More than 200 participants explore AI-powered brain health, robotics and smart communities.
TAICHUNG, Taiwan, Oct. 18, 2026 — More than 200 professionals and representatives from healthcare, technology, architecture and academia gathered at Feng Chia University on October 17 for The Future of Grand Health Forum, a cross-sector event exploring the future of health and well-being. Initiated by the Taiwan Advanced Democracy Association and co-organized with CommonHealth Magazine, the forum examined how brain science, artificial intelligence, robotics and smart community design can come together to improve quality of life for people of all ages.
Have you ever imagined that AI could help someone express what is in their heart without saying a word? In a video released by Neuralink, a man who had lost the ability to speak communicated the words “I love you” through AI-powered technology without moving his lips. His wife, visibly moved, embraced him. The moment illustrates how advances in technology may open new possibilities for health, communication and everyday life.
Speakers and guests pose for a group photo at The Future of Grand Health Forum, held at Feng Chia University in Taichung on October 17, 2026.
The forum focused on two interconnected themes: emerging applications of brain science and AI, and the design of smart, healthy communities that connect architecture, care and daily living.
Speakers included Susan Shur-Fen Gau, distinguished professor at the College of Medicine, National Taiwan University (NTU); Chia-Hsun Lee, a PhD graduate of the MIT Media Lab; Wu Wen-po, project associate director at Swancor Robotech; legislator Ko Ju-chun; and Wang Sheng-hsiang, executive general manager of Dayuan Architecture and Design.
Other participants sharing their experience included Tsai Fang-wen, former executive director of Suang-Lien Elderly Center; Lin Li-ting, CEO of the Fabulous Group; Cheng Wen-cheng, founding chairperson of the Autism Rights Promotion Association; Lin Yi-ying, chairperson of the Plahan Shared Care Labor Cooperative; and Huang Sheng-yuan, founder of Fieldoffice Architects.
The program connected expertise in clinical medicine, artificial intelligence, neurotechnology, real estate development and human-centered architecture, highlighting the importance of turning research advances into real-world benefits.
“No matter how advanced technology becomes, people must always come first,” said Yue Mei-ying, an adviser to the Taiwan Advanced Democracy Association.
The association launched its “Taiwan Advanced No. 1 Project” two years ago to bring specialists from different fields together around brain health, a concern shared across generations. By translating research into practical applications, it hopes to help people live healthier lives with dignity, she said.
AI-Powered AQ13 Tool Supports Earlier Screening for Autism-Related Traits
A presentation during the forum’s morning session on brain health and AI-assisted screening.
Susan Shur-Fen Gau, distinguished professor at NTU’s College of Medicine, has long focused on autism research. Working with her team, she has established a longitudinal database and used brain-age models to examine how neural networks develop in people with autism and other neurodevelopmental conditions. The research also explores possible links to mental health in adulthood and neurodegenerative diseases later in life.
Early identification and intervention are important for brain health, but autism can be difficult to recognize. At the forum, Gau introduced her team’s AI-powered rapid screening app for children and adolescents, designed to make preliminary mental-health screening more accessible.
Conventional screening questionnaires can involve about 50 questions and take considerable time to complete. The NTU team developed “AQ13,” a 13-question online screening tool that automatically calculates scores and provides score ranges and suggestions for next steps. According to the team, its screening accuracy exceeds 80 percent, and the tool could help reduce the time required for an initial assessment.
The team has obtained a patent for the tool, which has also received a National Innovation Award in Taiwan.
Using AI to Recognize Emotions and Identify Early Warning Signs
Panelists discuss emerging applications of AI and brain science during a forum session on the future of health.
Beyond supporting earlier identification of mental-health risks, AI may also offer ways to interpret emotions that some people find difficult to express verbally.
Chia-Hsun Lee, a PhD graduate of the MIT Media Lab, discussed affective computing, a field that explores how technology can recognize and respond to human emotions. For two decades, he has investigated ways to make emotions more visible for children with different cognitive styles and older people living with aphasia or dementia.
The approach draws on facial expressions, heart rate and measures of nervous-system activity, then analyzes the information to identify possible links and patterns between emotional changes and behavior. Lee’s team hopes to detect early warning signs that may help caregivers act before dangerous behavior occurs.
Such an approach was difficult to scale in the past, but AI now makes it possible to process large volumes of data continuously, opening new opportunities for Lee’s long-running research.
He is launching a research initiative focused on the future of affective computing. The team plans to begin with pilot sites to evaluate the models’ analytical and predictive capabilities, then examine whether the approach can be expanded to help reduce the risk of serious incidents.
Robots Can Take on Daily Tasks, but Safety and Reliability Are Essential
A humanoid robot and a quadruped robot are displayed at the forum, where speakers explored the future of human-robot interaction.
As AI becomes increasingly integrated with robotics, what will it take for robots to become reliable assistants in everyday life?
Wu Wen-po, project associate director at Swancor Robotech, said that combining AI with robotics could help address labor shortages. However, significant technical and safety challenges remain, especially for tasks involving greater risks.
For robots to become part of daily life, they will need to recognize human emotions and interact in ways that help people feel comfortable and at ease. These capabilities remain important areas for future research and development, Wu said.
For example, robots should signal their intentions before approaching someone, using clear movements that people can anticipate. They should also respect each person’s pace and provide stable, dependable service, with fail-safe mechanisms to stop operations if a problem arises.
Brain–Computer Interfaces Offer New Ways to Communicate
A speaker addresses participants at The Future of Grand Health Forum at Feng Chia University.
Legislator Ko Ju-chun spoke about the future of brain–computer interfaces, emphasizing that AI should improve people’s lives and expand their ability to communicate.
For people who have lost the ability to speak, AI may interpret brain signals associated with intended speech and generate a synthesized voice, enabling them to communicate phrases such as “I love you.” Ko said this is an example of how technological advances can serve people in meaningful ways.
He also expressed hope that future AI technologies would create more opportunities for communication and self-expression for people with autism and dementia.
Designing Smart, Healthy Communities Where Everyone Has a Role and Lives with Dignity
Participants pose for a group photo at The Future of Grand Health Forum in Taichung.
The afternoon sessions shifted the focus from technological applications to the places and communities in which people live.
Wang Sheng-hsiang, executive general manager of Dayuan Architecture and Design, explained how data analysis could reshape traditional approaches to designing spaces for older adults. By combining architecture and AI, communities could become smart, health-supporting environments for people of all ages.
During a panel discussion titled “Who Defines a Healthy Community?”, Tsai Fang-wen, Lin Li-ting and Cheng Wen-cheng explored the challenges of reconciling the needs of those who develop, operate and live in communities.
Summing up the discussion, moderator Tsai said people must remain at the heart of future healthy communities. Residents should have opportunities to participate, experience achievement, maintain their dignity and feel a sense of purpose and value.
In the closing sessions, Lin Yi-ying shared practical experience in developing communities based on mutual care, while Huang Sheng-yuan discussed the architectural principle of leaving room for nature and human connection.
Huang emphasized that while communities integrating healthcare and senior living increasingly rely on standardized facilities and precise monitoring, design should also make room for wind, daylight and nature. Such spaces can help residents reconnect with the land, ease loneliness and preserve dignity in daily life.
From brain–computer interfaces and brain health to emotion recognition, robotics and community design, the forum returned to one central question: How can AI and the built environment better respond to human needs?
Ultimately, the aim is to develop technologies and environments that support people throughout their lives, improve well-being and uphold human dignity — advancing a more sustainable vision of grand health.