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NEWS IFA TecWatch Researchers, Entrepreneurs, Robots and Virtual Reality More than 70 startups and 100 companies, research institutes, universities, and industry associations will be joining us at this year’s IFA to show us where technology will take us: IFA TecWatch, the central hub of ideas for the markets of tomorrow, will be showcasing innovations and the latest products from all corners of the consumer and home electronics industries in the 3,000 square meters of Hall 11.1. The TecWatch Forum at the center of the hall complements the exhibition with an excellent supporting program of lectures, panel discussions, and presentations. IFA TecWatch Forum - Sharing Innovative Ideas Lectures, panel discussions and debates How can we secure our data? Is the smart home super-standard coming soon? Will drones be delivering pizza in the near future? And will robots be handling household chores? Future technologies raise many questions. The IFA TecWatch Forum brings these issues to the stage. This is where expert lectures and panel discussions will be taking place on all trade show days. IFA TecWatch exhibitors can apply now for a forum presentation time slot. © Messe Berlin GmbH MAIN THEMES AT THIS YEAR'S TECWATCH: Virtual Reality How is it possible to produce 360-degree images for virtual reality? IFA TecWatch shows how through impressive examples for ambitious and interested amateurs and professionals alike. The largest 3D scanner of all time creates templates for the virtual worlds for a variety of applications, such as video games. It records objects and people using more than 80 highaperture lenses arranged around the walls of a compact photo booth. The entire scanning process is complete within just a fraction of a second. Clever Robots Capable of autonomously running or rolling around, reacting to their environment, speaking to us, or communicating via monitors, these clever robots are the household companions of the future. Robots can be toys, entertainers, or a serious help with everyday household chores. TecWatch will present a number of examples of what these little chaps can do. Powerful Sound The tech visionaries also have pioneering ideas where good sound is concerned. 3D audio has already established itself in home theater, virtual headphones, and even car audio. The new MPEG-H audio codec offers a range of additional interesting opportunities. This new codec can pack multiple audio objects into a single sound data stream, such as different language options that can be selected via the remote control. If a sports reporter strains their vocal chords trying to communicate above the loud chants of fans, they will be able to receive some technical aid through the use of MPEG-H sound tracks in the future. TV viewers can use a remote control to adjust how loud the reporter’s voice is against the noise of the crowd. The Smart Home Industry association ZVEH’s e-home is a reference installation for the connected life. It presents smart home solutions for intelligent energy and atmosphere management, comfortable communication, media distribution, and security. How can different systems work together seamlessly? The e-home shows a host of successful examples in action. Many small and medium-sized companies will also present detailed solutions for life in connected homes, where the Internet of Things plays an increasingly dominant role in everyday life. Intelligent Lights LEDs, the innovative light source, can do more than just save energy. They can also be perfectly integrated into digital control systems. Apps can then be used to adjust both the brightness and colors of modern light sources. Captivating Images The future of broadcasting is already here in the form of DVB-T2 HD, the next generation of terrestrial TV. Broadcasters in Germany are using an extremely efficient video coding standard to make this a reality – HEVC, which was specially developed for Ultra HD. Spectacular image quality is the focus of another presentation: incredible brightness, stunning contrast, and vivid colors are the key features found in nextgeneration media, while HDR (High Dynamic Range) and extended color spaces are the key terms to watch out for. What is available right now? And what can we expect in the coming years? IFA TecWatch provides a detailed overview. Digital Payments Wallets and coin purses will soon be a thing of the past – in the future we will be paying with our smartphones. This requires extensive infrastructure to support transactions in the virtual world. IFA TecWatch will show how this works with a great example from one of the biggest companies in the e-payments sector. Hall 1.1 www.ifa-international.org IFA International • Monday 29 th August 2016 9
