How smart can your life be nowadays? At the opening ceremony of the 2023 Minhang Science and Technology Festival held on May 23, a range of cutting-edge technologies and products closely related to people's daily lives were showcased by local science and technology innovation enterprises in the district. These included intelligent pet care, unmanned supermarkets, smart education, and AI-driven exhibit revitalization, demonstrating the transformative impact of technological innovation on urban living from familiar perspectives.
In February this year, the Shanghai Municipal Government officially released the "Construction Plan for Promoting the 'Dalinghao Bay' Scientific and Technological Innovation Source Function Zone." Leveraging this opportunity to advance the innovation hub at "Dalinghao Bay," this year's Minhang Science and Technology Festival is organized around the theme of "Scientific and Technological Innovation as a Source, Smart Creation for the Future." The event aims to open up a new chapter in leveraging scientific and technological innovation to empower industrial development and urban advancement, fostering a new landscape where innovative intellect drives innovation-led development. Looking ahead, cutting-edge technologies such as AI, synthetic biology, and translational medicine are poised to further fuel the ascent of "Dalinghao Bay."
During the opening ceremony, 12 Minhang District-level Innovation R&D Centers from 2022, eight enterprises selected for the second batch of the "Zhangjiang Star" cultivation program, and 11 "Sci-Tech Innovation Stars" top 100 enterprises were honored with award plaques. This serves as encouragement for science and technology innovation enterprises to strengthen independent innovation, continuously enhance their hard-tech capabilities, and make new contributions to Minhang's economic and social development.
At the event, the 3.0 version of the Minhang Science Popularization IP image was officially unveiled, featuring a highly appealing design that embodies the spirit of science popularization. Additionally, in a joint effort to support children with autism, the District Political Consultative Conference, the District Science and Technology Commission & Science Association, and HOTDOG issued a limited-edition public welfare digital blind box—the "Minmin Blind Box." One hundred families of "children of the stars" (a term often used to refer to children with autism) were gifted with the Minhang Science Popularization IP digital blind boxes. Upon opening, these blind boxes randomly reveal one of four digital collectibles: "Maqiao Hand Lion Dance," "Aerospace Pilot," "Subway Train Operator," or "Dalinghao Bay Innovator."
Children can use these digital blind boxes to gain free access to ten science education bases, including the Shanghai Aerospace Science Popularization Center, Shanghai Metro Museum, and Shanghai Jiao Tong University Biotechnology and Genetic Modification Science Popularization Base, for two years. It is hoped that through the infectious power of science popularization culture, these initiatives will accompany the "children of the stars" on their journey out of isolation.