No less exciting, however, are the presentations on the economic situation and, for the first time, on cyber security, but also artificial ­intelligence, hyperspectral imaging or Industry 4.0. And one thing Thomas Lübkemeier, Managing Director of the EMVA, makes clear in the interview: if the Belgian authorities do not ­expressly forbid it, the conference will ­definitely take place.

inspect: The EMVA Business Conference has now had to be cancelled twice due to the Corona pandemic, but now it can finally take place – albeit in Brussels instead of Sofia. What will the participants be offered?

Thomas Lübkemeier: The conference location in Brussels is not a disadvantage – on the contrary: we are in the heart of Europe, many participants travel by train or even by car and the pandemic situation can be easily assessed. Brussels as the European "capital" offers the optimal infrastructure for hosting an international conference. In addition, Belgium has a vibrant vision tech scene, as we will also learn during the conference. These are ideal conditions for the vision industry in Europe to finally come together again in person at the EMVA Business Conference.

inspect: What will be the main topics of the conference?

Lübkemeier: As usual at the Business Conference, the lecture program will offer a mix of current technical vision topics and lectures that go beyond the industry’s usual horizons. Traditionally, the opening keynote deals with the current economic situation, which will be expanded by this year’s speaker to include a geopolitical component. For the first time, the important topic of cybercrime/cybersecurity will be a focal point with two contributions. Artificial intelligence, platform development of lenses, progress in image sensors, especially in the non-visible spectrum, machine vision in Industry 4.0 are further technical topics, as well as a presentation of the exciting ­machine vision activities in the host country Belgium.

inspect: The pandemic is not over yet. What safety measures do participants need to be prepared for?

Lübkemeier: These are essentially measures that we have all already become accustomed to. The rules on wearing mouth-to-nose protection are continuously being adapted, currently mandatory in Belgium on public transport and in the health sector. During the conference and certainly at the seat, the mask can be removed as things stand.

inspect: How do the conference hotel’s premises support these efforts?

Lübkemeier: We very consciously chose a hotel in which all rooms have windows that can be opened for ventilation. A terrace area and a walk-in courtyard invite guests to linger, and the hotel’s own underground parking garage makes it easy to reach the hotel by car.

inspect: What networking opportunities does the Business Conference offer?

Lübkemeier: Networking is a central element of the EMVA Business Conference DNA and is actively supported by the online registration platform. After registering, all conference participants can arrange individual B2B meetings with each other in advance, which then take place at specially provided tables during the conference breaks. This makes access to interesting discussion partners plannable and no longer dependent on coincidence. In addition, the social part of the conference, i.e. the get-together on Thursday and the evening event on Friday, also offers plenty of scope for mutual exchange

inspect: What do you think the chances are that the conference will be canceled again because of Corona?

Lübkemeier: There are no signs of that at the moment. Of course, we are in constant contact with the hotel as the venue. As long as the green light comes from there and thus indirectly also from the Belgian authorities, the EMVA Business Conference 2022 will take place.

Author
David Löh, Editor in chief of inspect