IFA 2019: Japanese innovations grab show attention

A Lunar rover, a wearable device that predicts when you need to go to the bathroom, and robots, are some of the products for work, home and play that eight startups and industry innovators from Japanintroduced and demonstrated to more than 800 attending journalists from 57 countries at ShowStoppers @ IFA, the official press event at IFA, the tradeshow in Berlin where consumer tech and home appliances meet innovation.

The twelfth annual edition of ShowStoppers @ IFA tookplace Thursday, 5 Sept. 2019, 6 to 9 p.m. (1800-2100), inHall 1, Messe Berlin, on the tradeshow fairgrounds, Berlin, Germany.

ShowStoppers features product introductions and previews, hands-on demos, and executive interviews for attending journalists.

Sponsored by METI, the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry, organized by JETRO, the Japan External Trade Organization, the Japanese companies exhibiting at ShowStoppers included:

• Empath – developer of an artificial intelligence tool that identifies emotion from the voice, adopted by 1,800 customers in over 50 countries for use in call centers, robotics, mobility, and Internet of Things devices.
• Idein – developer of Actcast, an IoT platform service that links events and data in the physical world to the Web.
• Ispace – a private lunar exploration company developing micro robots to map lunar resources and collect data from the Moon’s surface.
• Mui Lab – a smart art system that turns memories into works of art, and “calm” technologies that transform wood surfaces into a touch-sensitive smart screen.
• Pixie Dust Technologies – producer of Holographic Whisper technology, a speaker that delivers sound by controlling ultrasonic waves.
• Triple W – maker of DFree, which uses an ultrasound sensor to monitor changes in the size of the bladder, helping to manage incontinence and difficulty urinating.
• Unipos – an application that strengthens team building and leadership with tokens of appreciation.
• Yukai Engineering – developer of “lifestyle robots” that bring joy to life, introducing Qoobo, a therapy robot, and BOCCO emo, a communications robot.

Representing the first Global Innovation partner country of IFA NEXT, the companies exhibited at ShowStoppers as part of the Japan Pavilion, showcasing new human-machine interfaces where cyberspace and physical space are highly integrated.

IFA drives innovation in the consumer electronics and home appliances industries with startups, research laboratories, universities, the world’s leading digital brands for work, home and play. Participating companies design, manufacture and sell the building-block components for future products – from the kitchen to the office, in healthcare, the Internet of Things, automotive and mobile devices and connected services; the smart home, drones, virtual and augmented reality – just in time for retailers and distributors to introduce consumer and business buyers to new products and services for fourth-quarter and holiday sales.

Now in its 25th year, ShowStoppers is the global leader in producing press and business events spanning the US, Europe and Asia. Each event organizes product introductions, sneak previews and demonstrations for selected journalists, bloggers, industry and financial analysts, venture capitalists and business executives. Industry leaders, innovators and startups exhibit to generate news coverage and product reviews, make new connections, promote their brand, and open new markets. ShowStoppers produces events at CES, Mobile World Congress and Mobile World Congress Americas, among others; and official press events at CES, CE Week, IFA and NAB.