CRI听力:15 leading digital inventions in spotlight at World Internet Conference

Among the 15 items selected include previously-unveiled products such as Tesla's self-driving vehicle, to lesser-known inventions, such as Huawei's new Kirin 960 processor for smartphones.

Xu Yu with the Cyberspace Administration of China says they've had to boil-down their selections from a vast group of submissions.

A representative of IBM introduces the IBM Watson 2016, a brain-inspired computer on Wednesday, Nov. 16, 2016 at the 3rd World Internet Conference in Wuzhen, east China's Zhejiang Province. [Photo: CRIENGLISH.com/Shen Shi]

"In the first phase, we had 500 entries submitted by companies and research institutes from different parts of the world over the past year. They fall into four general categories, including basic theories, technologies, products and business modes. To ensure the screening process was fair, we appointed a committee of more than 30 technology experts from home and abroad. We were finally able to pick 15 different inventions to highlight."

This year's event in Wuzhen is the first time organizers have allowed companies and researchers to show off their innovations.

Professor Hu Chenming with University of California at Berkeley says providing a technology display shouldn't diminish the overall goal of the World Internet Forum, which is to bring together some of the world's brightest minds.

A representative of Tesla introduces an automated assistance driving system on Wednesday, Nov. 16, 2016 at the 3rd World Internet Conference in Wuzhen, east China's Zhejiang Province. [Photo: CRIENGLISH.com/Shen Shi]

"In my opinion, it means two things- one is to celebrate that we are still using human beings' intelligence to do something useful; the other is to encourage the younger generation, telling them that there are a lot of opportunities in the field and a lot of work that needs to be done."

Although most of us might be unfamiliar with many of the 15 achievements on display, odds-are you may already - or will - benefit from them.

One of the advancements on display is Baidu's artificial intelligence creation, Baidu Brain.

A representative from Baidu introduces the Baidu Brain, an artificial intelligence creation on Wednesday, Nov. 16, 2016 at the 3rd World Internet Conference in Wuzhen, east China's Zhejiang Province. [Photo: CRIENGLISH.com/Shen Shi]

Baidu president Zhang Yaqin says Baidu Brain is already helping people in their daily lives.

"For instance, when you open Baidu's search engine on your mobile phone, it now gives you a speech recognition option, as well as image recognition services. We've already managed to put these services into use. "

This year's World Internet Conference in Wuzhen runs through this Friday.