China News Service, Qingdao, September 6 (Wang Yu, Zhang Xiaopeng) Visitors put on an artificial intelligence (AI) active-assisted sports exoskeleton robot to steadily walk up the stairs; standing in front of the health camera can complete heart rate and blood oxygen screening; lying on a smart bed, they can monitor sleep health without feeling... At the 2026 China International Consumer Electronics Expo (referred to as the "Electronic Expo") held in Qingdao from September 4 to 6, the first-ever smart health and wellness exhibition area was crowded with people, and the silver-haired group rushed to experience new "technology-friendly" products.
According to data from the National Bureau of Statistics of China, by the end of 2025, the country's population aged 60 and over will reach 323.38 million. Against this background, the Smart Healthcare Exhibition Area of this Electronics Expo focuses on new integrated medical and healthcare products such as smart rehabilitation equipment and aging-friendly homes, becoming a window for observing China's "silver economy" - when "senior care for the elderly" moves toward "high-quality care for the elderly," technology is becoming a key variable in solving problems.
In the exhibition area, the AI active-assisted sports exoskeleton robot adapted to the walking habits of different people was crowded with middle-aged and elderly visitors who came to try it on; the smart bed equipped with AI dual non-sensory monitoring technology allows the elderly to quietly record heart rate and breathing status without wearing any equipment; the all-in-one electric mobility wheelchair equipped with a brain-computer interface makes "walking whenever you want" no longer a patent for young people... Scenes of the future life of smart health care are slowly unfolding.
"Currently, user needs have shifted from 'passive care' to 'active aging'. Aging-friendly equipment is gradually evolving towards refinement and intelligence, and the deep integration of AI technology has transformed health care products from 'usable' to 'easy to use.'" said Wang Quanxi, head of brand marketing for Haier's health care industry.
"Personalized adaptation" has become one of the main features of health care products at this Electronics Expo. The moxibustion health care robot uses AI acupuncture point recognition technology to perform moxibustion, and the robotic arm accurately restores traditional techniques; the massage machine automatically recognizes the body shape, and the intensity adapts to the curves of the human body, making many experiencers lament that the machine has become more "understanding" of people's needs.
It can be observed through this Electronics Expo that the supply and demand relationship of smart health care has shifted from "single product supply" to the provision of "full-scenario solutions." At the booth of Harbin Engineering Tianyu Robot Group, the AI Health House product, which integrates a variety of robot hardware, algorithms and big data, allows visitors to experience a complete closed-loop service from physical examination to health assessment to personalized physical therapy.
According to Zhang Youhua, deputy general manager of Qingdao Harbin Engineering Tianyu Robot Co., Ltd., the second half of the health care industry will test the ability of ecological integration. "In the past, single products were sold, but now we need to provide one-stop health care solutions. Users no longer pay for a single product, but pay for peace of mind."
Liu Pengcheng, associate professor at the School of Economics at Qingdao University, said that China's silver economy continues to unleash its potential, and smart health care is growing into a new growth pole with great potential for the consumer electronics industry. Focusing on the three core needs of home care, health management and long-term care, a smart health care development model of "products + services + scenarios" will be built, which will become an important starting point for leveraging the expansion and upgrading of silver consumption and promoting the in-depth expansion of consumer electronics into people's livelihood.
