Upon invitation of Guizhou Academy of Sciences, CAE Executive Vice President Pan Yunhe gave an academic report entitle “The Development Trend of Internet of Things” in the Sci-Tech Lecture Hall of Guizhou Science and Technology Museum on the morning of July 17, 2011, while the Eco-Forum Global, Guiyang (EFG) was in session. Prof. Zheng Qiang, Vice President of Guizhou Academy of Sciences, presided over the event and more than 280 science and technology personnel listened to the report, which was organized by the Guizhou Academy of Sciences, Guizhou Science and Technology Association, Guizhou Normal University and Guiyang Municipal Science and Technology Council, and co-organized by Institute for New Technologies of Guizhou Province, Guizhou Automation Society, as well as Guizhou Science and Technology Museum.

Pan started his lecture with the concept of the internet of things, and resorted to the vivid cartoon image of the traditional Chinese story of “a Blind Man Trying to Figure out What an Elephant Looks Like by Reaching for Only One Part of It” in order to illustrate current studies that had been conducted into it in the world. Pan analyzed the definition and meaning of the internet of things, its technological structure, as well as the bright prospects for its future developments by using well-documented and extensive evidence. Pan was also good at explaining profound theories in simple terms, who then made a thorough illustration of cloud computing and digital libraries, standing at the frontier of these fields, and discussed the strategic significance of accelerating the research & development as well as application of the internet of things, from the perspective of cultivating new and emerging industries of strategic significance. Pan’s lecture combined science and art beautifully, which made it not only a scientific feast, but an absolute artistic enjoyment for the audience. 

This academic report helped to shed light on the application of the internet of things, for the time being and for the future, which, the audience claimed, enriched their knowledge, broadened their horizon, and inspired their thoughts, thus received a warm welcome and high appreciation. (By Chang Junqian, July 2011; translated by Liu Chang)