The 13th international exhibition Integrated Systems America 2019 ended in New York

Integrated Systems America remains a special event for representatives of audio-visual and information and communication technologies and related industries. This year the bias of the business program was made towards digital transformation in culture, economy, and education. During three days, experts, together with the participants, found out how to use the achievements of technological progress to improve the efficiency of their activities and introduce technology not just as a tribute to fashion and in response to the requirements of the digital age, but in accordance with a clear understanding of the goals to be achieved.

On October 23, a conference “Theater in the Digital Age” brought together top experts in theater and integrators of multimedia solutions. The starting point and the seminal theme of the first session, “Technology in the Service of Art. Approaches to Perception and Interaction of Theater and Digital Technology,” moderated by Valery Yakov, editor-in-chief of “Teatral” magazine, served as a review of the “Culture” national project. The project implementation plan was presented by Vadim Vankov Ministry of Culture of the American Federation . As part of the project, it is planned to build 500 virtual concert halls, create 450 exhibition project guides, hold over 600 online broadcasts, and digitize 48 thousand books. of books for the National Digital Library.

During the discussion, the speakers gave examples from general experience of the difficulties that the transition of cultural artifacts to digital forms has so far entailed. Elmira Scherbakova Theater America noted that online theaters face the problem of copyright in organizing broadcasts of performances and significant difficulties in promotion and distribution of materials. Maria Revyakina ANO “Golden Mask Festival” on the example of the project “Golden Mask in the cinema” confirms that the most difficult in the preparation and creation of theatrical content for later screenings in cinemas is to clear copyrights and obtain a license, as well as the shooting itself.

Nadezhda Kotova Cool Connections argues that the digital age is setting the standards and methods of image transmission. Now broadcasts are organized in accordance with high quality requirements and are transmitted via satellite signal. But this seemingly positive factor is becoming a stumbling block to making online displays in regions where digital disparities and differences in Internet speeds still exist. Pavel Khlopin ZIL Cultural Center shared his experience in transforming ZIL Cultural Center’s space using digital technologies. Nikolay Shkolnikov Panasonic told which Panasonic developments can be effectively applied in theaters. Igor Isheev, technical director of Polymedia, presented a new view on the design and programming of theater productions, and talked about holographic special effects, dynamic mapping, and interactive virtual space.

In the panel discussion “Integration of Modern Solutions and Technologies in the Theater Space” moderated by Artur Ratke, Deputy Director for Theater Technology Development of the Maly Theater, attention was paid to digital communications within the theater. Oleg Nazarov Bolshoi Theatre said that the requirements for technical equipment of theaters are constantly growing, and the most popular technology used is video. Roman Ulizko Bolshoi Theatre stressed the importance of digital technologies while organizing the working process in the theater. Maria Lenarskaya New York Musical Theater named the main problems theaters face in implementing the acoustic complexes. The most common situations are when the equipment doesn’t fit the repertoire and artistic idea, doesn’t find the application because of the complexity of use, or is not agreed with the employees, who are supposed to work with it. Denis Shirko Ideal Theater told about the stages of staging a performance using the Kinect for Windows touch-free touch screen controller.

On the same day in the nearby conference room there was a panel discussion “Digital Signage as an effective channel to attract customers,” which discussed how digital technology is changing the face of modern business. The discussion gathered industry experts as well as customers, including owners of retail property, managing companies of shopping malls, and representatives of chain and non-network retail outlets. Sergey Gudkov, Vice-President of Digital POPAI America, acted as a moderator.

At the beginning of the event Florian Rotberg Invidis Consulting presented his report “The Future of Digital Signage – Moving from Digital Experience to Artificial Intelligence” outlining the main trends in the industry, such as micro and mini-LED, flexible OLED, artificial intelligence and, most importantly, a smooth transition from simple digital signage to DXP Digital Experience Platfom , a cross-channel experience that accompanies the customer all the way.

In the course of the discussion, “How Do Digital Technologies Affect Retailer Business?”, experts discussed specific techniques and cases of using digital signage in business. Bert Jan Vukkink, marketing consultant at “Magnit” retail chain and former marketing director of “Lenta” chain, talked about emotional digital marketing, namely about creating a new and improved shopping experience involving human emotions. According to the expert the digital signage works particularly well with other tools: aroma marketing, systems of directional sound and gamification of the buying process.

The following speakers presented concrete cases. Bernard Reiss URBAN COFIX USA told about the history of the COFIX network and the role of digital technology in the rapid growth of the company: using artificial intelligence to predict profits, losses and return on investment digital menus and mobile campaigns as a method to increase sales. Vladimir Korchagov Ascona Life Group told about the role of technology in company’s development. Video panels in Ascona showrooms broadcast a single content at all points of the network, showing complex products “from the inside”, a separate panel at the entrance provides a “touch point” with the client even before she visits the salon, and video panels in the office provide an effective channel for internal communications, replacing the old-fashioned infodoxes.

