Playing table tennis with a robot or having a cup of coffee made by one? Here at the ongoing Chengdu FISU World University Games, cutting-edge technologies are capturing everyone's imagination.

From broadcasting to security and medical services, a wide range of advanced products using technologies such as 5G, cloud computing and artificial intelligence have been employed to create a smart event.

According to Chengdu's science and technology department, more than 170 high-tech products have been deployed at more than 30 venues to offer support for hosts, participants and spectators.

Hi, robots

Athletes and visitors from around the world are being dazzled by a group of special staff members at the World University Games, which are being held in the capital of southwest China's Sichuan province.

Designed in line with the event mascot "Rongbao," panda-like robots have been well-received among participants of the Games. With high-precision vision and obstacle-avoiding skills, they provide information about the games, translation and directions.

The chubby robots are also equipped to save lives. After receiving an emergency call, they can rush to the location, automatically open their built-in emergency kits and play a video tutorial on how to use a defibrillator. They can also simultaneously establish remote video connections with medical experts for professional guidance.

At the table tennis venue of the High-tech Zone Sports Center Gymnasium, a "training partner robot "has garnered much attention.

With a mechanical arm tossing a ping-pong ball upward and the other arm swinging a racket, the 1-meter-tall robot skillfully hit the ball to its opponent. It can perform precise actions such as topspin, backspin, and push shots while serving.

"Compared with human beings, the robot has more precise control over the speed and spin," said Li Pengfei, a trainer from a table tennis association in Chengdu who played against the robot.

"The robot can help players improve their observation and anticipation skills ... They can repeatedly practice a specific type of serve, making their training more targeted and effective," Li added.

Meanwhile, in the athlete's village, a smart coffee-making robot can be seen roaming around. Equipped with deep learning systems, it can produce up to 10 types of coffee. It can complete the entire process — grinding coffee beans, filtering, brewing and even making latte art — in just a few minutes.

Eco-friendly event

Various high-tech elements were used to create a splendid opening ceremony that was held on July 28.Wang Ruixiang, the general producer of the ceremony, said that they developed 40 laser gears to achieve the ideal visual effect.

"The whole opening ceremony, from the performances to the ignition of the cauldron, was highly tech-driven," Wang said.

The torch of the games, based on aerospace engine technologies, uses a combustion system to ensure that it is stable and green. The processes of fuel injection and air mixing have been optimized to make the flame dance elegantly.

When athletes travel between the village and venues, they can hop on self-driving new energy buses. Relying on sophisticated sensors, the vehicles can achieve a perception range of 200 meters and can drive without blind spots.

The aquatics center features an intelligent water treatment system, which automatically monitors water quality and controls temperatures, and the scoring system can reach an accuracy of one ten-thousandth of a second.

To keep the games' venues cool amid the summer heat while maintaining low carbon emissions, architects have designed hourglass-shaped alleys inside buildings that can increase airflow.

Cooling technologies are also applied to the volunteers who have to work in the open air in the hot weather in Chengdu. They can wear cooling vests, which are made of a phase-change material that is often used for aerodynamic cooling in aerospace engineering.

"I believe that the innovative high-tech applications at the games will leave a lasting impression on the attendees," said Guo Ji, a member of the executive committee of the games.

"And the high-tech facilities will be open to the public after the games, benefiting more people as a lasting legacy," Guo added.

Xinhua