Robots for antiterrorist use, water rescue or for playing the harp are on display at the Shanghai International Industry Fair that opens today.

Other technology exhibits include solar-powered residences and instant mobile traffic updaters.

"Many exhibits of this year's fair are related to practical and residential use," said Lu Xiaochun, deputy director of the Shanghai Science and Technology Commission, overseeing technology innovation of the fair.

He explained yesterday that the fair reflects the scientific achievements by both the city and central governments over the past five years.

The highlight of the fair will probably be several Chinese-manufactured counter-terrorism robots that detect and eliminate explosives and perform dangerous tasks for public security bureaus.

Other robots can play the harp or violin. Among those already put in place yesterday included an explosives-elimination robot, which was made by a Guangzhou-based robot company. Looking like a light tank, the robot is twice as heavy as a young man but can "walk" at the maximal speed of 30 meters per second -- much quicker than humans. Deng lixin, a manager of the robots exhibition, said: "The robot can be operated to disable explosives by remote control from several hundred meters away."

He said the robot has been successfully tested to eliminate virtually any kind of explosives, which if handled by humans would probably cause accidents.

Using its specially designed crane and track, the robot's crane can reach a height of 2 meters and grab an object weighing as much as 15 kilograms.

The functions of other robots include explosives analysis, water rescue and X-ray detection.

In addition to robots, the Technology Innovation Pavilion will feature solar-powered residential window curtains, lamps and central heating system.

In the transport sector, the fair will display the country's most advanced traffic information system that is expected to be put into use for the World Expo 2010.Based on the Global Positioning System technology, the system developed by Tongji University can update the city's overall traffic situation every three minutes, 24 hours a day, and deliver selected information to users.

"Once the system is put into use, any local drivers or passengers can access the current traffic information en route to destination through their mobile phones," said Zhang Shaohui, a project engineer.

He said the system will also provide information on parking spaces, helping drivers find them more quickly.

Some key technology components and software are also being exhibited at the fair.

Also at the six-day fair, a new electric-powered vehicle will make its debut as a shuttle bus between the metro station and the Shanghai New International Expo Center.

(Shanghai Daily November 4, 2005)