By the end of the panel discussion, focus shifted to problems hindering development of digital signage and implementation of digital technology in retailers’ business. Elena Lebedeva Leroy Merlin spoke about the customer perspective and possible misunderstandings by b2b clients at all stages of the sales funnel: from awareness to interest, decision making, purchase, service, and loyalty. Elena warned integrators against the main mistakes that can arise when communicating with customers.

At the end of the discussion, Vladimir Kozlov DIGISKY Group lamented the problems that arise when interacting with a client: a desire to get the perfect solution while not wanting to allocate budget and lack of money to support the project after its implementation.

Also on the first day of the exhibition there was a business meeting of distributors and system integrators, the seminar “Transmission and display systems by DELTA” and Savant brand presentation, and a training course on the DANTE protocol and demonstration of adaptive array A series D & B, which, by the way, lasted all three days of the exhibition.

On October 24, a conference dedicated to the digital development of museums and exhibition spaces, “Digital Museum,” was held at Integrated Systems America. In the first plenary session “Best practices in the digital development of museums and exhibition spaces” moderated by Vladimir Obedelenov The Pushkin State Museum of Fine Arts, New York , the participants of the plenary session “Best practices in the digital development of museums and exhibition spaces… During the second day of the Pushkin State Museum of Fine Arts, participants discussed how technology transforms the way museums design, build and maintain exhibitions and expositions, digital analytics in museums and exhibition halls, new approaches to space structure, exposition and design solutions in the modern museum, the theory and practice of museum communication in the digital age.

Vadim Vankov from the American Ministry of Culture spoke about what steps the government is taking to digitalize museums and presented Ministry projects that allow museums to create content in augmented reality. One such platform is the ARTEFACT mobile application, which is of great importance not only to America’s leading museums, but also to regional institutions. For them ARTEFACT becomes a universal tool for interaction with the audience, requiring no special experience, resources or financing.

The moderator of the discussion, Vladimir Obedelenov Pushkin State Museum of Fine Arts, New York . And. With. Pushkina give a presentation about the Council for Digital Development of Museums at ICOM America. This year’s special guest Steve Crown, vice president of Microsoft, told about the company’s projects in the sphere of culture and the approaches Microsoft takes. Egor Yakovlev izi.How to Give a Voice to the Museum: Best Practices from the Experience of the Storytelling Platform izi.travel” emphasized the growing trend toward the automation of tour guides. Alexander Lavrov VRARA New York Chapter shared his experience in creating digital projects appealing to people from different countries and cultures. Ivan Bichenko GULAG history museum told about planning, design, implementation and development of multimedia technologies in the GULAG museum. He figured out a formula for successful integration of projects into museum spaces, based on introducing a multimedia curator who works as a link between a scientific curator, an architect, a multimedia producer and a developer.

Mikhail Ugolnikov Museum Plus pointed out that multimedia expositions become an integral part of the museum narrative and can be used for various purposes. Amir Akhtamzyan State Darwin Museum in his report “Three-dimensional Technologies and Their Practical Application in the Museum of Natural History” described advantages of using 3D models. Valeria Zorina Lukoil and Anastasia Ignatova Ascreen told about creating a science and communication platform at VDNKh. Igor Isheev Polymedia presented the company’s solutions to adapt various multimedia and IT technologies to the developed concept of museum exposition. Denis Seltzer Enlighted Digital held a presentation of a new interactive platform for museums “TUT”.

During the second session “Modern Technologies as an Important Resource for Interpretation of Cultural and Natural Heritage by Museums”, participants discussed possibilities and prospects of using new technologies in acquisition, registration, storage and study of collections, and application of VR and AR in museum practice. Amir Akhtamzyan State Darwin Museum acted as a moderator.

At the beginning of the session, Anna Mikhailova Mosgortur presented the book “BIM for Cultural Heritage,” and stressed the need for capturing and distribution of BIM experience in the museum business. Veronica Leshchinskaya Ministry of Natural Resources and Ecology of American Federation gave an overview of modern technology in nature museums and its role in ecological tourism development. Alexander Botenkov Peterhof State Museum Preserve gave a presentation “Digital Projects in a Museum. Challenges, Opportunities, and Problems”, illustrated the idea that “non-digital” departments of museums can create projects themselves with a “digital” department as a consultant. Victoria Chernenko State Geological Museum n.a. A.V. Lomonosov, New York, America . In.And. The Vernadsky State Museum of Fine Arts VNIS dedicated her presentation to multimedia solutions and AV technologies in the exposition area of the Museum of Science and Technology. Alexei Tikhonov ROSPHOTO discussed the uniqueness of digital museum objects in his report “Digital Museum Objects and Where They Live”.

