The Zero One Tech Festival kicked off yesterday morning with a full schedule of roundtable talks, forums and more as well as halls packed with exhibitors of 'futuristic' innovation.
Those range from name brands – Baidu, cloud computing business Amazon Web Services, homegrown drone giant DJI – to lesser-known startups, all centered around the theme of the 'symbiotic' relationship 'between mankind and technology.'
Cameos by CEOs of major companies as well as tech experts (click here for the list of speakers) are sure to satisfy tech devotees and professionals, while the exhibition portion boasts some unique, crowd-pleasing demos.
At one end of the 'Perception' hall, for instance, touch-sensitive pads cover the floor and wall like giant smartphone screens, enticing viewers to stomp on bubbles or play virtual air hockey.
The company behind them, VSprawl, aims to use the floorpads as a tool to aid – though not replace – gym instructors and trainers. With the tap of a finger, staff members switch easily between preprogrammed games and fitness routines meant to get the heart pumping and sweat dripping.
The hall next door is dominated by robots of all kinds. Just past a small platform where workers are packing away tens of identical dancing dog models, we get introduced to a 'host' robot designed to greet and guide customers in banks and similar, although it proves a little hard of hearing. Past that, KEYi TECH's stall advertises writhing, stackable 'CellRobots' as a learning tool for kids.
That's not to mention Future Wise's video game-inspired, play-fighting robot on display outside, which looks impressive if a little flimsy around the edges.
Facial scanning and recognition is another major theme throughout the exhibition, whether it's used to unlock smart home security systems, optimize makeup application, enter a convenience store or create realistic avatars that dance and talk.
Adam Zheng, co-founder of ObEN, told That's his idea to create lifelike avatars could revolutionize human-computer interaction: "When I'm away from home I can use my AI to interact with my kids, my parents... Basically it's a virtual self in the physical world."
Zheng with his avatar (on-screen, right)
Projects such as Zheng's – and their lofty aspirations – can read like the stuff of sci-fi, but next door there's proof that at least some may be realized.
A product launch area next to the conference room will see 20 new products unveiled by 100 companies throughout the four-day festival, according to the press release.
See more pictures from the event below:
For more information about the festival, visit the official site. Tickets for the exhibition section are on sale online for RMB60 here.
If you'd rather just order the products on display, check out the official store here.
Through Jun 8; RMB60 presale exhibition ticket. I-Factory. Tickets.
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