‘The most exciting ISE so far’ opens for registration

The fifteenth Integrated Systems Europe show will take place at the RAI Amsterdam from 6-9 February and it 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, to be known as Hall 15. This has been added to meet demand from vendors and service suppliers keen to take part in the world’s largest AV and systems integration show, and is located at the front of the venue.

Experienced attendees will know that there is much to take part in on the day before the show opens. Taking place on 5 February are three conferences, all open to ISE exhibitors and attendees.

The Audio Forum conference, an established fixture, will explore the opportunities and challenges faced when distributing audio over IP. The Audio Forum 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, buildings and cites in a full day, twin-track event. The 2017 edition attracted over 400 attendees and leading conference speakers have already been confirmed for next year’s event.

The Smart Building Conference will be followed by the ISE 2018 Opening Address, to be given by Carlo Ratti (pictured), the eminent Italian architect, inventor and educator, who will also take part in the conference’s closing roundtable discussion. At MIT, Ratti directs the Senseable City Lab at the Massachussetts Institute of Technology, a research group that explores how new technologies are changing the way we understand, design and live in cities. He is also a founding partner of the international design and innovation office Carlo Ratti Associati (CRA). Drawing on Ratti’s research at MIT, CRA merges design and urban planning with cutting-edge digital technologies, to contribute to the creation of “an architecture that senses and responds”.

Significant achievements of the office include the masterplan for a creative hub in the City of Guadalajara, the Future Food District at Expo Milano 2015, the renovation of the Agnelli Foundation HQ in Turin and the Digital Water Pavilion at Expo Zaragoza 2008, with the latter named among the ‘Best Inventions of the Year’ by Time magazine. Product design projects range from experimental furniture for Cassina to light installations for Artemide and responsive seating systems with Vitra.

In each instance, Ratti’s studio investigated the ways in which new technologies, including digital sensors and portable devices, are changing both the built environment and everyday life. Projects from the studio have also been exhibited in cultural venues including the Venice Biennale, New York’s MoMA and the Istanbul Design Biennial, and Ratti was named one of the ‘50 most influential designers in America’ by Fast Company and was highlighted in Wired Magazine’s ‘Smart List: 50 people who will change the world.’

The official Opening Reception will follow Ratti’s speech and is open to all everyone to attend to enjoy complementary food and drinks. It’s a perfect opportunity to network and plan for the upcoming four days.

New for 2018, and the pre-show schedule, will be the launch of the TIDE conference taking place at the Okura Hotel, nearby to the RAI. This event is being produced by AVIXA, the trade association formerly known as InfoComm International. TIDE 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 immerse customers in exceptional experiences.

When the show opens its doors the following day 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 six Technology Zones. The 2018 designated zones are: Education, Smart Building, Digital Signage, Pro Audio/Live Events, Unified Communications and Residential. Hundreds of product introductions are anticipated.

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 theatres are named the CEDIA Smart Building Solutions Theatre sponsored by KNX, the AVIXA Unified Communications Solutions Theatre sponsored by Crestron and the AVIXA Commercial Solutions Theatre sponsored by Crestron.

Taking place in each theatre for the first time will be a unique set of Business Sessions produced by AV Magazine in its role as a ISE official supplier. There will also be exclusive theatre sessions produced by the Smart Building Conference, KNX and the Digital Signage Summit.

Throughout ISE 2018 there will also be the opportunity for people to attend conferences and to take advantage of personal development opportunities. These include:-

The Digital Signage Summit ISE: this 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.

The Sports Venue Technology Summit: this full-day event will explore the latest technologies being installed and integrated into stadiums and venues to deliver the next level of fan engagement. This conference is being produced by the Sports Video Group association and Pan Stadia and Arena Management magazine.

The XR Summit at ISE: this is a new, full day conference that will showcase the latest virtual and augmented reality products, workflows and solutions available for the AV marketplace. It will be equally relevant for both exhibitors and attendees. This is being produced by ISE partner VR Days Europe.

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. These will take place on the pre-show day and throughout the four days of the exhibition. Full details will be available on the associations’ websites.

ISE 2018 will also feature an expanded Immersive Technology Zone. As with the 2017 edition this will be powered by immersive experience practitioner Holovis. It will feature a range of innovative virtual, augmented and mixed reality products and experiences, highlighting their relevance for the AV marketplace.

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.”

The full ISE 2018 programme will be completed in the coming weeks and will include the announcement of a major initiative taking place on the Thursday and Friday of ISE. For the latest show updates, and to register check the Integrated Systems Europe website.

Registration for ISE 2018 is now open and while admission on the door is €150 readers of avinteractive.com can register for free using the invitation code 399693 at https://www.iseurope.org/.