China's 'makers' Battle Mistrust In Hi-tech Community

China's 'makers' battle mistrust in hi-tech community

Engineers, computer programmers and children tinker with self-made radio-controlled toy cars and robotic arms in China's southern city of Shenzhen, home to "makers" who belie the country's reputation as a hub for technology copycats

Shenzhen, China, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 24th Apr, 2018 ) :Engineers, computer programmers and children tinker with self-made radio-controlled toy cars and robotic arms in China's southern city of Shenzhen, home to "makers" who belie the country's reputation as a hub for technology copycats.

The group works in a special space inside a high-rise in a city considered a nerve centre for the "maker movement" of tech whizzes who invent, design and make their own gadgets and devices from scratch.

China is trying to shed its notoriety as a hub for counterfeit goods, a battleground in an ongoing trade dispute with the United States, which is threatening to hit Chinese electronics and other high-end industry with steep tariffs for the "theft" of intellectual property.

The Shenzhen government has doled out $145 million in grants to lure thousands of Chinese and foreign entrepreneurs, and tens of millions more to fund "maker spaces" and activities to encourage innovation.

At the "MG Space", a wall is covered by shelves with meticulously labelled bins containing assorted pieces of wood and foam, circuit boards, wires, soldering kits, plastic parts and joiners for communal use.

"I'm designing a pulley system that can support a lot of weight," 11-year-old Li Zhonghan told AFP, without taking his eyes off a 3D modelling programme on his computer. Once their blueprints are ready, the makers send their plans to a 3D printer and laser cutter to make their designs a reality.

Yue Lingyu, vice manager of "MG Space," which is privately funded, said it is important to give children and youth opportunities to collaborate on projects with professionals. "The tutors here don't see the kids as their students -- they view each other as colleagues," she told AFP.