Santime Intelligence unveils solar-powered AI umbrella

Chinese green technology company Santime Intelligence recently unveiled its latest solar-powered artificial intelligence umbrella at the Alipay Ecosystem Conference in Hangzhou, Zhejiang province, as it looks to expand the use of green-powered smart devices in public spaces.

The fourth-generation product, named Little Umbrella Mate, integrates flexible thin-film solar panels, AI-enabled interaction and Alipay Tap!, a tap-based service developed by Ant Group's payment platform.

Users can tap their phones to access functions including fast charging, unmanned retail cabinets, advertising screens and AI-powered customer service, according to the company. The umbrella is designed for use at tourist attractions, commercial districts, industrial parks, residential communities and universities.

Alipay Tap! has attracted 400 million users, worked with more than 2,000 independent software vendors and connected over 30 million offline service points since its launch two years ago, according to figures released at the conference.

Harry Ze, founder and CEO of Santime Intelligence, said the product has undergone seven years of upgrades, evolving from a solar-powered lighting facility into a smart terminal combining power generation, media and retail services.

"We aim to turn every umbrella into a green-power node for Alipay's offline AI network," he said.