ifesca Future Technology Centre

Showroom makes artificial intelligence sensually perceptible – visually, acoustically and haptically

ifesca’s mission is to support decision-making processes with innovative software solutions. The cloud-based platform of ifesca, which is based on artificial intelligence (AI), offers groundbreaking possibilities, especially in the area of forecasting and optimising energy consumption (such as electricity, natural gas and district heating).

With the opening of the ifesca Future Technology Centre by State Secretary Valentina Kerst, the technology and science location of Ilmenau will become a beacon for future technologies and cross-industry digitalisation processes. Here, visitors can experience artificial intelligence up close – visually, haptically and acoustically.

Showroom brings artificial intelligence to life visually, haptically and acoustically

At the heart of the AI Showroom and the object-based interface to the platform is a multi-touch scanning table from Garamantis. It controls the entire room, including the audio system, lighting and screen wall. The table’s people sensor constantly monitors the room. As soon as a visitor enters the room, a lighting scene and audio greeting are played. Visitors are visually greeted on the table surface and screen wall. The ifesca.AIVA forecasting and optimisation software is operated using capacitive markers, which can be used to dimension renewable energy systems, combined heat and power plants or electricity storage systems in a supply scenario. It then optimises the system size and visualises the expected generation capacity over an entire month at 15-minute intervals, with the actual calculation taking place in the cloud. The multi-touch scanner table has an interface (API) to the ifesca.AIVA platform. The AI then provides feedback via the screens, as well as via the lighting situation (e.g. red light in case of predicted undersupply) and acoustically.

Capacitive object detection for energy scenarios

Another application of the table is to control the ifesca.AIVA dashboard using capacitive markers. Settings that would otherwise be made using a mouse and keyboard are made by the user directly on the surface of the table: For example, by placing and rotating the marker, the dashboard’s chart values can be adjusted or the time series visualised can be changed. The table is connected to the screen wall via a network so that control and display are in perfect harmony and without delay.

In presentation mode, individual content can also be projected from the table to the screen wall with a swipe gesture. Individual slides or graphics in the form of spheres are swiped with a finger towards the wall and unfold there.

The ifesca Future Technology Centre is a place for presentations, but also for hands-on experience of artificial intelligence and modern cloud services, which will be expanded to include other use cases and scenarios in the future.

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ifesca

ifesca GmbH

Project facts

  • Client: ifesca GmbH
  • Context: ifesca Future Technology Centre in Ilmenau
  • Finishing date: May 2018
  • Central control of screenwall, light and sound
  • Capacitive markers for configuring the software
  • Interface (API) to the ifesca.AIVA platform
  • Intuitive presentation options
  • Object recognition on the screen surface

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Clemens Kiesshauer

The objective of our project was to make Artificial Intelligence and human-machine communication in the energy sector both accessible and tangible. In order to achieve this, we apply Garamantis’ multi-touch technology in our showroom. The collaboration with Garamantis is characterized by their creativity, pragmatism, flexibility and commitment and thus to us has been greatly enjoyable. Even last-minute requests for changes or modifications were duly realized, resulting in a successful and excellent outcome of our project. We are thrilled and looking forward to the future collaboration on further scenarios for our showroom.

Clemens Kießhauer, Chief Technology Officer, ifesca GmbH

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