AlphaSpaceX focuses on spatial intelligence for Earth-bound environments – enabling physical spaces (buildings, cities, retail, cultural sites) to become intelligent, proactive, and human‑centered. The following answers reinterpret “space” as “intelligent space” and “aerospace” as “spatial AI & robotics infrastructure”. All answers are grounded in AlphaSpaceX’s actual products and demos presented at BEYOND Expo 2026
CollinZhang (Zhang Linhua) is the Founder & CEO of AlphaSpaceX (Shenzhen) Technology Co., Ltd. He holds a Master’s degree from the University of Science and Technology of China (USTC) and has over 10 years of experience in internet and artificial intelligence. He previously worked at Tencent, Unilumin, and AOTO, where he served as AI product expert and head of innovative business units. He was one of China’s earliest pioneers in system‑level GPU chip development (ICube, 2012), smart hardware (voice assistants, VR headsets, Tencent 2014), and pre‑trained large models & generative AI (Tencent 2020). He is also a founding member of Tencent ARC. Currently, he is a specially invited AI lecturer at the Shenzhen Artificial Intelligence Industry Association and a partner at the USTC Silicon Valley Guangzhou Innovation Center. He leads the development of the “Trinity Space Operating System” with the mission to “make spaces speak and turn cities into living organisms.”
EE: Could you begin by sharing the vision behind AlphaSpaceX and the technological gap the company aims to address within the global space and aerospace ecosystem?
CollinZhang : AlphaSpaceX’s vision is to “make spaces speak and turn cities into living organisms.” While the question references aerospace, our focus is on the “inner space” – the physical environments where people live, work, and interact. The technological gap we address is that today’s buildings, malls, campuses, and cultural venues are largely “mute” – they cannot perceive users, respond to needs, or collaborate with robots and digital humans. We bridge this gap with our Space Operating System, powered by Token+Harness architecture, which unifies perception, decision, and execution across smart displays (WiseScreen), embodied robots (Diandian), digital avatars, and brain‑computer interfaces. At BEYOND Expo 2026, we demonstrated the world’s first “Trinity Digital Space” where a human, digital human, and robot interact seamlessly – a first step toward intelligent, human‑centric spatial ecosystems.
EE: What are the core technologies or platforms currently being developed by your team, and what differentiates them from conventional aerospace solutions?
CollinZhang : Our core technologies are the Space Operating System and its four solution pillars: WiseScreen (intelligent displays), Trinity Digital Space (human‑digital‑robot collaboration), IP‑Embodied Intelligent Large Space (cultural heritage robotics), and Brain‑Computer Interactive Large Space (thought‑driven control). Unlike conventional aerospace systems that focus on remote sensing or communication, our solutions are designed for proactive, real‑time spatial interaction at the human scale. They are locally deployable (data stays inside the space, no cloud dependency), support edge‑cloud hybrid Token consumption for cost efficiency, and are plug‑and‑play with a “one‑cable” setup. At FAIR plus 2026, we achieved 95% multi‑agent task completion – a metric rarely demanded in traditional aerospace but essential for human‑centric spaces.
EE: Can you discuss the role of embedded systems, onboard computing, and AI-driven autonomy in your aerospace platforms?
CollinZhang : We embed Claw Soma edge computing boxes – our “brain hub” – into every intelligent space. Claw Soma runs our Space‑Time Task Orchestrator, which locally processes sensor data (cameras, microphones, EEG headbands) and autonomously dispatches tasks to Diandian robots, WiseScreens, and digital avatars. This onboard autonomy ensures sub‑second response without sending data to the cloud, critical for real‑time interaction. For example, when a visitor sends a WeChat message, Claw Soma interprets the intent, orchestrates a robot to guide the person, and triggers a WiseScreen to display relevant content – all without human intervention. This level of local AI autonomy is analogous to a spacecraft’s onboard guidance, but applied to everyday spaces.
EE: Space-grade electronics demand extremely high reliability. What engineering approaches does AlphaSpaceX adopt for radiation tolerance, thermal management, and fault resilience?
CollinZhang : While our systems are not designed for outer space, they operate in uncontrolled indoor/outdoor environments (malls, plazas, factories) where temperature swings, humidity, and vibration can affect reliability. We adopt industrial‑grade components with wide temperature ranges (–20°C to 60°C), passive thermal dissipation designs, and redundant power for critical nodes. For fault resilience, our Harness engine continuously monitors Token flows; if a robot or display fails, the system automatically re‑routes tasks to another available node. In our pilot at Yuewen StoryLand, the system has maintained 99.5% uptime over a multi‑year deployment – a reliability level comparable to many terrestrial industrial systems.
EE: How are advanced materials, miniaturized electronics, and lightweight architectures influencing your product development roadmap?
CollinZhang : We constantly miniaturize our Claw Soma edge computer and WiseScreen controllers to reduce installation footprint and cost. Our Diandian robot uses lightweight polymer shells and high‑energy‑density batteries to extend operation time to 8+ hours. Advanced thermal materials (graphite pads, phase‑change materials) allow passive cooling, eliminating noisy fans. On the roadmap: a Wearable BCI ring (replacing the headband) and ultra‑thin flexible WiseScreen that can be adhered to any surface – making spatial intelligence nearly invisible.
