The 51st Geneva International Invention Exhibition was held from March 11 to 15, 2026, at the Palexpo Exhibition Hall in Geneva, Switzerland. This year’s exhibition featured over 1,000 inventive projects from 35 countries, making it a highly competitive global platform. National Yunlin University of Science and Technology (YunTech) showcased three entries, achieving remarkable recognition: 1 Gold Medal, 1 Silver Medal, 1 Bronze Medal, and 1 Special Award, demonstrating the university’s strong innovation capabilities on the international stage.
Gold Medal & Special Award: Rapid-Response Electrochromic Device with Tetrazole Polymer Film
Professor Wu Chih-yi’s team from the Department of Chemical and Materials Engineering developed a pioneering technology using tetrazole polymer films as the anodic layer in fast-response electrochromic devices. These energy-saving devices enhance indoor comfort while improving building energy efficiency. Achieving rapid and uniform color switching in electrochromic materials has been a major challenge. By incorporating tetrazole moieties into dithienylpyrrole derivatives (TET) and electrochemically depositing the corresponding polymer film (P(TET)) onto indium tin oxide (ITO)-coated glass, the team created films exhibiting multicolor, reversible switching between oxidized and reduced states. This innovation earned both a Gold Medal and a Special Award for its forward-looking application.
Silver Medal: Self-Rectifying Strontium Titanate Memory Device
Professor Hsu Chih-chieh’s team from the Department of Electronic Engineering developed a self-rectifying strontium titanate (STO) resistive memory using RF sputtering techniques. The device uses a heavily doped silicon substrate as the bottom electrode, followed by RF sputter deposition of the STO thin film and oxygen annealing at 600°C for 4 hours, with a Cu top electrode applied via thermal evaporation. The resulting Cu/STO/p⁺-Si memory device exhibits a high rectification ratio, extremely low reverse leakage current, and excellent long-term stability and reliability, significantly improving operational efficiency. This innovation received the Silver Medal.
Bronze Medal: Contactless AI Drone 3D Building Facade Safety Inspection System
Assistant Professor Chen Ching-ju’s team from the Department of Electrical Engineering developed a contactless, AI-powered drone system for 3D structural inspection of building facades. Combining high-resolution aerial imaging and LiDAR sensors, the system automatically scans building exteriors, capturing high-precision images and 3D point cloud data to construct detailed 3D models. The system identifies structural anomalies such as tile detachment, cracks, and displacement using AI-based image recognition. By eliminating the need for scaffolding, this non-contact method reduces high-altitude work risks while providing quantifiable and trackable data for long-term maintenance and lifecycle management. This project earned the Bronze Medal.
YunTech reaffirmed its commitment to supporting innovative research teams in showcasing their work internationally, contributing to both the university’s reputation and Taiwan’s global recognition in science and technology.
Exhibition Display (Yellow House) – Tetrazole polymer film for rapid-response electrochromic anodic layer
Data Preservation Capability Measurement
Disturbance Reliability Testing
Contactless AI Drone 3D Building Facade Safety Inspection System
Organizing Unit: Innovation and Technology Management Division, Office of Research and Development
Director: Li Hong-jen
Contact Person: Yang Yi-rong
Contact Number: +886-5-534-2601 ext. 2513
※The above is an AI-generated translation and may not be 100% accurate. For reference only — please double-check any important details.