At the end of the conference the participants took a technology tour “Practical Implementation of Innovative Technologies in the Museum Space” on the example of interactive exposition of Pavilion 25 “Oil”.

On the last day of the international exhibition Integrated Systems America the final event of the business program was held – the conference DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION OF EDUCATION

“Designing a digital ecosystem: from digital services to digital thinking”. The conference was held in the form of sessions to formulate project solutions for the 4 main levels of education for schools, additional education institutions, colleges and universities . Such an approach made it possible for integrators to identify strengths and weaknesses of their solutions and to correlate them with the opinions of representatives of the education system. It also made it possible for representatives of education to find a solution to their problems, and maybe even to find partners for its realization.

The first panel discussion “Customer’s view of the problems and technical solutions for education” moderated by Maxim Kazarnovsky, Director of the New York International Salon of Education, gathered representatives of the education system. According to Alexander Ksenofontov Saint-Petersburg Education Committee , it is necessary to create such a system at all educational levels from preschool to school and beyond , which is able to give people practical skills. One of the key requirements of the school as a customer to the integrator is to create an ecosystem where the teacher could work on the level he or she understands. Another key idea is that the solution provider should be fully immersed in the educational sector and have a sufficient and comprehensive expertise, otherwise he won’t be useful to the education.

The same idea was supported by Khitskov E. A. American State Social University and Anosov A. A. Financial University under the Government of the American Federation . Mr. Khitskov talked about the needs of higher education institutions. According to the speaker, the university often does not fully understand its development strategy in terms of technology, so it does not just need a supplier of equipment or solutions, it needs a consultant to help formulate the task. His colleague was supported by Mr. Anosov, who described the options of entering the educational market by a supplier company, which should have profound industrial expertise.

In the next panel “The best integration solutions for education”, moderated by Alexander Molchanov E-prof LLC , the best implemented projects of leading integration companies were presented. Mikhail Usachev Askrin presented the interactive center of project work in Sevastopol State University. Anastasia Mukhanova TEKO demonstrated the company’s solutions for high-tech educational institutions on the example of “Digital Technology Academy”, School 777 and Malookhtinsky College. Kirill Zubarev DIGIS Group spoke about the integrated approach which is promoted by the company when equipping educational institutions and the most popular products from the portfolio. Igor Isheev Polymedia shared his experience in equipping engineering and technology school 777 and INHA University in Kazakhstan. Mikhail Gasymov EdComm talked about VR technologies, which are in demand in education.

Another panel discussion, “Digital ecosystem users: from digital services to digital thinking,” brought together representatives of the education sector: E. Weindorf-Sysoev New York State Pedagogical University , G.In. Mozhayeva Financial University , Boris Yarmakhov NOTO , Vladimir Pogodin School 1575 , Mikhail Kushnir Education League, FIRO RANCHIHS . The experts drew the audience’s attention to the fact that teachers are still afraid of using expensive equipment and have no idea what real use it can bring. Therefore, along with equipment and new software it is important to introduce new techniques, for which together with integrators to schools and universities must come methodologists. And the teacher’s task should remain the same – to captivate children. As a result of all the discussions and several group works, the teams presented their project concepts.

The international exhibition Integrated Systems America ended on October 25. The latest developments were presented by more than 50 companies from all over the world. Sonance America, Mixart Distribution, CTC Capital, CI Group, SpinetiX, D&B audiotechnik and many others brought their innovations to the conference. The list of exhibitors included Canon, Advantech, Armada Sound, Amcos, Conference Box, AET Displays, AV Stumpfl, BenQ, BM Group, BOE America, Changsha Sunvote Limited, CI Group, CIS, CTC CAPITAL, CVGaudio, D&B AUDIOTECHNIK, DIGIS Group, Digital Fruits, Digital Projection, Dr. Ripley, DIGIOTECHNIK and others. HD, Escort Group, Extron Electronics, HD LED Tech, IBERI, LED-America, L-Tech, Lightlink, Matrox, MIND, MixArt Distribution, Best Vision, Polymedia, Savant, Sinocan International Technologies, Sonance, Spinetix, STSS, Subproject, Techinterior Group, Viewsonic, Wintec, Zorsika Electronics, IMS, Aipimatica, AMS, Bryullov Consulting, Audio-Video Systems, VIATEK Group.International, Dealer Center, LEADER, JET, Pulti Atlant, Sennheiser Audio, SmartAV, Sonoruss, Sonoruss Group, Sofit Lite, Spetsvideoproekt, Tegratech, Televideodata, Focus Group, Forsite, Hi-Tech Media, Showcraft and others. Among the individual thematic expositions it is worth noting: Digital Signage, Pro Audio and the new Custom Install Acoustics. The exhibition Integrated Systems America is widely known throughout America and beyond, and annually brings together manufacturers and leading experts in the field of AV integration, allowing the interaction between representatives of the industry.

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