Innovation is the motive power behind scientific-technological evolution. Innovation becomes truly meaningful to mankind when people, over a short period, make timely use of it to improve their style and quality of life.

In the year 2001, Lite-On Technology Corporation single-handedly launched the first annual Lite-On Awards. In the first five years, the Awards, having successfully ignited the fire of innovation in thousands of young design talents, elevated itself onto the world stage. Convinced that “Design is an art that might be mass produced,” the 2006 Lite-On Awards started to branch out in a new direction by establishing a separate contest, “The Panel of Lite-On Judges Special Awards.” For this new contest, a separate panel of judges was formed and division chiefs of Lite-On Technology Corporation were named panel members.

Unlike the Lite-On Awards, whose judges represent its international and inter-cultural character, “the Panel of Lite-On Judges Special Awards” emphasizes practical aspects of a fusion of science/technology with its application in industrial production and in marketing work. From the standpoint of the industry, designs of high innovative value that are suitable to mass production are selected. Selection of such designs points out a direction that young design students can profitably follow: give their innovative imagination a free rein to create designs that are both new and marketable.

“The Panel of Lite-On Judges of Special Awards” will have its own panel of judges and will be independent of and run separately from the Lite-On Awards. Under the principle of “innovative practicality,” no inspirational idea may be frittered away. “The Panel of Lite-On Judges Special Awards” examines closely these ideas and judges them on the criteria of production and marketability, such as feasibility and prospects of serial production and impact on the industry. Thus, designs suited to serial/ mass production and talents capable of producing such designs are selected and their latent capabilities cultivated. To do this effectively, Lite-On Technology Corporation, as mentioned above, places its division chiefs and other senior executives on the panel of judges. These judges have a wide variety of expertise and strength in specialty fields, including engineering, research and development, industrial design, marketing and management.

Judges of “the Panel of Lite-On Judges Special Awards” rely on the following criteria to select winners: technical feasibility - 40%; innovation – 30%; and design – 30%. Although technical feasibility has greater weight here than in the Lite-On Awards, it still is lower than the 60% taken up by innovation and design together. In other words, “the Panel of Lite-On Judges Special Awards”, while stressing technical feasibility, still places very high value on innovation and design. In the past two years, we found the number of winning designers that obtain both “Lite-On Awards” and “the Panel of Lite-On Judges Special Awards” has increased. We gladly to see that more and more young designers are able to create creative and marketable products.

The preliminary judgment session of “the Panel of Lite-On Judges Special Awards” takes into consideration all entries submitted by contestants and marks each with a grade. Ten designs that receive the highest grades are selected and presented on the Lite-On Awards website, “Online Browser Station” for the evaluation of all eligible “voters,” which means all Lite-On employees. Balloting will create three “Lite-On Popularity Kings.” Winners of “the Panel of Lite-On Judges Special Awards” and “Lite-On Popularity Kings”will each receive a certificate plus a prize of NT$10,000’s worth in cash.

Lite-On is the top name among all ODM enterprises and overwhelmingly acclaimed by world class clients. From 2005 to 2008, it was honored 19 awards by many internationally renowned design prizes , including the iF Award of Germany, Red Dot of Germany and IDEA of the United States, Among these prize winners of Lite-On Technology Corporation, the digital TV receiver, DVB- T tuner, especially has won much kudos in all parts of the world. It was cited in the book “Profitable Growth Is Everybody’s Business” as an excellent example and the best annotation of the slogan: “Turn Innovation into Sales Growth.”

The purpose of establishing “the Panel of Lite-On Judges Special Awards” is to stimulate the imagination of young designers and to discover new trends through their unbridled imagination.

At the same time, “the Panel of Lite-On Judges Special Awards” also hopes to discover new products/technologies of practical value to improve the quality of life of the population. An inspiration of the moment plus faith and energetic development work to create quick results might grow into a large enterprise or even an entire industry. That will improve the quality of life of the population and contribute substantially to the wellbeing of the society and to the national economic development.