Hong Kong tech delegation showcases innovation at CES 2026

Hong Kong's growing technology sector made a strong presence at this year's Consumer Electronics Show, showcasing the city's research and development capabilities in emerging technologies, such as artificial intelligence and robotics.

The Hong Kong Science and Technology Parks Corporation (HKSTP) and Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC) led a delegation of 61 companies to the annual technology showcase on Jan 6-9, establishing a Hong Kong Tech Pavilion that featured innovations in advanced materials and sustainable technology, AI and data, digital transformation, electronics and robotics, and life and health sectors.

Among the standout presentations was Widemount Dynamics Tech's AI-driven smart firefighting robot, which earned CES's 2026 Best of Innovation award. The autonomous system is capable of navigating smoke-filled environments without GPS or vision systems while identifying burning materials, selecting appropriate extinguishing agents in real time, and suppressing the fire.

"The robot can detect a fire, pinpoint its location, and suppress it without human control. That means it can intervene at an early stage and help reduce losses," Zhang Yuxin, co-founder of Widemount Dynamics Tech, told China Daily.

The development emerged from extensive consultations with firefighters who expressed the need for more powerful tools leveraging emerging technologies. Unlike existing firefighting robots that require human operation, Zhang said their product achieves full autonomy throughout the entire firefighting process.

"Many companies are working on robotics and AI, but our focus is on reducing injuries and preventing loss of life by providing stronger protection for firefighters and the public," Zhang said. The company plans to expand the technology's applications to forest and wildland fires, broadening its range of deployment scenarios.

The delegation also featured Robocore Technology's "Temi" robot, which provides smart solutions across healthcare, hospitality and retail sectors. The compact, autonomously navigating robot has found particular success in crowded hospital settings and patient wards.

"On the software side, the entire platform is open source, which means any Android application can be integrated and run well on it. Because of this openness, compared with many of our peers, I think it offers greater flexibility," said Shawn Huang, Robocore's chief marketing officer.

The robot enables telemedicine applications where doctors can provide consultations remotely, with physicians staying in their offices while consulting patients in other cities through the robotic interface. The system can also serve shopping malls, schools, museums and exhibition halls.

"Because it is small in size, it is especially suitable for environments that are crowded and complex, which makes it effective for our customers," Huang said.

Huang said that technological advancement alone isn't sufficient for success. "As a technology company, we know that the AI and robotics industries are developing extremely fast, almost changing day by day, and we see new products emerging all the time," he said. "But I believe that we cannot focus on advancing technology alone. We should pay more attention to how to apply the technology in real life, so that high-tech products can better serve more traditional industries."

The Hong Kong startups are leveraging CES as a platform to access overseas markets while demonstrating their research and development strengths. Terry Wong, CEO of HKSTP, highlighted Hong Kong's strategic position in the global technology landscape.

"Tech has no boundaries. Asia is becoming a very strong driving force in technology, particularly in China. Hong Kong plays a very unique role, as a bridge between East and West and Hong Kong traditionally has a strong international network and understanding," Wong told China Daily.

Wong also stressed the commitment to driving future innovation and showcasing Hong Kong's technological capabilities through international forums like CES by leveraging the city's resources in research and development, talent pool and investment capital.