Kiosk Solutions Feb-Mar 2020 | Page 20

ISE2020 ISE2020 Trends found at ISE 2020 combination of virus and storms united against the show, ISE 2020 still managed to deliver a vibrant exhibition and programme of content that included conferences, keynotes and training. As Mike Blackman, Managing Director of Integrated Systems Events, commented: “This year’s show demonstrated to us just how determined our attendees were to come to ISE. Many of our exhibitors exceeded their targets for customer engagement and lead generation. The show has delivered on all fronts: as the global industry’s biggest annual forum, as a launchpad for new solutions, as a place to do business, and as a source of professional development and education.” While attendance was understandably down against the previous year, crowds still flocked to the event. Daily attendance figures, which include exhibitors and attendees, made a cumulative total of 116,599 visits. 20 KIOSK solutions Going forward During ISE 2020, over 950 exhibitors booked their stands for ISE 2021, with 61,968 square metres of stand space sold by the close of the show. This equates to 82% of the available ISE 2021 show floor, and approximately 115% of 2020’s exhibition floor space. Reflecting the increasing number of vertical markets that ISE serves, additional Technology Zones for next year include Live Events and Lighting, Broadcast, and VR/AR/XR. ISE 2021 will take place at the Gran Via – Fira de Barcelona in February 2021. Global Health Emergency The World Health Organisation made it official: Coronavirus is the first “global health emergency” of our new era of major power competition. It will affect global markets, but will also have an effect on geopolitics. It’s already clear that the coronavirus’ impact, though too early to fully measure, will be significant on Chinese and global supply chains, markets and economies. But it’s not too early to contemplate the potential, unintended consequences of the virus, thought to have originated in a Wuhan wildlife wet market. So far, the effects of the virus outbreak on tech companies have largely been due to China being brought to a standstill by mandatory ‘self-quarantines’. However, as we saw with reduced numbers at ISE 2020, global exhibitions and conferences held elsewhere are now being hit. The Mobile World Congress in Barcelona has now been cancelled because the global concern regarding the coronavirus outbreak makes it impossible for the GSMA to hold the event due to a succession of major brands pulling out as a result of the virus. Also hit by postponements are Beijing InfoComm China 2020, GETShow and Prolight + Sound Guangzhou, plus LED China and its associated shows, MIPTV, Prolight + Sound and MIR TECH, as the number of people infected by the novel coronavirus increases. The list of postponements and cancellations of trade fairs and exhibitions is growing longer by the day. The data provided by the WHO in a Situation Report published March 8, shows that, worldwide, there are currently 105,586 confirmed cases of COVID-19 - 3,656 of which were diagnosed in the 24 hours preceding the report. Of those cases, 80,859 are in China, where 3,100 people have died from the illness. COVID-19 has also been confirmed in 101 other countries, territories and areas affecting 24,727 people—484 of whom have died. The impact of the coronavirus is all the greater as it coincides with what was already a slowing Chinese economy. It comes at a time when American and other countries’ companies were already shifting supply lines from China to elsewhere due to new tariffs and trade tensions. The virus may serve as a reminder for companies to more rapidly diversify their supply chains. n Growing importance of AI A recurring theme throughout the event is the growing importance of AI and machine learning. In smart homes, for example, there is growing evidence of manufacturers embracing the likes of Alexa and Google Assistant. It's becoming increasingly important as growing numbers of home devices and appliances become IoT-enabled. On the commercial side, AI – especially in conjunction with sensors such as embedded cameras – is rapidly finding a place in digital signage (a market forecast by AVIXA to be worth $45 billion by 2024 – roughly 35% larger than 2019). Retailers are looking to create more personalised and more relevant consumer experiences, and researchers are expecting the pro AV industry to see greater adoption of AI in the customer experience market, such as hospitality and healthcare. Hospitality companies are expected to spend vast sums on AV in the coming years in order to meet and exceed the expectations of a public deeply rooted in technology. LED proliferation AI is very much a ‘behind the scenes’ technology. The rapid rise in popularity of LED as the screen technology of choice, not only brings unique advantages in the creative deployment of displays such as videowalls, but also, as its price declines, is starting to displace single LCD screens. A recurring question, however, is how long LED will enjoy its current place in the sun. OLED technology has numerous theoretical advantages in terms of image quality, ease of installation and the opportunity for highly creative deployments, but it’s not without its challenges – notably in the area of price. AVoIP It’s not all about images on screens, however. So called ‘object-based audio’ has taken the sound world by storm with its ability to deliver wholly immersive sound stages. Advances in the ‘placing’ of sound are being matched by increasingly sophisticated DSPs that can ‘tune’ an installation to create the optimum match with the acoustics of the room. Together, they’re creating some interesting aural experiences, not least around the digital signage industry. Staying ahead of the game The trick, as always, is to stay abreast of – and, even better, ahead of – the latest developments. A competitive advantage can be quickly lost as others leverage the capabilities of newer platforms. KIOSK solutions 21