青岛 Qingdao
a hub for S&T

posts archive

A humanoid robot training center in Qingdao improves robot efficiency

https://en.people.cn/n3/2026/0324/c90000-20439477.html

At the Qingdao Humanoid Robot Data Training Center in Laoshan District of Qingdao, humanoid robots are trained for jobs such as intelligent industrial manufacturing, smart home, and commercial services. Data collectors here control robots to complete specific tasks like logistics sorting, supermarket restocking, kitchen operations, and component assembly. Through thousands of repetitions and trials, massive amounts of motion data are generated, endowing robots with a smarter “intelligent brain,” and helping humanoid robots enter all walks of life to serve thousands of households.

read more

RamEx: high-throughput microbial ramanome analyses with accurate quality assessment

https://www.cas.cn/syky/202602/t20260226_5102870.shtml

https://doi.org/10.1186/s40168-026-02339-3

A research team at the CAS Qingdao Institute of Bioenergy and Bioprocess Technology has developed RamEx, an integrated analysis framework for Ramanome big data. This platform, tailored to the characteristics of Raman spectroscopy data, establishes a one-stop workflow from data reading and standardized preprocessing to downstream data mining, centered on automated quality control algorithms and efficient parallel computing processes. It also demonstrates a systematic analysis of microbial metabolomical heterogeneity and metabolic pattern differentiation at the single-cell level.

Raman genomics deep analysis can track the dynamic changes in the composition of macromolecules such as lipids, proteins, and nucleic acids in different cells, thus revealing the differentiation and succession patterns of microbial metabolic states at the population scale with single-cell precision. This provides new research ideas and technical pathways for understanding the functional organization and environmental adaptation mechanisms of complex communities.

read more

RamEx removes spectral noise in Raman-based microbial cell sorting

http://english.cas.cn/newsroom/research-news/202602/t20260224_1151116.shtml

https://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s40168-026-02339-3

Scientists from the CAS Qingdao Institute of Bioenergy and Bioprocess Technology have developed a novel computational tool, RamEx, designed to resolve the computational bottleneck in high-throughput microbial Ramanomics.

RamEx streamlines the full Ramanomic analysis pipeline, from data preprocessing and automated quality control to advanced data mining. An Iterative Convolutional Outlier Detection (ICOD) algorithm tackles spectral noise in an unsupervised manner to dynamically identify and eliminate spectral artifacts, ensuring high-quality input for downstream analysis.

The platform’s performance was validated using diverse datasets, including pathogenic bacteria, probiotics, and yeast fermentation systems. Notably, RamEx successfully captured phenotypic heterogeneity in genetically identical yeast cells by detecting subtle metabolic fluctuations and tracking the dynamic accumulation of intracellular macromolecules, including lipids, proteins, and nucleic acids.

read more

Qingdao Port achieves fully unmanned operation of a container ship

https://japanese.cri.cn/2026/02/21/ARTI1771656131487329

The “Zhifei,” China’s first commercially operational smart container ship, accurately docked at a berth at the automated wharf in Qingdao Port, using unmanned autonomous navigation mode. This marks the first time that China has achieved an unmanned operation of a container ship, including navigation, berthing, and operation.

After the “Zhifei” container ship arrived at its designated location, the vacuum suction cups installed in its vacuum automatic mooring system powerfully attracted the hull, firmly securing it to the berth in less than 30 seconds, without any manual mooring work. The terminal’s fully automated loading and unloading equipment then operated simultaneously, and China’s A-TOS (Atelier Terminal Smart Management System) and A-ECS (Analytical Equipment Control System) worked together to precisely coordinate equipment such as automated cranes and automated guided vehicles at millisecond speeds, completing the container loading and unloading process.

The Zhifei is equipped with smart navigation core system, and as China’s first smart cargo ship for commercial operation, it features three navigation modes: manned, remotely controlled, and unmanned autonomous navigation.

read more

Green Carbon reaches a significant milestone: indexing in ESCI

https://www.sciencedirect.com/journal/green-carbon

The journal, founded only in 2023, has been formally accepted for indexing in the Emerging Sources Citation Index (ESCI), part of the Web of Science Core Collection by Clarivate. This achievement marks important recognition of the journal’s growing quality, editorial standards, and international relevance. ESCI inclusion will significantly enhance the journal’s visibility and provide authors with a broader platform for the dissemination of their research.

read more

A wheelchair directed by the blinks of your eye…

https://j.people.com.cn/n3/2026/0203/c95952-20422094.html

A professor at Qingdao University in Shandong Province has developed a groundbreaking system that generates electricity when people blink, supplying power to glasses that allow patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) to control their wheelchairs simply by moving their eyes.

With conventional eye tracking devices, patients who wanted to operate a wheelchair and move around had to wear a heavy device on their head and be connected to a long electrical cord. Furthermore, alarms of low battery levels did discouraging patients from moving around on their own.

The eye tracking system of the team generates and supplies electricity by attaching dimethylpolysiloxane (PDMS)  to the surface of the user’s eyeball like a contact lens, creating a “micro-friction generator.” When the user blinks or moves their eyeball, friction occurs between the eyeball and PDMS, continuously generating electricity.

