The Macronix Golden Silicon Awards, acclaimed as the "Oscars" of Taiwan's electronics and electrical engineering-related departments, recently held its 23rd award ceremony. Professor Yuan-Hsiang Lin, from the Department of Electronic and Computer Engineering at Taiwan Tech, led a research team including students Tzu-Chi Chen, Ke-Ching Chu, Yen-Long Huang, and Yu-Chen Wu. Their work titled "A Smart Training System for Shuttlecock Retrieval and Defect Inspection in Badminton" garnered favorable recognition from the panel of judges. This accomplishment secured them the Silver Award from the Application Group Jury, along with a prize of 200,000 NTD.

A team from Taiwan Tech received the Silver Award from the judging panel with their project titled "A Smart Training System for Shuttlecock Retrieval and Defect Inspection in Badminton" at the Macronix Golden Silicon Awards. (Organized by Macronix International Co., Ltd.)

Team leader, Tzu-Chi Chen, pointed out that while there are numerous sports technology devices for training assistance, there is a scarcity of dedicated efforts towards developing a shuttlecock retrieval machine for badminton. This motivated them to design a comprehensive system that integrates shuttlecock retrieval, shuttlecock inspection and selection, remote control via mobile app, and floor cleaning functionalities into a single entity - the "Smart Training System for Shuttlecock Retrieval and Defect Inspection in Badminton". This design aims to optimize training efficiency and convenience by reducing the time spent on shuttlecock retrieval.

Tzu-Chi Chen, currently pursuing studies at the Institute of Artificial Intelligence and Cross-Disciplinary Research, shared that senior lab members had previously developed an Internet of Things (IoT) shuttlecock serving machine. Encouraged by Professor Yuan-Hsiang Lin's guidance, they chose the shuttlecock retrieval machine as their competition theme. Winning this award has boosted their confidence, and they hope for opportunities in the future to combine both serving and retrieval machines, thereby enhancing the intelligence and convenience of badminton training.

Macronix Electronic's Chairman, Min-Chiu Wu (fourth from the right), listens attentively alongside the panel of judges as the team from Taiwan Tech presents their project, "A Smart Training System for Shuttlecock Retrieval and Defect Inspection in Badminton." (Provided by Macronix Golden Silicon Awards)

The shuttlecock retrieval machine required the integration of diverse technical elements, including mechanical design, circuit board development, programming, and AI algorithm implementation. The team persevered tirelessly, transitioning from conceptualization to a fully realized prototype, albeit encountering numerous obstacles along the way. Professor Yuan-Hsiang Lin remarked that the setbacks and challenges the students faced during this period were so arduous that they briefly considered giving up. However, through effective team communication and collective problem-solving efforts, they continually refined and improved their project through iterative trials and solutions. Tzu-Chi Chen shared that three days before the finals, some team members even sacrificed returning home in their quest to achieve perfection with the shuttlecock retrieval machine. The remarkable efforts culminated in the most gratifying rewards.

Professor Yuan-Hsiang Lin highlighted that the criteria vital to excelling in the Golden Silicon Awards are innovation, comprehensiveness, and practicality, accompanied by adept presentation skills and adept data analysis to stand out. Participation and success in such competitions constitute an invaluable training process for students. He noted, "This is a testament to the students' persistent endeavors, and I am immensely proud of them." Professor Yuan-Hsiang Lin also encouraged students to engage in similar competitions, citing that such endeavors provide an avenue for rapid learning through team collaboration and practical experiences that would often require an individual much more time to achieve.

A group photograph showcases the team members from left to right: Yu-Chen Wu, Yen-Long Huang, Ke-Ching Chu, Tzu-Chi Chen, and their guiding instructor, Professor Yuan-Hsiang Lin.

Tzu-Chi Chen humbly offers the inspiring advice that "Where there is determination, success can be achieved". He encourages fellow peers to harness innovative thinking, actively accumulate experiential knowledge, and refine their oral communication abilities. By embodying these principles, they can effectively highlight the strengths of their projects on the competitive stage, thereby enhancing both team and project recognition.

The "Macronix Golden Silicon Awards - Semiconductor Design and Application Competition”, organized by Macronix Electronics, stands as Taiwan's largest and most prestigious student contest within the semiconductor domain. This year's iteration saw participation from 35 higher education institutions, encompassing a total of 284 teams and nearly a thousand faculty and students. The array of submitted projects covered diverse and expansive themes, spanning domains such as intelligent healthcare, artificial intelligence, and third-category semiconductors.

For the past 23 years, the Macronix Golden Silicon Awards has established an illustrious legacy, attracting a staggering participation of over 5,000 teams and involving more than 18,000 students and faculty members from institutions of higher learning. (Provided by Macronix Golden Silicon Awards)