Event Technology – Welcome Additions
By Sonya Callan
In every industry we are constantly seeing change, companies responding to the fluctuating requirements of their customers and in this way organisations grow and evolve over time. Technology advances mean change is happening at a fast pace and can be difficult to keep up with. The event industry is no different and with all of the technology advances we also continue to evolve, finding new ways to create that wow factor that makes your event stand out and remain in the memories of attendees.
We’ve taken a look at some of the most popular technology innovations available now for our industry.
Projection Mapping
Similar to video mapping, projection mapping uses technology to project objects onto different sized and shaped surfaces, turning normal everyday objects into interactive 3D displays. The difference between projection mapping and flat screen mapping is projection mapping is designed to wrap around buildings and mould into their shape. Projection mapping is a great tool for event professionals turning ordinary indoor and outdoor spaces into whatever your imagination desires.
There are many examples of projection mapping online but some of my favourites for indoor spaces are included in the link by Bravo Media.
LED screens
The use of LED screens at events has become very popular and they are brilliant for allowing event organisers to change the ambience and surroundings for their event at a moment’s notice. The bigger the screen, the more immersed your attendees will be. There are options for standard LED screens but if you want to take it a step further for your event, curved and waved LED screens will definitely make your event stand out.
Virtual Reality
A few years ago if anyone mentioned VR, your first thought would be online gaming right? With the release of Oculus Rift and HTC Vive gaming became more interactive, immersive and expanded the experience to include all of the five senses.
The concept of VR is that the user becomes immersed in a digital environment, at its most basic with bifocal-lens screens within a headset. Moving up a gear you can add controllers and hand-motion capture nodes set up around the room and on the headset and the user can then interact with objects in the digital space.
So what are the benefits for the events industry? VR allows you to completely command your audience’s attention. There is a much higher level of engagement with VR than with standard video and spoken presentations, guests are experiencing the presentation with more of their senses. VR experiences such as climbing a mountain or riding a rollercoaster can break the ice at the start of your event or they can provide the main detail of your event if you are promoting a new vehicle or providing training for staff.
Evolution can be scary, stepping into the unknown, but high end technology is becoming more and more accessible to all and the technology above is guaranteed to give your event attendees those extra sensory experiences and that’s what stays in the memory.