As shared by WeBlogEvents
Inspired by a tech article on BBC (http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/magazine/3307471.stm ), it got me thinking about our event tech future.
Forget badges.
Forget iBeacons.
Forget anything you thought was a great way of tracking your visitors around the event.
Why?
Because you can now offer your delegates implants (in the form of a microchip) so you can see where they go and what they do at your event.
Microchips have been around for a long time already and you’d be surprised by how many people already use them. To give you an idea; I know that my cat feels safe when she comes flying through her catflap and the neighbour’s cat gets stuck at the door…
Theoretically, a GPS enabled chip could make it possible for individuals to be identified by location, direction of movement, speed etc. If you implant your delegates, imagine the data you could gather on how they move around your show floor. And imagine, one day, everyone will have a smart device implanted into their arms so you can send direct messages to that individual based on where they are “Mr Brown, your 2.30 session on Cat Flaps is about to begin in seminar theatre 3 and it will take you 5 minutes to walk through aisle 12 to get there.” Imagine…
What if you installed giant cat flaps? You could offer your delegates access based on their reg type in their microchip, so they don’t need to be physically scanned – no queues! One day…maybe, but then we’re British and we like to queue.
If you’ve watched any SciFi film, ever, you’ll have seen some form of tracking device in use. From 12 Monkey’s and barcoded necks to In Time (with Justin Timberlake…yes, he was in a film) or even Pandorum where each person was scanned to have access to specific areas or computers. It’s all there; we just need to catch up to Hollywood.
Or do we?
Ok, so the idea of providing implants to your delegates is a long way off and they may be reluctant to move to an Orwellian society just yet, but amongst the key technology providers out there you should have a contact list full of suitable tech partners that can provide you software to get you close to Hollywood at least.
For example, you can already tailor messages to people based on where they’ve been at a show. Or, by the simple scan of a badge you can could trigger an automatic emails or sms telling someone their session starts at 12.30. Or provide access to special access only areas. Or, you can look to your exhibitors and measure in real-time what’s going on at your event, measuring interactions or hotspot areas… it goes on!
Lots of options and ideas to look at, and it would appear we as an industry aren’t too far behind those Hollywood dreams.
But for now, with my cat and her chip, I know she is home safe and can tuck into her dinner undisturbed.