25/12/2025

LYFE THURSDAY | DEC 25, 2025

25 Small innovations, big impact A T a recently held home service robot conference, humanoid robots were seen thrilling audiences with o How China leverages technology to enhance daily life integrated in recent years into daily routines, reflecting the public’s growing aspiration for better quality of life. will advance science more than 10 universities would do.”

themselves vulnerable to privacy breaches – just imagine a robot vacuum’s camera recording footage of house interiors without authorisation and revealing when a home is empty, or a compromised appliance revealing sensitive personal information, such as passwords and biometric data. Security by design From on-device features such as Knox Vault, to The Knox Matrix that enables ecosystem-wide protection, this secure foundation allows your appliances to safely learn from your daily behaviours, providing you with greater ease, convenience and care. Think of this as a physical safe built directly into the hardware of the devices. Completely isolated from the system, this is where the most sensitive data such as cryptographic keys and digital certificates are stored. Across its screen-equipped home appliances, the Passkey feature – a digital credential allows users to log in to home appliance apps and website using biometrics such as fingerprints. When threats go undetected, China has a vast market and rich scenarios for application, with a population of over 1.4 billion and a middle-income group exceeding 400 million people. As everyday demands grow and industries seek innovation, the synergy between supply and demand fuels rapid technological advancement, unlocking new opportunities for emerging industries. The introduction of Fuxing CR450 high-speed train is expected to significantly boost travel efficiency and help China’s rail equipment sector surpass the trillion-yuan (RM572.8 billion) threshold. Frequent satellite launches by commercial space enterprises are enabling smarter agricultural practices, with China’s commercial space industry projected to reach 2.8 trillion yuan by the close of this year. Enough to power millions of households, nuclear power units such as the Hualong One and Guohe One each generate over 10 billion kilowatt-hours of electricity annually. These developments underscore how a market-oriented approach, driven by application, integration, and iterative advancement transforms scientific and technological capabilities into tangible development advantages, ensuring broader access to innovation. “China is investing more and more resources to ensure that people with disabilities can live the lives they want,” said Jose Maria Viera, executive director of International Disability Alliance. His observation highlights how

lifelike demonstrations across a variety of household scenarios – preparing sandwiches, cleaning tables, folding clothes and even teaching children English. These new technologies offered a vivid preview of how innovation is reshaping everyday life. China has long viewed improving people’s well-being as the central aim of scientific and technological advancement. An increasing number of “small yet beautiful” innovations have been

Intelligent harvesters now process up to 600kg of grain per minute on farmlands, significantly enhancing harvest efficiency. Domestically developed Chinese orthopaedic and endoscopic surgical robots are now in active use in operating rooms. At eldercare institutions, smart wristbands and canes are improving responsiveness and services for seniors in terms of quality. As German philosopher Friedrich Engels once observed, “Once a technical need arises in society, it

A patient uses a bionic robot hand to play the piano at a hospital in Xuancheng, east China’s Anhui province. – PIC BY LI XIAOHONG

Technologies like face-swapping or voice cloning carry the potential for fraud or misinformation, while massive language models seem to pose a growing risk when it comes to privacy. Technological innovation is no longer a mere technical endeavour, as the avocation carries implications that are political, societal and ethical in nature. To maximise the benefits of innovation while managing its risks, a dedication to “technology for betterment” must be paired with regulatory frameworks that are sound legitimate. Ultimately, innovation must be in service to humanity. China continues to prioritise the practical application of advanced technologies, to ensure the benefits of progress are widely shared, building a foundation for a better life for all.

technological are opening up new paths for improving public wellbeing. Hospitals have launched AI-assisted navigation systems to streamline medical visits. The widespread adoption of digital social security cards allows individuals to access benefits, transfer pension accounts and apply for payments online, effectively reducing in-person visits and enabling data-driven efficiency. Through pragmatic innovation, China is addressing everyday challenges and long-standing livelihood issues, steadily enhancing people’s sense of fulfillment, happiness and security. At a deeper level, advancing technology for the public good is not only about improving living standards, but also defines the trajectory of innovation itself. Surfacing technologies such as AI, biomedicine and gene editing are becoming new growth engines while also raising complicated challenges when it comes to ethics. applications

This article is contributed by Meng Fanzhe, People’s Daily

A service robot distributes mooncakes to pedestrians outside a shopping mall in South China. – PIC BY LI XUESHI

Levelling up security in modern homes for smarter, safer living PROTECTING our personal

connected lives. Having true peace of mind now depends on safeguarding our digital presence with the same rigor that we apply to our physical ones. A digital break-in is often invisible, unlike physical break-ins that usually leave visible signs. The target is not your television set but your personal data, your family’s routines and your privacy. The real-world impact of a home cybersecurity breach can extend far beyond your front door. Poorly protected devices such as at-home appliances and screens face malware risks that give hackers access to device cameras and enable data theft as cybercriminals rely on disrupting their features. For the modern consumer, the challenge of managing the security settings of their various home appliances has intensified, especially as more smart devices penetrate the market. This creates the need for a holistic, built-in solution that works perfectly in the background, offering robust protection without requiring constant user intervention. Without the right safeguards in place, consumers could find

sanctuary and our belongings are second nature. This is why we check our locks, close our windows and invest in gates. Today, however, the modern connected home has dozens of digital entryways that are invisible: From smart TVs and refrigerators, to robot vacuums, speakers and more. While these bring convenience in a new era of intelligent living, they also represent potential vulnerabilities from within. This shift has not been lost on consumers in Southeast Asia and Oceania. In fact, reports are finding that data privacy and security have grown to become key purchasing considerations for Australian consumers and similar markets. This sentiment is reflected in recently collected data – where a Samsung survey found respondents frequently citing security and safety as key criteria for artificial intelligence (AI) home appliances, expecting AI-driven security features to protect their homes and ensure their families’ safety. The very concept of home security needs a critical rethink, especially given our increasingly

For the modern consumer, the challenge of managing the security settings of their various home appliances has intensified. – 123RFPIC connectivity within its ecosystem helps to safeguard against

and isolates any compromised element to protect the rest of the ecosystem. This allows users to safely and conveniently enjoy a hyper-connected experience, knowing their devices are working together to stay secure. This article is contributed by Samsung Electronics

unwanted intrusions. Knox Matrix creates a self-protecting network that turns a smart home into a smart shield. More connected devices mean stronger overall security, as a result. The Trust Chain in particular – which is a part of Knox Matrix – is managed on a private blockchain, enabling devices to intelligently monitor each other for threats

Southeast Asia & Oceania president and CEO CU Kim