Bai Chunli, president of Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Li Jiayang and Yin Hejun, CAS vice presidents, and Pan Jiaofeng, CAS vice secretary-general, paid an inspection visit to Shenyang Institute of Automation (SIA) in the afternoon of April 16, 2011. They visited the Robotics Laboratory, the Underwater Robotics Department and the S&T Achievements Exhibition Hall of SIA. Wang Yuechao, director of SIA, accompanied the visit.

President Bai watched the autonomous flight and multi-anglepesticide-spraying performance of rotorcraft UAVs developed by SIA, and listened carefully to the R&D status of rotorcraft UAVs in SIA and the applications of rotorcraft UAVs to earthquake search and rescue, environment monitoring, precise spraying and high-voltage line inspection, etc. In the Robotics Laboratory, President Bai listened to the report on recent R&D of nano manipulation robots in SIA and the application of nano manipulation robots to nano devices and R&D of new medicines, and watched the manipulation of nano robots and the ODEP-based nano manipulation robot system. In the Underwater Robotics Department, Wang Yuechao gave detailed account of the development and application of SIA's “CR-02” 6000m AUV, North Pole ARVs and other underwater robots. Bai spoke highly of the remarkable contributions SIA has made to the country in the fields of underwater vehicles, underwater observations and polar expeditions.

In SIA's S&T Achievements Exhibition Hall, Bai paid special attention to the advanced research projects initiated by SIA for the nation’s strategic emerging industries, and was reported on their initial results. After hearing the introduction, Bai acclaimed SIA for its R&D process of fieldbus and industrial wireless technologies, and the demonstration applications of industrial wireless technologies to metallurgy, petroleum, chemical industry and electrical power industry. Bai also belauded SIA for its leading R&D work in smart grid safety monitoring, measurement, user interaction and meter-reading.

Besides, Bai gave full recognition of SIA’s achievements in the third phase of CAS Knowledge Innovation Project, and those aiming at the state’s strategic emerging industries. He pointed out that, SIA should continue to define and condense the development goals while always keeping in minds the nation’s significant strategic demands, actively initiate SIA’s “Innovation 2020” project, and play a leading role in the national economy, social development and national security.

The following guests also attended the tour: Li Ting, director of the General Office of CAS, Zhang Zhibin, chief of the Bureau of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Qi Qiang, chief of the Bureau of Domestic Cooperation, Feng Renguo, vice chief of the Bureau of Science and Technology for Resources and Environment, Liu Guiju, vice chief of the Bureau of Hi-Tech Research and Development, Bao Xinhe, president of CAS Shenyang Branch, and Ma Si, Han Enhou and Liang Bo, vice presidents of CAS Shenyang Branch.

Yu Haibin, Sang Zigang, Shi Zelin, vice directors of SIA, Feng Xisheng, member of the Chinese Academy of Engineering, also accompanied the visit.