ISE 2022 – a Triumphant Debut in Barcelona and the Long-Awaited Return of the Event!

ISE 2022 marked the long-awaited return of the event. It also signified the triumphant debut of the trade fair at its new host venue, Fira Barcelona – Gran Via. The edition featured 834 exhibitors from over 39 countries. It also included 43,691 visitors from more than 151 nations and over 150 thought leaders. Participants welcomed the edition that featured many highlights. It also incorporated relieved Covid-19 safety measures. This marked a significant improvement in Spain’s epidemiological situation.

ISE 2022 was held between 10.05.2022 and 13.05.2022 as a hybrid event. The in-person aspect of the edition took place at the Fira Gran Via in Barcelona, Spain. The digital feature occurred on the event’s official website and app (ISE App). Covid-19 safety measures were incorporated at the venue. This was to ensure participant safety during the in-person aspect. This included attendees showing their digital registration badges via the ISE App. Participants also had to maintain regular hand hygiene using the provided sanitation stations. The venue did not feature an extensive and strict Covid-19 safety plan. This was due to the lifting of many of Spain’s domestic restrictions in April 2022.

ISE 2022 featured a diverse and highly engaging support schedule. The keynotes and highlights of the edition included:

Keynote Day One was held on 10.05.2022. The Day marked the opening of the event and featured various highlights. This included Refik Anadol, a world-leading media artist, acting as the speaker of the Opening Keynote Address. Additionally, Anadol also presented the highlight of the Day. This was the lecture known as “Exploring the Heritage of Tomorrow”. During the session, he discussed humanity’s collective heritage and creating collective dreams. He also debated how modern technologies can help promote digital art. Keynote Day Two featured Alan Greenberg as the speaker. He presented the session “Next Generation Immersive Entertainment”. During the lecture, he discussed the Illuminarium, an innovative type of venue. The Illuminarium provides an immersive and novel experience by stimulating all senses. It uses technologies such as scent, haptic, and projection systems.

Among the highlights of ISE 2022 were the ISE Immersive Art Experience and the Casa Batllo Facade Mapping. The Immersive Art Experience took place in Hall 2. It was held in collaboration with the Exhibition Hub. It was a one-of-a-kind 650 m2 unique event space that served as a VR experience art installation. Furthermore, it blended several award-winning immersive art experiences. This included animating iconic art pieces from artists such as Van Gogh and Frida Kahlo. The art installation featured an impressive 360-degree light and music show. It used technologies from AED Display, AV-Drop and other exhibitors. The Casa Batllo Facade Mapping was held on 07.05.2022. Facade Mapping combined various digital art and mapping technologies. This helped to create a one-of-a-kind digital work of art that alters itself upon the facade. The changes are influenced by the environmental data of the Passeig de Gràcia. Each piece of information was collected in real-time.

Another notable highlight of ISE 2022 was the second edition of the AV Experience Zone. It was a sub-event held in Spanish. It provided Spanish end-users with a detailed overview of the industry. The Experience Zone allowed attendees to interact with innovative market solutions. It furthermore presented real case study demonstrations. The Zone also included lectures held by leading industry professionals. The topics included:

The AV Experience Zone was among the must-attend sub-events for:

One of the prominent features of ISE 2022 was the I RISE. This was an innovative projection mapping installation created by Flaix Studio. The projection took place on the Plaça d'Espanya by the Fira Montjuïc. The project explored three themes: renewal, regeneration, and hope. The industry's desire to return to normal inspired the themes. The project took place for 15 minutes and looped for over two hours on three successive nights. Projections of different wishes for the industry were part of the project. These occurred as hashtags in various languages.

The Retail Showcase and Digital Signage Avenue were also among the ISE 2022 highlights. The Retail Showcase enabled attendees to experience retail environments in real-time simulations. These display the latest technologies for engaging shoppers and driving sales. This includes simulated fashion and grocery stores. Such presented best-in-class digital signage, sensors, and retail analytics devices. This allowed attendees to examine suitable technologies, data, and touchpoint concepts. The presented wares included:

The exhibitors presenting their wares at the Retail Showcase included:

• Samsung
• LG
• Philips
• M5stack
• Xovis
• Nexmosphere
• 99sensors

The Digital Signage Avenue was a novel sub-event. It took place alongside the Retail Showcase and presented digital signage/DooH technologies. Among them were advertising delivery solutions. This included ones used in various sectors. Among them are retail, transportation, corporate, healthcare, education, hospitality, and leisure.

ISE 2022 featured many new sub-events. Among the micro-events to debut during the edition was the Open Innovation Challenge. It was a hybrid matchmaking programme. It allowed technology providers to network with businesses seeking solutions. The Challenge was organised by two companies. These were ACCIO and Enterprise Europe Network. The organisers worked with seven corporations to solve various challenges. Technology providers could aid in creating solutions. They could achieve the task by registering and arranging meetings with the companies.

The challenges and presenting companies were:

The Thought Leadership Programme was also among ISE 2022's highlights. It introduced two new sub-events and addressed a variety of important subjects. Among them were immersive technologies. The debut micro-events were the Live Events Summit and the Superyacht Technology Summit.

