The 2020 Intergeo trade show will be hosted both in-person and virtually, said Intergeo organizer Christoph Hinte. The theme of the 2020 event will be “Geoinformation for a smarter world.”
“The hygiene and social distancing concept is currently being coordinated,” Hinte said. “In addition to the live event, this year is the first time we will also offer a virtual twin. Both the conference and the fair will be replicated. By hosting the fair in a virtual format, we expect to attract the same number of visitors as in previous years, if not more.”
Hinte made this announcement at the Intergeo Roundtable, an annual mid-year event for experts to discuss the latest industry trends.
During the roundtable, attendees discussed the latest industry trends. One trend mentioned in particular is the advancement of digitalization because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Trimble’s Janos Faust noticed that attitudes towards digitalization changed overnight after the breakout of the coronavirus pandemic, with people taking the digital transformation more seriously. Hexagon’s Michael Mudra also pointed out that anyone with round-the-clock access to automatically recorded, up-to-date and networked data that is evaluated using AI now has a clear advantage. Finally, Autodesk’s Ralf Mosler pointed out that companies are rapidly moving away from traditional work models and turning to technologies that completely reconnect BIM and GIS workflows.
Attendees also emphasized how the geo-IT industry can make a significant contribution to the climate crisis and current lack of resources. With regard to fleet management, up to 20% less fuel is being used and in Germany alone, precision farming methods are resulting in efficiency gains of 30%, Intergeo said in a press release. Whether it’s greater energy efficiency, enhanced energy utilization or even the simulation of different building methods, attendees agreed the industry is having a noticeable societal impact in both raw materials extraction and construction planning, Intergeo added.