EE: How do you see the evolution of small satellites, CubeSats, and low‑earth orbit constellations reshaping communication and Earth observation industries?
CollinZhang : From our ground‑space perspective, the proliferation of LEO constellations (like Starlink) will dramatically improve connectivity for our distributed spatial intelligence nodes – allowing remote WiseScreens and robots in rural museums or outdoor cultural sites to be always online. Moreover, the data fusion between satellite Earth observation and our local spatial sensing will enable unprecedented digital twin of cities – from macro (satellite) to micro (indoor sensors). AlphaSpaceX is already exploring a project with a satellite partner to integrate real‑time satellite imagery into our IP‑Embodied Intelligent Large Space for immersive storytelling about climate change and urban evolution.
EE: Is AlphaSpaceX integrating edge AI, machine learning, or autonomous navigation capabilities into its systems? If yes, how do these technologies improve mission efficiency?
CollinZhang : Absolutely. Our Space‑Time Task Orchestrator uses a lightweight LLM to understand natural language requests (e.g., “Find the conference room”) and breaks them into Token sequences – a form of mission‑level autonomy. For navigation, Diandian robots employ simultaneous localization and mapping (SLAM) to autonomously navigate dynamic indoor spaces, avoiding obstacles and optimizing paths. At FAIR plus 2026, our robots completed guided tours for over 150 visitors with zero collisions. Machine learning also powers our brain‑computer interface: the EEG headband uses a tiny neural network to classify user attention levels in real time, triggering actions without explicit commands. All AI runs on‑device (Claw Soma) to preserve privacy and ensure sub‑second latency.
EE: How important is collaboration with semiconductor companies, EMS providers, and electronics manufacturers in accelerating aerospace innovation?
CollinZhang : Extremely important. Our Claw Soma edge computer relies on advanced SoCs from partners like Dell (Precision workstations for model training) and embedded GPU modules from NVIDIA. We also work with EMS providers in Shenzhen’s supply chain to rapidly prototype and scale production of WiseScreens and BCI headbands. For our IP‑Embodied Intelligent Large Space, we co‑develop hardware with TPV (AOC/Philips) for commercial‑grade displays. Without these partnerships, bringing spatial intelligence to mass deployment would be impossible.
EE: What role do simulation, digital twins, and hardware-in-loop testing play in your engineering workflow?
CollinZhang : Simulation is critical. Before deploying a robot in a real bookstore (e.g., Yuewen StoryLand), we create a digital twin of the space using our MetaSpace Universe Engine. We then run thousands of virtual trials of robot navigation and human‑robot interaction (HIL with virtual users), fine‑tuning algorithms without risking collisions or disrupting visitors. For Diandian’s lion dance performance, we used a physics‑based simulator (powered by Dell workstations) to perfect the robot’s motion capture data, reducing training time by 50%. This simulation‑first approach ensures reliability and safety before physical deployment.
EE: Sustainability is becoming increasingly relevant even in space missions. Is AlphaSpaceX working on reusable systems, energy-efficient platforms, or debris mitigation technologies?
CollinZhang : For terrestrial spaces, sustainability means energy efficiency and longevity. Our edge‑cloud hybrid Token consumption reduces cloud computing energy by processing data locally – a single Claw Soma consumes <15W. We also design WiseScreens with deep sleep modes (0.5W standby) and use recyclable materials for robot shells. In terms of reusability, the same digital motion library (e.g., lion dance) can be deployed on any compatible robot, avoiding repetitive content creation. While not space debris, we mitigate “digital debris” by ensuring software updates are OTA and backwards‑compatible, extending product lifecycles.
EE: How is the growing convergence of AI, advanced computing, photonics, and aerospace electronics shaping the future of the industry?
CollinZhang : For our field, the convergence of edge AI + low‑power computing + advanced sensing (including LiDAR and photonics) is enabling truly autonomous spaces. For example, we are exploring event‑based cameras (neuromorphic vision) that dramatically reduce data rates, making high‑speed human‑robot collaboration more robust. Photonic interconnects could eventually replace copper inside Claw Soma, boosting bandwidth while cutting heat. Though not yet in products, we track these trends closely – they will allow our spaces to become invisible AI that operates without intrusive infrastructure.
EE: What kind of engineering talent and interdisciplinary expertise is most critical for the next generation of space technology companies?
CollinZhang : For spatial intelligence (not outer space), we need systems thinkers who understand robotics, edge AI, user experience, and industrial design. Critical roles include: Robotics & SLAM engineers (for autonomous navigation), Edge AI engineers (for low‑power on‑device inference), Multimodal interaction designers (voice, gesture, BCI), and System integrators who can make hardware and software work together reliably. Equally important is cultural empathy – to design IP‑embodied experiences that respect local traditions. At AlphaSpaceX, our team brings Tencent and USTC background, but we actively recruit arts graduates and anthropologists to bridge technology and humanity.
