Meetings Blog Jan 28, 2020
When you’re looking for a place where some of the world’s greatest innovators meet up, share ideas and launch new concepts and products, CES is for you. Ever since the first conference back in 1967, there have been thousands of contributions, some of which came to transform our day-to-day lives. From the VCR in 1970 to the Blue-Ray DVD in 2003; the Compact Disc player in 1991 to the 3D high definition TV in 2009; and the more recent explosion of wearable tech, driverless cars, 3D printing, streaming content, virtual reality, artificial intelligence, flexible tablets…the list goes on.
The 2020 edition of CES took place in Las Vegas early January and showcased over 4,000 exhibiting companies, held more than 250 sessions, and welcomed around 170,000 people from all corners of the globe through its doors. We thought we’d dive in and share some of the innovations that caught our eye, as we contemplate how they could be used as inspiration – directly or indirectly – for planners within the MICE industry.
Ever felt like the process of taking a flight on holiday or for business is exasperating? Delays are commonplace, security and baggage queues tiresome, and then there’s the often-cumbersome routine to get on board the plane. Delta Airlines have been looking to address some of these traditional complaints and as part of their customer improvements are aiming to bring in what they call Parallel Reality boards, something they showcased at CES 2020.
These information displays provide travelers with personalized messages to help them on their way, and can handle numerous people simultaneously, each one getting unique details pertinent to them. Not only will these be in the person’s own language, but they will cover everything from gate directions, unexpected boarding delays, baggage pick-up confirmation, and almost anything else you could want to know. And this, the airline says, is just the beginning.
Imagine how this technology could be used at your event, with every one of your guests being provided with information specifically related to them, but all by looking at the same screen. The attendees, for example, can be pointed in the direction of their pre-selected interests or hub offerings rather than having to navigate maps that cater for all. Sharing a single presentation to an international audience where everyone can read text in their own language would aid clarity and bring a sense of inclusion to all. And for information that is common, personalized messages give you the wonderful opportunity to treat each guest like a VIP.
‘Perfect for security applications in relation to person identification and applications in smart homes, smart offices, smart retailers, and smart cities.’ That’s what Cyberlink are telling us about their FaceMe facial recognition engine, which, they assert, has an accuracy rate of over 98%. This AI solution is at the cutting edge of biometrics and at CES 2020 those in attendance were able to experience the applications first hand. Powered by what is known as ‘deep learning’ and using neural network algorithms the engine provides data in just a few milliseconds. That includes attributes such as age and gender as well as more changeable aspects such as emotional state.
Just think how that could be taken advantage of at your event. As attendees’ faces are captured by video cameras, a picture of who they are and how they feel can be created instantly. And with that information you would be able to deliver not only the most personal of messages to them, but also communicate it in the most appropriate way based on their mood at that point in time. Of course there are a number of question marks over how products like FaceMe are used, with surveillance and privacy laws a delicate topic, but the advances in its field that it demonstrates could prove to be a valuable addition to any event planner’s toolkit.
From the ‘mock lamb’ tofu being served up at the end of the first millennium in China, through the numerous and varied meat alternatives for the next thousand years, it looks like we’ve finally achieved the impossible. Well, ‘Impossible Pork’, at least. CES 2020 saw the Silicon Valley startup that had already brought us fake meat burgers return to test the palates with their new creation. It looks like pork – both pre and post cooking – and according to those at the event that tried it, tastes very much like the real thing, with a startlingly similar texture.
At future events this is certainly a route to go down if you want to offer your attendees a non-meat alternative dressed up as the thing itself. Over the years we have become more and more familiar with the need to take into account a variety of dietary restrictions but there is also an environmental angle to be considered, as we aim to reduce animal food intake. Many vegetarians and vegans may well just prefer an imaginative choice without the need for a meat disguise, but for others, it could be a novel hit and handy to bring an extra dimension to your tempting breaks. Menus focused on sustainability are definitely part of a trend that is not going away anytime soon.
We’re all now very accustomed to chatbots and virtual assistants, and the idea of making a request to our newly-formed friends that go by names the likes of Siri or Alexa. We have also come to accept their limitations. Skipping to the next song on our playlist, giving us directions to a local restaurant, and dialing up a work colleague are all functional demands that can be handled easily via our voice instructions, but there is little human connection between the underlying technology and us.
Well, that ‘human’ goal may have just moved a step closer to our everyday lives as CES 2020 was introduced to Samsung’s Neon, a giant leap away from those simple commands. The artificial intelligence not only acts on our requests, it also interacts with us on an emotional level, picking up on how we are feeling and what our expressions mean. These came in the form of digital creations that appeared on large screens at the exhibition and, after just four months of the project’s beginning – where facial movements were only copied – the ‘Neons’ were now showing what appeared to be an ability to learn and act independently. Memory capture, however, was not part of the current demos so human interactions would be fleeting. That, though, is all about to change as the venture advances over the coming months.
Now consider how this technology could be brought to life, virtually, at a future event you are planning. By using the value of AI’s efficient functionality with a much more human feel to it, so much more could be achieved. Whether for presentations of a new product, an explanation of the unusual food on display, or to conduct a training or team building exercise with your attendees, these ‘artificial humans’ may be an integral part of you event team very soon. More than business partners, though, the company sees Neons becoming friends to those that use them. They even have feelings and will respond better to those who treat them well.
As we have come to expect, CES 2020 opened our eyes to the continued progress of technological development, and how new creative concepts and ingenuity can influence the meeting and events industry of the future. Some of the ideas are ready to be implemented now, while we’ll have to wait a little longer before we can get our hands on others. The key as planners is to stay up to date and contemplate how best to use what is made available.
