My first time at re:publica – and I was really excited and curious. What kind of people would be there? Which talks would not only sound exciting in the description, but actually be exciting? I found out. And with a few days’ distance, I can now introduce you to some interesting projects and my personal favorites – unfortunately, I can’t recount everything I experienced, because there was an incredible amount of input.
This was the biggest re:publica yet (around 7,000 participants). Topics ranging from how we deal with media and political developments in this area to general questions of innovation and digitalization find a home here for three days. Of course, there was also the spontaneous special session on the TTIP information leaked on May 2, 2016, as well as the live link-up with Edward Snowden. There was a colorful bustle at STATION Berlin – a sprawling brick complex with an industrial feel right next to Gleisdreieck subway station. On more than 15 stages, 9+ talks were held each day and streamed live on the internet at the same time. Unfortunately, only selected talks are posted online as videos…
Here are a few interesting snapshots from the range of topics:
Randall Munroe of xkcd. He explains complex matters with simple words and drawings … and is a hit on the internet! With his drawings, he answers his followers’ questions. Here he explains a thing and its parts that flies into the sky (aka a rocket).
In this talk on the virtual fashion store, the model is your own avatar with exact measurements, and it can try on clothes. To make it seem more real, physical effects are also shown that hint at properties – e.g., wind that makes a dress flutter, suggesting a light fabric. This is still a thing of the future – individual features are already being tested but are not yet mature. The files from the 360° body scan are post-processed for the avatar, so I probably won’t be able to see whether the uneven curves of my (hypothetical!) love handles add bulk. For me, it’s a nice gimmick, but since I prefer to touch clothes in the store (to feel the material), try them on, and take them home right away if I like them, I’m not sure whether I would use this service as a customer.
I loved this interactive museum display case by Garamantis GmbH, in which an artifact can be rotated via touchscreen sensors in the glass while the 360° view from that object’s perspective runs in the background. A museum visit becomes an interactive voyage of discovery!
There were also a number of exhibitors presenting new technologies and trends in the marketplace – dresses made from 3D-printed parts, a music pavilion with electronic instruments you could try out, and a domed hall equipped with at least 5 projectors that cast a constantly moving and changing image, coupled with music, onto the dome ceiling, which I could enjoy while “chilling” on mats.
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Here’s one more impression of me at the ZDF booth – you could hold up this mask, put on headphones, and suddenly find yourself in a ZDF studio. When I turned and twisted on the chair, it was as if I were standing in the studio looking around – a little glimpse into augmented reality.
