Nigeria Times

By Xiao Jiaxin, Wang Zhe, People’s Daily

Inside a soundstage of the China Movie Metropolis (CMM) in Qingdao West Coast New Area, Qingdao, east China’s Shandong province, production of the Chinese sci-fi blockbuster “The Wandering Earth III” is in full swing. 

Performers in motion-capture suits move swiftly across the floor, while more than 100 infrared cameras capture every movement. On nearby monitors, digital characters and real-time-rendered environments seamlessly merge, blending the actors with their virtual world.

Several Chinese blockbusters, including “The Wandering Earth,” “Creation of the Gods” trilogy, and “Home Coming,” were all filmed or produced at the CMM. The facility is equipped with cutting-edge, industrial-grade equipment, enabling the entire filmmaking process, from script pre-visualization to filming and post-production, to be completed entirely without the studio.

Covering 1.7 million square meters, the CMM boasts 40 international-standard soundstages and 32 set-construction workshops, with its facilities and soundstage sizes meeting leading global benchmarks.

In 2020, the CMM launched its virtual production platform in Soundstage No. 5, a 2,000-square-meter studio. The platform integrates seven advanced technology modules, including motion capture, 3D scanning, and real-time rendering, making it one of the most technologically sophisticated virtual production soundstages in China.

The motion-capture system, featuring more than 100 specialized cameras, is widely used in virtual cinematography for films and TV dramas. “It has cut post-production time by nearly 40 percent and significantly enhanced the efficiency of shooting space scenes,” said Guo Fan, director of “The Wandering Earth” franchise. The system also allows actors to see virtual environments during their performance, leading to more authentic acting.

The virtual production platform is further enhanced by an ultra-high-precision facial scanning system, which improves the accuracy and efficiency of digital-human modeling, providing exceptional realism in character rendering.

Strategic spatial planning across the complex ensures smooth transitions between sets. “Our soundstages and set-construction workshops are strategically paired in clusters,” explained Yu Qiubei, technical director of the CMM. “This 1:1 layout minimizes communication barriers that often arise when filming locations and set-building areas are too far apart.”

Another signature feature of the CMM is its world-class underwater production center, which includes a state-of-the-art indoor heated water-tank stage, a large outdoor shooting pool, and professional blue screens. The 1,300-cubic-meter tank, maintained at a constant 32 degrees Celsius, allows actors to move with greater flexibility underwater, making it ideal for a wide range of filming needs. Movies such as “A Writer’s Odyssey” and “Operation Hadal” have used this facility for their underwater scenes.

Thanks to the CMM, Qingdao has developed a comprehensive film industry complex, with a total built-up area of 5.4 million square meters. The ecosystem is now home to nearly 1,200 film-related companies and has supported more than 700 film and TV projects, variety programs, and large-scale events, contributing over 10 billion yuan ($1.42 billion) in film-related output.

In one special-effects studio, a bionic mechanical dog moves at the touch of a remote, its mouth opening and eyebrows furrowing. To create realistic on-screen animals, the studio crafted the robotic dog from flexible silicone and outfitted it with advanced control systems, explained studio general manager Wang Ke. After hundreds of adjustments, the team achieved the desired lifelike performance.

The studio is also home to computer numerical control machines, 3D printers, and laser engravers, used for designing and producing special props for major films. Wang relocated his studio from Beijing to Qingdao in 2022, attracted by the powerful cluster effect of the CMM. “The CMM draws in teams working on science-fiction and fantasy projects,” he explained. “Our studio specializes in mecha and bionic mechanical props, and the items we produce are easily integrated into the soundstages next door.”

Today, Qingdao West Coast New Area hosts more than 1,000 companies in the film and cultural sectors, covering the entire film production process, from creation to post-production. The thriving ecosystem of the CMM is not only propelling the growth of China’s film industry but also positioning Qingdao as a hub for film production and innovation.

By Shen Wenmin, People’s Daily

The Global Developer Pioneers Summit 2025 and the International Embodied Intelligence Competition (GDPS 2025) were held in Shanghai from December 12 to 14. This event explored the integration of artificial intelligence from theoretical algorithms to tangible real-world applications.

