Virtual reality, drones and startups at HKTDC 2017

Inspiring ideas and products at the 'Tech Hall'
Amid this microcosm of the electronics universe, a 'Tech Hall' of five zones is demonstrating new breakthroughs in Virtual Reality (VR), robotics, unmanned tech, 3D printing, smart tech and startup.

VR innovations include smart gadgets applying VR and Augmented Reality (AR) technologies, such as 'smart' glasses with translating, live stream and navigation functions, and a smartphone VR headset with 3D controller for games.

In the Smart Tech zone, many exhibitors are featuring Home Automation Systems, from smart doorlocks that unlock by mobile phone to 'digital keys' that can be sent over the internet, for prospective tenants or purchasers to view properties.

Drone and robotic technology is a headline feature of the robotics and unmanned tech zone, and the 3D printing zone demonstrates the latest developments in the technology heralding a new era for creating prototypes of products, parts and devices for manufacturing.

Indicating the explosion of new ideas from independent developers, the startup zone has almost doubled in size from last year, with nearly a hundred fledgling start-ups showcasing their innovative inventions, from personal smart gym trainers to smart fetus camera for pregnant mothers to take pictures of baby.

Tech giants at symposium
Meanwhile, to update professionals attending the fair on key industry trends, a keynote 'Symposium on Innovation and Technology' conference is bringing first-hand insights into the latest electronic technology shaping the future from prominent representatives of renowned tech giants Amazon Web Services, E Ink, Google, Huawei, Microsoft, Mobileye and Tencent.

The day-long symposium on 13th October, the first day of the fair, examines key advancements across a range of new technologies from cloud computing in e-commerce and autonomous driving to machine learning applications, electronic ink, Artificial Intelligence (AI) and vehicle-to-everything (C-V2X) communications.

Key issues to navigating the future of driverless cars are being examined by Tony Tung, Sales Manager for Mobileye Automotive Products and Services (Shanghai), global leaders in developing vision technology for Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) and autonomous driving.

He explained how the road from ADAS to full autonomy 'depends on mastering three technological pillars', including real time 'sensing' of the vehicle's environment; 'mapping' awareness and foresight; and decision-making 'driving', assessing threats, planning maneuvers and negotiating traffic.

As automotive technologies continue to advance with vehicles becoming increasingly connected and autonomous, cellular vehicle-to-everything (C-V2X) technology is a key enabler for connected cars and the transportation industry of the future.

Alex Wong, Hong Kong Director of Solution Sales for leading global information and communications technology (ICT) solutions provider Huawei, explained the latest C-V2X advancements; with enhanced wireless capabilities including extended communication range, improved reliability and transmission performance 'enabling vehicles to talk with each other and make our transportation systems safer, faster and more environmental friendly'.

Virtual, Augmented and Mixed Reality (MR) are widely considered to be the next mainstream computing opportunity, as explained by Microsoft Hong Kong's General Manager Cally Chan and Technology Evangelist Andy Cheung.

"MR, Internet of Things (IoT) and Intelligent Cloud advancements are going to enable digital transformation in every organisation - to empower employees, engage customers, gain operational efficiencies and transform products," said Chan.

Potential for making use of machine learning technology is shared by Google's Hong Kong Head of Public Policy and Government Affairs, Yam-Ki Chan. Google implements it to improve user experience, and the technology holds potential in a wide spectrum of applications, he said.

"Machine learning can give life and products more cutting edge. Google is sharing its machine learning technology with researchers and the technology community to democratise access to the benefits."

Latest breakthroughs in electronic ink and e-paper devices that mimic traditional ink on paper, potentially revolutionising books and newspapers, are explained by Dr Feng-Yuan Gan, Executive Vice President of Sales Center at E Ink Holdings, the originator, pioneer and commercial leader in the new technology.

"Electronic ink and e-paper applications are becoming more diversified with technology breakthroughs and advancements in recent years," he said. "As the number of wirelessly connected devices soar, the natural benefits and ultra-low power consumption of E Ink makes it the most suitable display technology in the Internet of Things."

In the futuristic world of Artificial Intelligence, the Internet of Things and Voice-enabled services, e-commerce and cloud computing giant Amazon is at the forefront of applying these core technologies. Zane Moi, Head of Business Development for Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan, will provide suggestions and approaches to adopting these new solutions, with insights into how Amazon has introduced Amazon Robotics, Amazon Echo, AmazonGo and Amazon Web Services.

Shenzhen-headquartered Tencent provides stable and effective connections in the areas of human to human, human to service, human to machine and machine to machine, which are the foundation of developing a successful smart city. Yi Haiyan, President of gd.qq.com at Tencent, will discuss 'Smart City: Future in Cloud Technology' at the Symposium.

Learn about the latest market trends
Completing the world's top electronics trading marketplace is electronicAsia, a pre-eminent fair for electronic components and production technologies running in conjunction with the Hong Kong Electronics Fair (Autumn Edition). The fair focuses on matching manufacturers with distributors in Asia, featuring the inaugural Power Supplies zone, as well as printed circuit board and EMS, display technology, electronic parts and components, keyboards and switches, sensor technology and more. 

Complementing the keynote Symposium, a series of seminars and forums will be organised to update participants on the latest trends and developments in the electronics industry, from sensor and drone technology to AI embedded electronics, flexible electronics, emerging markets and new products, and there will be a presentation for 'Electronic Industries Award 2017' winners.

A series of themed events provides a platform for rising start-up stars to present their new ideas, while successful entrepreneurs share their experiences and tips at 'Startup Mentoring' sessions, with advice from finding investors and crowdfunding to launching, branding and keeping competitive.