NSC proposes to encourage design of smart ICs

TAIPEI: Taiwan's National Science Council (NSC) has decided on a proposal to encourage the design of smart ICs for latest applications in green energy, medical care and automotive electronics with a 5-year budget of NT$12.435 billion (US$391 million).

The proposal, National Intelligent Electronics Program, is an addition to NSC's National Science and Technology Program for System-on-Chip introduced in the year 2002.

Taiwan-designed ICs have been extensively adopted in information and communication applications. However, development in the IT and communication sectors will come to a holdup, and Taiwan IC designers require to develop into other areas, said Peter Wu, who is in charge of the NSC programs.