China accelerates frontier tech deployment from lab to market

HEFEI — From robots deployed at airports and hotels to autonomous vehicles navigating city roads and quantum computing tackling complex industrial calculations, innovations in China are moving rapidly from laboratories into real-world applications.

At Hefei Xinqiao International Airport in Hefei, capital of East China's Anhui province, a wheeled humanoid robot named Zerith H1 glides through the restrooms, automatically adjusting its height to collect trash, wipe stains from countertops, and mop the floor.

Developed by Hefei-based robotics company Zerith, the intelligent cleaning robot has been deployed at more than 20 venues in major Chinese cities, including Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou and Shenzhen. It serves shopping malls, airports and hotels by sorting goods and cleaning.

Founded by a team of post-2000s graduates from Tsinghua University, Zerith moved from a laboratory prototype to mass production within a year, securing orders totaling more than 100 million yuan ($14.34 million).

"Based on our self-developed, scenario-specific large model, we continuously train robots, collect data and optimize algorithms in simulated real-world environments, laying the groundwork for practical deployment," said Yang Wei, Zerith's chief brand officer.

Yang noted that households represent the ultimate application scenario for general-purpose robots. The startup planned to begin with business-to-business deployments in high-end hotels and laundries that closely resemble household environments, enabling it to validate technology and gather real-world data before eventually bringing products to average homes.

Beyond robotics, China is accelerating the commercialization of other cutting-edge technologies as the country pushes for breakthroughs in high-tech industries.

On the western outskirts of Hefei, researchers are advancing the development of fusion power generation. Using technologies originating from China's "artificial sun" project, scientists have developed security checkup equipment for subways and proton therapy systems for treating multiple cancers.

Quantum mechanics, which marked its centennial in 2025, is also fueling industrial innovations.

In healthcare, Origin Quantum has partnered with a medical university in Anhui to develop molybdenum-target breast cancer screening equipment, improving image analysis accuracy.

In manufacturing, quantum-precision measurement instruments developed by CIQTEK can detect faint signals from magnetic impurities in raw materials for new-energy batteries, thereby boosting inspection efficiency and improving battery safety.

Chinese innovations are increasingly expanding abroad. At a Chery car dealership in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, the AiMOGA humanoid robot acts as an intelligent sales consultant. Speaking fluent English, it greets customers, guides visitors through showrooms, introduces product features and even serves beverages, all with minimal human intervention.

Zhang Guibing, general manager of Chery International and AiMOGA Robotics, said the robots are already deployed in over 30 countries. The team is exploring applications in high-speed rail stations, museums, hospitals and government service centers.

"Next, we will focus on standardizing mature scenarios for rapid global replication," Zhang said. "We aim to turn practical demand into modular capabilities that can be continuously applied to our second — and third-generation robots."

China's progress in commercializing frontier technologies has been supported by coordinated policy measures, capital investment and scenario deployment.

Recommendations from China's top leadership for formulating the country's 15th Five-Year Plan (2026-30) call for significantly strengthening capacity for basic research and original innovation, and for achieving faster progress toward breakthroughs in core technologies across key fields.

Local governments across China have rolled out policies to support technological innovations and future industries.

In October, Shanghai released a set of measures to accelerate frontier technology innovation and foster future industries, aiming to nurture around 20 leading future industry enterprises by 2027. Shenzhen has established three investment funds totaling 22 billion yuan to support tech startups.

From government procurement to diverse application scenarios such as elderly care, logistics, and urban transportation, China is providing a wide range of "real-world training grounds" for technological innovation.

Xinhua