CES2024
The following is our extensive Sony at CES2024 booth report. Outside of the Sony A9iii, Sony extensively showcased their vision for tomorrow.
Experience Sony design and beyond at CES2024
Sony’s CES2024 press conference, based on its consistent stance as a “Creative entertainment company,” focused on “empowering creators and artists,” “expanding entertainment through both technology and content,” and “providing unique future mobility.”
The “empowerment of creators and artists” part remains the same: providing professional users with technical skills with a place and platform where they can express themselves in a more appealing way, saying, “Now that we have all the gear, how do we use it? How do we connect?” .
However, Sony’s efforts show that they want to “constantly bring in new users and strengthen knowledge sharing and mashups” in the creative community more than ever before. For example, the revolutionary Sony α9 III released this month is equipped with the world’s first full-frame image sensor using the global shutter method.
This is perfect for those who want to take pictures of fast-moving subjects without distortion, such as racing cars, wild animals, or the real-time facial expressions of artists, and shows actual scenes taken in Western Australia’s rich natural environment. was introducing. The behavior of the whale parent and calf is also very smooth. It has received great acclaim in both the still image and video fields. It is also expected to be used for drone photography, and the range of gear will be expanded to satisfy professionals.
“TORCH LIGHT,” a new production method that lights up video creators
Additionally, the Sony at CES2024 announced Torchlight, a next-generation visualization facility equipped with unique cutting-edge technology that meets the needs of video creators. TORCH LIGHT was created through a partnership between Sony Pictures, Sony Tokyo, and Unreal Engine, operated by Epic Games. Utilizing the Virtual Production Tool Set, which allows simulation of shooting methods using, by using the Sony VENICE on Unreal Engine, filmmakers can create reference videos before shooting.
Combining various technologies such as performance capture, virtual camera, and photogrammetry, Torchlight supports workflows that allow creators to express their creativity in real time.
Sony’s production solutions for “virtual production”, which has been featured many times in PRONEWS, were highlighted. In content production, Sony will be the first to combine imaging, sensing, and display technologies, as well as utilize real-time rendering using a game engine.
Pixomondo, Sony PCL, and SPE will provide a consistent production workflow and infrastructure globally, from pre-production to virtual production shooting and post-production.
Unlike traditional workflows, the process has become much shorter, encouraging filmmakers to return to pure creativity.
Generous support for “next generation creators”
What was particularly noteworthy was the emphasis on supporting the “next generation of creators.” As seen in tech trends, it will be very important for the GenZ, where digital is the norm, to join the community. Introducing Sony Music Publishing’s “Songwriting Camp” as an opportunity for young songwriters, including composers and lyricists, to directly collaborate.
Sony will further evolve the community from “a place where people with the same interests can connect” and expanding it to “a place for nurturing the next generation and collaborating.”
AI is essential
As has been noticed at many press conferences and tech trends, AI will appear in every company’s announcement at CES2024. For general consumers, we at PRONEWS look at it as “How can we put AI into practical use?”
- How can people with low technical skills interact and operate?
- How can people with high technical skills make the most of it?
It envisions a future where a variety of content will be created once the two are in balance. As our daily lives become data-based and processing using AI becomes commonplace, demands on AI in terms of transparency, data privacy, and security will increase. Each company was making announcements incorporating Microsoft’s “Copilot” to meet these needs. Rather than insisting on being self-sufficient, Sony said they will continue to work with partners of various scales and with technological capabilities.
Sony and Honda Mobility’s “AFEELA” Showcased at CES2024
Sony Honda Mobility’s “AFEELA” was showcased as well. Through the chemical reaction between Honda’s technological capabilities and Sony’s entertainment capabilities, they aim to “turn mobility into a creative entertainment space.” Another main collaborator is Microsoft’s Azure AI.
Microsoft has a huge presence as an AI partner that ensures the safety and security of mobility. Above all, how can “people with low technical skills/non-programmers” get involved with technology? In that respect, Sony’s announcement was the most exciting.
The audience was surprised when they whipped out the PS5 controller! Can “AFEELA” be operated by a game controller?
The future of risking bumping your car while parking seems to be different now. We are sure I’m not the only one who thought so.
AFEELA is not just a paper screwdriver, but is an actual experiment to evolve to improve safety on the road.
Combining feedback from a large number of installed sensors and radars with machine learning using AI, the system safely implements new vehicle functions created by software definition.
The implementation of Qualcomm’s “Snapdragon Ride” as an autonomous driving system-on-chip also helps provide feedback from advanced image analysis using image sensors.
This safety-related AI is perceived as a “magic” part that is invisible to us ordinary users, but the comfort and freedom to enjoy inside the car is actually in our hands. Since the car itself is an advanced communication device, drivers can also enjoy combining driving data with MR using Unreal Engine 5.
It can be said that this announcement paints a picture of a future in which not only functionality that allows safe driving and operation, but also entertainment experiences that link daily activities with the world of games and content awaits.
Advanced technology will guide us
Looking at the announcements made by various companies at this year’s CES 2024, it can be said that awareness of the inclusiveness of access and benefits to cutting-edge technology is making great progress. I look forward to the announcements from companies that are not just about practicality and efficiency for a limited number of people, but are also aimed at people with low technical skills and the next generation of users.
