contaminants; Description of counter measures.

The isolated power system in Kinmen Island, Taiwan has already implemented the special protection system (SPS) to prevent various critical contingencies that occurred during the past decade. However, when a severe N-2 contingency occurred on July 26, 2013, the SPS has not properly armed its under-frequency load shedding. After reexamining transient recorded waveforms, it was observed that the system still has sufficient spinning reserve and the coordination between the under-frequency relay and the current SPS was not well considered. In this article, the current SPS is further modified in order to avoid the occurrence of the excessive load shedding under similar N-2 contingencies. Extensive time-domain dynamical simulations are performed first to study the relationship between the amount of the load shedding and frequency deviations under these extreme N-2 contingencies. Based on these simulation results, the remediation scheme of the SPS will be proposed by modifying the existing SPS design logic and the amount of load shedding. More comprehensive input triggered states are proposed for identifying these severe N-2 contingencies. Both simulation verifications under the proposed remedial scheme and actual transient recorded waveforms under a severe contingency after commissioning this remediated SPS are provided to demonstrate the effectiveness of this proposed remediation scheme. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The penetration of renewable energy is gradually increasing. Therefore, power system flexibility, which is required to maintain system security and to cope with renewable generation uncertainty, becomes more important. Various technologies, such as flexible generators, demand management, energy storage, network reconfiguration, and even efficient system operations, are capable of improving power system flexibility. Nevertheless, among them, flexible generation resources can provide a direct way to enhance the power system flexibility. This article first applies the fuzzy analytic hierarchy process to calculate the flexibility index of generation resources. Then, the process of unit scheduling is implemented under various operation scenarios to investigate the relationship between the generation flexibility and the cost of unit scheduling. Finally, the required flexibility and the corresponding capacity of flexible generators under a specified penetration of renewable power generation are investigated under different operation scenarios. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Electric load analysis is an important task in early new stage for design of shipboard power systems (SPSs). The installation generation capacity onboard depends on the accurate result of the analysis, which significantly affects the system economic and secure operations. In the traditional electrical load analysis, the demand factor is often obtained from engineering experiences which may lead to inaccurate analysis results. In order to obtain better results, a methodology for electrical load analysis in SPSs is proposed in this article. The load analysis spreadsheet is adopted to find the power consumption of key electric loads in SPSs. The actual power consumptions of selected loads are collected by intelligent meters. The statistical analysis is then performed to find the critical parameter of each selected load in the load analysis under different operating conditions based on the power measurement of field test and load analysis is performed for estimating system power demand accordingly. The large practical maritime vessel power systems are selected for numerical analysis to ensure the performance of the proposed method. The proposed method has been adopted by local ship builders in Taiwan to better understand the load characteristics in shipboard power systems to support various functions of system planning and operation in a more effective manner. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Presents the front cover for this issue of the publication. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

This study investigates the influence of supply chain portfolios on the paradox of exploration and exploitation within interfirm collaborations. This study deploys two supply chain portfolio characteristics, supplier diversity and repeated partnerships, to explain the evolution of technological innovations and supply chain portfolios. It tests a set of hypotheses using a longitudinal study of 76 Taiwanese high-tech companies between 2001 and 2005. The findings support the premise that a diverse supplier base and deep familiarity with individual suppliers stimulate firms’ exploration and exploitation activities. This study also finds that the threshold effects of these two characteristics on exploration activities clarify how determinants of firms’ supply chain portfolios influence the developmental paths in the firm's evolution of exploration and exploitation activities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Restructuring of power system stresses the need for economic and reliable generation of power. Therefore generating units should be committed considering fuel cost and reliability level of the system. This necessitates the need for multi-objectives to be met in a unit commitment problem (UCP). Since the above objectives are conflicting in nature, a novel methodology employing optimal deviation based firefly algorithm tuned fuzzy membership function is applied to multi-objective unit commitment problem (MOUCP). The ON/OFF status of the generating units is obtained by binary coded FF whereas the sub-problem economic dispatch (ED) is obtained by real coded FF. Here the conflicting functions are formulated as a single objective function using fuzzy weighted optimal deviation. The fuzzy membership design variables are tuned using real coded FF; thereby the requirement of expertise for setting these variables are eliminated. The proposed methodology is validated on 100-unit system, IEEE RTS 24-bus system, IEEE 118-bus system and a practical Taiwan Power (Taipower) 38-unit system over a 24-h period. Effective strategy on scheduling spinning reserve is demonstrated by comparing its performance with other methods reported in the literature. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

In today's competitive marketplace, improving the management of engineering changes in new product development can reduce enterprise costs, shorten development times, and improve product quality. While previous studies have proposed engineering change management frameworks, these were based on deficient engineering change management standards. More importantly, these studies failed to apply engineering change management standards within specific industries. This study presents a novel engineering change management framework based on Configuration Management II (CMII) standards and industrial applications. This framework considers the addition of full-track or fast-track processes to solve fundamental product functionality or quality problems within a specific industry. To evaluate the effectiveness of this novel CMII-based engineering change management framework, this study applies the framework in a case study of a major Taiwan motorcycle manufacturer. Finally, we present the performance evaluation-based results of this framework and discuss the value of its managerial guidelines and implications. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The study presented here explored a student evaluation of the teaching effectiveness of a nationwide innovative education program on image display technology in Taiwan. Using survey data collected through an online questionnaire system, covering 165 classes across 30 colleges and universities in Taiwan, the study aimed to understand the teaching effectiveness of this particular educational program based on learners' viewpoints. Each item included in the student evaluation comprised four subscales: student knowledge and skill, satisfaction with the curriculum and teaching, professional learning, and general learning of the course. Moreover, the influences of student characteristics and type of school on the outcome of such an evaluation were considered. T-test and one-way ANOVA results confirm the effects of these influences. The implications for effective use of student evaluation of teaching in enhancing university-level teaching and learning of image display technology are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

