09 February 2022
As the Winter Olympic Games continue in China, here are some of the different technologies being used in Beijing.
Robots
A series of different kinds of robots have been deployed to assist visitors and athletes. Some machines are being used to enforce social distancing requirements related to COVID-19.
A woman looks at her phone as she passes an Olympic logo inside the main media center for the Beijing Winter Olympics Tuesday, Jan. 18, 2022, in Beijing. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)
Robots are also transporting equipment, cleaning surfaces and preparing and carrying food to limit human-to-human contact. "Smart" waste containers are also being used, as well as machines that can make and serve alcoholic drinks and coffee.
Smart beds
At the Winter Olympic Village, the athletes are sleeping on "smart beds" equipped with sensors. The devices collect information on things like breathing and heart rates. They also have controls to permit users to choose different sleeping positions, including one called "zero gravity." That setting is supposed to reduce pressure on muscles and joints and support higher quality sleep.
These high-tech beds are very different from the lower-tech versions provided for Olympic athletes at last year's Tokyo Games. The beds used in Japan – which received wide attention for being so unusual – were made of cardboard material for environmental reasons.
Members of the media in Beijing can try out the same beds the athletes are using in special "sleep rest cabins." The cabins, or containers, permit reporters to enter and rest for up to an hour. The cabins are fully cleaned after each use.
Digital currency
China's digital money will be in use at the Olympics in the currency's first major test with foreigners. Visitors will be able to use digital yuan to pay for food, transportation and other goods and services. Users can get the currency by downloading an app, getting a digital yuan card or by exchanging foreign currency into digital form through machines in Olympic areas.
Over the past few years, China has carried out tests with digital money in major cities. The Chinese government has said that so far, the digital currency has been used in about $13.8 billion worth of financial transactions.
App monitoring
All Olympic attendees must use an app, called MY2022, for daily monitoring for COVID-19. The app permits users to send personal health information every day as a requirement to take part in the Games. The system is part of China's aggressive effort to limit the spread of the virus during the Games.
I'm Bryan Lynn.
Bryan Lynn wrote this story for VOA Learning English, based on reports from Reuters, The Associated Press, VOA News and online sources.
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Words in This Story
athlete – n. a person who is trained in or good at sports, games, or exercises that require physical skill and strength
cardboard – n. thick, strong paper that is often used to make boxes
app – n. a computer program that performs a special function, usually found on mobile phones
transaction – n. a business deal : an occurrence in which goods, services, or money are passed from one person, account, etc., to another
monitor – v. to watch something carefully and record the results