Embodied intelligence, steadily making its way into diverse aspects of human life, was prominently showcased across multiple sectors. With three primary competition tracks, namely industrial production, daily-life services, and professional services, the event highlighted significant technological advancements and the industrial potential of embodied intelligence.

Industrial production: competing in millimeters and milliseconds

At the industrial manufacturing competition, the air was filled with the hum of high-frequency motors. During the industrial assembly competition, a humanoid robot efficiently completed a precision assembly task: equipped with high-definition visual sensors, its robotic arm could identify three different components in just 0.3 seconds. Its fingertips adjusted gripping force with an accuracy of 0.01 millimeters, completing eight processes, including positioning, insertion, and tightening, without flawless precision.

“By reducing each servo cycle by 0.5 milliseconds, the entire grasping process is accelerated to match human speed,” explained a developer from Generation-Z, who was fine-tuning parameters with their team. The team’s real-time motion control algorithm enabled the robot to achieve significant breakthroughs in both efficiency and precision despite limited computing resources.

Yao Qizhi, an academician of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, emphasized that for embodied intelligence to advance, it must evolve from isolated skills to full-body coordination. “At present, robots’ mobility and manipulation are managed by two separate systems. The future will demand unified control over whole-body movement and fine motor skills to support complex, multi-step, general-purpose actions,” he explained.

Daily-life services: more personalized forms 

The daily-life services track focused on practical applications in everyday settings. In a simulated community environment, an intelligent service robot assisted elderly participants. Through voice interaction, it identified individual needs and delivered relevant information about community events. When interacting with those with limited mobility, the robot offered a support handrail and guided them gently across ramps, providing reminders to “walk slowly.”

“The robot understands my dialect and responds quickly. Having such a helper in the community would make life much easier,” remarked an elderly participant.

The home services track demonstrated even more personalized solutions. A household service robot autonomously planned its movements to avoid obstacles, identified food items in kitchen cabinets, and reminded users of expiration dates. It also recommended recipes based on health data and flexibly adjusted cleaning modes to avoid areas where infants were crawling. 

According to its developer, the robot is powered by a multimodal large model capable of deeply understanding nonverbal human behavior, such as facial expressions and movements, to better understand user needs and deliver more personalized services.

Intelligent technologies should not only exhibit technical sophistication but also possess a human touch. From community services to in-home companionship, and from daily chores to health management, embodied intelligence is transforming life services by offering flexible and personalized solutions. This shift is opening new opportunities for industrial innovation and growth.

Professional services: a test of real-world capability

The professional services track covered two major scenarios — emergency rescue and medical/elderly care — challenging embodied intelligence in extreme, high-stakes environments.

In the emergency rescue simulation, a disaster site was recreated with collapsed debris blocking roads, and thick smoke reducing visibility to less than one meter. Upon activation, a tracked rescue robot rapidly synthesized sensor data to determine the optimal route. It traversed rubble, continuously adjusted its posture to maintain balance, and successfully navigated the obstacles. The robot precisely located trapped individuals and transmitted their vital signs. Engineers onsite celebrated as the robot completed the task in just a few minutes, a feat that reflected extensive testing in rigorous conditions.

The medical and eldercare scenario highlighted the balance between “precision” and “gentleness.” In a rehabilitation setting, a robot assisted a hemiplegic patient with limb exercises. Using force-feedback technology, it dynamically adjusted its assistance based on real-time monitoring of the patient’s exertion, ensuring effective training while minimizing the risk of secondary injury. 

Additionally, a surgical-assistance robot demonstrated its capabilities in minimally invasive procedures. With its mechanical arm, the robot performed precise cuts and sutures on simulated human tissue, maintaining an error margin of just 0.1 millimeters.

“Medical applications place extraordinarily high demands on precision and stability. This represents the critical test for embodied intelligence to move from simply ‘capable’ to ‘exceptionally proficient,'” remarked a medical expert at the event.

