Rising demand for at-home study in China is opening the door for the country’s intelligent education hardware market, as sales of intelligent education products continue to heat up. A China-based education tech giant recently launched its latest technology, which aims to help nurture students’ independent learning habits. The latest gadget leverages full-colour natural light technology and can simulate natural light at any time. Regular two-colour lamps can only adjust colour temperature.
For instance, the technology can simulate the sunlight spectrum typical at 10 am to ensure that children enjoy full energy during the day and can focus more on learning. At night, it will reduce the effect on the human body to help lead to restful sleep. The founder of the company said that a good EdTech product should not just be a tool, but leverage the power of technology and products to help the family and the growth of each child.
Intelligent education products like e-dictionary pens, robots, educational tablets and smart lights are becoming increasingly popular with students in China, thanks to their use of advanced technologies like Artificial Intelligence (AI) to find solutions for the vexing problems of students. According to the Duojing Capital Research Institute, China’s intelligent education hardware market will reach 57 billion yuan ($8.7 billion) in the next two years.
Given the potential long-term demand for study at home due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Chinese students and their parents have higher requirements for learning, especially for more intelligent and personalised solutions. Sales of intelligent education hardware devices have risen sharply as young and affluent parents in China, especially from the middle-income group, are willing to spend more on their children’s technology requirements
China’s education industry has reached a critical stage, where the intelligence level of online education needs to be enhanced further. Current intelligent hardware has various types of functions. Virtual reality equipment and smart speakers help extend hearing, touch, perception and vision. Other types of devices solve the specific needs of children, such as translators and reading machines. Yet another type deals with wearables, which children can use in any kind of scenario, and they are portable and profitable.
An executive of a Chinese online education brand said that intelligent education hardware products are different from the previous generation of learning hardware. In the long run, the company is positioned as an intelligent learning company, where users learn partly through online courses and partly through hardware. Intelligent hardware and online products are important and can supplement each other.
The company launched its latest dictionary pen earlier this year. With an average accuracy of 98.3%, the gadget is able to offer a “click and check” experience wherein users can search for a translation instantly with a simple click.
Duojing Capital Research Institute said that the supply chain for hardware products is relatively mature and production costs are relatively transparent. More efforts are needed from companies to forge innovations in design, research and development, production and sales to differentiate themselves from competition in education technology.
As reported by OpenGov Asia, the Children and Youth Science Center (CYSC) of the China Association for Science and Technology (CAST) and the China Association of Children’s Science Instructors (CACSI) launched a special science and technology education programme on June 10 in Ruijin City of Jiangxi Province, China.
The themes include “forging ahead on the Long March”, “lighting up S&T curiosity” and “young people pursuing their dreams”. The programme aims to send science and technology education resources to 100 counties and 1,000 schools in 11 provinces and autonomous regions through both online and offline services in 6 months.
