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<a href="https://liberlive.com/">LiberLive</a>, a music technology company, has introduced LiberAOS, a proprietary high-dynamic audio sampling and synthesis system. The technology serves as the core of the company’s second-generation instrument, the C2 stringless guitar.
According to LiberLive, LiberAOS is the world’s first high-dynamic sampling and synthesis architecture designed specifically for stringless guitars. The system integrates four modules—signal capture, processing, audio engine, and acoustic output—forming a complete end-to-end music production workflow.
Technically, LiberAOS is built around two central dimensions: interaction and sound quality. On the interaction side, an optimized signal processing system enables precise, real-time responsiveness. On the sound quality side, a professional-grade tone library and dynamic processing technology aim to deliver studio-level performance. The design preserves the expressive characteristics of traditional guitar playing while enhancing them through intelligent interactivity, offering a balance of fluid operation and authentic tone for use in live performances, professional recording, or casual practice.
At the core of the LiberAOS architecture is a multicore heterogeneous chipset, also developed by LiberLive. Serving as the platform’s data processing hub, it works with a magnetic pick and a pressure-sensitive fingerboard to form a responsive sensing matrix. The system captures subtle performance nuances—from variations in finger pressure to changes in picking angle—extracting multidimensional signals such as force, angle, and frequency to interpret and reproduce a player’s intent with precision.
LiberAOS functions much like a compact embedded audio workstation. Its quad-core parallel architecture operates like four producers working simultaneously to ensure real-time performance stability. The proprietary audio engine acts as an intelligent producer, analyzing performance intent within milliseconds and drawing from a tone library containing tens of millions of samples to select the most appropriate sound for each note.
To achieve natural instrument timbre and musical expressiveness, LiberLive collaborated with professional acoustic laboratories to sample classic guitar models from brands including Martin and Taylor, and extended the sampling to pianos, drums, and bass guitars. Each guitar alone required about a month of sampling, covering variables such as pick material, string angle, playing strength, and even the tactile differences between fingernails and fingertips. These detailed variations form the foundation of LiberLive’s dynamic sound database.
As a result, each note played on the C2 is not a single static audio file but part of a categorized collection of tonal samples classified by dynamics, technique, and emotional expression. This enables the system to match each sound precisely to the performer’s musical intent.
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For output, the C2 features a dual-band speaker system with 3.25-inch bass drivers, acoustically tuned for layered, full-bodied sound. Even without external amplification, it delivers spatially rich audio suitable for small live performances.
By establishing a complete technological loop, the C2 advances on its predecessor’s ease of use while introducing major upgrades through LiberAOS. The instrument also adds functions such as intelligent sing-and-play and multiple performance modes, enabling quick track creation with near studio-level sound quality.
Through this release, LiberLive seeks to bridge the gap between professional-grade audio performance and user-friendly smart instruments, positioning the C2 as a next-generation tool for both music creators and performers.
KrASIA Connection features translated and adapted content that was originally published by 36Kr. This <a href="https://36kr.com/p/3528346634280068">article</a> was written by Huang Nan for 36Kr.

LiberLive unveils LiberAOS, a high-dynamic audio system for its C2 stringless guitar

Music

Creative

China

… where line markings by Partner Robotics’ robot segmented the performance area into white-tinted zones to guide formations for the 60th National Day celebration." width="1920" height="1280" srcset="https://console.kr-asia.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/Partner-Robotics-Singapore-NDP.jpg 1920w, https://console.kr-asia.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/Partner-Robotics-Singapore-NDP-720x480.jpg 720w, https://console.kr-asia.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/Partner-Robotics-Singapore-NDP-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https://console.kr-asia.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/Partner-Robotics-Singapore-NDP-768x512.jpg 768w, https://console.kr-asia.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/Partner-Robotics-Singapore-NDP-1536x1024.jpg 1536w" sizes="(max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px" /><figcaption id="caption-attachment-158166" class="wp-caption-text">Photo shows the completed showcase project, where line markings by Partner Robotics’ robot segmented the performance area into white-tinted zones to guide formations for the 60th National Day celebration. Photo source: Partner Robotics.</figcaption></figure>
Wang said the industry has shifted significantly since 2024. Robots are now deployed in active construction projects rather than limited to demonstrations. Usability has also improved, enabling workers to operate robots without constant support from manufacturers. This evolution, he said, reflects closer alignment between products and market needs. For startups, that means ensuring technology, market, and capital work together so solutions address construction challenges.
Huan Chen, partner at China Growth Capital, said that the construction sector is on the verge of an intelligent transformation:
<blockquote>"AI is transforming the traditional construction industry worldwide. Leveraging years of dedicated R&amp;D in construction robotics, Partner Robotics enters the market by focusing on high-demand floor tile-laying. Combining strong technology innovation with deep industry know-how, its products have gained strong recognition and adoption from customers in both domestic and overseas markets. Kecheng Wang, the company's founder, brings extensive experience in robotics development and on-site deployment, along with profound insights into construction applications. We believe his team is well positioned to turn embodied intelligence into real productivity and drive the AI-plus-construction evolution.”</blockquote>
This article was published in partnership with <a href="http://www.partnerrobotics.com/sy">Partner Robotics</a>.

