The VDE at the IFA 2018- a review

New devices can often now be controlled by an app on your smartphone or tablet.  So these devices are mostly linked to the internet.  But you often hear or read on the news that hackers can hack into your home network via insecure devices and steal valuable data and information.  In the industry it’s known as industrial espionage.  Another danger is the risk of hackers taking control of machines or robots. It must not happen! Hackers should not be able to steal or manipulate data either privately or commercially. As a testing and certification institution, we support manufacturers of devices to make their products more secure and when they pass testing we grant them an ‘information safety’ certificate. This gives both consumers and the industry the confidence that their use of devices will not be exploited by cyber criminals. 

Of course visitors also had to fend off viruses, Trojans and hackers by themselves. In our game ‘Balance challenge’ the home network had to be defended against hacker attacks by balance shifting on a balance board.

Marcel Bender, our sketcher and caricaturist, had a networked drawing block.  Many visitors had a caricature done and took away a portrait as a souvenir.

Nearly every day, both at the IFA Next Engine state in hall 26 and at the IFA GLOBAL MARKET EXPERTS TALK at Station Berlin,  our experts gave informative talks about various subjects, such as experience reports from testing smart home products, quality assurance of ‘made in China’ products and the functional safety of shopping 4.0. Many IFA visitors were interested in our topics and we answered many questions.

At the joint stand of the associations VDE, ZVEH and ZVEI, in the new House of Smart Living visitors could try out and experience all the devices, systems and products you can network and integrate into homes. The 100m2 model house had an impressive new look this year demonstrating innovative light technology, smart mirrors and age appropriate assistance systems.  So everyone can stay longer in their own apartment or house and maintain their independence. 

We gave the younger generation the opportunity to learn about or expand their knowledge of the basic craft of technology With a soldering and construction kit of Berlin Radio Tower, we soon became the focal point for technology enthusiasts visiting the trade fair and we were busy helping everyone to build their own radio tower to take home with them.   We were delighted by the great response to the radio tower and we are already looking forward to the next soldering activity at the 2019 IFA.

The VDE sign has long been recognized as a mark of quality and safety. The testing and certification institute was established almost 100 years ago and it awards certificates to safe products and systems. A VDE certificate is an accolade for manufacturers because it means they’ve done everything right. Once again we were able to award some certificates personally at the IFA.

Samsung is setting the standard with its new QLED-8K television. Sven Öhrke, member of the management board of the VDE Institute, presented a VDE special certificate on 30 August for the especially high color volumes and very high peak brightness of the new QLED-8K television.

On 30 August Sven Öhrke presented two VDE special certificates to Haier Group, whose fridge freezers were shown to keep food fresh for 8 times longer.

On 31 August, Wolfgang Niedziella, director of the VDE Institute, awarded eQ3 a VDE special certificate for the first encoded smart home bus system. 

On August 31, Sven Öhrke presented the Chinese market leader MIDEA with a VDE special certificate for DHW storage, thus confirming a 35 percent energy saving compared to a device of the same design with conventional control.

Vestel, the Turkish manufacturer of household devices, was awarded 4 certificates by Sven Öhrke. The household front-loader model 1262FG was granted the certificate by the VDE Institute for, among other things, its short program cycle and efficient wash results.

On 3 September, Sven Öhrke, member of the management board of the VDE Institute, presented two other certificates at the IFA Berlin:  Littleswan, a company in the Chinese  MIDEA Group, received the certificate for the short program cycle and efficient washing results of their washer-dryer model VDL1D100ITY4.
Sven Öhrke also gave a certificate to Toshiba, the washing machine brand of MIDEA for its washing machine model TW-BH11*W*. VDE’s test experts identified its particularly efficient cold water washing and low energy consumption.

Once again this year the business initiative Smart Living was a guest at the joint booth of the associations VDE, ZVEH and ZVEI.  In accordance with the innovative concept of IFA Next, which brings together global expertise in technology, business and lifestyle under one roof, the business initiative Smart Living presented their activities.  Many people were interested in learning about the goals and activities of the business initiative and in their roundtable discussion at the “IFA Next Innovation Engine" they presented their key concerns of safety, energy, comfort, cyber security, health, assistance and e-mobility.
Participants in the business initiative Smart Living are companies initiatives, associations and clubs. The business initiative combines all activities in the area of Smart Living, to operate across standards and platforms.