Hunan Daily Front-Page Headline | Xiangjiang Laboratory: Gathering Wisdom into a River, "Core" Moving the Future
2025-07-28
Published on Ver. 02 of Hunan Daily, July 28, 2025
Omnimedia reporter Zhou Shun and correspondent Liu Aijing from Hunan Daily
The blue beam of the lidar glides across the coffee table, while the robotic arm of the embodied intelligent robot "Xiangjiang Zhiban" moves as if imbued with life. Noticing its owner raising a hand in gesture, it instantly interprets the intention of "needing a drink," steadily lifts the glass to offer it, and even playfully winks on the screen.
Inside the laboratory, humanoid intelligent robots are on display in a "lined-up" formation. Photo by Guo Liliang and Zou Shangqi, omnimedia reporters from Hunan Daily
This embodied intelligent robot, capable of reading expressions and understanding intentions, is the latest "star product" released by the Xiangjiang Laboratory. On July 27, journalists visited the Xiangjiang Laboratory, where through its 24 innovative products and over 160 national patents, they touched the intelligent pulse of Changsha's construction as a global R&D center city.
From "Computing Power Foundation" to "Intelligent Emergence"
"Xiangjiang ZhiBan's fingertips can perceive extremely subtle changes in force, thanks to the collaborative operation of multiple core algorithms behind it." Xu Xuesong, Director of the Department of R&D and External Relations at the Xiangjiang Laboratory, explained that through AI vision and multimodal interaction technology, it can understand human intentions and break down complex tasks.
Xiangjiang Laboratory
Such intelligent breakthroughs stem from the laboratory's solid construction of its "core" foundation. In July 2022, the Hunan Provincial Committee of the Communist Party of China and the People’s Government of Hunan Province made a strategic move in the frontier of artificial intelligence and advanced computing, leading to the establishment of the Xiangjiang Laboratory. Its mission is directly aligned with national strategic scientific and technological strength, forging an "intelligent engine" for Changsha to build a global R&D center city.
"We focus on the frontiers of artificial intelligence and advanced computing, with the goal of building national strategic scientific and technological strength." Liu Guoquan, Executive Deputy Director of the Xiangjiang Laboratory, told reporters that over the past three years, the laboratory has become a "powerful magnetic field" for gathering global intelligent technology resources in Changsha.
How is the innovation magnetic field consolidated? The Xiangjiang Laboratory has explored a unique path—centered on its headquarters, it links with university research forces and the "integration of four computing paradigms" (data, algorithms, computing power, and networks) industrial alliance enterprises, building a three-dimensional scientific and technological innovation system comprising "innovation research institutes + R&D centers + regional innovation centers + social laboratories + academician PI teams." Like a large tree with well-developed roots, it continuously channels innovative nutrients to its branches.
"This complete innovation closed loop allows algorithms to 'step out' of research papers and quickly transform into productive forces." Liu Guoquan said that breakthroughs have followed one after another as a result.
On July 16, at the Xiangjiang Laboratory located within HUTB, faculty and students were debugging intelligent robots. Photo and report by Guo Liliang and Zou Shangqi, omnimedia reporters from Hunan Daily
On July 10 this year, the Xiangjiang Laboratory celebrated its third "birthday." To date, the Xiangjiang Laboratory has successively released 24 innovative products labeled "Xiangjiang No. 1" to "Xiangjiang No. 24" in fields such as AI pre-trained large models (e.g., cultural creativity, intelligent manufacturing, pathology, transportation), embodied intelligent (humanoid) robots, intelligent agents, brain-like intelligence, bio-intelligent manufacturing, industrial digital twins, metaverse, culture + technology, smart transportation, low-altitude economy, smart energy, and intelligent computing acceleration. As the sole or primary unit, it has secured over 160 national invention patents and was selected as one of Hunan's first scientific research institution intellectual property centers.
