Tech |
|||||
|
providers of immersive experiences. In 2024 Cosm opened a venue in Dallas, Texas. The main attraction is an 87ft LED dome, used for displaying cinematic experiences, sports games and more.
Cosm says:“ We absolutely see immersive experiences revolutionising how audiences engage. Major brands and institutions are increasingly turning to us.
“ Our venues are powered by CX System, which integrates state-of-theart LED dome displays and immersive software, and fully envelopes attendees in vibrant and lifelike visuals, spatial audio, and interactive elements. CX System transforms events into extraordinary shared reality experiences.”
It’ s not just entertainment venues. Excel London is investing heavily into this tech. Alasdair MacDonald, head of media operations, explains:“ One of our latest investment initiatives is a new‘ hero’ LED screen for our forthcoming 25,000sqm expansion. This 8k resolution screen is 24m long, twice the length of a double-decker bus, and equivalent to the area of a tennis court.”
Here is a breakdown of how some venues have been successful in adopting immersive tech. Outernet( UK) Offers four-storey-high 360-degree LED screens, creating a
|
wraparound digital experience. Its Now Building features some of the highest-resolution LED screens in the world, allowing for dynamic content displays that adapt in real-time. TeamLab Tokyo( Japan) TeamLab Borderless Tokyo creates fully interactive, projection-mapped environments that respond to visitor movement and touch. The LUME Melbourne( Australia) Located at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre( MCEC), The LUME is one of the largest immersive venues designed for art exhibitions. It uses 360-degree projection mapping, motion tracking and spatial audio. Cosm Dallas( USA) Cosm’ s 87ft diameter LED dome creates a highly immersive experience. Visitors sit in an auditorium beneath the dome, watching cinematic displays, or even a live American football game. Frameless London( UK) One of the most advanced immersive art spaces in Europe, Frameless London uses floor-to-ceiling projection mapping to create interactive brand activations and multi-sensory storytelling. |
Why immersive tech can work for exhibitions How could immersive tech boost outcomes for exhibition venues? Through a number of ways: More visitor engagement – Studies |
Left: Event venues are increasingly adopting immersive technology |
show immersive experiences increase engagement by 70 % compared to static displays. Higher brand recall – Attendees retain 3x more information from an interactive experience vs. traditional branding. Attract a younger audience – Exhibitions that can capture the attention of a younger audience of decision-makers will have a much greater appeal to that new generation of show attendees. Stronger ROI for exhibitors – A sensoryrich experience drives higher footfall, dwell time and social media sharing, increasing overall ROI.
New technology often obeys a hype cycle. When VR and AR emerged in 2020, the expectation was huge. Many said they would transform the event experience. Clearly, that hasn’ t happened. Apple’ s‘ mixed-reality’ Vision Pro headset underperformed in sales and investment in virtual reality tech is generally dwindling.
Those that have used the tech at events know why – it’ s clunky. Even worse, it’ s solitary. When you put on the headset, you leave the event and enter a private experience.
We haven’ t yet seen an explosion in hype surrounding immersive tech. Adoption is relatively slow, with high costs proving a substantial barrier. Numerous venues have even had to shut down. Lighthouse Immersive, the company behind the interactive Van Gogh exhibitions, filed for bankruptcy in 2023. Despite initial success, the company struggled with market saturation and“ declining demand for such experiences”.
For the international trade show industry, immersive technology is likely years away from mass adoption. However, venues that invest early will find themselves attracting bigger crowds in high-growth industries like tech and AI.
We think that immersive tech is a key space to watch in the coming years. EW
|