Breakthrough technology opens the way for the future of humanity

VinFuture 2025 Science and Technology Week opens with presentations by speakers on future breakthrough technologies

International speakers presented a panoramic view of the future of soft robots, artificial hearts and regenerative agriculture . These ideas show that technology is getting closer to mimicking natural intelligence, restoring life and creating sustainable ecosystems.

In the field of robotics, Professor Ho-Young Kim (Seoul National University) shared the model of “spontaneous physical intelligence”, where the robot’s material and morphology take on the role of computation, instead of silicon microchips. This approach mimics nature such as ant colonies building bridges, mushroom germ tubes determining stomata or white blood cells recognizing invaders. According to Professor Ho-Young Kim, “letting matter think for itself” opens up a generation of robots that are sustainable, energy-efficient and better adapted to complex environments.

4 speakers participated in the presentation

Coming from the University of New South Wales, Australia, Associate Professor Do Thanh Nho shared that cardiovascular diseases claim more than 20 million lives each year and one of the biggest challenges in cardiovascular medicine is the lack of tools to realistically simulate the human heart. Animal models are physiologically different, and computer simulations cannot yet reproduce the complex movements of the heart muscle. That makes the process of testing cardiovascular devices expensive, lengthy and potentially risky.

To overcome this, Associate Professor Do Thanh Nho developed a soft robot that simulates human tissue, the most prominent of which is the “soft artificial heart with a beat”. This device can simulate the pressure, blood flow rate and contraction motion of a real heart. In particular, the structure of the artificial heart can be designed specifically according to each patient’s data, allowing doctors to “rehearse” before surgery and accurately assess risks. This technology helps improve safety in procedures such as arrhythmia treatment or heart valve intervention.

Associate Professor Do Thanh Nho with his speech on the soft, beating artificial heart

Also focusing on human health, Professor Raymond Kai-yu Tong (Chinese University of Hong Kong) shared the journey of developing “Hand of Hope”, a robotic exoskeleton that can read the movement intentions of stroke patients, support their movements and re-establish brain pathways. He also introduced XoMuscle - a soft artificial muscle, opening up a more humane future of rehabilitation, where patient comfort and dignity are respected.

At the forum, Mr. Nguyen Do Dung, CEO of Enfarm, brought the story of AI-based regenerative agriculture. Enfarm App supports farmers to optimize fertilizer, increase productivity by up to 30% and reduce fertilizer use by 30%, thereby reducing emissions and meeting sustainability standards. Meanwhile, Enfarm FM provides businesses with a toolkit for monitoring raw material areas and transparent ESG reporting, building a digital agricultural ecosystem that adapts to climate change. After only 1 year, Enfarm has deployed in 14 provinces, expanded to the Philippines and tested in Africa.

Speakers with different approaches but converged on the common message that when science is guided by compassion, every invention becomes a bridge connecting knowledge with life, paving the way for a sustainable future.

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