Virtual Sterility? GE uses Xbox tech to showcase products

Among the demonstrations of fed-batch bioreactors, perfusion micro-carriers and pre-packed chromatography columns at Bioprocess International Europe in Dusseldorf, Germany, a TV screen hooked up to an Xbox Kinect platform was enough to distract this reporter and take him back to his wasted adolescence.

But rather than shooting zombies or swinging racquets the technology in fact showcased the latest upstream and downstream offerings from bioprocessing vendor GE Healthcare, which told Biopharma-Reporter.com that not only was this software bringing increased traffic to its stand but was saving the firm thousands in logistics costs.

There is an ever-expanding conference calendar, GE’s Event Specialist Janine de la Fuente said, and so it makes sense to use this system for those with relatively small exhibition halls located in hotels rather than pay large amounts to ship and set-up expensive and sometimes fragile equipment.

She guided us through the software which allows users to virtually touch and ‘test’ the firm’s bioprocessing equipment with just a swipe or a cybernetic push of the hand.

But for the larger shows - including Interphex next week - GE will continue to rely on the physical presence of its systems to attract clients, de la Fuente added.