Hannover Messe Preview: AI, 5G & Future of Work
Published on : Tuesday 30-11--0001
Industrial Intelligence is the theme of Hannover Messe 2019 (April 1-5), and this was evident at the Preview of the show held at the Hannover Fair Grounds last month in the presence of around 120 media persons representing the global technical press. The revolution unleashed by the advent of Industrie 4.0 has gradually unfolded at the messe over the last decade and is now ready to embrace the emerging technologies of artificial intelligence and machine learning, as the process of digital transformation widely adopted by industries across the spectrum.
“Hannover Messe is the world’s only platform to highlight the way mechanical and electrical engineering components and systems mesh with the digital technologies offered by software and IT companies,” said Dr Jochen Köckler, Chairman of the Deutsche Messe Managing Board, organisers of the show. “It is the only place where visitors from the production and energy industries can get a panorama view of the future of industry.”
An anticipated 6,500 companies from 75 nations are expected to exhibit at the world's leading trade fair for industrial technology. Global corporations, small and medium-sized enterprises and startups alike will all be showcasing their components and system solutions for tomorrow's industrial production and energy systems.
Some of the dominant trends at the 2019 edition are:
Artificial intelligence & machine learning – “Artificial intelligence has the potential to revolutionise industry,” says Köckler. "In the future, AI technologies will be used to control connected production plants and continuously improve systems, all the while increasing quality standards, as manufacturing processes become increasingly flexible and cost-efficient.” Industrial companies are increasingly taking advantage of innovative digital technologies, employing data analysis to gain relevant insights into optimisation potential, to enhance existing products by adding new digital services or launch completely new business models on the market. Machine learning and artificial intelligence play a key role here by linking data from different sources, predicting errors and solving problems. As Köckler sees it: “More than 100 concrete application examples for machine learning will be displayed at Hannover Messe – something you can't find anywhere else in the world.”
5G for industry – From 2020 onward, the new 5G mobile communications standard is set to lay the cornerstone for the sweeping digitisation of German economy and society. Leading-edge technologies like machine learning in production and autonomous driving will then become ready for application. As Köckler explains: “5G is going to enable industry to realise the full potential of Industry 4.0.” During the show, in Hall 16, there will be a first-ever 5G test field. Together with network equipment provider Nokia, the “5G Arena” will demonstrate the potential for industry opened up by the fifth generation of mobile communications.
- The future of work – Cooperation between people and machines will be one of the central themes at Hannover Messe 2019. The new “Future of Work in Industry” conference will make a significant contribution to this. On April 3, some 300 experts, thought leaders and industry leaders will meet to discuss the impact of digitisation on labour skills and organisation. These include philosopher and author Richard David Precht, Siemens Chief Human Resources Officer Janina Kugel and "human cyborg" Ralf Neuhäuser.
- Energy infrastructure & lightweight design for mobility – Mobility is a cornerstone of industrial society and the automobile remains at the core of individual mobility. The energy infrastructure for electric mobility plays a key role at the world's leading trade fair. The solutions presented by exhibiting companies there create the necessary conditions for the success of the mobility turnaround. Another focus will be lightweight design, which also has an important role to play in the eMobility megatrend. A highlight in this context consists of the Federal Government's first lightweight design summit at Hannover Messe, organised by the Federal Ministry of Economics and Energy on Tuesday, April 2.
- Industrial Pioneers Summit – Looking into the future also includes the question of what will come after Industry 4.0. Specialists in digitisation, AI, human-machine collaboration and platform economics will address these issues at the first Industrial Pioneers Summit, which is also slated to attract more than 500 participants on Tuesday at the show. The aim is to develop a vision for the year 2025.
Partner Country Sweden
Sweden happens to be the smallest country ever selected to be the Partner Country at the Hannover Messe. As a small country with a population density of only 22 person per sq.km, Sweden has over 70% forest cover but is also a major exporter of iron ore, yet has a carbon footprint 10,000 times less than the rest of the world! Yet the country has produced an astounding number of global industrial companies – think ABB, Ericsson, SKF, Tetra Pak, Alfa Laval, Atlas Copco, and many others. Because of limited global market, Swedish companies have always focused on exporting and competing internationally and Germany is its most important trading partner.
“We Swedes are generally forward-thinking and fans of technology. We are proud of our openness, of our willingness to work together and share. Characteristics such as a passion for innovation and a positive attitude towards change have also helped Swedish companies become leaders in the world market,” said S.E. Per Thöresson, Sweden’s Ambassador to Germany, speaking at the Preview.
Sweden is also one of Europe’s most important tech hubs and home to hugely successful startups like Spotify, iZettle, Klarna and King. In fact apart from the Silicon Valley, no other place in the world has as many ‘Unicorns’ – startups with a market value of over USD 1 billion – as Stockholm.
Sweden will be showcasing itself as a driver of the digital transformation of industry – something which is by now unthinkable without AI – on the theme of the Sweden Digital Factory, where visitors are taken on a digital journey during which a smart production line shows cutting-edge solutions from participating partners. The pavilion will have an events stage, meeting rooms, a bar and a café – it will be a meeting place where Swedish exhibitors can showcase their work and where seminars, workshops, press briefings and other activities can take place hour after hour over the course of the entire week.
The overarching concept for Sweden’s presence is ‘Sweden – Co-Lab’. This is about cooperation-oriented and experimental approaches that often give rise to new innovations, technical solutions and business opportunities.
Captions
Pix1: Dr Jochen Köckler, Chairman of the Board of Deutsche Messe AG.
Pix2: Industrial companies are increasingly taking advantage of innovative digital technologies.
Pix3: S.E. Per Thöresson, Sweden’s Ambassador to Germany.
Pix4: A meeting point for talking cutting edge technologies.
