Taiwan wins 18 accolades at 2025 Edison Awards

台灣榮獲2025年愛迪生獎18項殊榮

Taiwan ranks 2nd globally, 1st in Asia at international innovation honors


TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Taiwan won 18 accolades in Florida at this year's Edison Awards, an annual event recognizing outstanding achievements in new product and service development, marketing, human-centered design, and innovation.

The Ministry of Economic Affairs held a press conference on Tuesday to announce the achievement. Economics Minister Kuo Jyh-huei (郭智輝) said that Taiwan ranked second globally and first in Asia for total awards received, per CNA.

Of the 18 awards, 14 winning entries were supported by the ministry, earning five gold, six silver, and three bronze medals. This marks Taiwan's best performance to date at the Edison Awards.

Kuo said the 14 ministry-driven projects highlighted applications of AI, showcasing the agency's efforts in promoting AI development. To further support the adoption of AI by companies in Taiwan, he said the ministry plans to establish more than 50 test fields across 16 sectors nationwide.

The Industrial Technology Research Institute received three gold, three silver, and one bronze awards. One of its gold-winning innovations, the Smart Aqua Leak Finder, offers an alternative to traditional pipeline inspection methods, which are costly, time-consuming, and often affected by environmental conditions, making timely leak detection difficult.

The institute said the technology uses AI to analyze underground acoustic vibrations and process sound data, enabling rapid identification and precise localization of water leaks with 98% accuracy. In collaboration with Taiwan Water Corp., the system has identified 834 leaks, saving an estimated 10.94 million tonnes of water annually.

The institute’s second gold-winning innovation, NaPoGlass, is a nanoporous material. It can be applied to treat industrial wastewater, enabling water reuse and reducing water consumption by over 50%. The technology has been adopted in the semiconductor and electroplating industries, supporting companies transitioning toward more sustainable operations.

The institute's third gold-winning innovation, Dual-Phase Hydrogel Therapy, is a biomedical material designed for therapeutic use. Once applied to the human body, it rapidly forms a gel that adheres to damaged tissue, creating a protective layer that can remain in place for up to 30 days. The hydrogel has been used in clinical trials for conditions such as herniated discs and degenerative arthritis.

The Metal Industries Research and Development Centre also received a gold award for its surgical navigation system. The technology utilizes 3D magnetic sensing and positioning to provide surgeons with multi-angle views, reducing the need for repeated punctures and minimizing the risk of bleeding. The center said the system has the potential to lower the risk of death during surgery from 25% to 5%.

The Taiwan Textile Research Institute was also awarded a gold medal for its AI-powered fabric inspection machine. The machine combines AI algorithms with optical technology to detect fabric defects and features self-learning capabilities to improve its ability to recognize various flaws. It can inspect fabric at speeds of up to 120 yards per minute, with an accuracy rate of 95%.

Lastly, the Edison Awards Steering Committee presented Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang (黃仁勳) with the achievement award in recognition of his groundbreaking contributions to AI, computing, and GPU innovation.