The industry is constantly evolving, with new technology and trends emerging every year.
Knowing event technology trends — and adopting the most valuable ones — gives planners and venues the competitive advantage. Studies show that using event technology can increase attendance by 20 percent and increase productivity by 27 percent. .
EVENT TECHNOLOGY TREND
We’ve compiled a list of the latest event technology trends that you should be aware of if you want to stay ahead of the competition.
VIRTUAL REALITY
Virtual reality is a computer-generated simulation of a three-dimensional image or environment that can be interacted with in a seemingly real or physical way by a person using special electronic equipment, such as a headset with a screen inside or gloves fitted with sensors.
Virtual reality first became popular in the 1980s, when there were no affordable headsets and only expensive computers, but it has since grown into an industry worth billions of dollars annually. The term “virtual reality” was first coined by Jaron Lanier in his book Who Owns the Future? and was originally used to refer specifically to augmented reality (AR) applications – which use smartphones or tablets as screens for displaying information about your surroundings. In this sense, virtual reality is an extension of augmented reality; however, VR has grown beyond its original definition since then: today’s headsets provide immersive 3D experiences rather than simply showing images on top of those around us.
Here are five of the biggest VR trends that are affecting the event industry at the moment.
THE VIRTUAL EVENTS:
Much of the hype in VR right now is related to sporting events like the Rio Olympics and Super Bowl LI. Live music is also responding well with artists like Lil Wayne supporting the revolution. Virtual reality allows remote viewers to experience the event not just as if they were there, but closer to the action than ever before.
The virtual event space also provides many opportunities for partnerships and co-branding. A deeper level of immersion can lead to a deeper level of engagement. Subsequently, this leads to many sponsorship and branding opportunities. The ability to stream live VR content directly to viewers’ social networks also makes it easier for that brand to reach a larger audience in real time.
2. IMPROVE THE LIVE EVENT EXPERIENCE:
Virtual reality can also be used to enhance the experience of event attendees, as Intel demonstrated at CES 2017. For Intel CEO Brian Krzanich’s keynote address, the venue was equipped with more than 200 headsets, which brought a virtual world into a real world event experience.
3. LIGHT VIRTUAL REALITY:
Riding happily on the coattails of virtual reality is 360º video. For the viewer, 360º video has a much lower barrier to entry than full VR, requiring only a mobile device to experience the virtual world, albeit through the window of their mobile device.
Another area where we are starting to see a real increase in 360º technology is guided tours. This is a real bonus for event planners researching the venue. While it may not be as good as going there yourself (yet), it can provide a good chance for ranking.
4. MOBILE VR
It’s a mobile-first world these days, so it should come as no surprise at all to discover that for many, the entry point to VR is their mobile phone. The range of VR options for mobile users is huge, from Snapchat’s VR Lite option to Samsung’s Gear VR. For event planners, it’s worth remembering that almost everyone has the ability to access some level of virtual reality through their mobile device.
5. SOCIAL NETWORKS
As a gateway to virtual reality As Twitter’s association with the Oscars demonstrates, social media is proving to be the gateway to live-streamed events. To further illustrate the point, Snapchat also provided a unique view of the Golden Globes through its Spectacles. Instagram live, Twitter spaces e.tc, allow for events to take place.. even at the comfort of one’s home. High-profile examples aside, social media also puts control back in the hands of the user. For this reason, your event attendees could also provide an RV or a gateway to your event through social media. Facilitating this in the right way could prove very beneficial.
AUGMENTED REALITY
Augmented reality is a live, direct or indirect, view of a physical, real-world environment whose elements are augmented (or supplemented) by computer-generated sensory input such as sound, video, graphics or GPS data.
The technology has been used in military training and simulations for decades; however it has seen great popularity among consumers who use smartphones to augment the experience of watching movies or playing games on their mobile devices. For example:
Activision’s Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 uses an AR headset that projects enemies’ names onto walls when they appear nearby; this lets players know where they need to shoot next without having to look away from their display screen while playing the game.
By pointing their phone at objects around them in everyday life—like statues at historical sites—users can see them come alive through AR technology so they feel like they’re actually there with them
Also events organizers make use of Instagram and Snapchat filter’s augmented reality features to promote their events, by creating a filter and inserting cgi elements representing the event in the virtual scene
While AR might seem similar to VR, it can not be mistaken for the latter. While VR creates an immersive virtual environment (fully virtual world) AR augments a real world scene
So basically, events which require interaction with cgi elements in the real world make use of augmented reality which is a breakthrough, because a whole lot could be done with adding computer generated graphics to life!
WEARABLES AND HAPTICS
Wearables and haptics are growing in popularity. Wearables track health and fitness, for example. They can be used by event attendees to keep track of their progress during the event or used by organizers to create a fun environment where attendees feel motivated to stay active throughout the day (or night). In addition, wearables are also useful for sponsors of events who want a way to connect with their target audience outside of traditional advertising channels like banners or billboards.
It could be something simple as a wristband or a smart badge. Organizers use the tech to monitor staffing and quickly make real-time changes to address bottlenecks. It can also help organizers determine when keynote speakers and high-profile guests arrive, gate or allow access to VIP areas, monitor social distancing, and measure how long attendees engage with exhibitors or sessions.
In addition to tracking your own activity levels throughout an event, wearable technology is also perfect for speakers who want something more than just their name on a poster—they’ll be able to show off their best side while enjoying a dinner date at one of these new hotspots.
At events which make use of VR, and sometimes AR, the haptics and wearable tech could be used to engage and create an experience of touch with the computer generated imagery, making the experience a whole lot better!
EVENTS APPS
Event Apps are cloud-based event technology platforms that help event organizers and attendees stay in touch during the event. The app provides real-time communication, as well as a social media experience for attendees to share content with their friends. It also has an integrated payment system so you can pay your attendee fees right from within the app
Event Apps provides an all-inclusive solution for events ranging from small conferences to large scale festivals. there is no doubt that apps will continue to grow in popularity over the next few years because they allow companies not only to communicate with customers through text messages or emails but also provide them with information about products on display at events such as exhibitions or conferences where attendees need quick access before visiting another exhibit hall where they might want something else instead?
We hope this article has given you a better idea of what to expect in the near future. The industry is constantly evolving and we’re excited to see how these trends will affect events in the coming years.