In an eyeglass frame worn by the user, transparent electrodes made of indium tin oxide are embedded, acting as a transducer. The transparent electrodes precisely track the distribution and changes of electric charge through electrostatic induction and convert it into a recognizable electrical signal in real time. This signal is then transmitted to an external device via a control circuit, ultimately enabling highly precise control.

Before this technology can leave the lab and be widely applied, however, a series of hurdles must be overcome for industrialization.

An illustration of controlling a wheelchair through blinking and eye movements (photo courtesy of interviewee).

read more

“Ramanomics” simplify quality control in beer brewing – QIBEBT

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biortech.2025.133788

http://english.cas.cn/newsroom/research_news/life/202601/t20260114_1145714.shtml

Breweries typically monitor fermentation by analyzing broth composition. Alcohols, esters, acids and residual sugars are quantified via chromatography-based assays. While reliable, these tests are time-consuming and only yield batch-average results.

A research led by scientists from the CAS Qingdao Institute of Bioenergy and Bioprocess Technology (QIBEBT) has simplified this process and developed a novel workflow dubbed “process ramanomics,” which is based on spontaneous single-cell Raman spectroscopy.

To validate the approach, the researchers tracked an industrial beer fermentation process using the lager yeast Saccharomyces pastorianus, sampling a single production batch over an eight-day period. At each stage of fermentation, they collected high-throughput Raman spectra from individual cells (a “ramanome”) and matched these unique molecular fingerprints to conventional lab measurements of 43 extracellular phenotypes in the fermentation medium.

Using multivariate regression analysis, the team found that ramanomes could accurately predict 19 extracellular phenotypes. This included four higher alcohols, four esters, four amino acids, two organic acids, four mono- and disaccharide substrates, and the alcohol-to-ester ratio—a commonly used indicator tied to beer flavor balance. In practical terms, a single, rapid cellular analysis can now replace multiple time-intensive chemical assays—without sacrificing single-cell resolution details.

Because the models output cell-level predictions, the researchers also tracked phenotypic heterogeneity over time. Different metabolite classes displayed distinct heterogeneity trajectories, and for several phenotypes higher heterogeneity tended to accompany lower metabolite levels—suggesting that dispersion among cells may be a useful process-state indicator.

read more

UNESCO endorses Green Carbon Programme to achieve sustainable development goals (SDGs)

http://english.qibebt.cas.cn/ne/rp/202512/t20251201_1134324.html

UNESCO’s “Decade of Sciences” aims to engage science in achieving its sustainable development goals (SDGs).

UNESCO  has just endorsed the long-standing commitment of the Qingdao Institute of Bioenergy and Bioprocess Technology QIBEBT to providing open science solutions for green and sustainable technologies.

QIBEBT’s “Green Carbon Programme” focuses on four core themes,

  • development and utilization of green carbon resources,
  • green conversion and utilization of fossil carbon resources,
  • efficient fixation and utilization of carbon emissions, and
  • analysis and management of multi-scale carbon cycles.

In addition, QIBEBT operates the editorial office of the Green Carbon journal https://www.sciencedirect.com/journal/green-carbon which offers an in-depth and multidisciplinary view of research advances in the field.

With the leverage of the UNESCO endorsement, QIBEBT will boost its efforts to drive innovation and improve public science literacy, supporting high-quality, sustainable, and low-carbon development in China and worldwide for achieving the SDGs.

read more

A novel artificial carbon fixation pathway LATCH with 10 enzymatic steps

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2950155525000667?via%3Dihub

https://www.cas.cn/syky/202511/t20251125_5089765.shtml

A research team at the CAS Tianjin Institute of Industrial Biotechnology has proposed a novel artificial carbon fixation pathway—LATCH which comprises 10 completely known enzymatic steps. Each cycle converts two molecules of HCO₃⁻ into one molecule of acetyl-CoA, requiring only adenosine triphosphate (ATP) and reduced coenzyme II for energy. Kinetic and thermodynamic modeling analysis shows that it is a linear autocatalytic cycle structure without kinetic traps or thermodynamic barriers, possessing high feasibility and potential for continued development. It can provide insights for improving the efficiency of systems such as photosynthetic microorganisms, plants, and engineered cell factories.

Regarding the selection of parental modules, the research team referenced research on the serine cycle and designed a modified version of the serine cycle, simplifying the pathway structure and bypassing the inefficient steps involving hydroxypyruvate, thus enabling the pathway to function effectively in the heterologous host *E. coli*. Simultaneously, the team replaced the amino acid deamination and transamination steps in the serine cycle with a decarboxylation process, forming an MCG cycle free from formic acid dependence. This cycle can further convert glycerate 3-phosphate produced by processes such as the Calvin cycle and glycolysis into acetyl-CoA in a negative carbon mode. The study also referenced a series of photorespiration bypass concepts developed for recovering the Rubisco byproduct glycolate-2-phosphate, among which the TaCo module, due to its artificial carboxylation reaction, theoretically has a maximum yield of 150%. This study found that by introducing glyoxylate reductase as a key step to act as a “molecular latch,” the natural serine cycle and the artificially carboxylated module TaCo can be recombined, resulting in a functional transformation—from two parent modules dependent on organic substrates to a complete carbon-fixing cycle.

