ISE 2024 - what caught our eye
- Year
- 2024
Ah, January! The month of good intentions, new challenges and ISE.
ISE stands for Integrated Systems Europe and is the largest trade fair in the AV and system integration field. With Ocular, we have been going there for several years now to discover the latest trends and to catch up with our partners.
This year, our COO Simon Denys went to the fair together with project engineers Arne Van Vyve and Davy De Coster to discover their perspective on the latest developments. Eager to hear about their experiences!
What struck you at ISE 2024?
1. The AV world is alive and kicking
Simon: First of all, I noticed a strong drive and energy in the AV world. There was an infectious enthusiasm at ISE that only makes me look forward to the future.
Davy: I fully agree. Due to the corona pandemic, it had been four years since I attended ISE so I was happy to be back and feel that the atmosphere was good.
2. Strengthening collaborations
Simon: I noticed that there were also a lot of interesting collaborations this year. Partners who decided to work out a booth together with technologies that reinforce each other. For us, that's a huge added value as it shows what the possibilities of a particular product are. It works inspiring and I immediately saw opportunities for some projects that are in our pipeline.
Which trends were there in the field of technology?
1. Applications before products
Simon: The big difference is that the focus seems to be on the applications of products rather than the products themselves. That works very enlightening for us. Sometimes there are in fact certain use cases of a product that we don't immediately think of ourselves. If some use cases are presented at that point, we are immediately inspired.
Davy: Indeed. Sometimes we encounter products we didn't know existed and that's when concrete applications are of great value.
2. R&D is getting back on track
Davy: You can see that the R&D department has been at a standstill for some time at most AV players, but that they are back at full speed now. Rather than new innovations, there's mainly a wider range. For instance, certain devices have become smaller and come with more features.
Davy: I also expect and hope to see an evolution in terms of artificial intelligence in R&D departments in the next editions. That wasn't really present this year.
3. Projection is declining in the market, but still important for us
Simon: In my opinion, projection is declining in the market, although it remains an important medium for us. It is the perfect way to get creative with interactivity and experience, even in a 360° setup. Personally, I still strongly believe in the power of projection, especially when it's used for a clear purpose. We also see that the products of our partners BenQ, Epson and Barco continue to evolve, which I can only applaud.
4. LED instead of LCD
Arne: A noticeable trend is the use of LED instead of LCD, especially indoors. Four years ago at ISE, there was no mention of this while several major players such as Samsung and LG have now jumped on the train.
Davy: True, we also see this ourselves in our projects. I think the transparent (O)LED is also starting to gradually emerge…
Now, what is the most important aspect about a trade fair like ISE?
Simon: The contacts, without a doubt. For us, the days at ISE are incredibly busy, but also incredibly valuable. It's great to see each of our partners again and to look back, but above all think ahead about future collaborations. I consciously take time for it, even though it is not always easy in my daily routine. ISE is the perfect venue to exchange ideas and discover the possibilities in terms of technology in detail.
Arne: I agree with that. At ISE, we can talk directly to our suppliers and partners. This is particularly useful for discussing new or past projects. In addition, it is the place to be to discover the latest technologies.
Davy: I agree with Simon and Arne. At the trade fair, you really feel and see what is going on in the market.
Partners in the spotlight
On a final note, we would like to highlight some of our partners who were present at ISE 2024.
Displax
Displax is once again innovating and is launching Displax Pro, a touchscreen with an even finer bezel.
Nexmosphere
The Nexmosphere sensors are a must for any interactive experience, talk about a great product!
Samsung
Samsung comes with a transparent micro LED that captures the imagination enormously. The possibilities for our designers and customers are endless.
Leyard
Leyard, too, once again had a stand that was truly impressive, showing all possible LED set-ups.
Vioso and Pixera
Vioso and Pixera are our go-to partners for media server control and projection mapping. For our engineers, it was very useful to speak to their developers for additional technical explanations.
Simon: I also had good talks with Laurens De Baere of Van Domburg and with Pieter-Jan Symons of AED Group. Handling is an indispensable element during any project, service and delivery times are important factors in our business. Finally, I also took the time to catch up with Dennis Driesen of Legrand AV, a major player in our market.
ISE again gave us a lot of inspiration that we are incorporating into our new projects. It makes us look forward to the future!