Exhibits you don't want to miss at the 2nd CIIE

From vintage cars and a glitzy guitar to pan-fried lipsticks and a smart piano, this year's expo has something for everyone

As a rising platform for economies and companies to showcase their latest innovations and developments, the China International Import Expo has seen a growing number of new high-tech products making their debut in the country, and even globally.

Below are 10 of the must-see exhibits at the expo this year.

1. Delivery drone

As the first global logistics company to use drones for air delivery in China, DHL Express is launching an urban delivery service drone at the expo that has a flight range of eight kilometers and a maximum weight of five kilograms. Designed to be used for short and medium distance deliveries, it is expected to reduce a 40-minute shipping time using conventional methods to eight minutes. In April 2018, the Civil Aviation Administration of China granted the nation's first drone delivery license to homegrown delivery giant, SF Express. Two months later, e-commerce company JD announced the development of China's first delivery-only drone.

2. Vintage cars

One of the biggest stars of the first expo in 2018 was the model of a "flying car", which could be converted into a plane in three minutes. This year, Slovak startup Aeromobil will return with a real product. But a fleet of automobiles from the past, with the oldest dating back to 1916, is set to steal the thunder of the car of the future. Imported by US vintage car dealer Bund on the Boulevard, five vehicles will showcase the history and evolution of luxury and sports cars. Among them, the 103-year-old Stutz Bearcat, whose auction price was $169,400 in 2002, according to Sotheby's, has a reputation as a playboy's car back in its home country.

3. Glitzy guitar

Studded with 400 carats of diamonds set in 18-karat gold, the Guinness world record-holder of the most valuable guitar first dazzled the world at Basel World in March 2015. Designed by Hong Kong songwriter and designer Mark Lui, the instrument is the result of more than 700 days of work from a team of 68 people. With an estimated value of about $2 million, it will be displayed together with some of the world's biggest and most valuable precious stones at the expo's jewels and diamonds pavilion.

4. Table tennis robot

A fifth-generation upgrade of the world's first table tennis robot coach, Forpheus features an array of cameras that can monitor the position of the ball at a rate of 220 times per second, up from 80 times in the earlier version. Developed by Japanese electronics company Omron, in an effort to improve its sensing technology, the function also allows the robot to show its human students a projected image of where the return ball will land so that they can improve their skills.

5. Personalized speed boat

Italian luxury yacht manufacturer Ferretti Group's 20-meter-long patrol boat was the first exhibit to arrive at the second expo in mid October. Exhibition of the boat, known as FSD 195, at the expo also marks its Asian debut. Powered by two MAN 1,900 horsepower diesel engines, it is made from a composite sandwich of balsa wood and fiberglass with carbon stiffeners, which allows a two-ton saving on the hull weight compared to the civilian version while maintaining robustness. Designated mainly for paramilitary forces, it can also be fitted out according to each customer's requirements.

6. Inventory robot

Decathlon, the largest sports goods retailer globally, is introducing the world's first inventory robot tailored for China's combined offline-online retail scenario. Using radio frequency identification technology, the robot will enable stores to analyze products of interest, while giving human staff more time to interact with customers.

7. Lipsticks in a pan

South Korea cosmetic conglomerate Amorepacific's lipstick cooking show allows the company to introduce its young brand, known for its bold and creative aesthetic, to China. In the show, consumers pick their three favorite lipstick colors and a make-up-artist-turned chef mixes them in a pan to create a new color that is believed to be most suited to the skin tone of the consumer.

8. Smart coffee machine

Atos, a leading global player in digital transformation, is showcasing a coffee machine that can offer users their favorite beverages. The judgment is based on the internet of things, which tracks individual consumption using facial recognition. The French company, which is a worldwide IT partner of the International Olympic Committee and is participating in the expo for the first time this year, is also developing a facial recognition security system that will ensure the smooth and safe entry of about 300,000 people to the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo.

9. High-tech piano

Steinway & Sons' Spirio is arguably the world's smartest piano. Launched in 2015, the instrument comes with an iPad Pro and accompanying app that allows users to record, play back and edit their own songs in high-resolution audio format. A masterpiece of artistry and engineering, the self-playing Spirio accounted for 30 percent of Steinway's sales in 2018, according to USA Today.

10. Virtual hostess

Developed by century-old Japanese company, Tanaka Printing, the virtual hostess is a package of portable devices that allows users to showcase products using an animated figure projected onto a 3D screen. Without the need of a media player or a PC, the prerecorded video can play automatically after a micro SD card is inserted into a projector. The idea is to replace advertising leaflets in retail scenarios like supermarkets and shops with more vivid and engaging methods of product introduction. And the projector, at a depth of 30 centimeters, is the perfect size for product shelves.

xujunqian@chinadaily.com.cn

(China Daily 11/05/2019 page15)