  The Taishan Antineutrino Observatory (TAO or JUNO-TAO) is a satellite
detector for the Jiangmen Underground Neutrino Observatory (JUNO). JUNO aims at
simultaneously probing the two main frequencies of three-flavor neutrino
oscillations, as well as their interference related to the mass ordering, at a
distance of some 53 km from two powerful nuclear reactor complexes in China.
Located near the Taishan-1 reactor, TAO independently measures the antineutrino
energy spectrum of the reactor with unprecedented energy resolution. The TAO
experiment will realize a neutrino detection rate of about 2000 per day. In
order to achieve its goals, TAO is relying on cutting-edge technology, both in
photosensor and liquid scintillator (LS) development which is expected to have
an impact on future neutrino and Dark Matter detectors. In this paper, the
design of the TAO detector with a special focus on calorimetry is discussed. In
addition, an overview of the progress currently being made in the R&D for
photosensor and LS technology in the frame of the TAO project will be
presented.
