During a talk by Chris Milk, C.E.O. of virtual reality company Vrse, a Google Cardboard viewer and headphones sat on every chair in the theater. Attendees were invited to download his latest virtual reality film and watch it together as he spoke.
Each year organizers create a variety of lounges where attendees can watch a simulcast of speakers. New this year was a ball pit filled with beanbag chairs and beach balls.
Sponsor Delta Air Lines created an immersive installation to introduce its new collaborative research center dubbed the Hangar. Inside the space, 6,000 LED lights simulated a star-filled sky. Attendees could climb throughout the dream-like environment and then submit innovative ideas for Delta to explore.
TED invites baristas from around the world to set up coffee stations at the conference. In a workshop hosted by the Specialty Coffee Association of America, attendees also learned about “coffee cupping,” the practice of observing the taste and aroma of brewed coffee.
Sponsor Bluescape demonstrated its visual collaborative software by erecting several multi-touch video walls around the conference. On the walls, attendees could read about conference activities and speaker content and bios, watch live streams of presentations, and contribute comments. Attendees could also access Bluescape using a Web browser.
Vancouver architect and past TED speaker Michael Green worked with local design students to create two 16- by 30-foot “warming huts” where attendees could gather outside the convention center. Following the conference, the huts will be permanently installed in one of British Columbia’s outdoor recreation sites so they can be used by climbers, skiers, and outdoor enthusiasts.
Steelcase, a TED partner for more than 20 years, provided a variety of seating options throughout the convention center. The company’s personal cubicles provided a semiprivate area where attendees could watch the simulcast and do work.
To encourage attendees to mingle, organizers provided blankets and picnic baskets filled with food for six and invited them to find others to share it.
Sponsor Target provided illustrators who created unique pieces of art based on guests’ descriptions of their hopes and dreams.
Heart-shaped cookies were an appropriate dessert at a reception for the 21 TED Fellows on Valentine’s Day, the day before the conference opened.
Sponsor Lands’ End created a lounge where attendees could learn about its Sport Collection. The company also provided large totes that served as the conference gift bag.
The Apollo Theater's Spring Gala, designed and produced by Van Wyck & Van Wyck, was held June 13 in New York. The after-party took place in a tent behind the theater and featured a 6-foot LED video sphere with images of Prince, who was inducted into the walk of fame at the gala. Designed by KM Productions, the sphere's storyboard displayed images that were a mix of scenes from Purple Rain and gala invite stills by artist Donald Robertson.
Photoboxx is a social media printing station for parties and events. When guests post their photos to Twitter or Instagram using a designated hashtag, the Photoboxx printer automatically prints a hard copy. Hosts can customize the background color of the prints and also add graphics or logos. They can also choose whether to display or hide information such as username, profile image, and comments. After the event, Photoboxx provides a report on hashtag usage, impressions, and reach.
Add a splash of bright colors to event photos with the Neon Video Booth from Foto Master. Guests stand in front of a dark backdrop and use an LED spray can or pen to create virtual doodles. A camera in front of the guests uses an algorithm to detect and track the LED light. The resulting image of guests and their artwork can be saved as a video or turned into photos, GIFs, or flip books, all with brand logos and messages. Hosts can choose the color and size of the neon pen.
Also at Amazon Village, to promote the new series Thunderbirds Are Go, fans could interact with custom-built, life-size characters in a spaceship designed by New Zealand-based Weta Workshop. The spaceship model was seen flying over a miniature build of downtown San Diego. There was also a green-screen photo opportunity with a twist: The camera was rigged to the ceiling and the green screen was on the floor. Participants could grab the arm of a life-size character, and the finished photo showed them being pulled to safety after almost falling off a building.
Fans of USA Network's award-winning Mr. Robot series got to experience a virtual-reality prequel written and directed by the show's creator, Sam Esmail. The 12-minute fully scripted piece, created with Chris Milk’s virtual-reality production company Here Be Dragons in partnership with Universal Cable Productions, provided viewers with one of the first extended narrative pieces of television content in the VR medium. Mr. Robot stars Rami Malek, Christian Slater, Portia Doubleday, Carly Chaikin, and Grace Gummer checked out the experience at Petco Park on July 21.
Samsung showcased its Galaxy Studio from August 6 through the duration of the Games in Olympic Park. The experience gave fans a chance to demo the brand's latest products and test out interactive experiences including a 4-D kayaking virtual reality experience.
Sponsor Coca-Cola hosted its Parada Coca-Cola experience for teens in a former warehouse in the downtown Praça Mauá neighborhood. Interactive experiences for guests included a 360-degree photo booth in which fans could pose with the Olympic torch.
LA Premier's Kevin Lee created the floral look for this year's more rustic vibe. Centerpieces alternated between low birch-wrapped looks and towering, colorful designs rising more than three feet tall off tabletops in trumpet-style vases. Designer8 supplied the event's lounge furniture, and Bill Ferrell Company and Sosa Sisters the scenic fabrication.
