COVID Presents Opportunities and Challenges to Industry and Conferences

Abstract

MORE THAN A YEAR HAS PASSED SINCE THE BEGINNING OF THE COVID outbreak, which resulted in a sudden adaptation to the “new normal.” Nobody could have anticipated the work-from-home lifestyle adopted by so many companies or the effect the pandemic would have on conferences and other face-to-face interactions. We are all feeling the issues of remote conferences. It is difficult to get the full measure of the speaker when we are listening from our homes or offices, and it also is difficult to read the attendee's countenance or deliver the surface texture or the color of products. Regarding computer-human interface, displays still do not have sufficient capabilities to replace actual physical meetings. SID, as the most prestigious display society, would like to address such critical issues associated with vision to improve human living and significantly accelerate several new technologies. Displays, now more than ever, are highly influential devices that individuals rely upon to conduct business and communicate. A plus to the pandemic is perhaps growth in the amount of time spent working on displays. With that in mind, the 2021 Display Week will be showcasing four special topics: augmented reality, virtual reality, and mixed reality; machine learning for displays; high dynamic range displays; and Internet of Things displays that are closely related to such topics. These sessions will bring together scientists, engineers, business professionals, market analysts, and industry leaders involved in these products, applications, advanced developments, and emerging trends. The all-virtual event will feature international technical symposia, a business conference, new technologies exhibition, world-renowned speakers, panel sessions, and learning opportunities. After the completion of last year's virtual event, we conducted a survey with attendees and exhibitors to collect their opinions on the overall experience. The responses were mostly positive; however, we identified issues that SID should address, and we have implemented many of these ideas to improve the event. I hope attendees fully enjoy the state-of-art technologies with improved formats. We welcome feedback on ways to improve in the future. Takatoshi Tsujimura is the president of the Society for Information Display. Reach him at.