Taiwan is pushing to build robot dogs of its own instead of importing them, a positive sign for the island's hardware makers and a new front in its AI ambitions.

• Swancor Robotech plans to launch a fully Taiwan-designed robot dog by mid-2027, with local assembly starting this year.
• The machines are pitched for factory and power-grid inspections, security, and firefighting — they can climb stairs and handle rough ground.
• Swancor puts Taiwan's yearly robot dog market at more than 3,000 units, worth up to roughly $90 million.
• The government is backing a rival effort, pairing its research institute with Compal, Inventec, and Solomon Technology.
• The goal is a home-grown parts supply chain — motors, sensors, joints — that pairs Taiwan's hardware edge with AI software.

Outlook: Expect Taiwan to shift from reselling foreign robots to building its own over the next two years, with government money helping the switch.