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READER RANTS

Augmented reality opens up

exciting ways of interacting
There are more
reasons for the
event industry
to get involved
in augmented
reality than is
commonly
realised.
Mobile augmented reality is
currently the most beneficial.
It is here, now, but people are
unaware of its potential. It's for
the client to figure out how to
use it, but examples of how it
has been used are out there.
It is useful for almost any time
you want a part of the event to

provide more information

and content.
Aurasma is a great example.
It's an app that makes everyday
items, for example business
cards, appear to have enhanced
features such as moving
graphics when viewed through
the app's camera screen.
Meanwhile, social networks
are becoming the fastest
channels to interact with
companies. If you send British
Airways a Facebook wall
message, in many cases it will
respond faster online than if
you called directly.

I've also seen exciting

developments in the way users
interact with events. An iPad
mounted on a Segway-style
vehicle can now be operated by
a user from the comfort of their
home, which opens new
possibilities in the way we
interact with events. It could be
particularly useful for disabled
delegates and it saves on travel,
so cuts carbon emissions. It's
about getting people thinking
about the options that are
available for them.
Adi Beti-Nesher, ttianaging
director, Event Skills

In reality, there are too many gimmicks

Over the past ten or so years
we've been told that video
conferencing was threatening
face-to-face meetings, that
virtual exhibitions were
sounding the death knell of
traditional exhibitions, that
RFID was revolutionising
events - the list is endless.
I even saw somebody recently
who suggested that people
attending conferences should
wear video cameras on their

chests so that they could have a

record of conversations and of
the people they met.
In reality, I think augmented
reality might be of interest as a
gimmick to people with big
budgets, but why would
anybody want, for example, to
be the remote pilot of an i Pad
mounted on a Segway as Adi
Ben-Nesher recently discussed?
My crystal ball tells me that
before long, technology experts

will be promoting the next big

thing: getting a group of people
together in a room to discuss
issues of common interest.
They'll be able to interact on a
one-to-one basis and even form
professional relationships. It'll
be hailed as ground-breaking.
Organisers are bombarded
with too much nonsense about
new technology already. They
don't need this stuff as well.
Ken Clayton, director, Reftech

PICKOFTHEBLOGS

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Last night I dreamt my
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more hobbies.
@johnYSchen
Great forum @chewtonglen
well done @CITmagazine,
looi<ingforward to tomorrow.
@EMGJayne

Congratulations to
@YasminArrigo on the
Big Drop & welcome to
Jennah, a great birthday
present for Dad! X
@RandleLondon
You l<nowthe economy's bad
when God's making people
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@DavidBattley

To read the full blogs go to citmagazine.com/blogs

TheHonournhlv Tech-head

CSR Tip of the tVeek

Conference o j

Rundle Slonier
In today's world,
almost no event can
be successful without
the aid ofwi-fiand
other technology.

Eloise Sochan ik
One of the overwhelming
comments from the
Sustainable Events Summit
was the need for an
industry with one voice.

C<S/7's wry event

trotter discovers that
agencies' attempts at
marketing themselves
creatively can quickly
becoming cringe-worthy.

CITMAGAZtNE.COM

MARCH 2013 C&IT 17

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