NTU and Mediatek join forces to become pioneer in 5G technology

National Taiwan University and Taiwan’s Mediatek, one of the world’s largest chip-design companies, unveiled the MEDIATEK-NTU Advanced Research Center on February 20, 2014.

With a dozen Mediatek researchers, NTU faculty, and around 70 NTU postgraduate students and experts from inside and outside Taiwan involved, it is estimated that over 100 experts will be engaged in the project. The center’s short-term goal is to become a leading research institute in the 5th generation wireless systems (5G) technology, which covers wireless access, smart phones, as well as mobile Internet and mobile application services.

The center was established in response to the prevalence of handheld devices and the revolution of technologies in computing and wireless telecommunications. As the technologies become increasingly cost-effective, the impact of the smartphone and handheld device industry has trickled down to all aspects of human experience. Nevertheless, as the growth of the demand for network data exceeds that of supply, it is generally believed that the next generation 4G service will not be able to meet traffic demand by 2020. As a result, it has become imperative that preliminary studies for 5G mobile telecommunications begin. In the future, the capacity, speed, as well as energy-efficiency of 5G technology will greatly increase, and the Mediatek-NTU research center aims to stay ahead of research and developments.

With NTU’s research abilities combined with Mediatek’s expertise in the industry, the center’s goal is to establish itself as a leader in the field of mobile telecommunications so as to become a leading pioneer in the future development of 5G technology. Meanwhile, Mediatek’s engagement shall also provide NTU’s students with the opportunity to be exposed to the private sector at an early stage, further enhancing our student’s professional competitiveness.

NTU Vice President Liang-Gee Chen remarked that the center’s features include “a combination of innovative research and practical application, as well as an integration of interdisciplinary technologies.” As both parties have worked together to carefully assess and meticulously layout the patent-oriented research topics, not only will the center’s research be published in top international conferences, the results will also create an extensive impact on the industry.

In addition, it is estimated that under the collaborative efforts of the two forces, the MEDIATEK-NTU Advanced Research Center will soon be able to break through the current barriers in 5G technology, and establish a system that is high in capacity, fast in speed, as well as efficient in energy consumption. It is believed that the application of the center’s research will also help revolutionize the next generation 5G technology, create economic growth for the electronic industry, and in turn, improve our everyday lives.

Mediatek Vice President and CTO Kevin Jou stated, “Mediatek has always been committed to becoming a leader in innovative technology as well as a top-ranking global company. To achieve this goal, much talent and academic resources are necessary. In the face of global competition, the collaboration between industry, academia, and research will allow the MEDIATEK-NTU Advanced Research Center to show its innovation abilities that are rooted in cutting-edge technology.”

Mediatek is a pioneering fabless semiconductor company and a market leader in cutting-edge chip systems for wireless communications. To learn more about Mediatek, please click HERE.