Photo: Courtesy of Science and Technology Commission of Shanghai Municipality

Shanghai is gearing up for the 2025 Science Festival, with nearly 2,000 events expected to take place. Notably, the opening ceremony, scheduled on May 17, featuring an AI-themed science red carpet where humanoid robots will walk alongside their R&D teams, making their debut on the red carpet.

This year's festival, under the theme "Technology Makes Life Better," will be launched on May 17 and last for two weeks, covering all 16 districts of the city. 

The festival will feature an enhanced experience of innovation and cutting-edge technology to the public. Visitors are expected to see innovative products from science facilities, key labs and enterprises, allowing the public, especially teenagers, to experience the spirit of science. 

This year's AI science red carpet will utilize XR technology for the first time, enabling spatial expansion of real-world landscapes. Through AI-powered, unobtrusive motion capture, real-time movement data of participants will be collected, creating seamless virtual-physical interactions. This marks a significant leap forward from last year's metaverse-themed red carpet, the Global Times learnt from the Science and Technology Commission of Shanghai Municipality. 

Humanoid robots will also make their first appearance on the science red carpet, walking alongside their R&D teams in a shared moment of honor. This showcase will highlight the vibrant energy of Shanghai's thriving sci-tech scene, the commission said.