2016年CRI Edible Worms, Ping Pong Robots: Startups Gind Mecca in Shenzhen

 

Stairs present a difficult challenge for most robots, but not for Roveo.

Swiss startup Rovenso's remotely operated rover has been designed for use in disaster zones inaccessible¹ due to contamination and rough terrain².

Roveo weighs about 300 kilograms and is up to 2 metres long, with four wheels whose innovative³ linkage⁴ system allows it to climb over tall obstacles while carrying heavy loads.

Lucian Cucu, co-founder⁵ of Rovenso, says the Chinese city of Shenzhen is an ideal place to be for entrepreneurs who want to turn their ideas into actual devices.

"So the advantages of being in Shenzhen China or just anywhere in China close to factories is first of all you can get CNC (computer numerical control) parts or any kind of manufactured pieces that you need for the robot extremely quickly."

As the world's electronics manufacturing capital, the metropolis⁶ is home to some of China's biggest and hottest companies. Many are led by a new wave of young Chinese entrepreneurs hoping to build global brand recognition.

Divided from Hong Kong by a river, Shenzhen was a quiet fishing enclave of about 300,000 people when then Chinese leader Deng Xiaoping designated it the country's first "special economic zone" in 1979.

Now a sprawling⁷ megacity of 11 million people, its fortunes were made churning out cheap clothes, electronics and toys for big foreign brands.

But low cost manufacturers like Apple supplier Foxconn have been moving inland or out of China as labour costs increased. Now the city's focus is on higher value-added, homegrown technology.

Innovative new companies are being drawn⁸ by Shenzhen's well-established manufacturing supply chains and transport links, proximity⁹ to Hong Kong's banking¹⁰ and financial expertise¹¹, and better transport links and milder weather compared to Beijing and Shanghai.

Ping pong enthusiasts¹² Harrison and Alexander Chen's table tennis training machine, Trainerbot, is about the size of a large pineapple and can be programmed via smartphone to fire balls at specific areas and give them certain spins.

The brothers, raised in Taiwan, managed to build two prototypes a week in Shenzhen, thanks to the city's vast electronics markets and 3D printing services.

Alexander Chen says he wants to bring robots to the masses.

"So there are 300 million people on Earth that play pingpong and a lot of them see robots as a professional tool. So only people on a high level own robots today because they're so hard to use and limited in training. And we want to bring that to more than just training, we want to bring it to everyone, because it's fun."

Another Shenzhen based start-up promises to revolutionize what we eat, by allowing foodies to grow their own insects at home with a desktop¹³ hive, and then eat them.

Livin Farms' Austrian founder Katharina Unger says mealworms are a healthy, sustainable alternative to modern, industrialised food production.

"We love it roasted and just crispy like a snack with some salt or some barbecue spicing but you can also grind them up and bake cookies with it or muffins or even bread or tortillas. You can treat them as minced¹⁴ meat, that's another way. So you can make a pasta sauce with it for example. Or you can grind them up and make them into a burger patty or dumplings."

The company exceeded its 100,000 dollar crowdfunding goal by half as much again, after a session last autumn with Hax, an "accelerator" for hardware startups.

Hax, which was founded five years ago in Shenzhen, brings groups of startups to the area, gives them funding, technical help, and introduces them to the countless¹⁵ component¹⁶ suppliers and factories in and around the city to speed up prototype development.

Industrial experts are confident that in the years ahead the tech sector¹⁷ in Shenzhen will continue to grow and thrive, helping¹⁸ to bring China's innovations to the wider world.

For CRI, I'm Xie Cheng.

1 inaccessible   

adj.达不到的，难接近的

参考例句：

• This novel seems to me among the most inaccessible.这本书对我来说是最难懂的小说之一。
• The top of Mount Everest is the most inaccessible place in the world.珠穆朗玛峰是世界上最难到达的地方。

2 terrain   

n.地面，地形，地图

参考例句：

• He had made a detailed study of the terrain.他对地形作了缜密的研究。
• He knows the terrain of this locality like the back of his hand.他对这一带的地形了如指掌。

3 innovative   

adj.革新的，新颖的，富有革新精神的

参考例句：

• Discover an innovative way of marketing.发现一个创新的营销方式。
• He was one of the most creative and innovative engineers of his generation.他是他那代人当中最富创造性与革新精神的工程师之一。

