President Obama and Chancellor Angela Merkel experience virtual reality with ifm's 3D camera at the Hannover Messe, the world's largest industrial trade fair.

MALVERN, Pa.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--President Obama and Chancellor Merkel visited the ifm electronic exhibit on Monday morning at Hannover Messe 2016 in Germany. Hannover Messe is the world's largest industrial trade fair featuring more than 5,000 companies from 70 countries exhibiting the latest industrial technologies.

Michael Marhofer, CEO and owner of ifm electronic, a leading global manufacturer of sensors and controls, welcomed President Obama and Chancellor Merkel and explained ifms role in developing products and solutions that make a significant impact in the new industrial revolution, Factory 4.0. ifms innovations allow mass customization in manufacturing by utilizing a higher level of automation, better quality control and improved cost efficiencies.

Bernd Buxbaum of pmd technologies, ifm electronics sister company, demonstrated a 3D virtual reality camera to President Obama and Chancellor Merkel to illustrate how the technology in ifms 3D Smart Sensor enables automated machines to perceive their environment in 3D with human-like vision and the impact on industrial automation and robotics.

Upon looking through the virtual reality camera, an impressed President Obama handed the camera to Chancellor Merkel, and while shaking her hand in the cameras 3D viewer, he proclaimed, "Its a brave new world."

Roger Varma, CEO of ifm efector USA, also welcomed the world leaders. ifm efector is a subsidiary of ifm electronic. The USA headquarters, research and development center, and distribution center is located in Malvern, Pennsylvania. A direct sales force is located in major cities throughout the US.

ifm introduces the O3D Smart Sensor During Hannover Messe 2016

The same 3D technology demonstrated to President Obama during Hannover is used in ifms newly introduced O3D Smart Sensor for industrial automation applications. The O3D Smart Sensor utilizes an innovative PMD Time of Flight Imager that quickly and accurately measures the distance of 23,232 points within its field of view. These points of data are then used to simplify complex applications used in packaging, material handling and robotic applications.

The O3D Smart Sensor includes two "pre-built" applications: Case Completeness and Box Dimensioning.

Case Completeness

The O3D Smart Sensors Case Completeness application is designed to verify that a case contains all necessary products. It ensures that all contents are properly placed in the case, eliminating the potential for short shipments and damaged products.

It is not impacted by color or ambient lighting, making it ideal for detecting different packaging varieties. The O3D Smart Sensor can also be easily changed between application "recipes," making it ideal for flexible packaging lines.

Box Dimensioning

Overall, box-dimensioning systems for cases and boxes provide more efficient mixed case palletizing and help distribution centers better utilize storage space. Price points, however, limit their usage. The ifm 3D Smart Sensor is configured in less than 5 minutes and is accurate to under ½-inch on all dimensions.

The O3D Smart Sensor is available now. With a list price of $1250 USD, ifms O3D Smart Sensor can be applied in all areas of the plant.

For more information about ifms O3D Smart Sensor, visit www.ifm.com/us/O3Dsmartsensor