FEBRUARY | TECH
What’s hot?
Going viral
‘Poo found on every
McDonald’s touch screen
tested,’ said the Metro
newspaper last year.
The way in which
technology can become a
breeding ground for infections
and viruses is not just
limited to fast food joints.
The events industry is also
a sector where the sharing
of screens, headphones and
virtual reality headsets
gives rise to the potential
for spreading infections and
viruses. Organisers don’t want
to be exposed to negative
comments on social media,
bad press and insurance
claims. So this month’s
column is really a cautionary
tale based on scientific
evidence of how infections and
viruses can potentially spread
at an event.
We already know about
screen hygiene based on the
McDonald’s example, so let’s
put that to one side. Let’s
move on the VR Headsets. We
know that multiple people use
headsets at various events.
But have you ever seen them
getting cleaned between use?
The positive experience of
being in ‘the VR zone’ may
turn to become a negative one
down the line, once a user is
diagnosed with a problem. You
can catch Ocular Herpes from
direct contact with an infected
person or there is also the
possibility that the VR headset
can facilitate a cross-infection.
However, research has shown
34
Words: James Morgan, founder,
Event Tech Lab
that Pink Eye is more likely
to survive on a VR headset
than Ocular Herpes. But, good
hygiene is the answer. VR
hygiene products are available
on the Internet and anyone
offering VR experience at an
event, needs to make sure
that either masks or regular
cleaning should become part
of the experience ritual.
Similarly, headphones can
also harbour viruses. Because
moisture and heat is generated
by the wearing of headphones
as well as VR headsets, this
creates a climate for cross-
infection.
There is guidance relating
to shared headsets in
the call centre industry.
That’s because there is a
high risk of middle ear and
fungal infections as well as
swimmers ear through the
sharing of a pool of headsets.
Guidance recommends that
individuals should all be
issued with their own foam
ear pads. And, the pads need
regular replacing as the
foam is a breeding ground
for infections. So when you
decide to organise a silent
disco or a VR experience take
precautions.
Make sure that there is a
hygiene plan in place.
Qik Objects
Meditainment
The intelligent lost and
found department.
Qik Objects lets
object finders connect
with the owners and
facilitate the return of
the items. The platform
is accessible through
a responsive web app
and via their Qikobot.
The service is access
free. Qik collects a
small transaction fee
whenever there is a
match in the database
and an item is returned.
qikobjects.com
A simple to use
website that offers
guided meditation
with stories, music and
sounds of nature. The
guided meditations
and visualisations are
created to be engaging
and inclusive so that
meditation and its
amazing benefits can
easily be enjoyed by
groups of people.
meditainment.com
QUIDROP
The innovation uses robotic arms to provide an
automatic cloakroom service. No staff required.
You can choose specific materials to cover of the
unit façade and registration terminals, so that the
machines are adapted to the décor of the event
space. The solutions can be fully branded with
sponsor logos.
ouidrop.eu