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Kota Kinabalu: Sabah has been selected as the first preferred location outside Hong Kong to benefit from a major technology transfer initiative. 

Plans are in place to introduce advanced robotics that could support a wide range of industries and accelerate the state’s progress in technological development.

This move will not only bring cutting-edge innovation to Sabah but will also focus on training local talent to ensure the technology is effectively adopted and sustained.

One of the highlights at the BE event held at the Sabah International Convention Centre (SICC) was the presence of robotic devices moving freely among the crowd, cheerfully greeting passersby and capturing the attention of visitors.

The demonstration provided a glimpse into how robotics could soon become part of everyday life in Sabah, enhancing safety, efficiency, and industry growth.

The robot, invented by Hong Kong scientist San Wong, has been designed to tackle several critical challenges, including alerting about incidents, tracing smoke from fires, detecting intruders in buildings, identifying leakages, and recognizing foreign objects placed within premises.

What makes this innovation particularly remarkable is its ability to operate autonomously without the need for remote control. Once programmed with instructions tailored to a company’s specific needs, the robot can carry out its tasks independently.

Co-founder Calvin Lui explained that the team is heavily focused on artificial intelligence for analytics, enabling the robot to make real-time decisions based on different scenarios.

The group behind the invention is also concentrated on the data side of operations, ensuring that each task assigned to the robot is executed with precision.

This breakthrough has already earned international recognition. In 2025, Hong Kong’s robotics industry made headlines when R2C2, a local startup, became the first Hong Kong company to win a CES Innovation Award in the robotics category.

Lui confirmed that the CES 2025 Innovation Award was a proud achievement for the company, cementing its place in the international robotics arena. Founded in 2020, R2C2 continues to expand its innovations in robotics.

“The robot’s function is straightforward. Once activated, it scans the entire area, monitoring for potential hazards or unusual activity. Everything is programmed automatically,” Lui added.

With its ability to operate in real-world environments, the technology is now being explored for deployment in Sabah, where it could enhance safety and security measures across various industries.

“The introduction of these advanced robots in Sabah will bring new technology into daily life and demonstrate how Hong Kong’s technological expertise can help the world,” said Lui.

He further emphasized that a wide range of features could be built into the robot, with data installed locally and supported by edge device computing to ensure efficiency and adaptability to different needs.

Jimmy Lam, the local partner, emphasized that Sabah needs technology to transform. In Hong Kong, robotics have already been widely deployed in construction sites, shopping malls, tunnels, factories, and even search and rescue operations, assisting enforcement agencies in detecting negative activities.

Once the robot detects anything unusual, it automatically connects to the support center, where personnel are dispatched to the location in question.

The robot is regarded as a necessity for assisting certain tasks, expediting work, and easing constraints in areas where manpower alone may be insufficient.

However, Lam stressed that the technology is not intended to replace security personnel or guards.

“The key is still people,” he said, explaining that the robot is designed to complement human efforts by improving efficiency in tedious jobs rather than eliminating human roles.

Currently, Lui mentioned that 40 units have been produced and are actively used in Hong Kong.

Sabah has been selected as the first location outside Hong Kong to propose the use of the robot.

This move is aimed at advancing the state’s technological capabilities while supporting technology transfer and training local talent to sustain its growth.