The Shenzhen Institutes of Advanced Technology (SIAT) of the Chinese Academy of Sciences has received international recognition for its "Device-Edge-Cloud Interconnection and Integration Technology and System for OT/IT Convergence." This innovative technology, led by Dr. YE Kejiang, director of SIAT's Research Center for Cloud Computing, was included in the Promotion List of Advanced and Appropriate Technologies for BRICS Countries during the 2026 BRICS New Industrial Revolution Partnership Forum, held in Xiamen from May 27-28.
Dr. YE's project was one of only two technologies developed by universities or research institutes to be selected for the list, which featured 32 technological achievements.
The forum, themed "Building a Smart Manufacturing Ecosystem to Accelerate the New Industrial Revolution," convened experts to discuss industrial transformation. Dr. YE was an invited participant in the Sub-forum on Technological Innovation in the Industrial Intelligence Industry.
This technology addresses a long-standing challenge in modern manufacturing: the effective integration of operational technology (OT) and information technology (IT). Traditionally, OT (which controls physical processes) and IT (which manages data and business operations) have operated separately. SIAT's solution establishes a standardized device-edge-cloud collaborative architecture, enabling end-to-end integration from device perception and real-time edge control to cloud-based intelligent decision-making, thereby eliminating data barriers between these two domains.
The integration of OT and IT is widely considered essential for the digital and intelligent transformation of industry. Its significance lies in bridging the gap between physical control systems and digital management systems, creating a unified, data-driven framework crucial for smart manufacturing. This particular challenge had previously lacked a comprehensive solution.
SIAT has pursued extensive research in this area since 2011, as part of the National Key R&D Program's "Industrial Software" project. Their sustained efforts led to the development of advanced architectures for data- and model-driven device-edge-cloud interconnection, cross-domain communication mapping models, semantic integration methods, and collaborative control technologies.
The team further developed a comprehensive device-edge-cloud OT/IT convergence testing and verification system. This system has undergone rigorous application validation in leading enterprises across various sectors, including food, pharmaceutical, healthcare, and fine chemical industries, demonstrating substantial positive results.
This technology is expected to play a significant role in the digital and intelligent transformation of manufacturing industries across BRICS countries. Its advantages, including its cost-effectiveness, high compatibility, and ease of deployment, make it particularly well-suited for the diverse manufacturing environments found in BRICS economies. Many of these economies contend with a large installed base of heterogeneous devices and a growing demand for intelligent upgrades.
By facilitating a more integrated approach to OT and IT, SIAT's technology is anticipated to enhance national manufacturing competitiveness. Furthermore, it aims to foster greater digital collaboration across industrial and supply chains within BRICS nations, providing a robust technological foundation for advancing a BRICS manufacturing community.
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