Shift Robotics, a start-up from the US, showcases its intelligent powered shoes at the CIIE that allow wearers to walk at running speeds, reaching a maximum speed of 11 kilometers per hour. Photo: Chen Xia/GT

 
This year's China International Import Expo (CIIE) has once again established itself as a dynamic hub for innovation, offering a platform for global companies, both large and small, to showcase their groundbreaking advancements and to influence the future of technology. 

Among the standout exhibits are airless wheels designed for lunar rovers, engineered to withstand the moon's harsh conditions; smart electric shoes capable of achieving impressive walking speeds, and innovative road marking paint that enhances visibility at night.

Michelin showcased a prototype of its innovative airless wheels designed for lunar rovers, attracting considerable interest from visitors. These wheels, still in the design and development stage, are engineered to withstand extreme temperatures ranging from 100 C to -240 C while providing sufficient grip and stability on the moon's rugged surface, according to the company.

In the innovation incubation special section, Shift Robotics, a start-up from the US, showcases its intelligent powered shoes that allow wearers to walk at running speeds, attracting many people to try it out. 

The shoes can reach a maximum speed of 11 kilometers per hour and can be used for an hour on a single charge. The built-in artificial intelligence (AI) algorithm learns the user's past gait and compares it with the current pattern to provide appropriate acceleration power, Xunjie Zhang, founder and CEO of the company, told the Global Times on Tuesday.

Zhang said that this is the company's first time participating in the CIIE, and the response has exceeded his expectations. 

"I didn't anticipate that so many people would be interested in trying it. This is our debut in Asia, and through the expo, we are also exploring connections and communications with local distributors," Zhang said.

This year, a new materials area has been established for the first time, creating an international exchange platform to promote innovation and development in the field of new materials. This section will cover high value-added products located upstream on the global high-end manufacturing industry chain, including electronic materials, biomaterials and special materials.

New materials play a crucial role in accelerating the growth of new quality productive forces and promoting high-quality development. The CIIE's introduction of the new material special section offers a platform for innovation in the area, attracting us with its high standards for technological innovation, Wee Siew Kim, director, representative executive officer & co-president of Nippon Paint Holdings, told the Global Times in a statement.

"At this year's CIIE, we are showcasing a range of innovative coating technologies and materials for the construction, industrial, automotive and marine sectors, along with two products making their global debuts," he said.

One of those is the Nippon Paint Smart Road Marking Paint, which can provide improved visibility at night, according to the company.

It increases the recognition distance by 130-160 meters compared with the original basis. At a speed of 60 kilometers per hour, it provides drivers with an additional 8-10 seconds of reaction time. It can also be highly recognized by the vehicle sense of self-driving vehicles, which traditional road marking paints cannot, according to the company.

At the CIIE, multinational companies have announced their commitment to expand their presence in China with fresh investments and research and development cooperation as China opens its doors wider.

"We will continue to increase our investment in China, firmly believing that investing here is investing in the future. This year, we initiated the construction of the Nippon Paint Asia-Pacific R&D Innovation Center in Shanghai to further strengthen our presence in the Chinese market," Kim said.

Maximilian Foerst, president and CEO of ZEISS for greater China, told the Global Times that the potential of the Chinese market, the integration level of the supply chain, and the capability for research and innovation have always attracted Zeiss. 

"We will continue to increase our investment in China, including expanding our R&D and innovation capabilities, expanding market share, and closely collaborating with partners across the value chain, such as raw material suppliers, equipment manufacturers and software developers. Together, we will build an efficient and collaborative innovation ecosystem, driving the entire industry chain toward high-quality development," Foerst said.