Zhang Yang

    nicolezyyy@163.com

    SHENZHEN has been hailed as the “City of Makers” for its innovation-friendly environment, which has bolstered the growth of makers from home and abroad.

    During the 18th China Hi-Tech Fair (CHTF), which has been held at the Shenzhen Convention and Exhibition Center over the past few days, a variety of creative products have been displayed by Shenzhen-based startups in the Makers’ Exhibition Area.

    Many visitors were impressed by two robot arms showcased by Shenzhen Yuejiang Technology Co. Ltd. at its exhibition booth, as the sharp-looking robot arms could automatically make traditional Chinese paintings after memorizing every stroke.

    “The robot arm can remember how a painting is made and reproduce it after the painter holds the robot arm while making a painting,” said Zhang Meng, a sales manager of the company.

    Apart from being an artistic tool, the robot arm, named Dobot, can also be used for 3-D printing, laser engraving and vacuum absorption when it is equipped with different terminal devices.

    Zhang said the company was cofounded by a group of postgraduates from Shandong University in July last year, and two months later they made a name in the U.S. by raising US$620,000 within 50 days for Dobot on a U.S. crowdfunding website.

    Zhang said that over 1,000 robot arms have been sold since Dobot went on sale in September this year, and most of them were sold to universities for students learning computer programming.

    The robot arms, with prices ranging from 6,999 yuan (US$1,017) to 8,399 yuan, can also be used on assembly lines to replace the labor force in small manufactories, Zhang said.

    “But our final goal is to turn the robot arm into a personal assistant in people’s daily life. It will be able to work as a household helper, bringing you a glass of water or helping you slice a watermelon,” he said.

    In another exhibition booth, a pair of augmented reality (AR) glasses was exhibited by Shenzhen Dashuo Computer Technology Co. Ltd., a company that is exploring its own way to bring AR applications to the next level.

    Zhang Quanhua, the company’s sales associate, said that the company was working on a new product that could help visually impaired people to identify objects in front of them by using AR technology.

    Zhang said that users can get feedback from the earphones after the AR camera identifies an object in front of them. For example, the AR camera can recognize traffic lights and warn users before they cross the road.

    Zhang said the company was cofounded by a maker team in Shenzhen with its main business being the production and sale of its self-developed mini PCs, “but the company is shifting its focus to AR technology as the market for the mini PC is getting saturated.”