Impressive and inspiring IFA 2017
IFA 2017, the world’s leading trade fair for consumer electronics and domestic appliances took place in September in Berlin. With 1,805 exhibitors and 159,000 square meters of show floor it’s almost a world unto itself, with leading manufacturers showcasing their upcoming products. Home connectivity was the main theme. We saw some very exciting use of new technologies for different product groups providing inspiring food for thought.
Miele and Philips
Visiting IFA means serious mileage walking the length and breadth of the exhibition halls. We clocked up around 18 kilometres in two days visiting clients such as Miele and Philips and witnessing presentations of for instance Miele’s innovative Dialog Oven and Saeco Xelsis, Philips new fully automatic espresso machine. Both manufacturers had the crowds flocking to their demonstrations of what can only be described as superior technology. For us they were particularly interesting due to the introduction of new technologies that we work on for major clients in the coffee and processed fresh foods industry.
OLED and kitchen robots
Visiting a trade fair like IFA and seeing so many new product developments, it’s almost impossible for us to name a favourite. Based on our experience and technology scope we saw some new additions to the range of household appliances certainly worth mentioning:
- A self-cleaning fridge at the Midea stand.
- LG’s flexible OLED tv-screens that where presented in an immense tunnel creating the mindblowing effect of standing right below and looking straight up into the universe;
- A nifty closet (also by LG) to dry clean shirts in at home.
- The aforementioned Saeco Xelsis. Not only a winner due to its sleek look and smartphone interface, but mainly because of the superior technology Philips has developed enabling consumers to choose from fifteen world class coffee drinks.
- Households robots, such as Mykie, Bosch’s little robotic elf. Mykie is prime example of home connectivity interacting with domestic appliances in the kitchen.
Dialog Oven
Our choice for the most exciting product is Miele’s Dialog Oven. Compared with the Dialog Oven an average microwave oven is all at once reduced to a modern day dinosaur. The Dialog Oven was the absolute talk of the trade fair. It cooks using electromagnetic waves emitted by two intelligent antenna’s in the cavity of the oven. The food is cooked by the energy of the electromagnetic waves and simultaneously the antenna’s ‘read’ the cooking process. This two way system ensures that whatever’s for dinner is always cooked to perfection and also tastes better. The Dialog Oven is so smart it communicates with the food revolutionising the way we cook. It is truly a large technological step forward.
Engineering solutions
As engineers who add our expertise to the inner workings of many different products, we automatically see through the polished design of a new product. It can be disappointing to users when a product whose appearance screams high-tech doesn’t really make that much of a difference. As the saying goes: beauty is often skin deep. It’s what’s on the inside that counts. Miele’s Dialog Oven ticks all the boxes: sleek design and a smart combination of high-tech engineering solutions that certainly excited everybody at IFA.
Pre-development stages
For various products showcased at IFA 2017 we have collaborated with the manufacturers in the pre-development stages. It remains exhilarating to see and experience how the market reacts to the end-products. In the meantime, we’re working together with some of the best known household names on high-tech challenges that we fully expect to come across when we visit IFA in the next few years.
Can we create value for your product development? Why not contact us to find out.
