Integrated Systems Europe (ISE), the largest AV and systems integration show in the world, has announced two new exciting additions to the 2024 event, which is taking place from 30 January – 2 February 2024 at Fira de Barcelona, Spain.
Integrated Systems Europe will reveal a trailblazing LED screen which will welcome visitors to the event’s landmark 20th edition. This display will illustrate the potential of pro AV and systems integration, in collaboration with industry leaders in the design, installation, content creation, and production of transparent LED screens.
In addition, leading digital artist Jeroen van der Most has been announced as a keynote speaker for the second day of ISE 2024, and will discuss technology, art and AI. He will also perform his piece Bee Barcelona, which will be broadcast on the new transparent LED screen. In this captivating piece, the artist produces an AI-generated reproduction of his creative mind.
Transparent LED screen
ISE 2024 will feature the premiere of the new 193 square metre invisible LED display, which will be a permanent addition to Fira de Barcelona Gran Via’s South Access. The display promises to entice guests while also allowing the interior of the building to be seen through the content, resulting in a seamless combination of technology and architecture.
Mike Blackman, managing director of Integrated Systems Events, says: “As the world’s attention turns to Barcelona for ISE 2024, we are thrilled to showcase the very best of pro AV and digital signage with a stunning new entrance to welcome attendees from all over the world to our 20th-anniversary edition.”
“The installation of this transparent screen on the façade of our venue is a clear example of how hosting leading events in numerous industries has a major impact on the city and on our institution,” comments Marc Serra, venue services and infrastructure director of Fira de Barcelona. “It also illustrates Fira’s ongoing quest for innovation, the use of new technologies, and excellence. With the new infrastructure, Fira once again sets itself apart as a leading institution that hosts the best events and has the best venues.”
The transparent LED display, which is based on the MUXWAVE M3 LED screen with a 3.9mm pixel pitch, is adaptable to various surface geometries. SONO has been charged with system design and installation, and will seamlessly incorporate over 950 transparent screen tiles into the glass façade of Fira de Barcelona’s South Access.
Daniel Pérez Rubio, sales director of SONO, shares: “We are excited to work on this brilliant project for ISE 2024, our heritage in delivering experiences where light and sound are mixed with emotions in all types of events is perfect for this pivotal project for this special anniversary show.”
This innovative installation necessitates a powerful and adaptable media server to ensure stable and engaging visual content delivery to Integrated Systems Europe’s audience over four days. Ventuz and Realtime Department are working closely with the ISE 2024 team to achieve a seamless transition between programming and on-site installation.
Christoph Gockel, one of the managing directors of Realtime Department, explains: “Originally from the event sector, Realtime Department brings all kinds of impressive content to the stage and displays of this world. Whether visually stunning, sensory, kinetic, or interactive, permanent installations are now also part of the company’s portfolio.
“We have been a content partner of the supplier of the Muxwave, LANG AG, at ISE for 11 years and are delighted to be part of this project team, for what is probably the largest MUXWAVE installation in Europe. The effects that can be achieved with content on such a large glass surface of approximately 20m wide and 11m high are very exciting. Although the MUXWAVE is still a relatively new product, we have already been able to realise several projects with it.”
The Ventuz real-time software adds two major features: the capacity to replay massive amounts of visual data and live, interactive content that may be displayed at any time during the event. The firm is excellently placed for this function when combined with Ventuz’s UNIQVUE Experience Framework (which includes a content and rundown manager).
This adaptability enables switching between various pre-programmed content streams and real-time, live updates, and can also include social media feeds and QR codes for audience engagement.
Ventuz comes to Barcelona with 20 years of experience to support and develop the material on the South Access screen. Its expertise in real-time, data-driven visuals for experiential installations ensures the event will have proven stable playback throughout the week. The content will be delivered to the MUXWAVE LED wall using a Ventuz Runtime dual server cluster and will be played out with fewer servers via the Ventuz Multi-GPU cluster, lowering initial hardware costs.
Mike Steinbrecher, director of global sales for Ventuz, says: “It is an honour to work alongside ISE on such a game-changing project. Ventuz is excited to provide playback on the massive transparent Welcome LED wall, allowing Fira to bring immersive real-time stories to its visitors.”
Fira de Barcelona is devoted to sustainability and powers its facilities with 100% green energy from renewable sources, 40% of which is produced locally in wind farms, making the event greener and more sustainable.
Keynote exploring art & technology
Jeroen van der Most, a Dutch digital artist (pictured top), has been at the vanguard of using data, algorithms, and artificial intelligence in his work since 2010. He is well-known for his innovative approach to art and has been commissioned by organisations such as Amnesty International, NVIDIA, NH Hotels, Sogeti, and Nike – Footlocker.
His artwork investigates the tremendous creative potential of new technologies, while also profoundly challenging and redefining our idea of technology itself. Van der Most’s work has been shown at ZKM Karlsruhe, CES Las Vegas, Dutch Design Week, Museum De Lakenhal, Centre des Arts Enghien les Bains, Amsterdam KunstRai, and AAF Hong Kong, among others.
Van der Most will deliver his keynote at ISE 2024 on Wednesday 31 January at 5.15 pm in the ISE Show Floor Theatre in Hall 4. His presentation will be one of the many highlights of this special 20th-anniversary edition, offering delegates insights into the changing relationship that exists between art and technology.
This keynote promises to fascinate the audience as Van der Most combines cutting-edge creative technology, such as AI, quantum computing, and NFTs, into visual adventures. He not only pushes traditional boundaries, but he also inspires new ways of thinking about the importance of creativity in an increasingly interconnected society.
Blackman says: “We are delighted to welcome Jeroen van der Most as a Keynote Speaker. His appearance at ISE 2024 will be a first-time combination of having a gifted creative artist discussing his work and, at the same time, creating interactive art at the show. Jeroen epitomises ISE’s vision to bring together innovative people with exciting technology and ensures that ISE 2024 is Your Destination for Innovation.”
Van der Most will captivate ISE 2024 attendees with a live performance broadcast on the newly launched South Access Screen. In this, he will build an AI-based duplicate of his creative mind in a visually fascinating show titled Bee Barcelona, which will take the audience on an immersive trip through his ideas. A unique component of the performance is the blending of his AI mind with a bee, intending to redesign and transform Barcelona into a symbolic hive.
“The key motivation for me to work on the bee mind mix is again to step away from ‘ordinary’ supercharged AI for mere productivity and profit, but to design an AI that’s about being closer to nature, more modesty, and more surprising in finding design ideas,” Van der Most explains.
Integrated Systems Europe (ISE) recently announced that it is preparing for a record-breaking event in 2024 with the biggest show floor to date. It also expects the event to welcome its highest number of visitors ever.
