Vestberg delivers Networked Society message to Consumer Electronics Show (CES) 2012

It was a busy Consumer Electronics Show (CES) keynote presentation debut for Ericsson President and CEO, Hans Vestberg, as he enlightened his audience about the company’s role in making an all-connected future in the Networked Society a reality – demonstrating some truly futuristic technology in the process.

Vestberg crammed a lot into his 60 minute January 11 presentation in Las Vegas, including a history of Ericsson’s innovative influence in the development of communications, predictions about the uptake of mobile broadband and the subsequent benefits such global connectivity will bring to people, business and society in the Networked Society. He showed an example, on the huge auditorium screen, of the difference new voice technology can make to the gaming industry through Ericsson’s In-Game Communication solution.

Vestberg also addressed the relevance of the ICT industry and connectivity to the consumer electronics industry.

His presentation included the announcement of new partnerships in shipping and education (with Maersk Line and Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)) as evidence of how business in the Networked Society means new opportunities.

He was joined on stage by Michael White, the President of Maersk Line in North America, and Carlo Ratti, of MIT’s Senseable Cities Lab, for the respective announcements.

Vestberg was also joined on stage by Christopher Mikkelsen, cofounder of Refugees United, to show how the global reach of connectivity can change the lives of refugees. About 65,000 people now subscribe to the secure search-engine service – a partnership between Ericsson, Refugees United, the United Nations High Commission for Refugees, and operator MTN – aimed at reconnecting families and friends separated by tragedy.

Vestberg concluded the fast-paced presentation by demonstrating new "capacitive coupling" technology in which his body was used as the conduit to transfer a photograph from a device onto a laptop, and in turn on to the auditorium big screen.

His audience was impressed. You can see it for yourself, alongside all of the above, in our film of Vestberg’s CES 2012 keynote presentation.