MacKay Medical University Showcases Its "Sensory Ageing Lab" at the 3rd Healthy Ageing Tech Show | Immersive Experiences Foster Greater Understanding of Ageing and an Age-Friendly Society
The 3rd Healthy Ageing Tech Show was held at Taipei World Trade Center Hall 1 from August 7 to 9, 2026. Invited to exhibit in the Ministry of Education Pavilion at Booth B411a, MacKay Medical University presented an immersive, interactive exhibit titled the "Sensory Ageing Lab." Using virtual reality (VR) and sensory simulation tools, the exhibit enabled visitors to experience firsthand how changes in visual and auditory function can affect daily life. By translating medical expertise into accessible, easy-to-understand experiences, the exhibit showcased the University's diverse achievements in university social responsibility (USR).
Centered on sensory changes commonly experienced by older adults, the "Sensory Ageing Lab" recreated visual scenarios associated with macular degeneration, cataracts, and glaucoma. Participants experienced central visual field loss, blurred vision, difficulty recognizing objects, and challenges that may arise when reading, locating items, or moving about. The auditory component simulated muffled sound and the incomplete reception of information, helping visitors understand how hearing decline can make even everyday conversations more demanding because of repeated clarification and difficulty understanding.
The three-day exhibition drew visitors from different age groups. Many participants only realized after putting on the VR headset that macular degeneration is not simply a matter of "not seeing clearly"; central visual field loss can make objects directly in front of them difficult to identify. Others were reminded of the everyday challenges faced by older family members after trying the cataract simulation. These moments of surprise, understanding, and empathy reflected the core value the exhibit hoped to leave with visitors: firsthand experience can prompt people to consider how they might offer older adults greater patience, respect, and support in daily life.
The third day's program opened with a special performance by older members of the Letian Community Development Association, a long-term partner of MacKay Medical University's USR team. Their energetic stage presentation launched the day's activities. Older adults are not merely recipients of programs or care; they are also sharers of community experience and partners in co-creation. The performance brought the outcomes of the University's ongoing collaboration with the Sanzhi community to a major exhibition, while demonstrating the many ways in which older adults can remain socially engaged and continue to realize their value in life.
MacKay Medical University President Hung-I Yeh said that, in a super-aged society, a university's responsibility extends beyond educating professionals; it must also ensure that professional knowledge responds to real-world needs. Through firsthand participation, the "Sensory Ageing Lab" helps the public understand how changes in sensory function affect daily living and interpersonal interaction, while turning empathy, respect, and age-friendliness from ideals into practice.
Looking ahead, the University will continue to integrate medical education, interdisciplinary expertise, and social engagement to cultivate healthcare professionals who possess both professional competence and humanistic compassion.
Chung Ching-Hu, Executive Director of MacKay Medical University's Office of University Social Responsibility, noted that the exhibit was more than a set of sensory simulation devices; it embodied observations and responses accumulated through the team's long-term engagement with older adults in communities along Taiwan's North Coast. He expressed the hope that, after leaving the exhibition, visitors would be willing to wait a little longer, repeat themselves once more, and show greater understanding toward people who may need more time to see clearly, may not hear well, or need more time to complete a task. Looking ahead, the team will continue to connect faculty, students, communities, businesses, and public-sector partners, bringing local needs into teaching and research and translating professional achievements into practical community action.
Under the theme "Renewed Youth," this year's show was jointly organized by the Institute for Biotechnology and Medicine Industry (IBMI) and the Research Center for Biotechnology and Medicine Policy (RBMP), with support from the Industrial Development Administration, Ministry of Economic Affairs; the National Health Research Institutes; the Administration for Digital Industries, Ministry of Digital Affairs; and other organizations. Across six areas - healthcare; food, clothing, housing, transportation, education, and recreation; active living; financial security; age-friendly cities; and employment and recruitment for older adults - the show presented age-friendly technologies, services, and cross-sector solutions.
The opening ceremony brought together representatives from industry, government, and academia. IBMI President Pan-Chyr Yang noted that, amid the dual challenges of a super-aged society and a declining birth rate, Taiwan should focus on health promotion, disease prevention, and cross-industry collaboration to extend healthy life expectancy and turn population ageing into an opportunity to develop the longevity economy. International research also indicates that sustained investment in health promotion, disease prevention, and care could generate economic value equivalent to an approximately 7% increase in global GDP by 2050, underscoring that health is not only a matter of individual well-being but is also closely tied to national productivity and competitiveness.
Executive Yuan Minister without Portfolio Chen Shih-chung, Minister of Economic Affairs Kung Ming-hsin, Minister of Education Cheng Ying-Yao, Minister of Health and Welfare Chung-Liang Shih, and National Science and Technology Council Minister Wu Cheng-wen also attended the event. They outlined policy directions in employment for older adults, the technology industry, lifelong learning, healthcare, and interdisciplinary research and development, respectively. Over the past two years, the Ministry of Economic Affairs has helped companies develop 279 ageing-technology products and deploy them across 174 application sites, generating more than NT$2.8 billion in revenue and fostering 110 startups. The Ministry of Education, meanwhile, has integrated resources from higher education, technical and vocational education, information technology, and lifelong learning to encourage more than 4.7 million people aged 65 and above to continue learning and develop a second chapter in life. The Ministry of Health and Welfare and the National Science and Technology Council also emphasized the need to further integrate community, exercise, technology, and long-term care resources so that older adults can maintain independent living and social participation.
By participating in the show, MacKay Medical University brought its long-standing community engagement experience along Taiwan's North Coast to a national platform for exchange, linking community needs, medical expertise, and public participation. Moving forward, the University will continue to build on local health promotion and shared educational resources, deepen interdisciplinary collaboration, make every experience a starting point for understanding, and translate that understanding into more inclusive, supportive, and compassionate action for ageing well together.
