Adding technology to your conferences, seminars, meetings, exhibitions and other major events is a proven way to increase attendance, increase productivity and decrease costs. So we've rounded up a handful of cutting edge event technologies that are set to make an impact in 2019 and beyond. Remember to keep these next generation event tech ideas in mind when booking function venues and planning your next event.
1. Touch Screen Kiosks
Digital touch screens are a versatile technology to consider including in events from beginning end. Goodbye boring sign-in sheets; use these screens to welcome, automatically recognise, gather data from and register guests upon arrival. During your event, screens can be used for tasks as simple as effective signage and way-finding or for more complex display of content and information. They can even replace rambling speeches by allowing visitors choose which information and aspects of your presentation they want to learn about. Upon exit, screens can capture feedback, sign-ups for future events, photos, videos or gifs or even instant purchases. Touch screen kiosks can be as simple or immersive as your event demands. Think about adding audio, video, interactivity and/or earphones to your kiosks so guests can go on a personalised, choose-your-own-adventure style journey within the wider event experience. Did you know that "touch free" kiosks now exist? These screens recognise pointing and gestures without any physical contact - a smart touch, particularly for health, medical and wellness related events.
2. Smart Badges
Whether you offer them to your guests in lanyard, wristband or another wearable form, smart badges can add so much more to your event that a simple mode of ticketing or ID. They can help event organisers track how their guests move through an event space, identifying which elements captured attention the most or when traffic hold-ups are occurring in real time. Waiting in line for entry and one-by-one scanning is a thing of the past; some badges simply automatically register entry at the door. They can even ID VIPs when they visit certain areas and alert staff to their presence. Enhancing visitors' individual experience, badges can also match them with tailored suggestions as to what to catch on the schedule, as well as connect them to other attendees that may be valuable for networking or who share interests - of course visitors can instantly exchange contact info too.
3. Social Media Walls
In these times of instant gratification, social media is an element that is essential at nearly every kind of event. Social media walls are an eye-catching and enjoyable way of displaying media relevant to your event, encouraging your visitors to participate and of amplifying your event or its messaging to a wider audience. These days social media displays can vary from small booths to large-scale digital screens that emblazon the walls of your event venue. Social media walls have the capability to stream content live, or have that content moderated or more artfully curated. Media can be sourced from one or multiple hashtags, "@" tags or the event location itself. Think about incorporating photos, short videos, gifs or even multimedia content that visitors generate on the spot, to your display.
4. Chat Bots + Facial Recognition
No longer the realm of sci-fi, chat bots will use ever-more accurate facial recognition technology to customise responses based on that person’s data. And it's not only pre-selected interests or behaviours from previous events that the bot will be able to "see". There's potential to sense emotions based on expressions of an individual or the whole crowd. When monitored in real time, this could mean event planners can change the event's lighting, soundtrack, staffing - even scent or programming - to match or help shift visitors' moods for a more satisfying and memorable outcome.
Chat to our event management team <insert link to contact/event page?> about your event technology wish-list; they can help you to scout the right spaces and source experienced suppliers to make your vision happen.