by Julia Pierrepont III
LAS VEGAS, Jan. 7 (Xinhua) -- The 2022 Consumer Electronics Show (CES) was wrapped up here on Friday amid fast-soaring COVID-19 cases in the United States.
Ran Lingyan, a Chinese woman from central China's Henan Province, was one of the young entrepreneurs who took the tech show by storm.
Held on Jan. 5-7, the CES, one of the world's premier tech shows, drew more than 2,300 exhibiting companies from around the world, including over 800 startups.
In a tiny booth away from the bustling hub of the central hall, the petite, attractive young businesswoman, whose English name is Tess, welcomed a continuous stream of buyers and the curious to her crowded booth, all seeking to scope out her product by Zhongshan Tess Gift Co Ltd.
For many Americans, the device seemed to be a reminiscence of Star Trek's famous "Universal translator."
"Tess Gift" is a sleek, ergonomically-designed, wireless smart mouse that can automatically transcribe whatever users say to it into text on their computers and can also instantly translate the words into 150 languages, said Ran.
The gadget combines voice activation, voice recognition, voice-to-text transcription, language-to-language translation, and many more practical features, Ran added.
Ran told Xinhua that she had seen countless office workers and government employees struggling to do business and communicate in a global marketplace where different languages and dialects are spoken, with no easy or affordable way to bridge the gap. So she wanted to produce a device to help.
"Whether Steve Jobs or me, all entrepreneurs share the same dream: to build something new and special, to create opportunity and wealth, to leave something behind them that might make a difference or even change the world. Right?" Ran said.
Born into a poor family, she said she dreamed of starting her own company and becoming wealthy and independent.
Once she identified the glaring need to facilitate business communication and productivity, she formed her idea and set about figuring out how to invent it.
She found out what she would need to build the product, drew up a comprehensive bill of materials, hired programmers, and obtained international software and AI technology licenses, Ran said.
"I worked hard for years and saved my money and invested it in myself," said Ran, who had worked in the field of import and export for 14 years. "This mouse can help everyone. People are buried in too much paperwork, it takes too long and causes health problems with the carpal tunnel in their hands from too much typing. Now your mouth can do the paperwork for you."
She learned by trial and error how to launch and grow a business and started sharing what she knew with others online.
Despite her long work hours, she said she still finds time to lend a hand, share insights and make new friends. She had even written a business-oriented novel in her "spare time."
"For me, business is not work. It's my life. It's what I love," she said, expressing her thanks to and love for her parents and twin son and daughter.
"When I have to travel for business, they understand I am building a future for us," she said. "My mother can't decide if I am crazy or a star. But she is proud I did this on my own. In the end, you must depend on yourself and your own abilities and commitment to succeed."
After testing her invention in 60 countries and regions and making several updates and improvements, she said the time was ripe. So she made the decision to attend this year's CES in person.
"CES is a perfect match for my product. I had to be there. When you come in person, people can see your product with their own eyes and try it for themselves. Then naturally, when they see it's good, they buy," she smiled, revealing that several large, potential clients approached her at the show to discuss volume deals.
"I found a huge market here," Ran said after the three-day event. "I will come back next year." ■
