The Story Of CeBIT 2017: AI, VR And Robot Football

The RoboKeeper works by tracking the ball’s trajectory through two cameras situated where its eyes should be to predict the probable point of impact. Shots are taken from around nine metres away, leaving approximately 0.3 seconds for the goalie to get in position.

Amazingly, it can accelerate 17 times faster than a Formula One race car, but this didn’t stop this author who scored at the third attempt with a shot into the top right corner (as an indicator of how hard that is, Barcelona players Messi and Neymar, two of the best players in the world, both failed to score against it. Just saying).

More to come

And, as the technology industry continues to evolve, so does CeBIT itself. 2018 will see the introduction of a revamped CeBIT, moving to a new June timeslot and looking to attract a younger crowd by labeling itself as a “festival” rather than a conference.

“We are redefining CeBIT, with our sights set on establishing it as Europe’s No. 1 platform and festival for digital technology, innovation and business development for the digital economy,” said Deutsche Messe’s Managing Board member Oliver Frese.

“Moreover, CeBIT is being rescheduled to June because a summertime slot is more conducive to staging technology with greater emotional appeal by means of a new campus-like set-up.”

The aim is to make the whole event brighter, more entertaining and altogether more livelier than before, with an emphasis on disruptive technologies and startups that Frese hopes will “resonate with the Generation Y crowd now surging onto the marketplace.”

So, be prepared for a new and improved CeBIT in 2018 with parties, open-air demonstrations and a festival vibe. Just don’t forget about the digital transformation.

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