Partner Robotics raises Series A funding to deploy robots on construction sites worldwide

Robotics

Deep Tech

… 3.2 billion) in 2023, while startup funding totaled JPY 780 billion (USD 5.1 billion). These figures signal a strengthening innovation pipeline that aligns with Japan’s national targets of fostering 100,000 startups and 100 unicorn companies by 2027.
<figure id="attachment_158187" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-158187" style="width: 1920px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="size-full wp-image-158187" src="https://console.kr-asia.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/KSAC-TechInnovation-2025-Gwendolin-Mah.jpg" alt="Photo of Gwendolin Mah, head of international programs at MedTech Actuator, delivering the opening keynote on October 29." width="1920" height="1280" srcset="https://console.kr-asia.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/KSAC-TechInnovation-2025-Gwendolin-Mah.jpg 1920w, https://console.kr-asia.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/KSAC-TechInnovation-2025-Gwendolin-Mah-720x480.jpg 720w, https://console.kr-asia.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/KSAC-TechInnovation-2025-Gwendolin-Mah-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https://console.kr-asia.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/KSAC-TechInnovation-2025-Gwendolin-Mah-768x512.jpg 768w, https://console.kr-asia.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/KSAC-TechInnovation-2025-Gwendolin-Mah-1536x1024.jpg 1536w" sizes="(max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px" /><figcaption id="caption-attachment-158187" class="wp-caption-text">Photo of Gwendolin Mah, head of international programs at MedTech Actuator, delivering the opening keynote on October 29.</figcaption></figure>
<h3>Kansai’s legacy of scientific excellence</h3>
The Kansai region plays an outsized role in Japan’s innovation story. More than half of the country’s Nobel laureates hail from Kansai, underscoring the area’s enduring academic strength. Kyoto University, for instance, has produced more Nobel laureates than any other university in Asia.
That legacy was reaffirmed this year when professor Shimon Sakaguchi from the University of Osaka <a href="https://www.nobelprize.org/prizes/medicine/2025/press-release/">received the 2025 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine</a>. Sakaguchi shared the accolade with US researchers Mary Brunkow and Fred Ramsdell for their work on peripheral immune tolerance, the mechanism that prevents the immune system from attacking the body. Their findings have reshaped understanding of autoimmune diseases and immunotherapy.
With more than 90 member institutions and growing, KSAC’s network continues to expand, attracting interest from academia, industry, and investors alike. Kansai’s ecosystem remains at the heart of this progress, supported by a strong academic base, active public-private partnerships, and a shared commitment to scaling homegrown technologies for global markets.
This article was published in partnership with the <a href="https://ksac.site/">Kansai Startup Academia Coalition (KSAC)</a>.