From "Technological Breakthrough" to "Industrial Empowerment"
The "Xiangjiang Zhiban" robot is currently transitioning from the laboratory to home service scenarios, becoming a spokesperson for the integration of the laboratory's innovation chain and industrial chain.
Relevant teams at the Xiangjiang Laboratory are further training embodied intelligent robots to enable related products to better understand user intentions and adapt to complex scenarios. Photo by Guo Liliang and Zou Shangqi, omnimedia reporters from Hunan Daily
Li Jianfei, Director of the Industrialization Department at the Xiangjiang Laboratory, revealed that this robot has entered the mass production preparation phase. In the future, it will be able to undertake tasks such as home care and emotional companionship. "It can judge the emotions of the elderly through facial expression recognition and play the piano to relieve boredom—this is genuine 'emotional interaction,'" he said.
The laboratory's technological breakthroughs are gradually moving beyond the experimental bench, taking root in the fertile soil of industry, and bearing fruitful results.
In Tianyi Intelligent's smart workshop, the Xiangjiang Intelligent Manufacturing Large Model is directing robotic arms to weld excavator chassis. "Traditional welding relies on the experience of seasoned masters, but now the model can automatically generate optimal parameters based on the material and thickness of the steel, significantly improving welding efficiency and qualification rates." A relevant responsible person at the enterprise told reporters that behind this is the collaborative effort between the laboratory and the enterprise's innovation research institute, truly integrating the laboratory's "intelligence" into every aspect of industrial production.
As technological capabilities continue to improve, the laboratory's "circle of friends" is also steadily expanding. The "Xiangjiang Tiansu" intelligent computing acceleration engine, jointly developed with H3C, makes computing power scheduling more efficient. The "Xiangjiang Huitong" traffic modeling suite, created in collaboration with Baidu, has been implemented in Changsha's Lugu Science and Technology Industrial Park, where drivers have clearly noticed reduced waiting times and more orderly road traffic...
Relevant research teams at the Xiangjiang Laboratory are currently debugging the "Xiangjiang Zhinao" active intention rehabilitation glove. Photo by Guo Liliang and Zou Shangqi, omnimedia reporters from Hunan Daily
"These collaborations are not simple graftings but deep 'genetic recombination' between algorithms and industry." Xu Xuesong explained that the laboratory has engaged in deep collaborations with leading enterprises such as Huawei, Baidu, JD.com, H3C, Unitree Robotics, Hunan Iron and Steel Group, and Hunan Radio, Film and Television Group Co., Ltd, with its technological appeal acting like a magnet to gather industrial resources.
Leveraging the technological achievements and industrial experience accumulated through collaborations with enterprises, the laboratory has begun to systematically radiate intelligent technology to the Chang-Zhu-Tan area and even more regions across the province.
By the shores of Dongting Lake in Yueyang, the "Xiangjiang Yihang" low-altitude honeycomb platform is conducting fixed-point patrols along the lake embankments during the flood season. "This platform enables drones to autonomously take off, land, and recharge, solving the problems of high manpower consumption and low efficiency in traditional inspections." Local responsible persons introduced that this is an important demonstration project following the establishment of the Xiangjiang Laboratory's regional innovation center.
Intelligent technology is penetrating into broader fields: medical assistance, industrial intelligent manufacturing, the low-altitude economy, smart cities... "Several of our projects in areas such as the low-altitude economy, bio-manufacturing, and culture + technology have already entered the industrialization and implementation phase." Li Jianfei told the reporters.
"In the future, we will continue to tackle cutting-edge technologies such as AI large models and humanoid robots, and deepen the comprehensive chain construction of 'talent aggregation + basic research + technological breakthroughs + achievement transformation + industrial incubation.'" Liu Guoquan gazed into the laboratory's busy R&D hall with a determined look.
This laboratory, named after the "Xiangjiang River," is like a flowing river, gathering global wisdom, nurturing innovative soil, and injecting a continuous stream of "core" momentum into Changsha's construction as a global R&D center city.
