Sketch of Archilife Study Tour, May 2017
2017年5月份見識之旅縮影 ![]() For the study tour of May 6, 2017, Ms. Lu Ming-yun led 22 ARF interns and their parents on a tour to Taoyuan to experience future technologies and learn about ecological conservation at Guanxin Algal Reef. At the start of the day's activities, team leader Ms. Lu Ming-yun reminded everyone about things to note and what to observe, and provided the interns some general background knowledge. ![]() The tour began with a visit to Sha Yangye Robot Wonderland in Taoyuan City. The factory is the world's largest manufacturer of micro DC geared motors. The tourism factory, which combines industrial trends, education, culture and creativity, and intellectual entertainment, has been built in step with the launch of the Taoyuan Aerotropolis, and the push for smart industry and STEAM education, in recent years. The tour guide started by introducing the mural along the corridor outside the factory. It depicts the 115 manufacturing steps required to create a robot, showing that tremendous time and energy is required from design, assembly to completion. Back indoors, the interns found out from the tour guide's explanation and robot demonstration that different types of functional robots may be created by varying the number of axis and servers. They are not only used in industrial transportation and as tour guides in exhibitions, they are also used in everyday living and home care. At the end of the tour, interns and their parents were given time to freely interact with the robots, and experience the functions and features described by the tour guide. Next, there was a dinosaur robot DIY activity. The process of making the solar-powered robot with different connecting gears was complex but everyone felt a great sense of achievement upon completing their robots. ![]() After lunch, the bus took everyone to the wildlife refuge in the Guanxin Algal Reef Ecosystem. The wildlife refuge provides protection for estuarine reef ecosystem and wild flora/fauna in the habitat. Mr. Liao Ching-tzen, chairman of Baosheng Community Development Association in Taoyuan City's Guanyin District, was the designated tour guide. He began by explaining the extent of the Guanxin Algal Reef, and the threat of pollution and destruction it faces, and the difficulties in conserving the reef, underscoring the urgency of reef conservation. Mr. Liao explained that most algal reefs are formed by the calcification of crustose coralline algae over a long period of time. Their porous structure provides a habitat for marine organisms, and they are natural breakwaters that buffer the habitat against strong waves, allowing many marine species to thrive. The interns were also able to observe the actual appearance and habits of wetland organisms hiding in their holes. In particular, everyone witnessed how a sand crab used its pincers to dig itself into a hole rapidly in order to evade its enemy. At that point, the day's activities came to an end, everyone took a photo together before going their separate ways and looked forward to the next study tour. |