Jiang Lei, chief scientist of the Shanghai-based National and Local Co-built Humanoid Robotics Innovation Center, noted that technological breakthroughs in professional services reflect the core mission of embodied intelligence: to serve humanity. The collective oath taken by robot competitors — “Strictly follow instructions, serve humanity, and pay tribute to technology” — encapsulated this mission, underscoring the human-centric goals driving technological advancements.

By Dou Hao, People’s Daily

In recent years, micro-renewal projects have catalyzed remarkable transformations in Shaoxing, an ancient city in east China’s Zhejiang province. While preserving its distinctive historical character, this ancient city, whose urban layout has remained largely unchanged for more than 2,500 years, has been revitalized with new energy.

Shaoxing is one of the first cities in China to be officially recognized as a “historical and cultural city.” Located in Yuecheng district, the city’s ancient core covers an area of 9.09 square kilometers and encompasses eight historical and cultural neighborhoods. Within this area, 53 major historical and cultural sites are safeguarded at the municipal level or higher.

Shen Bo, chief engineer of Shaoxing Cultural Tourism Group Co., Ltd., has witnessed and contributed to the city’s transformation and preservation. “I joined the office for the protection and utilization of Shaoxing ancient city in 2004,” Shen said. “Over the past two decades, I’ve been involved in numerous projects, all with a singular goal: to breathe new life into this millennium-old city.”

A prime example of this revitalization is the renovation of Qingteng Study, formerly the residence of Xu Wei, a celebrated painter and calligrapher of the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644). Although Qingteng Study is a nationally protected historical and cultural site, its limited interior space posed challenges for accommodating large numbers of visitors. 

To address this, Shen and his team transformed a nearby, previously closed-down machine-tool factory into the Xu Wei Art Museum. Surrounding traditional taimen houses, courtyard residences typical of Shaoxing, were also refurbished into boutique homestays and cultural spaces. 

By blending culture, commerce, and tourism, the project not only enhanced the visitor experience but also improved living conditions for the local residents. One former critic of the renovation later shared a photo of herself and her son joyfully sitting outside their home, prompting Shen to reflect, “At that moment, I realized the effort had truly paid off.”

Urban renewal within the ancient city requires a holistic, citywide approach. Two high-rise buildings, which previously obstructed the cityscape, were reduced from 12 stories to five and repurposed into a meteorological museum. Alongside the renovated Shaoxing hall of historical figures and a museum dedicated to clean governance, these spaces now contribute to the cultural richness of the city. In addition, smaller-scale renovations have expanded public open spaces, and around 60 percent of the historical buildings have been restored to their original appearance.\

New technologies have played a major role as well. Drone-based remote sensing is used to document the ancient city’s spatial layout, while a digital monitoring system provides real-time analysis of potential risks to immovable cultural relics. Furthermore, a digital archive now systematically catalogs both tangible and intangible cultural heritage, including local customs, revolutionary histories, and architectural landmarks.

By September of this year, the conservation of Shaoxing ancient city was nearing completion, with eight historical and cultural neighborhoods and two historical areas fully preserved. A total of 94 historical and cultural sites under protection, along with 55 historical buildings, have undergone professional restoration. 

After its renovation, the Cangqiao Straight Street, one of the ancient city’s best-known historical streets, has been revitalized to combine its well-preserved historical features with a vibrant, everyday atmosphere. The street has become particularly popular among visitors. One tourist from Shanghai left a message saying: “With its small bridges, flowing water, and old-world charm, sitting here with a cup of tea and enjoying the view is truly relaxing. I would love to come back again.”

Last year, Yuecheng district, which encompasses Shaoxing ancient city, welcomed 17 million tourist visits, a 12 percent increase from the previous year.

“Over the past five years, the ancient city has transformed almost every day,” Shen said. More than 60 foundational and implementation-oriented conservation and utilization projects have been completed. Cultural events commemorating luminaries such as Xu Wei, Chinese Ming-dynasty philosopher Wang Yangming, and modern-time educator Cai Yuanpei have been successfully held. The former residences of writers like Lu Xun and calligraphers like Wang Xizhi have now become signature landmarks of Shaoxing ancient city.

