Diverse achievements celebrated with series of exhibitions and activities

The 2021 Beijing Science and Technology Week, that concluded on May 28, showcased the capital's major scientific and technological achievements since the founding of the People's Republic of China.

According to the event's organizers, the main exhibition in Zhongguancun Science Park covered an area of 5,000 square meters, including indoor and outdoor displays.

A variety of sci-tech models, products and facilities were showcased to highlight the city's sci-tech development, promote pioneers' spirit and encourage technological innovation, organizers said.

The most popular exhibits at the event were robots.

At the indoor exhibition area, an electric quadruped bionic robot, also dubbed "mechanical police dog", attracted a large group of children.

Although it looks cumbersome, its maximum running speed can reach 8 kilometers per hour, staff members said.

The robot is capable of walking steadily on difficult terrain such as sand and grassland while performing multiple tasks, they said, adding it is expected to work in the fields of package delivery, security monitoring and home care in the near future.

Other robots including those that can serve as fire rescuers or baristas were on display.

Another highlight of this year's event was the exhibition section showcasing research results applied to the 2022 Winter Olympic Games. Exhibits ranged from athletic wear and facilities in venues to broadcasting techniques and food security mechanisms.

An intelligent camera tracking and shooting system for highspeed moving targets, for example, integrates artificial intelligence technology, self-adaptive servo tracking technology and digital high-definition broadcasting. It can greatly improve the viewing experiences for the global Olympic audience, according to staff members at the booth.

At the booth of VisionICs, a Chinese lidar chip manufacturer, the quantum dot spectral sensing technology was exhibited with detailed explanation and clear demonstration.

"We can use the technology to make a spectral analysis and learn about compositions of a sample," said Li Yiqiu, a representative from the company.

Compared with traditional spectrography, the quantum dot spectral sensor is much smaller so that it can be installed in terminal devices such as computers and drones.

The sensor has been applied to the environmental industry to conduct the integrated monitoring of surface water.

"When the surface water passes through the sensor, we can test whether the water contains pollutants," Li said.

"If we fit numerous monitors along a river, we are able to locate the source of pollution according to pollutant concentration data," he added.

Besides the main venue, this year's event was also held at six subvenues－Tongzhou district, Zhongguancun Science City, Huairou Science City, Beijing Future Science City, Shougang Industrial Park, and the Beijing Economic-Technological Development Area.

The central exhibit at Huairou Science City was its large research infrastructure－a synergetic extreme condition user facility, which was open to the public for the first time, organizers said.

The facility features three research centers and 18 laboratories. It can provide many extreme physical conditions for scientific research including ultralow temperature, ultrahigh pressure, and an ultrahigh magnetic field, according to staff members from the Institute of Physics of the Chinese Academy of Sciences.

Shougang Industrial Park in Shijingshan district held an exhibition with the theme of science fiction. Designers integrated art and science technologies, bringing a feast to visitors' eyes and ears, according to organizers.

As for Beijing Future Science City in Changping district, authorities organized 100 sci-tech games and activities for children and held a science salon with local universities.

Other districts in the capital also launched an array of sci-tech activities during the week to promote local sci-tech achievements and create a friendly climate for innovation.

Chaoyang district showcased various inventions made by local students. Meanwhile, residents in Xicheng district watched a dance performance given by intelligent robots.