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16/04/2018

The industrial internet event will show the increasing convergence of AI, IoT and blockchain

IOT SOLUTIONS WORLD CONGRESS 2018 UNVEILS ITS INAUGURAL ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE FORUM

From 16 to 18 October, the IoT Solutions World Congress (IoTSWC) will showcase the most recent advances in artificial intelligence and blockchain as applied to the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) and, for the first time, will incorporate the “AI & Cognitive Systems Forum” as one of its key tracks. In that Forum, world experts will debate the latest trends in artificial intelligence, data analysis and cognitive computing, and present real-world examples of the convergence of this technology and the IoT to transform different industrial sectors.

Nine core themes have been established for IoTSWC’s 2018 edition as touchstones for the more than 125 scheduled conference sessions: connected transport, manufacturing, healthcare, energy and utilities, building and infrastructures, open industry, enabling technologies, blockchain and artificial intelligence, with these last two having their own subject-specific forums.

Specifically, the main innovation this year, the “AI & Cognitive Systems Forum”, will focus on the benefits that artificial intelligence brings to IIoT infrastructure for analysing and processing data; simplifying decision-making; identifying, understanding and predicting patterns; automating and personalising processes; as well as achieving greater efficiency and security in connections between different devices and systems.

Roger Bou, the Director of IoTSWC, says “artificial intelligence takes the IoT to a higher level, transforming data analysis into invaluable knowledge to automate many processes.” Bou stresses that “the next step, which opens up an exciting future, is for connected devices and machines with cognitive capacity to learn to make decisions by themselves.”

In the face of this challenge, the next edition of the event organised by Fira de Barcelona in collaboration with the Industrial Internet Consortium (IIC) will set out to demonstrate the infinite possibilities that the combination of these technologies generates, with real-world success stories.

The sessions in this Forum on artificial intelligence will analyse trends in computational technologies such as machine learning, augmented reality and deep learning. There will also be discussion of algorithmic training, AI systems architecture and its relation to big data technology, security and privacy considerations, the standardisation that is required and potential industrial collaborations, among other themes.

In parallel, the organisers hope this year to significantly increase the representation of artificial intelligence that improves IIoT infrastructure for different industries in the exhibition area at IoTSWC.

In addition, the testbed area of the event will allow delegates to see experimental platforms in action that combine IIoT with blockchain and artificial intelligence. Dr Richard Soley, Executive Director of IIC, explains “at this edition of IoTSWC, we will be able to see how technologies like artificial intelligence, blockchain and robotics act as disruptive mechanisms as we move toward the implementation of IIoT infrastructures in real markets such as agriculture, healthcare, transport, intelligent cities, automation and manufacturing, among other economic sectors”.

Confirming this trend, many experts foresee a sharp increase in demand for this type of solution. Specifically in the context of artificial cognitive systems, IDC estimates that companies will invest $57.6 billion in 2021 with annual compound growth of 50.1%.

AUTHOR: Maria Dolors Herranz

SOURCE: IoT Solutions World Congress / Fira Barcelona

Pedro Mier

Pedro Mier holds a degree in Telecommunications Engineer ing from the Polytechnic University of Catalonia, MBA from ESADE and PADE from IESE. He is currently President of AMETIC (Association of Electronics, Information Technology and Telecommunications Companies of Spain), Shareholder and Chairman of the Board of Directors of TRYO Aerospace & Electronics, Board Member of the Premo Group and Committee of CTTC. member of Space Angels Network and Member of the Sc ientific Advisory