With 188 exhibitors, the event also reached a considerable size in relation to previous digital trade fairs. Sensor+Test has thus once again confirmed its position as the leading international event for sensor, measuring and testing technology.

"For us as organizers, for many exhibitors and visitors, the digital Sensor+Test was completely new territory. However, we are very proud that, together with our partners and everyone involved, we were able to pull off the first completely digital event so well. Even if the three days of the trade fair cannot be a fully-fledged substitute for an in-person event, overall we were able to significantly advance and expand the digitalization of our leading trade fair," sums up organizer Holger Bödeker.

After the first purely online event in 2020, this year's edition was launched with a greatly improved system and a large number of innovations, presentations and lectures as well as optimized opportunities for digital communication between all participants.

Participants made extensive use of the opportunity not only to find out about the many interesting innovations at the digital trade fair stands, but also to make direct contact with the exhibitors' experts via modern chat functions or to arrange appointments. The main focus was on the lecture series: In 50 in-depth technology lectures and 91 short presentations, exhibitors showcased their latest solutions and trends in sensor and measurement technology. Thousands of participants in the digital presentations are proof of both their high topicality and the immense interest of the participants in the innovations presented. This year's special theme of the trade fair - sensor and measurement technology for condition monitoring - was also the subject of lively discussion. This meant that the exhibitors' contributions were real crowd-pullers, even in digital format. The joint stand "Young Innovative Companies" also found a digital counterpart to the presence trade fair. The ten participating start-ups were able to present their fresh ideas to trade visitors via the trade fair platform.

As expected, the number of visitors (2500) was below that of an in-person event (2019: approx. 7000 visitors) - as was the number of exhibitors (188; 2019: 538). "Nevertheless, we have to be satisfied with the result in the current situation. Together, we gained a lot of new experiences in preparation for the online trade fair and were very excited to see how the Innovation Dialogue would go under these fully digital conditions. Today we can say that we were not disappointed and very much hope that exhibitors, visitors and congress participants were able to benefit equally from the digital Sensor+Test," says Bödeker.

Ushering in a new era of conferences

With the first parallel SMSI Sensor and Measurement Science International Conference, Sensor+Test not only continued its long tradition and success story of scientific conferences, but also ushered in a new era. More than 220 participants attentively followed the 167 presentations, tutorials and discussions. The new format had it all, as it brought together national and international representatives from research, science and industry.

The SMSI thus offered a platform for the exchange of future-relevant research results. The conference also broke new ground in science communication with a "Science Slam": young scientists were invited to present their innovations in an unusual and entertaining way, which they did very well. The next SMSI Conference will take place again in 2023 alongside Sensor+Test.

Sensor+Test 2022 real, virtual and hybrid

Next year, Sensor+Test will take place as an in-person event from May 10 to 12, 2022 in the halls of NürnbergMesse. At the same time, there will once again be a digital part, which will not only be worth discovering during the three days of the trade fair, but which will also disseminate exhibitors' innovations via numerous channels throughout the year. "In this way, we want to ideally combine both worlds and continue to drive forward the digitalization of the event in the coming year. Sensor+Test will therefore remain a hybrid event in the future," explains Holger Bödeker.

On the scientific side, the 2022 trade fair will be accompanied by the 21st ITG/GMA Symposium on Sensors and Measuring Systems. And with "Sensors and measurement technology for digitalization", the long-standing series of special topics will be continued. Sensor+Test is thus once again focusing on a future-oriented and exciting topic for exhibitors, visitors and online participants.

"Nobody can yet predict the external circumstances under which we will hopefully be able to welcome exhibitors and visitors back to Nuremberg in person next year. But it remains our top priority, because not only we, but also many of our participants, would like nothing more than to finally be able to experience a trade fair with real face-to-face encounters again," says Bödeker.