CeBIT 2017
Date: March 20-24, 2017
Venue: Hannover Exhibition Grounds
Hosted by: Deutsche Messe AG
(Up&Coming 2017 Summer issue)

From March 20 to 24 for 5 days, the world's largest business talk exhibition specializing in IT business utilizing state-of-the-art technologies such as IoT, big data, VR (Virtual Reality), AI (Artificial Intelligence), and robot was held in Hannover, Germany. "CeBIT" is an international exhibition covering B to B solutions and about 200 thousands people visit this trade show. From the partner country system which selects one country each year as a partner, Japan was the first time to participate as a partner country. At the Japan Pavilion sponsored by JETRO (Japan External Trade Organization of Japan), as the largest participation scale of partner country ever, 118 companies and organizations widely disseminated Japan's innovative technologies and products responsible for the next generation's information and telecommunication field in 442 exhibition stands.

A lot of "Japan" characters were lined up in the town near Hannover and there was a mood welcoming Japan, the partner country.

A day before CeBIT 2017, the summit meeting was held between Prime Minister Abe and Prime Minister Merkel. And at Welcome Night, Japan and Germany also agreed on the idea of standardization leading to industrial and social development through the fusion of Industry 4.0 and Society 5.0, as "Hannover Declaration" to promote close cooperation on the Fourth Industrial Revolution of both countries. On the first day of CeBIT 2017 on 20th March, because Prime Minister Abe and Prime Minister of Germany Merkel was scheduled to visit the site, the security check within the venue was thoroughly conducted by the German police, and a lot of business people and security guards were within the Japan Pavilion. CeBIT 2017 grandly started.

FORUM8 had a large booth of 72 m 2 in 6 stands in the Japan Pavilion's "Life / Office / Society" zone, and exhibited products including "UC-win/Road®" with the theme "The era of virtual reality UC-win/Road -VR system, driving simulator, support for development of IoT/embedded system-. What attracted attentions of visitors from Germany and other European countries was a gesture interface system "Air Driving" that cooperated the infrared depth sensor (KINECT) and UC-win/Road, and MindWave Drive! (study case of biological signal research). Although FORUM8 often showcases these systems at domestic exhibitions, it seemed that they were uncommon and new for European people, and they were rated as interesting by people not only from Japan but also from all over the world who experienced it.

The head mounted display widely handled last year as the product representing the first year of VR in Japan was also used for displays at other companies such as Intel, Toyota, KDDI, NEC as a base tool for exhibition introduction. However, "HoloLens", sold by Microsoft Corporation, was exhibited at no company except the Intel booth, and gained popularity among testers who said that they had seen it only on the Web even in overseas.

As for the steering torque controlled automatic driving simulator that can be widely applied to the research system of autonomous driving, FORUM8 showcased the adjustment of the weight of the accelerator / brake pedal, ABS function, and lever operation corresponding to the switching of manual and automatic driving, with the support by the manufacturer SENSODRIVE including the offering of the SENSO pedal. Many people including domestic Road users experienced these functions, and several companies provided concrete talk about introduction of the product in the next fiscal year's budget.

FORUM8 will strengthen software development technology in the IoT era and accelerate further development in VR system, driving simulator, and IoT and integrated system development related fields.

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