ARLINGTON, Va. — The National Association of Chain Drug Stores is again partnering with four technology companies to present Vision 2026 at the 2015 NACDS Total Store Expo, to be held Aug. 22 to 25 in Denver.

Introduced at last year’s Total Store Expo, the Vision showcase gives attendees a glimpse of “what comes next” in the industry via technology platforms, displays and interactive experiences.

At the 2015 Expo, NACDS will again partner with global retail merchandising and technology thought leader Kantar Retail on Vision 2026. Also partnering with NACDS and Kantar Retail is global software technology company IBM Watson, interactive display technology provider Provision Interactive Technologies and automated robotics technology company Grabit.

“As the retail and health care landscapes continue to evolve, we’re at an important juncture in how technology can play an integral role in bringing them together for the benefit of the consumer,” NACDS president and chief executive officer Steve Anderson said in a statement.  “The technologies presented by Kantar Retail, IBM Watson, Proactive Interactive Strategies and Grabit will certainly showcase what the future of retail and healthcare may look like in the next decade at this year’s NACDS Total Store Expo.”

Through a variety of interactive exhibits, Vision 2026 will focus on four primary areas, designed to provide a provocative and engaging view of the future of retail-centric health:.

• The Changing Diagnostic Landscape: The role of the retail store in primary care, rehabilitation, diagnosis and treatment.  Kantar will present a dynamic perspective on what the industry landscape may look like in 10 years, with an eye on an “outcome-centered” health care payment system. IBM Watson will also demonstrate its capabilities in visualizing the “primary care store” of the future.

• The Changing Healthy Living Landscape: The role of the retail store as a health care adviser to shoppers looking to stay healthy or get healthier. Companies will show the impact that wearables and other portable communication devices will have on the future of health management and how consumers will interact with these devices.

• The Changing Store Environment: Prototypes of a vision of the store of the future will feature personalized display and content vehicles, as well as the analytics to validate their efficacy as brand-building platforms.  Provision Interactive Technologies will showcase its 2D and 3D capabilities with interactive Savings Center Kiosks demonstrating how consumers can access product information and savings promotions, rewards and coupons.

• The Changing Economic/Logistics Engine: How the operating and logistics model of the future will allow the personalized retail environment to function as efficiently as possible. Kantar Retail will present its 3D virtual prototype renderings of store environments to demonstrate what the future of the virtual retail environment may look like in 10 years. Grabit will demonstrate its new electro-adhesion technology, which is poised to revolutionize manufacturing and warehouse automation.

Vision 2026 will be located at the entrance to the Total Store Expo exhibit floor at the Colorado Convention Center. The showcase will be open to all attendees during exhibit hall hours.