‘Innovation Showcases’ announced for 2014 convention

The Innovation Convention 2014 in Brussels will host a selection of ‘Innovation Showcases’ featuring interactive demonstrations of new ideas, products, and services from a wide range of fields, including 3D printing, ICT, lighting, virtual reality, supersonic transport, and nanotechnology.

These innovation showcases are either the direct results of EU-funded research projects or have been developed by companies involved in such projects.

French biochemist, Pierre Calleja, has invented a lamp powered by algae that absorbs CO₂ from the air. It consists of a tank filled with microalgae that use the CO₂ to grow while producing O₂. The Phytorium is specifically designed to be installed in places where high concentrations of CO₂ is found, such as underground parking, schools, smoking areas and building sites, and helps to provide protection. Calleja has been involved in the EU-funded research and training network ACCLIPHOT on the Environmental Acclimation of Photosynthesis.

Also on show at the convention is the CHESS (Cultural Heritage Experiences through Socio-personal interactions and Storytelling) project. IT develops innovative and powerful tools for museum curators to create new forms of interactive cultural experiences for visitors. Using a mobile device, visitors to the small-scale museum installed on the Innovation Convention’s showcase will be immersed in personalised storytelling experiences based on replicas from the Acropolis Museum in Greece and the Cité de l’Espace in France. CHESS is funded by FP7.

The Fuel Cells and Hydrogen Joint Undertaking will display the ix35, which embodies Hyundai’s third generation hydrogen fuel-cell technology.