Pei-Chun Lin

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In traditional port operations, manual visual inspection by tally personnel is standard for detecting defects in shipping containers during unloading. However, the fast pace of operations, distractions, poor visibility, and adverse weather often result in errors and delays. To address these issues, we propose the Cad-transformer, a CNN-transformer hybrid framework for automatic container defect classification. The framework includes three components: encoding, upsampling, and decoding. The encoding phase simulates missing parts by randomly deleting 60% of the original image. Upsampling enhances mask resolution, and the decoding phase predicts and fills in missing areas using a transformer-based self-supervised approach. Additionally, the CFE-VP module focuses on key local mask features to accelerate learning. Experimental results show that Cad-transformer outperforms existing methods in container damage detection for smart ports, marking the first use of a CNN-transformer hybrid in this domain.

This study aims to develop a machine learning‐based framework for predicting the severity of highway traffic accidents by leveraging high‐resolution data from Taiwan’s Electronic Toll Collection (ETC) system. Unlike traditional accident‐reporting systems, the ETC infrastructure provides a uniquely comprehensive and precise dataset that captures spatiotemporal traffic patterns and environmental conditions across the national highway network. This rich dataset enabled the integration of data mining and data visualization techniques to uncover nontypical contributing factors to accident severity. Feature engineering was conducted using random forest and LASSO regression, while extreme gradient boosting and the Apriori algorithm were employed to identify key associations between accident severity and contextual variables. Based on human factor and traffic psychology theory, influential factors include poor lighting at night, adverse weather conditions, late‐night hours (20:00–06:00), specific geographic regions (e.g., Yilan County), speed limits of 100 km/h, and vehicle types such as taxis and large trucks. The findings not only enhance the understanding of environmental influences on accident outcomes but also offer actionable insights for improving highway safety. Moreover, Taiwan’s ETC system serves as a model for countries seeking to integrate tolling infrastructure with traffic safety analytics.

This study investigated the possible contributing factors to the digital gender divide and the spatial spillover effects of submarine communication cables on neighboring areas. Using spatial statistical models and global data, this study examined the Internet penetration rate and the digital gender divide in 186 countries. Data sources included open source data, social media, ITU and UNCTAD databases, and the World Bank. The study estimated the average male and female Internet users in 186 countries using Facebook API. The number of submarine communication cables between countries was used as the basis for constructing the spatial weights matrix. The countries with the highest Internet penetration rate were mostly in Europe. Those with the lowest Internet penetration rate were in Africa, Central Asia, and West Asia. Thirteen of the 15 countries with the worst Internet penetration rate were located in the African region. A significant digital gender divide arose in the developing and the least-developed countries. We argue that connectivity is key to the reduction of the digital gender divide and to ensuring that more women have access to the Internet. The study ascertains that the Internet penetration rate is related to the digital gender divide in individual countries and has a spatial spillover impact in surrounding nations connected by submarine communication cables. The study demonstrates that submarine cables serve as important infrastructure for closing the digital gender divide and deserve increased analytical attention.

As the international division of labour becomes more entrenched, the distance goods travel before they reach the final consumer increases; at least this wa

The study explored whether the growth of food-delivery services has affected motorcycle accident patterns. When riders check their phones for directions and orders, safety risks rise. The study conducted analysis on the spatial pattern of motorcycle accidents. Separate models for food delivery and non-food delivery motorcycle accidents (FDMAs vs. NFDMAs) were built to detect differences, and the relative importance of spatial features particular to FDMAs is discussed. Trends in motorcycle accidents in Taiwan changed from 2012 to 2019. The cross-sectional analysis revealed that hotel and restaurant density along with FDMAs reported in the previous year can predict the number of FDMAs; whereas the number of NFDMAs can be determined by population density and the number of 3-legged intersections. The spatial analysis of motorcycle accidents help increase couriers’ risk awareness in specific workplaces, provide insurance companies with a benchmark for regional pricing differentiation, and offer support for distracted riding regulations.

This study addresses a capacitated vehicle routing problem with time windows and simultaneous pickup and delivery (VRPTWPD) for scheduling bus-type taxis formerly served by regular buses. The effects of varying the maximum number of passenger seats on service quality and costs are investigated. Taiwan's government has subsidized public transport in order to ensure consistency between service shifts and demands, improve the efficiency of public transport operations, and maintain an ongoing supply of services while reducing the number of scooters and/or private cars on roads to minimize traffic congestion. Ultimately, the intent is to reduce government subsidies further and maintain service quality at reasonable levels. Transit planners have also introduced the Demand Responsive Transit System (DRTS) to connect routes. Particularity in rural areas, local transit planners have replaced buses with taxis to form a bus-type taxi service that increases efficiency. As a consequence, the transit service in low-density or rural areas has not been abandoned. The study acknowledges that optimal routes for successful bus-type taxis services vary by area. Routing and scheduling results will assist route planners' efforts to provide sufficient transit services in rural areas. The study results also suggest that further reductions in government subsidies are possible.