4 linkage   

n.连接；环节

参考例句：

• In their monographic treatment of linkage,they have emphasized this especially.他们在论连锁的专题文章中特别强调了这点。
• Occasionally,problems with block inheritance or linkage are encountered.有时会遇到区段遗传或连锁问题。

5 Founder   

n.创始者，缔造者

参考例句：

• He was extolled as the founder of their Florentine school.他被称颂为佛罗伦萨画派的鼻祖。
• According to the old tradition,Romulus was the founder of Rome.按照古老的传说，罗穆卢斯是古罗马的建国者。

6 metropolis   

n.首府；大城市

参考例句：

• Shanghai is a metropolis in China.上海是中国的大都市。
• He was dazzled by the gaiety and splendour of the metropolis.大都市的花花世界使他感到眼花缭乱。

7 sprawling   

adj.蔓生的，不规则地伸展的v.伸开四肢坐[躺]( sprawl的现在分词 )；蔓延；杂乱无序地拓展；四肢伸展坐着（或躺着）

参考例句：

• He was sprawling in an armchair in front of the TV. 他伸开手脚坐在电视机前的一张扶手椅上。
• a modern sprawling town 一座杂乱无序拓展的现代城镇

8 drawn   

v.拖，拉，拔出；adj.憔悴的，紧张的

参考例句：

• All the characters in the story are drawn from life.故事中的所有人物都取材于生活。
• Her gaze was drawn irresistibly to the scene outside.她的目光禁不住被外面的风景所吸引。

9 proximity   

n.接近，邻近

参考例句：

• Marriages in proximity of blood are forbidden by the law.法律规定禁止近亲结婚。
• Their house is in close proximity to ours.他们的房子很接近我们的。

10 banking   

n.银行业，银行学，金融业

参考例句：

• John is launching his son on a career in banking.约翰打算让儿子在银行界谋一个新职位。
• He possesses an extensive knowledge of banking.他具有广博的银行业务知识。

11 expertise   

n.专门知识(或技能等)，专长

参考例句：

• We were amazed at his expertise on the ski slopes.他斜坡滑雪的技能使我们赞叹不已。
• You really have the technical expertise in a new breakthrough.让你真正在专业技术上有一个全新的突破。

12 enthusiasts   

n.热心人，热衷者( enthusiast的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• A group of enthusiasts have undertaken the reconstruction of a steam locomotive. 一群火车迷已担负起重造蒸汽机车的任务。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Now a group of enthusiasts are going to have the plane restored. 一群热心人计划修复这架飞机。 来自新概念英语第二册

13 desktop   

n.桌面管理系统程序；台式

参考例句：

• My computer is a desktop computer of excellent quality.我的计算机是品质卓越的台式计算机。
• Do you know which one is better,a laptop or a desktop?你知道哪一种更好，笔记本还是台式机？

14 minced   

v.切碎( mince的过去式和过去分词 )；剁碎；绞碎；用绞肉机绞（食物，尤指肉）

参考例句：

• He minced over to serve us. 他迈着碎步过来招待我们。
• A young fop minced up to George and introduced himself. 一个花花公子扭扭捏捏地走到乔治面前并作了自我介绍。 来自《简明英汉词典》

15 countless   

adj.无数的，多得不计其数的

参考例句：

• In the war countless innocent people lost their lives.在这场战争中无数无辜的人丧失了性命。
• I've told you countless times.我已经告诉你无数遍了。

16 component   

n.组成部分，成分，元件；adj.组成的，合成的

参考例句：

• Each component is carefully checked before assembly.每个零件在装配前都经过仔细检查。
• Blade and handle are the component parts of a knife.刀身和刀柄是一把刀的组成部分。

17 sector   

n.部门，部分；防御地段，防区；扇形

参考例句：

• The export sector will aid the economic recovery. 出口产业将促进经济复苏。
• The enemy have attacked the British sector.敌人已进攻英国防区。

18 helping   

n.食物的一份&adj.帮助人的，辅助的

参考例句：

• The poor children regularly pony up for a second helping of my hamburger. 那些可怜的孩子们总是要求我把我的汉堡包再给他们一份。
• By doing this, they may at times be helping to restore competition. 这样一来, 他在某些时候,有助于竞争的加强。