Feature: Experiencing city of future in Hong Kong

People wait in line to try a health monitoring stand at the booth of China Mobile Hong Kong in Victoria Park of Hong Kong, south China, July 1, 2023. (Xinhua/Chen Duo)

HONG KONG, July 2 (Xinhua) -- Putting on an armor that looks much like a backpack, Hong Kong resident Kelvin Wong feels like Iron Man: the exoskeleton suit adds extra force to his arms and can help him lift objects as heavy as 30 kg. By his side, a mechanical dog just said "Hi!"

This was no science fiction, but a real life scene happening in Victoria Park of Hong Kong, where many cutting-edge technologies were on display to broaden people's imagination of future cities.

From June 30 to July 2, dozens of science and technology enterprises operating in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA) were invited to Victoria Park to display their latest products, as part of celebrations of the 26th anniversary of Hong Kong's return to the motherland.

The exoskeleton robot was brought here by the Macao-based Belt and Road Startup Accelerator (BARSA), which has invested in a variety of robots, including those for the service of cleaning, transporting, or keeping people company.

"There are a wide range of applications for robots, both in industrial settings and everyday life. The future is now," said Yao Jincheng, founder of BARSA.

At the exhibition, visitors were attracted by videos displayed on LED screens offered by Unilumin, a Hong Kong-based company. The glasses-free 3D technology made the video so real that many children reached out to touch the cat in the screen.

At the booth of Meta Engine, a Guangzhou-based digital technology firm, visitors got inside of a virtual GBA world with the help of augmented reality technology: a step back they would see the Canton Tower, a landmark of Guangzhou, and a step further, they arrived at Central, the business district in Hong Kong.

In addition to entertainment, the future cities feature technologies that facilitate medical treatment. At the booth of China Mobile Hong Kong, a health monitoring stand helps detect body temperature, blood pressure, blood oxygen and other physical indicators.

Li Feng, chairman of China Mobile Hong Kong, said that the stand can be placed in neighborhoods so that the elderly in Hong Kong will not have to go to hospitals far away for basic medical checks.

"Technology use is prevalent in everyday life. And we will work to develop more future technologies to empower better lives for people," he said.

Many of the companies and institutions came to Hong Kong not only to showcase their products, but to seek collaboration.

Yuan Feng, deputy head of Guangzhou Institute of Software, said that the institute has already co-created softwares in food tracking as well as logistics with Hong Kong partners. It has established a branch in Hong Kong and is planning on more collaboration with the Logistics and Supply Chain MultiTech R&D Center and other institutions.

Qin Haiou, head of GBA Technology Innovation Service Center, said that the center introduced 12 tech firms to the exhibition this time, and many of the firms have decided to set up R&D centers or centers for globalization in Hong Kong.

"Many companies on the Chinese mainland have advanced technologies and experiences with market expansion, while Hong Kong enjoys a competitive edge in R&D as well as a global vision. Collaboration would be win-win for all," he said.

A man tries an exoskeleton robot in Victoria Park of Hong Kong, south China, July 1, 2023. (Xinhua/Chen Duo)

A woman interacts with a mechanical dog in Victoria Park of Hong Kong, south China, June 30, 2023. (Xinhua/Chen Duo)

A man tries an exoskeleton robot in Victoria Park of Hong Kong, south China, July 1, 2023. (Xinhua/Chen Duo)

People try a virtual space technology at the booth of Meta Engine, a Guangzhou-based digital technology firm, in Victoria Park of Hong Kong, south China, July 1, 2023. (Xinhua/Chen Duo)

A staff member of the Macao-based Belt and Road Startup Accelerator demonstrates a mechanical dog in Victoria Park of Hong Kong, south China, July 1, 2023. (Xinhua/Chen Duo)