Check out some cool stuff we found at 2050 Conference

World
Europe

03:46

When the geeks around China get together, you can expect some exiting things to happen.

From robot dog that can walk and keep balance just by itself, to Artificial Intelligence go player, from the drone taking off from your palm to the drones that can dive into the water, welcome to the 2050 conference where thousands of young scientists, entrepreneurs, and makers get together in China’s Hangzhou city to share their thoughts about human’s future life.

We met Mao Yiqing, a flying fanatic, who wants to expand people’s understanding about drones. He made this super large, but light drone relying 100 percent on solar power. The tirelessly flying machine can stay in the air for days.

Beyond our expectations, the drone is not designed for carrying cargo, human or camera, but to be a high-altitude platform to beam wifi signals to connect remote areas, sea and air. “When earthquake or other natural disasters hit this area, the plane could be launched to reconnect the network.” Mao said.

Lingque-B airliner model. /Photo via VCG

Zhang Chi also has huge passion on planes. He works for China‘s passenger jet maker COMAC, leading a special lab to design next generation of plane. They bring a model of an airliner called Lingque-B that exploits design elements not found in western passenger jets.

It has vastly increased its wing area to a delta plan wing and used a V-shape tail, making people to think about the US stealth fighter jet F-117A. Bigger wing area will provide extra lift power. All these designs will dramatically increase the maneuverability and fuel efficiency.

Boy watches the launching video of the rocket developed by China’s first private space company. /Photo via VCG

At the expo, the biggest machine is a real rocket developed by China’s first private rocket company called Link space. They wish to build up a Chinese version of falcon rocket. Their latest test shows that five meter-high rocket can be lifted off to 5 meters in the air, and can move about 10 meters before its safe landing.

Hu Zhenyu, founder of Link Space, admits that the gap between China and the United States is still very big. But China should not fear the gap, instead it needs to do more because of the high value of this technology.

Like link space, Deep Robotics from Zhejiang also has a target, the Boston Dynamics from the US. Inspired by the robot dog developed by the Boston Dynamics, the Chinese company has further explored the technology.

For the new technologies that will someday reshape our lives, the geeks have attributed creativity to youth and passion. “If I was going to retire in three years, why would I have to do this? But if I am only 30 something, why not make something crazy? “said Zhang Chi.

1138km