InfoComm is an applied research and development center within IIS. The center was established in January 2004. It brings together IT experts from IIS and the Computing Center of the Academia Sinica and facilitates their collaboration with researchers in application areas of IT. Typical projects within the center are multi-disciplinary in nature, and a majority of the projects are externally funded.

     A mission of the center is to enable and support the transition of emerging information technologies. The emphasis is on information technological infrastructures and services that are critical for the elevation and acceleration of economic development and social advancement of today¡¦s knowledge-based economy. These infrastructures and services may not have apparent and immediate market potentials. For this reason, they are outside of the scope of interests of III and ITRI, which are chartered to transition technologies that are ready-for-market and have financial promises.

     The center provides the IT expertise and manpower needed to aid researchers at the Institute and universities in the transformation of their research results into matured, ready-for-use prototypes, to facilitate the dissemination and adoption of the prototypes, and to support the experimental use and evaluation of the prototypes. This work is essential to bring innovations into fruition, and new ideas and breakthroughs in IT often take seed and grow from the development and experimental use of research prototypes. Such work may not receive much academic recognition from research communities and universities and are often not done by researchers themselves. By carrying out such work, the center complements the Institute and universities.

     Another mission of the center is to provide technical support and advisories to the government concerning regulations and policies in information technology and e-services. Academia Sinica being a part of the government, IIS has increasingly assumed this responsibility in recent years. The center enables the IIS to play a more effective and proactive role in meeting this responsibility.

     The third mission of the center is to help train highly-skilled professionals in cross-disciplinary areas, such as bio-informatics, digital archives, and geographical information systems. Within the center, professionals trained in information technology areas can work sideby- side with professionals and technicians in application areas. Thus the center can provide them with valuable opportunities and a stimulating environment for them to acquire and develop background and skills in each other¡¦s areas of expertise.