Intelligent prosthetic limbs have enabled people with disabilities in eastern China's Hangzhou to return to sports like rock climbing, playing piano, and doing calligraphy, showcasing the increased sophistication of Chinese new technologies for the disabled market.

Sports enthusiast Lin Yun in Hangzhou City has been practicing rock climbing with his prosthetic leg.

"I can run with it at a pretty fast pace, and also play basketball, table tennis and badminton. I feel like I've rediscovered my original passion for sports," said Lin.

Lin used to worry about falling whenever he went out with a conventional prosthetic leg, as it struggled to handle complex terrain like grassy fields and sandy surfaces. Four years ago, the introduction of an intelligent bionic leg transformed his life.

"The sensors inside the receiving chamber can capture my neural signals. For instance, when I see grass and my foot makes contact with the ground, it can generate algorithms to determine the appropriate support force needed at that moment, and adaptively control the joints," said Lin.

He even tried surfing and parachuting with the bionic leg, saying the device helped him not only physically, but also mentally.

"This prosthetic limb does more than just help me stand up—it provides profound emotional support, making me feel like I'm no longer disabled and I can even help others in need. This gives me tremendous confidence," said Lin.

Zhou Jian's life has also been transformed by smart bionic technology.

After losing his right hand in an accident, he once struggled to perform even basic tasks like brushing his teeth or washing his face independently. Three years ago, he received a smart bionic hand. Today, everyday actions like opening bottle caps or peeling fruit have become effortless for Zhou.

"Now I can control all five fingers and move them fairly freely, almost like I've regained the right hand I once lost," said Zhou.

Over a year ago, Zhou began learning to play the piano using the smart bionic hand. He has also been experimenting with a new generation of bionic hands, striving to unlock new skills.

"We hope that our next generation of prosthetic hands will not only be controllable but also provide feedback. We are now working to enable disabled people to perceive the world through these hands in the future. For example, when shaking hands with you, they could feel the warmth radiating from your palm," said He Xiyujin, senior vice president at the bionic hand's developer BrainCo.