Chung Yuan Christian University (CYCU) hosted the 2026 Fourth Future Problem-Solving Competition, bringing together 86 teams from 47 universities and colleges across Taiwan, with 14 teams advancing to the national finals. Centered on the concept of “industry-defined challenges, student-driven solutions,” the competition encouraged students to apply interdisciplinary collaboration and innovative thinking to develop practical solutions for real-world challenges.
At the opening ceremony, Lee Cheng-Wen, Vice President for Academic Affairs, noted that the competition has become an important platform for cultivating interdisciplinary problem-solving skills among university students. She emphasized that while knowledge evolves rapidly, the ability to identify problems, collaborate across disciplines, and translate innovative ideas into practical solutions will remain an essential competency for the future.
The judging panel encouraged participants to further strengthen their proposals by clearly defining problems, validating user needs through field research, explaining the application of AI technologies, and enhancing feasibility through Proof of Concept (POC). The judges also emphasized that, in the era of artificial intelligence, students should understand the principles and practical applications behind AI tools rather than relying solely on generative technologies, enabling them to create solutions with meaningful real-world impact.
The championship was awarded to “No More Talking,” a multidisciplinary team of students from CYCU’s Departments of Information Management, Psychology, Information Engineering, Chemistry, and Electronic Engineering. Their project, JOY: A Cross-Language Emergency Care Workflow System, addresses communication barriers faced by more than 760,000 migrant workers in Taiwan during emergency medical situations. By integrating AI-powered medical translation, native-language psychological support, and legal information services, the system helps frontline healthcare professionals communicate more effectively, improving emergency response and promoting equitable access to healthcare. The team plans to further refine the system and expand its application through emergency care education and future implementation.
Second place was awarded to “Light Up Your Heart,” a team from CYCU’s Department of Information Management, for its project Voice & Memory Journal, an AI-powered digital journaling platform designed to address loneliness and cognitive decline among older adults in an aging society. Combining AI speech recognition, interactive guidance, and social sharing features, the system enables seniors to document their daily lives through photos and voice recordings, strengthen connections with family members, and monitor cognitive well-being through long-term language analysis. The project demonstrates how AI can enhance both emotional companionship and preventive healthcare for older adults.
Third place went to “AI Is Watching for You,” a team from CYCU’s Department of Information Management, for its project, AI Decision Support Plugin for the CYCU Course Registration System. Developed as a Chrome extension, the plugin integrates course syllabus information to provide AI-generated summaries, side-by-side course comparisons, and intelligent filtering tools. The system helps students make more informed course selection decisions while improving efficiency, ensuring information transparency, and protecting users’ personal data.
Honorable Mentions recognized outstanding projects from National Taipei University of Technology, a cross-university team led by CYCU, a collaborative team from National Kaohsiung Normal University, and a collaborative team from National Taiwan University of Science and Technology. Covering topics such as elderly care, smart education, intergenerational communication, and AI-enabled digital governance, these projects demonstrated how students are leveraging artificial intelligence to develop innovative solutions that address real-world societal needs.
According to CYCU, the Future Problem-Solving Competition serves not only as a showcase for innovative ideas but also as a platform for developing interdisciplinary collaboration, creativity, and practical problem-solving skills. Looking ahead, the University will continue to strengthen partnerships with academia, industry, and government to inspire students to create innovative solutions for real-world challenges and cultivate future talent with professional excellence, social responsibility, and a global outlook.