KSAC deep tech showcase reflects Japan’s drive toward 2027 innovation goals

Japan

Events

Two US-built <a href="/industry/ai">artificial intelligence</a> coding assistants, Cursor and Windsurf, recently announced the launch of their proprietary models, Composer and SWE-1.5, respectively. The rollout took an unexpected turn when users discovered that both tools were actually running on Chinese-made AI systems.
Developers in several countries began noticing Chinese-language text appearing in code snippets generated by Cursor. Around the same time, Windsurf confirmed that its core model was provided by Z.ai (formerly Zhipu AI) after the company’s official account on X reposted Windsurf’s launch announcement with a congratulatory note.
The revelation drew mixed reactions online, with some users joking that it might be time to start learning Mandarin. But beneath the humor lies a deeper story about how quickly China’s AI ecosystem is reshaping the global landscape.
In the US, relationships between AI model developers and application startups have long been fraught. When <a href="/company/openai">OpenAI</a> was reportedly in talks to acquire Windsurf earlier this year, Anthropic immediately cut off Windsurf’s model access. Now, with open-source models climbing global leaderboards, developers are increasingly turning to non-US providers for flexibility and lower costs.
Windsurf isn’t alone. Vercel recently added Z.ai’s GLM-4.6 to its API offerings. Cerebras, a major US chipmaker, said it would begin promoting GLM-4.6 as a primary model starting November 5. Together AI has deployed <a href="/company/alibaba">Alibaba’s</a> Qwen-3-Coder, while inference platform Featherless now supports Moonshot AI’s <a href="https://kr-asia.com/is-kimi-k2-strong-enough-to-spark-chinas-next-deepseek-moment">Kimi K2</a>.
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Just a year ago, Chinese companies were integrating models from OpenAI and Anthropic into their systems. Now, the flow has reversed. The reason, analysts say, is straightforward: China’s open-source models have caught up in both performance and cost. The rise of <a href="/company/deepseek">DeepSeek</a>, Alibaba’s Qwen, and the growing prominence of Z.ai have strengthened their credibility.
The fact that two of the most popular US coding assistants rely on Chinese models underscores the competitiveness of China’s AI developers, especially in coding, where benchmarks and performance are easy to quantify.
Affordability is another major factor. Social Capital founder Chamath Palihapitiya recently said Groq migrated workloads to Moonshot’s Kimi K2 model because it was “way more performant and frankly just a ton cheaper” than offerings from OpenAI and Anthropic. Cost efficiency, he added, has become the AI sector’s new frontier.
Coding tools are one of the few AI categories that have achieved clear product-market fit. Anthropic currently leads, with OpenAI’s GPT-5 and Codex expected to intensify competition. Meanwhile, Chinese firms are moving quickly to secure market share.
Data from OpenRouter, which aggregates over 100 AI models, shows that four of the five most used products as of September were coding-related tools. Within that group, Chinese models are rapidly gaining traction. According to PPIO, Z.ai’s GLM and Moonshot’s Kimi ranked among the most used globally in the third quarter, with GLM’s usage peaking above 10% and Kimi holding between 2–5% market share.
Chinese developers are also turning this momentum into direct revenue. In September, Z.ai introduced a subscription service for developers similar to Anthropic’s Claude Code, priced between RMB 20–200 (USD 2.8–28), roughly one-tenth the cost of its US counterpart. The plan supports more than ten major coding tools and is available worldwide. According to 36Kr, the service has already generated annual recurring revenue of over RMB 100 million (USD 14 million).
Following that launch, Moonshot rolled out its own developer package for Kimi on October 24, and <a href="/company/minimax">MiniMax</a> introduced a free limited version of its M2 model with plans for a paid tier.
KrASIA Connection features translated and adapted content that was originally published by 36Kr. This <a href="https://36kr.com/p/3535638936771456">article</a> was written by Xiao Xi for 36Kr.

