NUREMBERG, Germany, Nov. 4 (Xinhua) -- For people whose facial muscles twitch uncontrollably, relief could one day come in the form of a pair of glasses.
A research team at China's Tsinghua University has developed such a wearable device that can detect facial spasms and deliver electrical stimulation and has shown it at the iENA international invention fair in Nuremberg, Germany.
"Looking much like ordinary glasses, the device uses sensors mounted on its frame to detect subtle facial movements," Wan Jiahao, a member of the RENEW LAB team, told Xinhua. "When a spasm is detected, the system triggers electrical stimulation to help regulate abnormal nerve activity."
The wearable technology targets hemifacial spasm. This is a condition for which surgery is unsuitable for some patients, while existing drug and injection treatments have limitations, Wan said, adding that preliminary clinical tests showed improved facial symmetry in patients treated with the device.
The invention was among some 200 Chinese exhibits at the fair, which concluded on Monday. The three-day event featured nearly 600 inventions from more than 20 countries and regions.
At the booth of the China Electric Power Research Institute (CEPRI), a humanoid robot offered a possible solution to another challenge -- keeping workers out of hazardous environments while ensuring essential power inspections get done.
Designed to take on dangerous, physically demanding and repetitive tasks, the robot drew visitors' attention. It forms part of a broader inspection system alongside four-legged robots that can enter underground utility tunnels and drones that can autonomously inspect power distribution lines, poles and towers.
"Our goal is to enable robots to understand operational tasks and make autonomous decisions, freeing workers from high-risk, repetitive jobs in complex environments," Wang Zheng, a CEPRI engineer, told Xinhua. "We want them to become reliable partners for frontline operation and maintenance personnel."
The potential working sites for these robots extend beyond China. "We are actively promoting international cooperation," Dai Qing, a regional director at the Beijing Innovation Center of Humanoid Robotics, which collaborated with CEPRI on the project, told Xinhua.
"Countries around the world have practical needs in areas such as inspection and emergency response, offering broad prospects for related technologies and solutions in overseas markets," Dai added.
Henning Koenicke, managing director of exhibition organizer AFAG, has observed a broader shift in Chinese participation over the years. "A decade ago, Chinese exhibitors were largely focused on the domestic market," he told Xinhua. "Today, their products and presentations reflect a growing emphasis on international cooperation and global markets."
Also at the fair, researchers from the University of Science and Technology of China showcased SocialSphere, an AI-powered simulator that mimics social media interactions and can support up to 10 million virtual agents.
"Much like real social media users, they can follow one another, comment on posts and share information," Liu Xinchen, a researcher at the university, told Xinhua.
"Imagine you're about to launch a new product. You could first introduce it to this virtual society and see how the information might spread and which groups it might reach," he explained.
Liu said China has made notable advances in recent years in using large language models and AI agents for social simulation, noting that SocialSphere had attracted interest from overseas visitors at the fair.
"Through international events like the Nuremberg inventors' fair, we hope to showcase Chinese ideas and innovations to a wider audience and offer a closer look at China's work in cutting-edge technologies," he said. ■