Microsoft to set up RFID Excellence Center in Taiwan

Taipei, Aug. 20, 2004 (CENS)--Microsoft Taiwan yesterday announced that its U.S. headquarters has decided to set up the RFID (radio frequency identification) Excellence Center on the island and pour NT$100 million (US$2.92 million at US$1: NT$34.2) into the project in the first year.

Microsoft Taiwan's president, Eunice Chiou, claimed that the Taiwan center will form a "iron triangle" with the RFID technology center at Microsoft's American headquarters and Microsoft India's engineering center through the integration of related resources.

The RFID technology utilizes wireless waves to transmit identification data to RFID tag- reader. The world's largest retail chain Wal-Mart has decided to use such technology for product and inventory management. In addition to Microsoft, the lucrative and emerging business has attracted many big international information technology (IT) companies to develop or integrate related solutions, including IBM, HP, Sun Micro, Oracle and SAP etc.

According to Chiou, Microsoft's American headquarters currently concentrates mainly on developing RFID applications and related standards, and Microsoft India supports its American parent with abundant software talents. Chiou said the RFID Excellence Center in Taiwan will be responsible for resource integration.

Chiou pointed out that many of Microsoft Taiwan's big customers in the IT line have received their contract clients' requirements to develop RFID-related applications in their products. She added that the new RFID center will be supported by Microsoft Technology Center (MTC) on the island and start a series of related researches and tests with local companies in retail and financial lines as well as government units.

Microsoft Taiwan also announced its new-year's operation goal of venturing Microsoft products into every possible segment. According to Chiou, MTC is expected to help local software developers and system-integration companies create total software production value of about NT$3 billion (US$87.72 million) this year. Major achievements of MTC this year include new techniques and technologies for national defense-, financial information security-, and banking system analysis-related applications.