BERLIN – Two and a half years of the coronavirus pandemic have also left their mark on the development of smart home and smart living applications. People retreating into the private sphere has triggered improvement in household devices, while outdoor activities such as gardening have moved indoors – that is why several manufacturers are presenting their solutions at IFA 2022 in the IFA NEXT area.
Connectivity – the interconnection of systems and applications – continues to play a big role, along with efficiency and sustainability. At the same time, robotics and AI are becoming part of the digital home – with the prospect of once again revolutionising everyday technology, as is being shown at IFA NEXT 2022.
From 2 to 6 September in Hall 20 on the Berlin Exhibition Grounds, startups, research institutes, associations and industrial enterprises will present forward-looking technologies. Many of them will focus on the smart living.
Feelbelt Series One from Potsdam makes the sound of games, music and films a close-up and even more intense experience. Feelbelt GmbH has developed a patented touch feedback technology that lets users physically feel sound. The Feelbelt is compatible with any console, system, smartphone and PC. Ten pulsing devices create a physical sound experience that spans the entire frequency range from 10 to 20,000 Hz.
The Berlin-based startup ai|coustics improves the sound quality of online seminars, newscasts, podcasts and school lessons. This startup develops innovative audio algorithms based on AI and deep learning models which improve the quality and clarity of voice transmissions. The technology can be employed with live mobile or desktop transmissions as well as to improve audio and video recordings. Both Feelbelt and ai|coustics can be found at the Innovation Market Berlin-Brandenburg in Hall 20.
Vtouch from Korea is presenting its Virtual Touch technology, the world’s first contact-free touch technology. Assisted by AI and a 3D camera, users can activate a control panel not by touching but simply by pointing to it.
Smart home applications are increasingly aiming to promote social cohesion. Familink, a brand of the French company Asweshare, is presenting a networked picture frame which family members from every generation can use to swap photos and text messages even when there is no internet connection.
Better@Home Service GmbH from Berlin uses sensor technology to enable the elderly to live safely within their own four walls. BeHome combines modular hardware and software solutions according to the care level required: from lighting systems with motion detectors at the bedside to water level gauges and radio communications that sound the alarm if they detect substantial deviations from a daily routine.
A strikingly large number of everyday applications are on display at IFA NEXT 2022. Faitron AG from Switzerland is presenting its Baby Boo and HeatBox. BabyBoo is the world’s first intelligent heated baby bottle, while the HeatBox is a lunch box that can warm up food at any time. Both can be timed and controlled via an app. Several companies are presenting indoor gardening themes and promoting self-sufficiency. Prêt à Pousser from France makes use of the patented Flo2at system, a floating culture that optimises the oxygen supply to plant roots, while an app controls the amount of lighting required. Hexagro from Italy is presenting its Living Farming Tree – a vertical farming system for the living room – and Berlin Green is displaying its Green Box, which it describes as the “most beautiful smart indoor garden“.
The Kitewinder from France is another forward-looking product. This mini wind farm weighs less than five kilos, fits into any backpack and when assembled flies like a kite, thereby harnessing wind power.
Smart Living topics featured in the event programme at IFA NEXT 2022
What are the latest digital home trends? How will our homes become not just smarter, more efficient and sustainable, but also healthier and more social? On 3 and 4 September these are questions that will be answered by numerous experts working on intelligent solutions in science and industry.
Saturday, 3 September
1.15 p.m.
Three mega trends pushing for smarter living
Erick Ackner, president, Mercku (lecture in English)
1.30 p.m.
WeHub, the interactive table-top projector makes smart homes social
Sabrina Großkopp, project manager PraktikApp, UX designer and design researcher, Universität Siegen
2.30 p.m.
Startup Days: What’s coming next? – Future Life
Which innovations from startups are influencing our everyday lives, homes, health and transport options? On the subject of smart living, company founders recount their startup stories, including crises, opportunities, failures, successes and lessons learned. Lars Rössler and BSH Startup Kitchen show how startups and corporates can work together successfully. At various startup pitches newcomers will present their innovations in the relevant segments.
Sunday, 4 September 2022
10.30 a.m.
WINIA Electrospray Air Sterilizer
Yeheon Lee, assistant manager, WINIA Co., Ltd. (English)
10.45 a.m.
The Astonishing Possibilities of Integrated Electrostatic Technology
Thomas Nguyen, mechanical design engineer, Creative Technology Corporation (English)
11.00 a.m.
Let us introduce you to the Home of The Future: Smart. Efficient, Sustainable
Sitao Ma, vice president, Connected Systems & CTO, Home and Distribution, Schneider Electric (English)
11.15 a.m.
Changing the way we eat
Amit Jaura, co-founder & CEO, Steambox: The Self-Heating Lunchbox (English)
11.30 a.m.
BeHome – Smart Senior Living: digital solutions and all-inclusive service for a better life at home! Prof. Dr. Arno Elmer, founder & manager, Better@Home Service GmbH (English)
11.45 a.m.
A study on the IoT and smart home market
Dong Uook Lee, general director of Technology, I-FACTORY Co. Ltd (English)
12 noon
Consumer Technology Trends 2022 – How secure is our world?
Christian Groß, regional director EMEA, IEEE Consumer Technology Society (English)