Based on the LATCH cycle formed by module integration, kinetic analysis shows that this pathway is a linear autocatalytic cycle, theoretically avoiding kinetic traps while eliminating the need to establish complex regulatory relationships. Meanwhile, eight steps in the pathway receive thermodynamic support from adenosine triphosphate (ATP), reducing power, or high-energy substrates, and the remaining two lyase-catalyzed processes do not pose thermodynamic bottlenecks. These inherent advantages at the stoichiometric, kinetic, and thermodynamic levels lay the foundation for the continued development and application of LATCH.

read more
Load More

RamEx removes spectral noise in Raman-based microbial cell sorting

26. February 2026

http://english.cas.cn/newsroom/research-news/202602/t20260224_1151116.shtml https://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s40168-026-02339-3 Scientists from the CAS Qingdao Institute of Bioenergy and Bioprocess Technology have developed a novel computational tool, RamEx, designed to resolve the computational bottleneck in high-throughput microbial Ramanomics. RamEx streamlines the

Read more >

A wheelchair directed by the blinks of your eye…

10. February 2026

https://j.people.com.cn/n3/2026/0203/c95952-20422094.html A professor at Qingdao University in Shandong Province has developed a groundbreaking system that generates electricity when people blink, supplying power to glasses that allow patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) to

Read more >

“Ramanomics” simplify quality control in beer brewing – QIBEBT

15. January 2026

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biortech.2025.133788 http://english.cas.cn/newsroom/research_news/life/202601/t20260114_1145714.shtml Breweries typically monitor fermentation by analyzing broth composition. Alcohols, esters, acids and residual sugars are quantified via chromatography-based assays. While reliable, these tests are time-consuming and only yield batch-average results. A

Read more >

A novel artificial carbon fixation pathway LATCH with 10 enzymatic steps

27. November 2025

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2950155525000667?via%3Dihub https://www.cas.cn/syky/202511/t20251125_5089765.shtml A research team at the CAS Tianjin Institute of Industrial Biotechnology has proposed a novel artificial carbon fixation pathway—LATCH which comprises 10 completely known enzymatic steps. Each cycle converts two molecules

Read more >

Green Carbon Journal: call for submissions

10. November 2025

Green Carbon is a Quarterly Scientific Open Access Journal published by KeAi and Elsevier https://www.sciencedirect.com/journal/green-carbon The editorial office is located at the CAS Qingdao Institute of Bioenergy and Environmental Technology, Qingdao, China. The

Read more >

A new Fischer-Tropsch route which eliminates CO2 formation

2. November 2025

https://en.people.cn/n3/2025/1031/c90000-20384954.html https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.aea0774 A group at Peking University has developed technology that almost completely eliminates carbon dioxide by-products during Fischer-Tropsch synthesis (FTS), offering a new route to green syngas conversion and low-carbon chemical manufacturing.

Read more >

An automated digital colony picker monitors growth and metabolite production, eliminating the need for culturing cells

15. October 2025

https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-025-63929-7 http://english.cas.cn/newsroom/research_news/life/202510/t20251014_1089412.shtml The group around Jian XU from the CAS Qingdao Institute of Bioenergy and Bioprocess Technology (QIBEBT) has developed a fully automated “Digital Colony Picker” (DCP). This device identifies and retrieves high-performance

Read more >

Epigenetic modifications help algae to adapt to low CO2 environments

14. October 2025

http://english.cas.cn/newsroom/research_news/life/202510/t20251010_1089023.shtml https://www.cell.com/plant-communications/pdf/S2590-3462(25)00296-2.pdf?_returnURL=https%3A%2F%2Flinkinghub.elsevier.com%2Fretrieve%2Fpii%2FS2590346225002962%3Fshowall%3Dtrue A research team from the Qingdao Institute of Bioenergy and Bioprocess Technology (QIBEBT) of the Chinese Academy of Sciences has identified a specific histone modification as the key regulator governing microalgae’s adaptation to

Read more >

A lipid-rich baker’s yeast mutant provides high yields of palmitoleic acid

4. August 2025

http://english.cas.cn/newsroom/research_news/life/202508/t20250801_1048868.shtml https://biotechnologyforbiofuels.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s13068-025-02677-8 A team at CAS Qingdao Institute of Bioenergy and Bioprocess Technology (QIBEBT) has  developed a lipid-rich mutant strain of Saccharomyces cerevisiae for microbial production of palmitoleic acid— a rare omega-7 fatty acid

Read more >

A hydrogen-powered tugboat in Qingdao port

6. July 2025

https://j.people.com.cn/n3/2025/0627/c95952-20333735.html The tugboat was designed and built by Shandong Port Qingdao Port Group Co., Ltd. and is equipped with a hybrid system of “hydrogen fuel cells + liquid-cooled lithium batteries” to achieve zero

Read more >
Load More
BACK TO
Linkedin

© Copyright 2022 window to china