Drupa Imaging Summit: Making the Future of Printing unmatched

25 May 2024: The Drupa Imaging Summit, scheduled for the 30th and 31st of May 2024, is set to explore the future of photographic innovations, the role of artificial intelligence in image generation, the importance of sustainability, and the definition of image quality in a print. This event will feature top-tier speakers delivering around 20 keynote speeches on a variety of topics including technology, business, sustainability, innovation, and most importantly artificial intelligence.

Speeches on the unique relationship between images, image data and printing.

The summit will commence on Thursday, 30th May at around 11:00 am with a presentation titled “Image Generation via Artificial Intelligence: Tools & Workflows” by Andreas Jürgensen, founder of AI Imagelab. Jürgensen will address the present state of AI-generated images, the relevant programs to watchout for, and their potential applications.

At 11:30 am, Dennis Oberfeld, a Customer Engineer at Google Cloud, will present “Picture This: How AI is Revolutionizing Imaging”. Oberfeld will discuss Google’s robust AI solutions, their enormous impact on workflow efficiency, and their ability to produce phenomenal results. He will also speak about upscaling, watermarking, and providing practical tools for businesses and creatives.

At 12:00 pm, Dr. Ing. Björn Schwarzbach, Managing Director/COO of ORWO NET GmbH, will discuss how AI is currently being used in image labs and its future applications in his speech “From Pixels to Print: Leveraging AI for Enhanced Photo Product Quality and Efficiency”. The afternoon session will begin at 12:30 pm with Sarah Lefebvre, Director of Marketing at EyeQ Imaging Inc, presenting “AI Unveiled: Navigating Past, Present, and Future in Photo Print Innovation’’. Lefebvre will connect the dots between present-day applications of AI, its real-life uses, and its impacts on the printing industry. She will also highlight the opportunity to explore the intersection of innovation and practicality at the forefront of AI technology.

At 1:30 pm, Adrian Rohnfelder, Founder of AI Imagelab, will be the next speaker at the Drupa Imaging Summit. His presentation, titled “The Influence of Artificial Intelligence on Future Print Products” will explore the crucial role of generative AI in shaping the future of print products. The changes through AI support for existing products, key social media drivers such as pets and selfies for a flood of AI-generated images and possible consumer wishes for 2D, 3D and 4D printing.

At 2:00 pm, Dennis Oberfeld, Manager of Google, will discuss “Transform at Speed: The Power of Cloud for Digital Innovation.” He will illustrate how Google Cloud is empowering businesses to transform and innovate at an extremely unmatched pace.

At 3:00 pm, Katsuyuki Takada, Head of Ink Development for Inkjet Printers at FUJIFILM Business Innovation Co., Ltd., will speak on topic, “Expanding the Expressive Capabilities through FUJIFILM’s Imaging Technology.” He will introduce the audience to the latest technology in metallic colors such as gold, silver, etc. It develops a fine structure that reflects on specific wavelengths of light on a substrate by printing.

Later, At 4:00 pm, Stephan Hankammer, Prodekan at Alanus Hochschule für Kunst und Gesellschaft, Bonn, will speak on “How can a company be made regenerative?” He is a thought leader for interdisciplinary business approaches to a sustainable regenerative economy.

At 4:25 pm, Henning Ohlsson, founder of Ohlsson Consulting, will discuss “Sustainability in the Printing Industry: From a Holistic Approach to Changing Actions.” He was Director of Sustainability for Epson Europe, overseeing all ESG (Environment, Social, Governance) activities across EMEA. Back in 2020, Henning was ranked 9th among the top 100 global CSR influencers compiled by Assent Compliance

At 4:45 pm, Andreas Peter Asel, A Market and Business Development Manager Circularity at Epson Europe, will address an exceptionally important topic “Closing the Resource Loop in the Printing Industry.” Andreas is building a new material recycling segment in Europe. He is a well-known keynote speaker with a proven track record at International conferences.

At 5:10 pm, Jerome Cochet, Co-Founder & MD of goodcarbon GmbH, will explain “How to confidently deliver on your net zero and nature positive commitments through high quality carbon credits.” Jérôme has a very strong business and marketing background, Having previously worked for companies like McKinsey & Co and Zalando, he founded a marketing service known as Zalando Marketing Services.

The second day of the Drupa Imaging Summit starts on Friday, the 31st of May at 11:00 am with the topic “Photographer meets Print Service Provider” by Jochen Kohl, Managing Director of K2 Studio and Studio 911 and Head of Marketing ILFORD EU. Jochen will provide some amusing answers to questions such as, How do photographers view their images and how does the print service provider see it?

At 11:30 am, Peter Hytrek, the CEO of DINAX, will speak about “Ease of use: The key to environmental savings and success in the print business.” In the POS and most importantly in the in-house areas, printing is often done by inexperienced users. Mirage from DINAX is the key to achieving outstanding results with absolute ease and sheer confidence.

Next up, At 12:00 pm, Servi Pieters, the CEO of Viesus, will highlight the key aspects of “Prints enhanced in the blink of an AI.” Servi offers a backstage look at the algorithms used by big names in the photo printing industry to minimize suboptimal prints. Hugely unknown to the public eye, Viesus’ AI technology works as an invisible yet highly powerful force, enhancing millions of images every day with unmatched precision and consistency.

At 12:30 pm, Vijay Kishan Rao, Vice President of VCX-Forum e.V. and Mobile Product Manager at Vodafone, will present an absolutely inspiring and fascinating topic on “How XR will evolve and potentially change our lives.”

Later, At 1:30 pm, Daniel Ziegert, Manager Professional & Educational Business Nikon Europe BV, will discuss “Sustainable Photography with Nikon’s Z System.” Daniel will dive in deep into the innovative features of Nikon Z cameras and lenses and their role in creating value-added products. Investing in high quality Nikon equipment leads to jaw dropping visuals and promotes sustainable practices.

At 2:00 pm, Dietmar Wüller, the CEO of Image Engineering and President of the VCX Forum, will present a topic called “Computational Photography: More than a single image.” Dietmar provides interesting answers on how are these small cameras able to deliver the same and sometimes even better image quality than regular consumer cameras? The answer is “computational photography”. Dietmar will explain some of these methods and give a complete overview of this exquisite technology.

2:30 pm. Be prepared to be stunned by eco-friendly printing practices and real-world success stories that proves that artistry and environmental stewardship go hand in hand.

Drupa Imaging Summit to Feature Photo Exhibition “1253 m” by Photographer Ralf Baumgarten. The exhibition shows pictures from the last German coal mine called “Prosper Haniel” with a depth of 1253 meters. The exhibition was photographed with two analog Canon F-1 cameras back from the 1970s. As a part of Drupa, the exhibits will demonstrate the visual power of precisely printed photographs. The DNA of photography as a print medium is to capture decisive moments and make them appealing to the eye of the viewer.

www.drupa.de/1130