“We are moving into the age of robotics,” Tsai said. “So, our establishment aims to inform the public about the important role robots play in modern life, as well as stimulate young people’s interest in intelligent automation technologies.”
Since opening in 2013, Sha Yang Ye Robot Wonderland has successfully showcased the company’s wares while helping raise its profile as a leading original design manufacturer of high-precision microgeared motors.
Popular droids at the wonderland include those resembling the Taoist deity known as the Third Prince. (Staff photo/Chin Hung-hao)
The wonderland displays a range of service robots designed for companionship, education, entertainment, rescue missions and other purposes. Some of the most popular devices are puppet-like creations in the form of prominent local cultural symbols such as the Taoist deity known as the Third Prince.
“We have worked to integrate culture and creativity into our designs,” Tsai said. “Incorporating local cultural characteristics helps our products stand out, particularly in international markets.”
Through brochures and guided tours, the wonderland offers visitors insights into the evolution of robotics and its current and potential applications. Tourists can also interact with some of the machines, try their hand at making a robot and participate in droid combat competitions.
In recent years, the company has substantially expanded its exhibition space, with the wonderland spanning 22 themed display areas, as well as a cafe, do-it-yourself workshop and souvenir store. This investment is bearing fruit in boosting revenues and visitor numbers.
“The facilities help attract not just tourists but also potential customers,” Tsai said. “After visiting, business owners get a true sense of how humanoid robots operate.”
Wonderland visitors learn how to operate remote-controlled robots and engage in droid battles. (Staff photo/Chin Hung-hao)
The wonderland is one of 16 sites nationwide selected for inclusion in the government’s International Spotlight Tourism Factory project launched by the Industrial Development Bureau under the Ministry of Economic Affairs in 2013.
Implemented on behalf of the bureau by state-backed Industrial Technology Research Institute, the initiative seeks to build awareness of tourism factories among foreign visitors by highlighting sites providing tours and other services in foreign languages. The locations are promoted in overseas advertising campaigns, media coverage and travel fairs.
According to the ITRI, Taiwan is home to some 130 tourism factories in sectors spanning beauty and health care, food and alcohol, metalworking and robotics.
Such facilities have become popular attractions nationwide in recent decades. In total, these sites attracted nearly 20 million visitors last year, almost double the roughly 10 million recorded in 2012, while total industry revenues for 2018 amounted to NT$4.7 billion (US$152 million). (E) (By Kelly Her)
A total of 22 themed display areas, as well as a cafe, DIY workshop and souvenir store, make the wonderland well worth visiting. (Courtesy of Sha Yang Ye Robot Wonderland)
Write to Taiwan Today at ttonline@mofa.gov.tw
(This article is adapted from the article Producing Delight in the July/August 2017 issue of Taiwan Review. The Taiwan Review archives dating to 1951 are available online.)