Saving heritage with smart tech

Zhao says: "We make the intangible tangible. You don't just read about a pattern; you step into its spatial story, understanding its taboos, its journey, and its beauty."

The ultimate test of "cultural computing" lies in its ability to bridge the ancient and the contemporary, creating not only exhibitions but also new economic and cultural value.

One example is the 2016 collaboration between Zhao's team and cashmere sweater producer Snow Lotus Group, a partnership that has become a paradigm for industry-academia integration.

Rather than simply supplying patterns, the collaboration was built upon the theoretical and technological system of "cultural genes", which collected and analyzed the unique compositional elements and structural forms of traditional Chinese attire.