Taiwan wins 11 gold medals at Paris invention fair

Paris, May 11 (CNA) Taiwanese inventions on Sunday won 11 gold medals at the 125th edition of the Concours Lépine, an annual invention fair and competition held in Paris.

Taiwan's delegation presented 64 inventions at this year's fair, which brought together several hundred inventors from France and beyond, with entries spanning categories such as daily life, artistic creation, health and inclusiveness, and transport and industry.

At Sunday's award ceremony, René Lavergne, president of the fair's jury, told CNA that Taiwan's entries included both intricate, complex designs and simple ideas aimed at making daily life easier.

One of the daily life-oriented inventions was "StellartMag," a gold medal-winning device created by junior high school student Kao Hsing-hang (高星航) that uses magnets to help cyclists attach their everyday shoes to pedals.

According to a page introducing the inventions entered by Taiwan's delegation, the invention is aimed at those who find it difficult to unclip when using traditional cycling cleats or who are put off by the expense of existing magnetic alternatives, which require special shoes and pedals.

As shown in a poster introducing "StellartMag," the invention is billed as the world's first "external magnetic pedal system," comprising a toe strap with a metal base plate and a pedal-mounted magnet.

Speaking to CNA during the award ceremony, Kao said the idea came from concerns that many cycling beginners find being clipped in when cycling dangerous or inconvenient, as well as from his own experience of a serious cycling accident.

The teenage inventor said he hoped the design, which he developed with his family over nearly 18 months, would improve both safety and ease of use, allowing more people to enjoy cycling.

Other gold medal-winning Taiwanese inventions included a one-handed injection aid, an automatic sink-cleaning system, and sound-absorbing curtains.

Founded in 1901, the Concours Lépine is held as both an exhibition and a competition, with this year's edition running from April 30 to May 11.

According to the organizers, nearly half of the inventions exhibited at the competition are commercialized, with the ballpoint pen and steam iron among previous successes.