The Live Event Summit focused on the leading topics related to pro-audio. This included Immersive Audio on Tour, Remote Remixing, Networking and Touring Sustainably. The Summit featured speakers like Peter Brandt, Jamie Gosney, Phil Kamp, and Andy Land. Highlights from the Live Events Summit included:

• Immersive audio on tour (Panel discussion with Chris Jones and Phil Kamp)
• The 5G Festival (Presentation of the project with Jamie Gosney)

The Superyacht Technology Summit allowed attendees to learn about the latest superyacht demands. Among the discussed topics were R&D team and blue-chip company collaborations. They also featured the subjects of AI, automation, and smart integration. The themes of the Superyacht Technology Summit included Integration, Success, Future, and Learning. Each detailed a different aspect of the programme and industry. Integration, for example, focused on high integrator expectations. Speakers included Derek Munro, Kris Hogg and Feargus Bryan.
Summit highlights included:

• Superyacht Audio—Designed to Disappear (Presentation with Goran Antonijevic)
• Cyber Security - The Human Factor (Presentation with Richard Hodder)
• From system-specific technology architecture to holistic systems thinking (Presentation with Niilo Hautala)
• Superyacht technology at work to shape the future (Presentation with Feargus Bryan)
• Why AV is much more than displays and audio (Presentation with Kris Hogg)

One highlight of ISE 2022 was the Smart Building Conference. "Safe, smart and sustainable technologies for buildings" was the maxim of the sub-event. It addressed issues such as sustainability, building security, and smart technology. It also addressed the roles of Chief Smart Building Officers and Master Systems Integrators.
Among the highlights of the Conference were the sessions:

• The Human Connection to a Smart Building (Keynote Presentation with Matthew Marson)
• Clean buildings—Smart facility disinfection with Far-UVC light (Presentation with Brent Peckover)
• Every Surface a Screen: Now What? (Presentation with Brad Koerner)
• Data-Driven Operations and Maintenance (Presentation with Tyson Soutter)
• Connectivity as the fifth utility in smart spaces (Presentation with Morne Eramus)
• Ensuring the Security of AV Components on a Network (Presentation with Richard Sasson)

The Control Rooms Summit featured the adage “Designing a new critical control room”. The sub-event focused on how control rooms have changed because of the pandemic. It also detailed how the community needs to collaborate to provide new models. This was reflected in the themes of the sub-event:

• Definition of the operation scope
• Affecting facility command and control (Mobility strategy and primary systems)
• Delivering crucial data to the critical control room
• Considering the facility's location, size, and vital components
• Ergonomics and human factors

Summit highlights included:

• Roles of post-covid era operators (Presentation with Rob Moodey)
• Control rooms in a world of hybrid teams (Presentation with Jan Petter Lie)
• Digital Control Room: The new wave of interconnected technologies (Presentation with Tero Haahti)

The Smart Workplace Summit occurred under the maxim “Innovations re-shaping the workplace”. It focused on how organisations need solutions that promote a safe environment. This includes increasing the productivity of their remote workers and employee experiences. The highlights of the Summit included:

• Keynote: Reimagining Workspaces For Hybrid Work (Keynote with Snorre Kiesbu)
• EPOS BrainAdapt™: Audio designed for your brain (Presentation with Dorthe Krogh Jensen)
• Going Hybrid: how to optimise the meeting experience (Presentation with Lieven Bertier)
• Design of a Versatile Collaboration Space (Presentation with Richard Sasson)

The Digital Signage Summit addressed the latest digital signage topics. This includes green signage, best practices, industry consolidation, sustainability, and the latest trends. Amongst the highlights was Giovanni Flore's lecture on "3D on billboards." The Digital Learning Summit took place within the framework of the maximum "Build back Hybrid". It analysed the effects of the pandemic on the digital transformation of higher education. This included informative sessions that detailed the success of Zoom and universities. It also featured lectures on how AR/XR/MR can aid in delivering information and assessing students. Among the highlights were the keynote sessions:

• Using "GhostTrack" technology to learn in the metaverse
• The hybrid learning theatre—an inspirational environment

An ISE 2022 highlight was the event's collaboration with the IoT Solutions World Congress (IOTSWC). This allowed participants to explore the entire ecosystem, including quantum computing companies. The event took place alongside ISE 2022. It highlighted the common grounds that provide innovative ideas and inspiration. The theme of IOTSWC was "Game-changing technologies for industry transformation". It allowed IT producers and suppliers to display the latest trends that promote collaborations. Exhibitors included ABB, EMnify, Five, Huawei, Kaspersky, Amazon Web Services, Altair, and Siemens.

Among the highlights of ISE 2022 were the Stand Design Awards and the winners of the sub-event. The Awards honour exhibitor stands with the most innovative and eye-catching designs. An international panel of industry experts and designers appointed the selections. The Awards featured four size-based categories. The winners were announced during a specialised ceremony on 12.05.2022. The winners for each category were:

• Small - Luhkee
• Medium - HOLOPLOT
• Large - Vestel
• XL - Sony

ISE 2022 marked the successful restart of the event and its debut in Fira Barcelona Gran Via. It received 834 exhibitors from over 39 countries. They represented continents such as the two Americas, Asia, Oceania, and Europe. Leading exhibitors included:

Over 150 thought leaders attended the various conferences. The event also received 43,691 visitors from 151 countries. The event space was 48,000 m2. Exhibitors expressed high satisfaction with their participation.