Within ‘The Core’, a dedicated immersive, multisensory space at the centre of the stand, Canon is demonstrating how print has the power to engage through emotion and to drive business transformation through collaboration. A central feature in The Core is an adaptation of the recent ‘World Unseen’ campaign created for those with sight loss at Somerset House in London in April, in partnership with the Royal National Institute of Blind People (RNIB). Shown in a way that can only be experienced in this format for the eleven days of drupa, it showcases how imagery can be experienced through touch, to tell stories, communicate and to evoke emotion. The technologies behind the elevated prints – the Arizona 2300 FLXflow and PRISMAelevate XL – are also on Canon’s stand, along with further examples of elevated printing, including textured interior décor and retail applications created for a Norwegian florist, Fiori, and for the German furniture retail chain, POCO.

From 5^th to 7^th April 2024, in partnership with the RNIB, Canon Europe invited blind, partially sighted and sighted people to its World Unseen exhibition. Held at Somerset House, the exhibition invited visitors to experience imagery by world-renowned photographers in an immersive and accessible way. Each image was accompanied by audio descriptions and experiential soundscapes, as well as elevated prints of the photography and braille descriptions, produced on the Arizona 2300 FLXflow using PRISMAelevate XL software. Thanks to the elevated print, visitors could feel the different elements of the scene, through shapes, highlighted areas and textures, allowing them to experience photography through touch and enabling them to visualise the images. For sighted visitors, the exhibition also simulated a range of visual impairments, giving them an understanding of how others experience the world.

As well as the World Unseen prints, visitors to the Canon stand at drupa can also see examples of elevated printing used in other environments. These include features, incorporating stained glass and wall murals, that were created for Firori, a Norwegian florist, as well as an in-store experience of textured interior décor developed for and in partnership with the German furniture retailer, POCO.

Under The Power to Move, Canon is also highlighting its focus on innovation, digital transformation and collaboration through its latest technology and software that enables business transformation. Visitors can witness the productivity and efficiency of the Arizona 2300 FLXflow first-hand. With its versatile substrate range, from regular display and signage materials to difficult-to-handle materials, such as wood, glass and metal, the Arizona flatbed printers are able to produce high-quality, creative prints that meet the automation and efficiency needs of modern production. Paired with PRISMAelevate XL software, which enables the production of textures up to 4mm high, the elevated prints are ideal for creating stand-out effects in a number of environments, such as interior décor for commercial and domestic settings, as well as for developing high value retail applications.

Mathew Faulkner, EMEA Marketing & Innovation Director, Wide Format Printing Group, Canon Europe says, “We take immense pride in our comprehensive printing portfolio and strive to create unique and practical applications that open up countless opportunities for PSPs. The World Unseen exhibition is just one example of the possibilities achievable with Canon technology. We look forward to welcoming visitors at drupa, not only to The Core, to allow them to experience these powerful images for themselves, but to also capitalise on the opportunities for business growth showcased in the different dedicated zones across the stand.”

After drupa, imagery created for the World Unseen exhibition will be reproduced at different locations across EMEA to make the experience available to a wider audience and to encourage local print service providers to discover the opportunities elevated printing offers.

To find out more about the possibilities within elevated printing, visit: https://apo-opa.co/3RbW13J

To find out more about the Arizona flatbed printer series, visit:  https://apo-opa.co/3Rfgm8n 

To find out more about the PRISMAelevate software, visit: https://apo-opa.co/4e2OrCv