Let's Get Techie

February 14, 2013

1. Robots That Socialize

Machines are getting smarter. They may not be like the androids seen in I, Robot—yet—but researchers are building devices that not only mimic human behavior, but also react to their environment. With advances in such technology at places like the Georgia Institute of Technology, can the idea of socially intelligent machines acting as event ambassadors be that far off? There have already been attempts to introduce robots at experiential gatherings, including at Bacardi's 2011 Like it Live promotion in New York.

Photo: Jika González/BizBash

2. Furniture That Tweets

Machines don't have to be mobile to be intelligent, as is the case with the TweetingSeat, a product U.K.-based designer Chris McNicholl created. The interactive park bench is activated when someone takes a seat, uploading images from two cameras to a live Twitter feed. Imagine interactive furniture that automatically snaps shots of guests and creates content for social media platforms.

Photo: Courtesy of Chris McNicholl

3. Photo Booths That Make 3-D Models

The idea of 3-D printing has come a long way, and now there are devices that can produce three-dimensional objects like clothing, jewelry, and headphones. A couple of companies are taking the concept to the consumer space with photo booths that can print miniature figurines of its subjects, like Japanese creative agency Party's Omote 3D pop-up, or replicas of people's heads, like the one MakerBot debuted at its New York store.

Photo: Courtesy of Omote

4. Indoor Clouds That Predict the Weather

Bringing clouds indoors sounds like something out of Harry Potter, but Micasa Lab, a division of a Swedish furniture manufacturer, has developed a product that combines liquid hydrogen with hot water to create a circulating cloud of steam around a lamp. What's really unique about the Nebula 12 is that it can use meteorological data to change its form and color, serving as a three-dimensional weather forecast.

Photo: Courtesy of Micasa Lab

5. Floating Touch Screen Displays

Touch screens have made computers with keyboards and mice look clunky. And now there's a company making touch screen monitors seem out-of-date. Displair is a device that uses "touchable" air, that is, a thin stream of air infused with microscopic water particles, to display images. What's more, users can interact with the air, navigating the screen with their fingers. It's essentially a touch screen without the screen, which, if used at events, potentially could eliminate the need for bulky computer stations.

Photo: Courtesy of Displair

6. Interactive Projections Mapped in Real Time

Projection mapping—also known as 3-D mapping—has become a wildly popular tool for event marketers, and a Microsoft Research project extends the use of that technology even further. Designed as a form of immersive entertainment, a prototype dubbed IllumiRoom captures the forms and layout of a room via a Kinect for Windows camera and, with a projector, expands the visuals beyond the screen in real time. The system can even make it look like a room is moving.

Photo: Courtesy of Microsoft Research

7. Paint That Reacts to Temperature Changes

Dutch designer Daan Roosegaarde and construction company Heijmans Infrastructure have come up with a way to make roads better for drivers. The Smart Highway concept not only includes roads treated with photo luminizing powder (which absorbs energy from sunlight to glow in the dark) and lanes that can charge battery-powered cars, but also dynamic paint that becomes visible when temperature fluctuates. In the prototype, snowflakes appear when it's cold and the roads are slippery, signaling the changing conditions to drivers. The paint could have interesting event applications, whether it's to highlight an entrance or exit, or change the look of decor.

Rendering: Courtesy of Daan Roosegaarde and Heijmans

8. Robots That Make Sculptures From Sand

Imagine temporary structures made from sand or soil. That's what Petr Novikov, Inder Shergill, and Anna Kulik from the Institute for Advanced Architecture of Catalonia did when they developed Stone Spray. The project involves a robotic 3-D printer that binds soil or sand to construct solid, if temporary, architectural shapes. It's eco-friendly, too, as the robot can be powered by solar energy.

Photo: Courtesy of Stone Spray

Brightbox

Charging stations are hot commodities at conferences and trade shows, but they can also be a distraction as users stand by waiting for their phones to charge. Brightbox eliminates that issue. The charging station is secure, so users can leave their phones—for a few minutes or a few hours—to go about their business. Each unit has six compartments that are unlocked with the swipe of a credit card. At events where the units are provided by the host or sponsored by a vendor, charging is provided for free to the attendees, so the credit card simply acts as a key. Brightbox launched in early 2012 and has been used at the Democratic National Convention and the New York Times Travel Show. To recognize sponsors, the company can add custom wraps on the unit or add logos or other information to the user interface screen.

Photo: Courtesy of Brightbox

PSAV's Interactive Video Wall

CNN used this type of interactive video wall during its election coverage and now it's available for events. PSAV offers two standard sizes, each using 46-inch square screens configured in either a two-by-two or three-by-three format. The company can also create custom screens of any size. The wall operates like a large iPad with about two dozen apps to create maps, presentations, and games. The product can be used as a presentation screen in educational sessions or in common areas as interactive digital signage, for example to provide venue maps and sponsor information. At a trade show, the wall can display exhibitor logos and information when users click on a specific booth. Within a booth, users can input their email addresses to receive additional information, creating an instant lead retrieval system.

