Taipei—Korea IT Times Reporting Team
The shuttle from the Nangang exhibition district to Taipei’s Xinyi area was packed with visitors moving between COMPUTEX venues. Running at roughly 30-minute intervals throughout the event, the shuttle carried engineers, AI specialists, robotics developers, and semiconductor executives, underscoring the intensity of this year’s exhibition.
At TWTC (Taipei World Trade Center) Exhibition Hall 1, two large signs immediately framed the venue’s message: “AI Robotics Zone” and “ePaper Industry Zone.”
Introduced for the first time at COMPUTEX, these zones were less conventional exhibition spaces than live stages for industrial AI. They showed how artificial intelligence is beginning to move beyond cloud platforms and data centers into factories, vehicles, logistics systems, and urban infrastructure.
Demonstrations across the hall focused on Physical AI and robotics technologies for manufacturing, logistics, mobility, and smart-city applications. Several booths drew long lines of AI professionals and global partner companies seeking to see the systems in operation.
Smart Surfaces Come to Life on Automobiles
One of the most closely watched exhibits at TWTC Hall 1 was the booth of E Ink, the electronic paper technology company.
E Ink showcased the actual hood structure of the BMW iX3 Flow Edition, drawing strong attention from visitors. The display marked the first known case of E Ink Prism technology being integrated directly into a structural automotive body panel.
First unveiled at the 2026 Beijing Auto Show, the model has reportedly passed BMW’s strict quality and durability assessments. Industry observers now view it as effectively “series-ready,” placing the technology close to commercial production.
Through the vehicle interface, drivers can choose from eight animated visual patterns. Designs range from silhouettes inspired by traditional Chinese architecture to geometric motifs, turning the vehicle exterior into a moving digital canvas.
The approach represents a clear departure from the BMW iX Flow concept introduced at CES 2022. The earlier model used an external ePaper wrap applied to the vehicle surface. By contrast, the iX3 Flow Edition integrates the technology into the body structure itself, improving both durability and manufacturability.
Another demonstration attracting attention was a Color Change concept vehicle.
By applying programmable ePaper to complex three-dimensional and irregular surfaces, the system allows real-time changes in color and design not only across the vehicle body but also on wheel-rim surfaces through software control.
An E Ink representative said at the booth, “ePaper is no longer just a display technology. It is evolving into smart surface technology.”
The Beginning of the Smart Surface Era
At the core of E Ink Prism is electrophoretic technology.
The system forms images by moving charged particles inside microscopic capsules in response to electrical signals. Unlike LCD or OLED displays, it requires almost no continuous power to maintain an image once it has been created.
The technology’s strengths can be summarized in four areas.
First is ultra-low power consumption. Because energy is needed primarily when changing an image, the system can offer efficiency advantages for electric vehicles.
Second is flexibility. It can be applied not only to flat panels but also to curved and complex three-dimensional surfaces.
Third is durability. The technology has been tested under automotive-grade conditions, including ultraviolet exposure, temperature variation, impact, and vehicle-washing environments.
Fourth is sustainability. Its production process involves relatively low carbon emissions, while power consumption during operation remains minimal.
Current commercial applications remain centered on grayscale, but full-color versions are advancing rapidly, according to industry sources.
Beyond BMW, premium sports-car brands are also reportedly reviewing similar technologies.
If commercialized at scale, the technology could shift automotive design from fixed exterior styling to personalized and context-adaptive surfaces. Vehicle body panels may eventually move beyond aesthetics to function as information platforms, displaying driving data, warning signals, or commercial messages.
The implications extend well beyond automobiles. Building façades, furniture, wearable devices, and consumer electronics could all become part of a broader smart surface market.
AI Robotics Zone Shows Machines That Perceive and Act
Alongside the ePaper Industry Zone, the AI Robotics Zone, officially presented as the Robotics & Edge AI Pavilion, became another defining space at TWTC Hall 1.
Organized around Intel’s presence, the pavilion brought together companies across the robotics supply chain to demonstrate next-generation Physical AI technologies.
HIWIN presented its Dual-arm Logistics Robot, performing precision logistics tasks and collaborative operations in real time. The coordinated movement of multiple robotic arms showed the current level of advanced warehouse automation.
Solomon demonstrated AI-powered robotic learning systems built on NVIDIA platforms. By combining machine vision with AI algorithms, the robots showed how they can recognize and adapt to complex working environments.
YUAN High-Tech displayed a smart-city digital twin solution built on NVIDIA Omniverse, Jetson, and IGX Thor platforms. The demonstration showed how virtual simulation data can be connected to real-world robotic operations.
Ability Enterprise introduced six-axis collaborative robotic arms and Physical AI solutions for smart manufacturing, commercial facilities, public spaces, and intelligent parking systems.
NEXCOM, working with Inventec, presented its Dual-arm AI Perception & Collaboration system. The platform integrates machine vision and high-precision real-time motion control to perform assembly processes.
AAEON showcased manufacturing automation systems combining humanoid robots, machine vision, and agentic AI. In a PCB inspection demonstration, AI agents independently assessed conditions, made decisions, and executed actions, offering a concrete example of how Physical AI could reshape production lines.
The common thread was clear.
These were not simple automation tools. They were integrated systems designed to perceive the physical world, interpret changing conditions, and act autonomously in real environments.
Taiwan’s Physical AI Industrial Blueprint
TWTC Hall 1 emerged as one of the key centers of COMPUTEX 2026.
E Ink’s color-changing vehicle technology suggested that automotive design itself may be entering a new phase. By combining low power consumption, sustainability, and personalization, the company pointed to the emergence of a new smart surface market.
The significance lies not only in the technology itself but also in its progress with BMW. This is no longer a distant concept display. It appears to be moving toward production-ready implementation.
The AI Robotics Zone showed how Taiwan’s manufacturing strengths are evolving in the AI era. Established industrial players such as HIWIN and Solomon are combining their hardware and automation expertise with NVIDIA’s AI platforms, moving beyond component supply toward system integration and intelligent automation.
The message from TWTC Hall 1 was unmistakable.
The factories, cities, and vehicles of the future will not simply be connected. They will perceive, reason, and act.
Taiwan, long recognized for its strength in GPUs, servers, and AI infrastructure, is now positioning itself as a broader Physical AI ecosystem player, spanning hardware, software, and integrated systems.
For Korean companies, the implications are substantial.
Opportunities are expanding in robotics components, edge AI software, systems integration, and smart surface materials. At the same time, the pace of global supply-chain restructuring is accelerating, making execution speed and ecosystem participation increasingly important.
A day inside TWTC Hall 1 offered one of the clearest views yet of AI moving beyond data centers and cloud platforms into the physical world.
COMPUTEX 2026 was not merely presenting future technologies. It was showing that the industrial transition toward the Physical AI era is already underway.
Editorial Contact: Korea IT Times Technology Team (monica@koreaittimes.com | info@koreaittimes.com)