Coding tools Cursor and Windsurf found using Chinese AI in latest releases

Artificial Intelligence

Foundation and Large Models

Philippine conglomerates are forming partnerships with Chinese and Vietnamese <a href="/industry/ev">electric vehicle</a> companies, accelerating the spread of EVs in a market dominated by Japanese automakers late to the electrification game.
Chinese EV brands took center stage at the Philippine Electric Vehicle Summit held in Manila on October 23 by the Electric Vehicle Association of the Philippines (EVAP).
<a href="/company/byd">BYD</a> unveiled the new eMax 9 DM-i, a luxury plug-in hybrid multipurpose vehicle. The booth also featured a full EV on display. Zeekr, part of <a href="/company/geely">Geely</a>, debuted a coupe during the exhibition.
Major Philippine conglomerates Ayala Corp. and SM Group are laying some of the groundwork for the arrival of new EV brands in the country.
BYD touted discounts for buyers who financed their purchase with an auto loan from the Bank of the Philippine Islands, a lender under Ayala. At the Kia booth, an Ayala affiliate promoted a charging service.
Ayala's automotive arm, ACMobility, became an authorized distributor for BYD in 2023. There are about 40 dealerships nationwide, with plans to have nearly 80 by the end of the year.
SM Group subsidiary BDO Unibank entered into a strategic partnership with Vietnam's Vingroup in September. BDO, the largest commercial bank in the Philippines, will provide financial support for Vingroup's EV taxi service, Green GSM, which began Philippine operations in June.
Emerging conglomerate Alliance Global Group opened a <a href="/company/tesla">Tesla</a> flagship dealership in Metro Manila last year. Rapid chargers are being installed in parking lots at Alliance Global-owned commercial properties.
The Philippines has lagged behind other big Association of Southeast Asian Nations members in adopting EVs due to a lack of charging infrastructure and high electricity costs. Now that influential conglomerates have started to take action, EVs have a better chance of gaining a foothold.
"We're happy because they are the ones who are completing the infrastructure," said EVAP president Edmund Araga when asked about conglomerates' EV-related investments. "They address not only the issues on e-vehicles, on chargers, but even on renewables."
EV sales are on the rise. New EV registrations from January to July this year totaled 29,715, according to EVAP, accounting for 5% of all vehicles and exceeding 2024's full-year total of 24,286 EVs. The level is projected to reach 35,000 EVs this year.
The rise of automakers like BYD and Vingroup is a threat to Japanese brands, which account for a large proportion of the Philippines' new car market.
Japanese automakers were largely absent from the EV summit, though Honda Motor displayed electric two-wheelers.
Japanese carmakers place a priority on the Philippine International Motor Show hosted by the Chamber of Automotive Manufacturers of the Philippines. It is the country's largest automotive show held every two years.
New car sales totaled 343,410 vehicles for January-September, with Toyota Motor ranking first with 164,797 units and Mitsubishi Motors in second with 65,421 vehicles, according to CAMPI and other sources. The top two automakers have a combined market share of nearly 70%, and six of the top ten are Japanese companies.
While this data does not include BYD and other fast-growing EV brands, the total share of Japanese automakers is still high overall. Japanese automakers are hoping to capture demand with new fuel-efficient hybrid vehicles and popular sport utility vehicles.
Some local conglomerates are reassessing their ties to established automakers in order to put do more with EVs. In September, Ayala said it would stop selling vehicles from Germany's Volkswagen. The group will also terminate a dealer agreement with Honda—a partner since 1990—at the end of this year.
This article first appeared on <a href="https://asia.nikkei.com/spotlight/electric-cars-in-china/philippine-conglomerates-offer-inroads-for-china-vietnam-ev-brands">Nikkei Asia</a>. It has been republished here as part of 36Kr’s ongoing partnership with <a href="https://www.kr-asia.com/nikkei-teams-up-with-36kr-in-asia-tech-news-coverage/">Nikkei</a>.

Philippine conglomerates offer inroads for China, Vietnam EV brands

Transportation

Electric Vehicles

Mobility

Vietnam

Philippines

Southeast Asia

… effective. Yet as the company edges closer to market dominance, one question remains: will there still be room for others to grow? For now, that answer is uncertain.
KrASIA Connection features translated and adapted content that was originally published by 36Kr. This <a href="https://36kr.com/p/3531873407458439">article</a> was written by Leslie Zhang for 36Kr.

Bambu Lab’s MakerWorld sues rival platforms for alleged copyright infringement

Creator Economy

Inflync unveils the L600, a hybrid eVTOL aircraft built for regional travel

eVTOL Aircraft

… valuation.
Circle’s experience serves as a cautionary example: despite its initial post-IPO surge, its stock later retreated amid concerns over concentrated revenue, rising costs, and earnings volatility.
Still, HashKey’s regulatory compliance could become an advantage as traditional and digital finance continue to converge. The company has expanded into virtual asset exchange-traded funds (ETFs), partnering with Bosera Funds in April to launch spot Bitcoin and Ethereum ETFs, and in August supporting MicroBit’s crypto ETFs as trading platform and sub-custodian.
As Hong Kong’s largest licensed crypto exchange moves toward a potential IPO, HashKey’s listing could serve as a key indicator of investor sentiment and confidence in the city’s regulated digital asset market.
KrASIA Connection features translated and adapted content that was originally published by 36Kr. This <a href="https://36kr.com/p/3528775439670406">article</a> was written by Wang Hanyu for 36Kr.