Photo: Mitra Sorrells/BizBash

NiceMeeting

Audience members at conferences and meetings are likely to have their smartphones and tablets out during presentations, so why not use those devices for engagement? The browser-based service NiceMeeting allows users to view presentation slides on their devices in sync with the presenter. Attendees can flip back and forth through slides at their own pace, submit questions to the speaker, and chat with other guests. Presenters can use it to conduct polling and share files in real time. A new feature allows users to add notes to the slides and then save the files to their device or to a cloud-based service, creating a fully paperless solution for presentations. Planners can upload their registration lists so NiceMeeting access is only available to registered attendees, or they can choose to leave access open.

Photo: Courtesy of NiceMeeting

Logitech's Broadcaster Camera

Planners looking to do small-scale live-streaming can use Logitech's Broadcaster camera and app as an affordable, do-it-yourself solution. The camera uses a Wi-Fi connection to stream high-definition video via a Ustream account. Users control and preview the video on an iPad or iPhone using the related Broadcaster app. The video stream can be shared with others by posting to a Web site, Facebook, YouTube, or other social networks. The camera itself is small—less than five inches long and two inches wide—and portable since it’s not connected to a computer, so it could easily be moved around a room to provide a variety of angles. The carrying case doubles as a small stand, or the unit can be mounted on a tripod. The camera retails for $200 and the app is free.

Photo: Courtesy of Logitech

Eventstagram

The Web app Eventstagram creates a real-time slideshow of photos taken at an event and shared on Instagram. The product launched last fall, and both the Los Angeles Auto Show and the Houston Auto Show have used it to share photos from their events on large screens. Planners create a free account on the Eventstagram Web site, indicating the event dates, its hashtags and location, and the desired speed and animation of the photos. At the event the Evenstagram feed can be displayed on monitors or large screens. It’s free to display as many as 100 photos for a total of one hour (the time can be allocated in increments). For $50, planners can display 1,000 photos for six hours and also have moderation capability. Eventstagram will soon offer an option that accommodates more photos and time, a higher degree of moderation, and an online editor so users can fully customize the display with logos and sponsor slides.

Photo: Courtesy of Eventstagram

Facebook Developer Conference

Photo: Obsura Digital

The Toyota Prius activation in Chicago's Grant Park for Lollapalooza this year offered a model car that doubled as a charging station. Inside the vehicle as many as five festival-goers could recharge their gadgets.

Photo: Barry Brecheisen for BizBash

In an effort to promote its news site Patch.com, Ad Week sponsor AOL installed lockers inside New York's TimesCenter in October last year. The station—dubbed the "charging post"—allowed executives to drop off their gadgets for recharging and claim them later.

Photo: Brian Virgo/AOL

At the 2012 International Builders' Show in Orlando, phone charging stations positioned throughout the concourse of the Orange County Convention Center also showed videos from the expo's sponsors.

Photo: Mitra Sorrells/BizBash

During Coachella this year, Lacoste hosted two days of pool parties at a private estate in Thermal near the festival's Indio, California grounds. Sponsored by HTC, the festivities included a place where guests could charge electronic devices while participating in activities like giant Twister and speedboat racing.

Photo: John Sciulli/WireImage

At the May iteration of Internet Week in New York, Brightbox stations positioned around the venue allowed conference attendees to quickly and conveniently recharge their cellphones between sessions.

Photo: Nadia Chaudhury/BizBash

Outside the "Goodnight Gansevoort" lounge—a late-night space hosted by the Gansevoort Hotel Group—attendees of the 2011 Toronto International Film Festival could recharge their electronics in the Best Buy charging zone.

Photo: David Lee/Getty Images

As part of its event for the 2011 International C.T.I.A. Wireless show in Orlando, Sprint created a movie-theater-style lounge in which 30-foot-tall columns functioned as phone charging stations and as projection screens for Sprint products.

Photo: Orlando Convention Photographers

In November 2011, Patrón hosted an event in Orlando to promote its XO Café Noir to musicians and industry executives in town for the Orlando Calling music festival. Inside the party, the spirits company offered GoCharge phone charging stations from Hercules Networks, where guests could leave their phones with a staff member to charge.

Photo: Angel Tagudin

This May, WWD hosted its C.E.O. Beauty Summit in Miami, bringing 280 executives in the beauty industry to town for a three-day discussion. During networking breaks and between sessions, attendees could charge their devices in the dedicated "refresh and recharge" lounge.

Photo: Sonja Garnitschnig

For the Healthcare Information and Management Systems Conference in 2011, MedQuist's booth offered spots for charging iPods and cell phones. While attendees waited, the company's staff took the opportunity to talk to them about its products.

Photo: Mitra Sorrells/BizBash

Last year the Dumbo Arts Festival was able to expand its roster of activities to include tech-based elements through sponsor AT&T. Among the offerings was a phone charging area inside festival's lounge in Brooklyn.

