On July 17, a delegation of 21 faculty members and students from Khalifa University in the United Arab Emirates took part in a field study as part of the "2026 UAE Advanced Technology Summer Camp". The group visited three major national research platforms at Huazhong University of Science and Technology (HUST): the National Technology Innovation Center for Digital Construction, Wuhan National High Magnetic Field Center, and Wuhan National Laboratory for Optoelectronics. Through immersive site visits, the Emirati students gained first-hand exposure to China's world-leading independent innovations in intelligent construction, extreme magnetic fields, and optoelectronic information. They also engaged in academic discussions with frontline researchers and raised a number of targeted, discipline-specific questions related to their own research interests.
01 Exploring the Frontiers of Intelligent Construction:
Digital Technologies Empowering Mega-Engineering Projects
The delegation's first stop was the National Technology Innovation Center for Digital Construction. Led by HUST and jointly established with multiple state-owned enterprises and research institutes, the center has made significant breakthroughs in engineering software, addressing a range of critical technological bottlenecks.
The visitors toured three main exhibition zones. The first showcased intelligent technologies for bobsleigh and skeleton sports, where the research team has developed an integrated technical framework combining intelligent perception, motion inference, and data analytics, along with specialized software and hardware systems. These smart tools enhance athlete training and promote the sport's broader adoption, driving substantial progress in the field. An immersive sliding simulation was demonstrated to significantly improve training efficiency and competitive performance. The second zone highlighted extraterrestrial construction technologies, where researchers are conducting systematic thermal, mechanical, and radiation-resistance experiments using authentic lunar soil samples. Their findings are expected to provide essential theoretical support for future lunar base construction and crewed lunar missions. The third zone featured intelligent shield tunneling technology, where the team has achieved breakthroughs in adaptive control for continuous tunneling. They have developed a world-class prototype thrust control system for shield propulsion, setting a global record of 868 meters of monthly advance for a 10-meter-diameter shield machine.
02 Stepping Inside a World-Class Major Scientific Facility:
Exploring Cutting-Edge Research in Extreme Magnetic Fields
The delegation then visited Wuhan National High Magnetic Field Center. As the first major national science and technology infrastructure project initiated by a university under the Ministry of Education, the center offers world-class experimental conditions for pulsed high magnetic fields and serves as a vital national asset for fundamental frontier research.
The visitors toured the core pulse magnet units and their supporting comprehensive experimental stations. The facility can generate ultra-high magnetic fields of up to 94.88 Tesla—millions of times stronger than Earth’s magnetic field—earning it the nickname of a “super magnifying glass” for observing microscopic matter. The system integrates large-capacity energy storage power supplies, high-precision timing controls, and low-temperature testing modules, and supports eight specialized scientific measurement platforms. It enables cutting-edge research across physics, new materials, biomedicine, aerospace, and beyond, while also spawning industrial applications such as high-precision electromagnetic forming and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) .
During the Q&A session, the Emirati students raised questions about the operating principles and practical applications of pulsed high magnetic fields. The researchers explained that the device relies on the instantaneous discharge of stored electrical energy to generate extreme magnetic fields, allowing scientists to observe microscopic physical properties that are otherwise undetectable under normal conditions. In addition to driving fundamental scientific discoveries, the technology also supports aerospace component manufacturing, the development of new energy materials, and precision medical diagnostics—bridging the gap between original basic research and industrial upgrading.
03 Discovering the Core Engine of China's Optics Valley:
A Full View of Optoelectronic Innovation
The final stop was Wuhan National Laboratory for Optoelectronics. As a key national innovation platform underpinning the development of China’s Optics Valley, the laboratory focuses on three main areas: optoelectronics for information, energy, and life sciences. It has produced a series of high-impact research outcomes that have fueled the growth of Wuhan's optoelectronic industry. During the interactive session, the UAE guests inquired about the differences between PET-CT scanners and conventional CT and MRI equipment. Staff members explained that PET-CT offers notable advantages, including zero radiation exposure, rapid scanning, and high sensitivity in detecting tiny early-stage lesions, effectively addressing the safety and early-diagnosis limitations of traditional imaging modalities.
Text: XIONG Chenxi, XIONG Ziying
