Zhangjiang gems shine at Shanghai tech fair

The annual China (Shanghai) International Technology Fair has become a major platform to showcase the city's latest innovations as Shanghai prepares to build a global hi-tech innovative center, analysts said.

Gastroscopy used to be regarded by many patients as an unbearable experience, but a capsule-sized device can act as a replacement means of examining the inside of the stomach and duodenum.

"We ask the patient to swallow the capsule, wear special equipment that can record all the data collected by it, and get ready for a thorough gastroscopy. The whole process takes about half an hour and the capsule leaves the body along with other waste within 24 hours," said Li Zhaoshen, a professor from Changhai Hospital.

According to the gastroenterology expert, the camera measures just 27 millimeters in length, 11.8 mm in width and weighs less than 5 grams. Carrying more than 300 components, the capsule has been used in over 50 hospitals nationwide.

"In order to meet the growing demand for painless examinations in Shanghai and the Yangtze River Delta region, a production line will be built in Jinqiao Park of the Zhangjiang National Innovation Demonstration Zone that can produce 1 million camera-capsules per year," Li said.

At the technology fair held in late April, an unmanned aircraft powered by liquid-hydrogen fuel cells served as another attention-grabbing innovation. Designed for monitoring, mining and communications, the plane shows how the aviation industry is also moving into green technology.

Weighing only 20 kilograms, it can fly at altitudes below 2,000 meters for two hours at speeds of around 30 km per hour.

Time-shared leases of electric cars are also expected to expand to the 22 parks under the Zhangjiang National Innovation Demonstration Zone this year. Through this service, customers can book, lease and return the cars using mobile apps.

According to Zhangjiang's plan, a new batch of 500 electric cars covering an additional network of 300 stations will be added to the city this year. Currently, the public has a choice of 350 electric cars offering time-sharing leases.

"There are many ways to innovate, but the Zhangjiang demonstration zone puts a special emphasis on originality," said Cao Zhenquan, executive deputy director of the Zhangjiang High-tech Park Management Committee.

Focusing on new technology and new industries, Zhangjiang has established a series of innovative industrial clusters in areas including chips, R&D, education, high-end medical facilities and green economy.

The working environment should be open and tolerant, Cao said, adding that the Zhangjiang demonstration zone made it clear in its regulations that anything new is worth a try as long as it promotes healthy economic development.

Thanks to such an open policy, the zone's total revenue soared 23.9 percent to 3.37 trillion yuan ($542.7 billion) year-on-year in 2014. Its net profit grew 14.5 percent to 184.2 billion yuan from a year ago.

wang_ying@chinadaily.com.cn