The fifteenth 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 illustrious 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.

The day before

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 conferences, all open to ISE exhibitors and attendees.

The Audio Forum conference, an established fixture at ISE, 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 conference will focus on the following they core subject areas:-Digital Audio Transport; Audio Design with Audio over IP and Digital Audio Protocols.

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. The 2017 edition attracted over 400 attendees and leading conference speakers have already been confirmed for next year’s event. This year’s theme is From Smart Building to Smart City, as Conference Chairman Bob Snyder explains, “As more layers of digital networks blanket urban space, new approaches to commercial and residential built environment are emerging.”

ISE 2018 Opening Address

The Smart Building 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. In his speech Ratti will explore, Senseable Cities:
“The increasing deployment of sensors and hand-held electronics in recent years is allowing a new approach to the study of the built environment. The way we describe and understand cities is being radically transformed – alongside the tools we use to design them and impact on their physical structure.
The contribution from Prof. Carlo Ratti will address these issues from a critical point of view through examination of various projects he has been involved with.” 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 immersive customers in exceptional experiences.

World Masters of 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, Integrated Systems Events (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. For projection mapping artists this represents a unique challenge.

The judging, led by Amsterdam Light Festival Creative Director Lennart Booij, 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. The winning entry and those of the other finalists will also be projected onto the EYE Filmmuseum during the Friday evening after ISE 2018 has finished.

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 and Residential. Hundreds of product introductions are anticipated. New for 2018 is the XR Zone, covering VR, AR and Mixed Reality technology and solutions.

Below the floor plan, by scrolling you can enlarge the image and discover the name of the exhibitors in each space.

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. The company is a world leader in sensory experience design in the entertainment, industrial, and retail sectors. An X Reality Hub will be placed at the rear of the Park Foyer and will host a range of XR workshops and presentations throughout the show.

InAVation Awards

Taking place on the evening of the first day of the show this event continues to grow from strength to strength and will once again deliver the recognition that the very best of the global AV industry deserves at this unique and enjoyable ceremony. With the much coveted Project Awards contested by the world’s top integrators and consultants, a ticket to the event provides an all-inclusive evening, so there are no additional costs on the night. 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.

Presentations and case studies

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 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 ISE official supplier AV Magazine. There will also be exclusive theatre sessions produced by the Smart Building Conference, KNX and the Digital Signage Summit.

Conferences

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. These include:-

• 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 and will be chaired by Florian Rotberg.
• Sports Venue and Fan Engagement Summit: For 2018, SVG Europe has partnered with leading venue publication PanStadia & Arena Management Magazine to create 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 conference will feature panels and presentations from leading broadcasters, service providers, vendors, architects, designers and consultants.
• XR Summit: 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. It will be chaired by VR Days festival Director Benjamin de Wit.

Training

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 are now available on the ISE with passes 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