Technology is taking the center stage at the ongoing 21st China International Cartoon and Animation Festival (CICAF) in Hangzhou City of east China's Zhejiang Province, offering visitors lively and engaging experiences.

The five-day event, which opened on Thursday, features top Chinese cultural IPs and the fusion of animation and technology, and delivers unique and immersive experiences for global visitors.
A special "tech zone" has been established at the premises of the festival this year, inviting visitors to try out AI, VR, AR and various cutting-edge technologies. 
At the "tech zone", an AI image rendering system attracts significant interest. The system can generate a personalized animated image of users just 20 seconds after capturing their photo, showcasing remarkably similar traits, including even hairstyles. 
In an interview with China Central Television, the head of the technology company developing the system noted that their IP images can also showcase dynamic effects, saying that these technologies are now commercially available.
"We do tailored research and development focused on animation characters in the initial stages. Compared with the cost of using traditional methods, we have reduced the overall costs by 60 to 70 percent," said Qian Chengzhi, head of the technology company.
Another popular product at the "tech zone" is an animation IP toy equipped with a large model system enabling it to interact and communicate with the user, making it a favorite among children.
"They will move once you touch them. These little animals are so cute," said a boy.
"It is so cute and looks just like a real cat. It moves and its eyes blink. I want to play with it every day," said another child visitor, a little girl.
The CICAF has become one of China's largest and most influential animation showcases, attracting over 18 million visitors and 21,000 companies from around the world to date.