For the past several years, a team in the Department of Electrical Engineering (EE), National Chung Cheng University, Taiwan, has been establishing a pedagogical approach to embody embedded systems in the context of robotics. To alleviate the burden on students in the robotics curriculum in their junior and senior years, a training platform on embedded systems with co-design in hardware and software has been developed and fabricated as a supplement for these students. This general-purpose platform has several advantages over commercial training kits for embedded systems. For instance, the programming layer has been brought onto an open-source platform ported by Linux and \muC/OS-II such that it is mostly hardware-independent. Meanwhile, in addition to linking to fundamental library functions provided for robotics, users can program the codes not only in C language, but also through visual programming by means of a graphic interface developed along with the platform, allowing users to concentrate on higher-level robot function design. In other words, the platform facilitates rapid prototyping in robotics design. Meanwhile, a tailored laboratory manual associated with the platform has been designed and used in classes. Based on assessments and evaluation on the students who have completed this course, the curricular training is satisfactory and largely meets the requirements established at the design stage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This work describes a novel, first-year graduate-level analog integrated circuit (IC) design course. The course teaches students analog circuit design; an external manufacturer then produces their designs in three different silicon chips. The students, working in pairs, then test these chips to verify their success. All work is completed within one semester, and the grading cycle in the most recent offering of the course extended from September 2007 to February 2008, when there were 10 students enrolled. The manufacturer's shuttle cycle is 3.5 months. Most students in the course have only a college-level electronics background. The manufacturing process is Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company's (TSMC) 0.35 mCMOS Mixed-Signal 2P4M Polycide 3.3/5 V. The three successful chips consist of a voltage controlled oscillator, a high-performance differential amplifier, and a temperature-independent voltage reference generator. Section VI describes assessment and student feedback as well as proposed course improvement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The main purpose of this study is to investigate whether the likelihood, frequency, and information content of conference calls are positively associated with innovation. The study is based on 534 conference calls conducted in 340 firm-years from 1997 to 2001 in Taiwan. Our findings indicate that more innovative firms are more likely to conduct conference calls and conduct them more frequently than less innovative firms. Consistent with prior research, high-growth firms and larger firms are more likely to hold conference calls, and hold them more frequently, than other firms. Low price-earnings firms are, nonetheless, more likely and frequent to host conference calls when their stock price has been undervalued. We also find supporting evidence that cumulative abnormal returns surrounding the event dates of conference calls are positively associated with the level of and change in innovation investments. In addition, our empirical results of market reaction driven by conference calls are still robust after controlling the effect of selection bias, market expectation, and timing of conducting conference calls. Finally, we also find that firms that are more innovative are more likely to discuss innovation activities during conference calls. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The new optical disk format, called forward versatile disk (FVD), has been developed in Taiwan. Some physical technologies, such as recording on narrower groove, new modulation code, and new error correction code (ECC) have been verified. The feasibility for producing triple-layer FVD has been proven. In addition to the read-only memory (ROM) type, the format for the recordable/rewritable FVD type is also developed. These technologies of FVD with red laser will be applied to the next generation. Blue high-definition (HD) FVD will adopt most red HD FVD technologies. For higher recording capacity FVD, technologies such as super-RENS and multilevel recording for next-generation FVD are continuing to develop. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

TWO new optical storage formats, forward versa- tile disk (FVD) and blue high-definition digital versatile disk (HD-DVD), developed in Taiwan, are introduced. Some major technologies, including new modulation code and multilayer technology, are adopted in these formats to differentiate from current optical disc formats. For the further HD storage, several advanced technologies have been developed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduces an application program based on an automated mapping /facilities management geographic information system (AM/FM/GIS) to provide information expectation, load forecasting and power flow calculation capability in electric power distribution systems in Taiwan. Defects of the transformer load management (TLM) program based on AM/FM/GIS used by Taipower; Measures done to improve the defects of the TLM program.

Presents a study which examined the strategic technology choices of Taiwan's high-technology-based firms and their impacts on performance. Technology strategies; Methods; Results and discussion.

Investigates the use of Bayesian network for fault location in power deliver system in Taiwan. Types of feeder configuration and feeder operating condition; Application of experts system to feeder fault location; Comparison between sequence network model and Bayesian network model.

Examines the application of immune-based optimization method for fault-section estimation in a distribution system in Taiwan. Concept of power system protection; Importance of protective relays in the system; Identification of the fault components of a power system.

Focuses on a study that applied Petri nets to enhance the decision-making process of the feeder switching operation using artificial intelligent approaches in solving the feeder overload and fault contingency. Details on the Petri nets inference mechanism; Application of the method to one of the distribution systems of the Taiwan Power Company; Results and discussion.

Examines the electric current of the Le Blanc transformer of the railway system in Taiwan. Influence of impedance circuit on power supply voltage; Source of electric traction; Structure of the transformer.

Describes the field tests transmission performance of the ATSC digital television (DTV) system in Taiwan. Characteristics of DTV; Guidelines for television stations to design transmission system; Improvement of the reception quality of the digital signal.