HashKey plans Hong Kong IPO to strengthen lead among licensed crypto exchanges

Fintech

Blockchain

Cryptocurrencies

Hong Kong

<a href="/company/xiaomi">Xiaomi</a> has announced a major organizational restructuring, according to multiple sources familiar with the matter who spoke with 36Kr.
As part of this reshuffle, the company has created a new architecture department responsible for defining the strategic direction of next-generation <a href="/industry/ev">electric vehicle</a> technologies. The unit reports directly to Xiaomi founder and CEO Lei Jun and includes senior R&amp;D leaders and key technical staff.
People familiar with the matter told 36Kr that Cui Qiang, formerly head of vehicle R&amp;D, has joined the new department, while Wang Zhensuo, previously head of electric powertrain technology, will now oversee vehicle R&amp;D. The department will set the technical tone and direction for Xiaomi’s next generation of vehicles.
In the automotive sector, forward-looking technological planning is critical. At most automakers, however, this function sits within a secondary division reporting to a CTO or R&amp;D director. Xiaomi’s decision to elevate it to a top-level department under Lei’s direct leadership hints at its commitment to long-term strategy and the definition of its own tech identity.
A single vehicle platform typically supports at least three models and remains in production for three to five years. This means one generation of technology architecture can determine a company’s competitiveness and sales performance for an extended period—and for automakers under pressure, even their survival. Because product development, validation, and mass production take years, automakers must define their technical direction five to eight years ahead.
“For example, in 2019, when 100-kilowatt fast-charging technology was still the norm, automakers were already debating whether to target 800-kilowatt fast-charging or solid-state batteries with higher energy density by 2025,” an industry insider told 36Kr.
Pre-research teams are expected to identify technology goals that do not yet exist, then conduct feasibility modeling and cost projections with suppliers. This process combines strategic vision, technical foresight, and supply chain collaboration.
Although the EV market appears technologically vibrant, it remains defined by deep uncertainty. On the electrification front, Xiaomi and <a href="/company/byd">BYD</a> are competing to advance high-performance motor technologies while balancing cost and benefit. In batteries, both fast-charging and solid-state solutions are progressing in parallel. Higher charging speeds improve convenience but shorten battery life, while solid-state batteries show promise yet lack a clear commercialization timeline.
In the mechanical domain, automakers are moving toward steer-by-wire, brake-by-wire, and active suspension systems. The <a href="https://kr-asia.com/nio-shakes-up-the-market-with-luxury-et9-sedan-and-firefly-compact-car-debut">Nio ET9</a>, priced from RMB 768,000 (USD 107,520), integrates both steer-by-wire and active suspension systems. These components remain costly, and while steer-by-wire reduces turning radius, it does not yet offer a significantly better driving experience than traditional rear-wheel steering. Suspension comfort still depends heavily on calibration, and a well-tuned air suspension can outperform an active one in real-world driving.
At the same time, adoption of large <a href="/industry/ai">artificial intelligence</a> models and Level 2 driver assistance systems is accelerating. The industry is now shifting toward Level 3 autonomy, though its business model and consumer willingness to pay remain uncertain.
By elevating technology architecture planning to a top-level department, Xiaomi aims to clarify its R&amp;D investment priorities in an era of technological abundance yet strategic ambiguity, and to identify new engines for long-term growth.
Since entering the EV market in 2024, Lei has emphasized Xiaomi’s identity as a technology-driven automaker. From the outset, the company independently developed high-performance electric motors and planned three product generations. This enabled its first model, the SU7, to accelerate from zero to 100 kilometers per hour in 2.78 seconds, while the SU7 Ultra broke the Porsche Taycan’s lap record at Germany’s Nurburgring circuit.
Such forward-looking investment has strengthened Xiaomi’s technological credentials and supported its sales momentum. To date, cumulative SU7 deliveries have exceeded 258,000 units. The YU7, launched three months ago, has surpassed 40,000 deliveries, and the SU7 Ultra, priced from RMB 529,900 (USD 74,186), has received more than 23,000 orders. With volumes rising, Xiaomi’s automotive division is on track to reach quarterly profitability this year.
This restructuring seeks to harness the insight and experience of senior engineers to enhance Xiaomi’s foresight on technology trends and sharpen its strategic decision-making in innovation.
As product cycles shorten, automakers are under pressure to launch affordable, competitive models more quickly. Instead of pursuing full-scale generational platform upgrades that can take five years or more, many now focus on visible improvements—such as larger screens or improved seats—while coordinating with suppliers to reduce costs and boost short-term sales. This has led to widespread product homogeneity.
Such configuration-driven competition is unsustainable. Once certain features become standard, differentiation fades, price competition intensifies, and profitability declines.
Recognizing this, Li Auto has shifted direction. In 2024, CEO Li Xiang announced the company’s transformation into an AI-driven enterprise and introduced its MindGPT and vision-language-action (VLA) model.
With Lei now leading Xiaomi’s pre-research initiative, the company is formulating its own response to rapid technological iteration. Still, this reorganization is in its early stages. Its ultimate outcome will depend not only on Xiaomi’s commitment and strategic clarity but also on whether it can translate frontier research into market-ready products.
KrASIA Connection features translated and adapted content that was originally published by 36Kr. This <a href="https://36kr.com/p/3527055274924928">article</a> was written by Xu Caiyu for 36Kr.

Xiaomi restructures, placing EV architecture planning directly under Lei Jun

East Asia