The fifteenth ISE will take place at the RAI Amsterdam from 6-9 February and promises to be the largest and most exciting exhibition so far in its history.
The most obvious change from the 2017 show is the addition of another hall. This will be known as Hall 15. This has been added to help meet the demand from vendors and service suppliers keen to take part in the world’s largest AV and systems integration show. It is located at the front of the venue. So what can attendees expect at ISE 2018?
Experienced attendees will know that there is much to take part in on the day before the show opens its doors. Taking place on the 5 February there are three conferences, all open to ISE exhibitors and attendees. The Audio Forum conference, promoted by Connessioni, will explore the opportunities and challenges faced when distributing audio over IP. Audio Forum brings together the worlds of AV and pro audio and seeks to improve dialogue and understanding between pro audio and AV professionals. The Smart Building Conference will explore the latest technologies and business case studies for smart offices, homes, building and cites in a full day, twin track event. This year’s theme is “From Smart Building to Smart City”. The conference will be followed by the ISE 2018 Opening Address, to be given by Carlo Ratti, the eminent Italian architect, inventor and professor at the Senseable City Lab at MIT, USA. New for 2018, and the pre-show schedule, the launch of the TIDE conference taking place at the Okura Hotel, nearby to the RAI. This event promoted by AVIXA is a thought leadership conference that will explore the intersection of content, space and technology and will show how all three elements can come together to immersive customers in exceptional experiences.
Seven technology zones
When the show opens its doors an expected 75,000+ attendees will have plenty on offer to occupy their time. Throughout the 15 halls over 1,200 of the world’s leading manufacturers and service suppliers will be broadly grouped across seven Technology Zones. The 2018 designated zones are:
- Education
- Smart Building
- Digital Signage
- Pro Audio/Live Events
- Unified Communications
- Residential
New for 2018 is the XR Zone, covering VR, AR and Mixed Reality technology and solutions. A brand-new 500sq m. XR Technology Zone has been located in the Park Foyer, at the rear of Hall 8. The centerpiece of the XR Technology Zone will be provided by Holovis. An X Reality Hub will be will host a range of XR workshops and presentations throughout the show.
Awards, presentations & summits
Taking place on the evening of the first day of the show, the InAVation Awards continues to grow from strength to strength and will once again deliver the recognition that the very best of the global AV industry deserves. After an informal drinks reception guests will take their seats under the iron dome of the converted industrial building for a four- course gala dinner, during which winners across all Technology and Project categories will be announced.
Situated amongst the exhibition stands, three ISE Show Floor Theatres will feature four days of 30-minute presentations covering innovative business and technology case studies from exhibitors, partners and consultants. Theatre sessions are open to all attendees and no pre-booking is necessary. For 2018 the theatre are named the CEDIA Smart Building Solutions Theatre sponsored by KNX, the AVIXA Unified Communications Solutions Theatre and the AVIXA Commercial Solutions Theatre, both sponsored by Crestron.
Throughout ISE 2018 there will also be the opportunity for people to attend a number of conferences and to take advantage of numerous personal development opportunities. The Digital Signage Summit ISE is a half day conference that will focus on the latest Digital Signage and DooH technologies and business applications. It is produced by ISE partner invidis consulting and will be chaired by Florian Rotberg.
Furthermore, SVG Europe has partnered with PanStadia & Arena Management Magazine to create the Sports Venue and Fan Engagement Summit, that focuses on the overall experience of the modern stadium – in particular those technologies geared towards enhancing fan engagement.
The XR Summit is a new, full day conference that will showcase the latest Virtual and Augmented reality products, workflows and solutions available for the AV marketplace. This is being produced by ISE partner VR Days Europe and will be chaired by VR Days festival Director Benjamin de Wit.
Focus on projection mapping
Being run alongside ISE 2018 the World Masters of Projection Mapping is an exciting new competition based in Amsterdam. It will showcase the finest in 3D projection mapping artistic creativity and cutting edge technology. The competition is being produced as a cooperative venture between Amsterdam Light Festival, ISE and the RAI Amsterdam. The artistic and technical challenge for five shortlisted artists will be to create a work of video art to be mapped onto the three-dimensional architecture of the futuristic EYE Filmmuseum, to be experienced from multiple viewpoints. The judging will take place on 8 February and the winner will be announced at ISE on the morning of 9 February at a Special Showcase Event featuring the five finalists. During this period ISE attendees will be able to enjoy a two-hour boat cruise and dinner from the RAI Harbour to the competition’s location in the centre of the city.
Training and Education
As ever there will also be a full range of training options provide by ISE co-owners CEDIA and AVIXA. These will vary from short 20-minute “primers” on their respective stands to a full day’s workshop, masterclass or conference. Full details and passes are available from the new online ISE Ticket Shop. The ever popular Tech Tours will give attendees the chance to get a “behind the scenes” tour of some of Amsterdam’s most innovative AV installations and buildings. These will demonstrate the state of the art use of technology and installation solutions.
Integrated Systems Events Managing Director Mike Blackman commented: “We are confident that ISE 2018 will be the most exciting exhibition in the show’s history. As ever, we have listened to exhibitors and attendees and spent the last six months crafting a show that will deliver an unforgettable experience. More exciting announcements will be made in the weeks to come.”
For the latest show updates, check the Integrated Systems Europe website: www.iseurope.org