Shaoxing’s experience is far from unique. Across China, many cities with rich historical and cultural legacies are undergoing similar transformations. Over the past five years, China has made significant progress in preserving its urban and rural heritage, with many historical sites receiving urgent, rescue-based protection and a national consensus forming around the principle of “preserving what should be preserved and promoting protection through use.” 

By incorporating cultural heritage into modern urban life, cities nationwide have maintained the charm of ancient streets while modernizing infrastructure and eliminating safety hazards. This approach not only preserves history but also sustains the vibrancy of everyday life, turning old landmarks into new cultural icons.

By Pan Xutao

As humanoid robots become increasingly integrated into everyday life, their development now includes a critical educational phase — training. In Beijing’s Shijingshan district, the Phase II Beijing Humanoid Robot Data Training Center, the largest facility of its kind in China, functions as a “school” where robots undergo scenario-based learning before deployment.

Spanning two floors, the center replicates real-world production and living environments at full scale, ranging from coil sorting and parcel packing to cooking and bedroom organization. Each training module, or “cell,” is modular and frequently reconfigured to reflect diverse operational contexts.

The primary model under training is “Kuafu,” a 1.66-meter-tall humanoid robot. Training is conducted in “small-class” settings, with each robot assigned two human trainers. “Just as children require repeated practice to walk, robots must train extensively across diverse scenarios to build functional intelligence,” said Zhu Kai, head of the training center. 

He explained that the center addresses a key bottleneck in the robotics industry: the lack of high-quality, structured data. Scenario-based training generates data that are systematically cleaned, labeled, and supplied to enterprises for large-model development.

Why centralize robot training? 

Zhu said that training was previously conducted independently by individual companies, akin to small-scale workshops, which led to inconsistent and often low-quality data. In contrast, centralized, standardized data production enables the creation of high-quality, cost-effective datasets that benefit the entire industry.

According to estimates, the training center can generate several million high-quality data entries each year. It is also part of a nationwide, cross-regional data-collection model linked with training sites in cities such as Suzhou, Jinan, Hefei, and Zhengzhou.

What do robots learn in classes?

In one of the data collection zones, trainers Shi Xuanyu and Han Weiqi collaborated to teach a robot the task of “protective packaging,” part of the smart home scenario category. Wearing a virtual reality (VR) headset and using handheld controllers, Han remotely guided the robot to place bubble wrap into a box and insert a remote control, while Shi monitored and recorded data from a computer terminal. The two trainers switched roles after several hours to ensure precision and consistency.

At the training center, robots begin by selecting a “major” from four major categories, including industrial manufacturing, smart home applications, elderly care services, and 5G-integrated scenarios, covering a total of 16 specialized disciplines.

Shi and Han, considered among the center’s top trainers, typically require seven or eight days to guide a robot through a single scenario. The center employs 110 staff members, most of whom were born in the 2000s. “Training requires meticulous attention to detail,” Shi said. For example, teaching a robot to place a frying pan on a stove involved 1,250 repetitions — each movement precisely recorded to improve the robot’s coordination and gradually replicate human-like performance.

So far, robots trained at the center have acquired more than 20 operational skills, including material handling, inspection, and delivery, with task success rates exceeding 95 percent.

What happens to these robots after “graduation”? 

An electronic display at the training center highlights the deployment of several “outstanding graduates.” Some work as material handlers at factories of Chinese automaker China FAW Group Co., Ltd., couriers at Shenzhen Capital Group, power inspection officers at China Southern Power Grid Co., Ltd., or service guides at the Zhongguancun Forum, a state-level platform for global high-tech innovation, exchange, and cooperation.

One key factor behind their employability is the center’s scenario-based practical training. Environments replicated at the facility mirror real-world operations — from ZTE’s intelligent production lines and FAW Group’s automobile workshops to Chinese logistics giant SF Express’s logistics systems and Unilever’s shampoo boxing operations.

As more employers seek to integrate humanoid robots into routine operations. As the industry enters a phase of rapid development, increasing numbers of robots trained at the center are expected to enter homes and industries nationwide, serving diverse sectors across society.