An environmental group protested outside the WiMAX Expo over the potential health impact of electromagnetic radiation as President Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) visited the trade show at the Taipei World Trade Center.
Ma, who took pride in his efforts to boost wireless Internet service in Taipei during his two terms as mayor, pledged to use Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access (WiMAX) technology to bridge the digital divide between urban and rural areas.
Over the past three years the government has pumped more than NT$20 billion (US$647.5 million) into developing WiMAX and opened WiMAX frequencies to six operators.
But environmentalists yesterday urged more caution, saying electromagnetic radiation linked to WiMAX technology may have a negative impact on human health.
“WiMAX is a policy mistake,” Chen Jiau-hua (陳椒華), president of the Taiwan Electromagnetic Radiation Hazard Protection and Control Association, shouted before Ma left Exhibition Hall II of the trade center.
Chen, a professor at the Chia Nan University of Pharmacy and Science, said the government should think twice about boosting WiMAX technology because electric and magnetic fields from power lines, wiring and appliances are harmful to human health.
She cited an international study that found exposure to electromagnetic radiation may cause cancer and was likely responsible for an increase in childhood leukemia, although more research was necessary to establish the link.
Chen’s association has called on the legislature to pass a law banning the installment of wireless antennas in residential areas or near school campuses.
Mike Lin (林智清), who works for the Taipei Computer Association (TCA, 台北市電腦公會), dismissed the health fears, saying that electromagnetic radiation associated with WiMAX is lower than that for mobile phones. He said the National Communications Commission was of the same opinion.
WiMAX can transmit wireless data at high speed over long distances for computers or mobile phones. The wireless Internet service currently in use cannot maintain normal operations if a laptop is being used in a vehicle traveling at a speed of more than 50kph, but WiMAX chipsets enable laptops to remain connected to the Internet while moving as fast as 80kph.
Hon Hai Precision Industry Co (鴻海精密) yesterday said that its research institute has launched its first advanced artificial intelligence (AI) large language model (LLM) using traditional Chinese, with technology assistance from Nvidia Corp. Hon Hai, also known as Foxconn Technology Group (富士康科技集團), said the LLM, FoxBrain, is expected to improve its data analysis capabilities for smart manufacturing, and electric vehicle and smart city development. An LLM is a type of AI trained on vast amounts of text data and uses deep learning techniques, particularly neural networks, to process and generate language. They are essential for building and improving AI-powered servers. Nvidia provided assistance
DOMESTIC SUPPLY: The probe comes as Donald Trump has called for the repeal of the US$52.7 billion CHIPS and Science Act, which the US Congress passed in 2022 The Office of the US Trade Representative is to hold a hearing tomorrow into older Chinese-made “legacy” semiconductors that could heap more US tariffs on chips from China that power everyday goods from cars to washing machines to telecoms equipment. The probe, which began during former US president Joe Biden’s tenure in December last year, aims to protect US and other semiconductor producers from China’s massive state-driven buildup of domestic chip supply. A 50 percent US tariff on Chinese semiconductors began on Jan. 1. Legacy chips use older manufacturing processes introduced more than a decade ago and are often far simpler than
STILL HOPEFUL: Delayed payment of NT$5.35 billion from an Indian server client sent its earnings plunging last year, but the firm expects a gradual pickup ahead Asustek Computer Inc (華碩), the world’s No. 5 PC vendor, yesterday reported an 87 percent slump in net profit for last year, dragged by a massive overdue payment from an Indian cloud service provider. The Indian customer has delayed payment totaling NT$5.35 billion (US$162.7 million), Asustek chief financial officer Nick Wu (吳長榮) told an online earnings conference. Asustek shipped servers to India between April and June last year. The customer told Asustek that it is launching multiple fundraising projects and expected to repay the debt in the short term, Wu said. The Indian customer accounted for less than 10 percent to Asustek’s
Gasoline and diesel prices this week are to decrease NT$0.5 and NT$1 per liter respectively as international crude prices continued to fall last week, CPC Corp, Taiwan (CPC, 台灣中油) and Formosa Petrochemical Corp (台塑石化) said yesterday. Effective today, gasoline prices at CPC and Formosa stations are to decrease to NT$29.2, NT$30.7 and NT$32.7 per liter for 92, 95 and 98-octane unleaded gasoline respectively, while premium diesel is to cost NT$27.9 per liter at CPC stations and NT$27.7 at Formosa pumps, the companies said in separate statements. Global crude oil prices dropped last week after the eight OPEC+ members said they would
RSS