Photo: Caleb Ferguson for BizBash

At the Surf Expo Show in Orlando in January, LRG had a docking station with eight different phone chargers compatible with iPhone, Android, and BlackBerry devices. The freestanding kiosk also displayed videos of the clothing and accessories company's wares.

Photo: Mitra Sorrells/BizBash

Looking to reinforce the importance of digital media to its brand, Bravo's New York upfront event in April had a space called "Digital World" that included TV screens, latops, iPhones, and iPads. For guests, there was a phone charging station as well as a spot that printed images posted on Instagram.

Photo: Courtesy of MB Productions

Toyota’s exhibit area at the Chicago Auto Show included Apple desktop computers that functioned as charging stations and displayed Toyota commercials to keep visitors entertained.

Photo: Jenny Berg/BizBash

Duracell's "Power Lodge" pop-up in 2008 invited the public to help power the New Year's sign in Times Square with bicycles. The promotion also included an area where visitors could charge cell phones, iPods, and other personal electronics, as well as play with toys powered by the battery brand.

Photo: Stuart Ramson

Illustration: Carolyn Curtis/BizBash

1. USA Network

USA Network's public-service campaign "Characters Unite" is aimed at putting an end to hate and discrimination. Earlier this month, the network launched a national bus tour called "I Won't Stand For." Stopping in cities such as Nashville, Atlanta, and Cleveland, the activation lets visitors personalize the "I Won't Stand For" tag line by adding in a word or phrase that resonates with them; choices include "sexism," "religious intolerance," and "homophobia." Guests can have their pictures taken with their custom statement and then share the images on Instagram using the hashtag #IWontStandFor. The photos also become part of the network's online photo gallery.

Photo: Courtesy of USA Network

2. Evian

Evian is a longtime sponsor of the South Beach Wine & Food Festival, which takes place this year on Saturday and Sunday. Leading up to the festival, the brand has partnered with Live Young to launch a social media campaign with chef Richard Blais, using Instagram for its #evianeats photo activation. The chef has already started sharing daily culinary photos via @evianwater to promote the hashtag; once the festival kicks off, he'll post daily pictures via #evianeats.

Photo: Courtesy of Evian

3. HBO

In January, HBO hosted a New Years-themed party to celebrate the second season of its hit show Girls. Held at the Skirball Center of Performing Arts in New York, the cheeky function invited guests to pen resolutions on placards with the Twitter hashtag for the show #Resolutionsgirlsbreak. (The show's creator, Lena Dunham, wrote: "I resolve to wake up within two hours of my alarm.") Guests snapped photos holding their placards, and the fun shots were posted to HBO's Instagram page.

Photo: Courtesy of HBO

4. Grey Goose

Earlier this month, Grey Goose hosted a launch party for its new Cherry Noir flavor at Thompson Hotel in Toronto. At the event, guests could use Instaprint, a location-based photo booth for Instagram designed with a specific hashtag, to print out keepsake photos. Some 365 images were printed out on site, but using the hashtag #cherrynoir, guests created more than 131,000 social media impressions that night.

Photo: George Pimentel

5. 'New York' Magazine

To promote its new fashion blog the Cut during New York Fashion Week in September, New York magazine tapped Grand Central Marketing to dispatch a fleet of branded vehicles that served as shuttles for V.I.P. attendees. To engage the online community, the brand hosted the Cut Shuttle Fashion Forward Sweepstakes. Participants were encouraged to upload photos of the shuttles to Instagram using the hashtag #thecutshuttle; anyone who did was automatically entered to win prizes including tickets to fashion shows.

Photo: Courtesy of Grand Central Marketing

6. Toyota

Last year, Toyota launched the #ToyotaGiving campaign. The initiative, which company reps describe as a "campaign that harnesses the power of the public via Instagram at events across the country," raises funds for community and nonprofit organizations. The campaign stopped at Lollapalooza in Chicago in August, and invited guests to write a statement on a blackboard that described their individual commitments to bettering themselves and their communities. Guests then posted photos of those statements to Instagram and Twitter using the #ToyotaGiving hashtag. For every tagged tweet or Instagram post, Toyota donated $2 to a nonprofit partner. In total, the campaign generated 4,000 Twitter and Instagram impressions, and proceeds went to 11 different organizations.

Photo: Courtesy of Toyota

7. Tiffany

In November, Tiffany & Company hosted an in-store party in New York to celebrate the launch of its Tumblr page. At the event, live feeds from the brand's Instagram and Twitter feeds were projected onto the walls via Postano. Launched in 2011, Postano is a social media visualization tool that's designed to help brands leverage social and digital marketing content to build branded communities. Through Postano, brands can aggregate multiple social media feeds and then style the content to match the brand's presentation standards. The platform then lays the result out in a completely customizable format and automatically syndicates it across Web sites, Facebook tabs and apps, and more. It is also one of the only tools that aggregates social content for brands across all of their owned channels, including Instagram, Tumblr, Pinterest, and more. A live Postano feed allows clients to easily pull in content whether by selected accounts or hashtags, monitor the content, and then have it instantaneously displayed.

Photo: Courtesy of Tiffany

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