virtual reality is providing numerous opportunities to increase interaction and engagement for meeting and event attendees. One of Copenhagen’s leading venues, CPH Conference, just partnered with a local tech start-up to offer virtual reality to their clients. Among the first to experience it were 80 meeting planners, who attended the highly profiled event The Meetings Space in Copenhagen earlier this year.
CPH Conference – which has extensive experience with state-of-the-art technical event solutions - has just added a new product to its tech portfolio: virtual reality. Ken Brix Andersen, Customer Development Executive, CPH Conference, says: “We’re always looking to exceed expectations and offer that little extra to our event attendees, which lead us to team up with the local tech start-up company Khora that specialises in virtual reality. This technology is a strong tool for events adding dimensions to the traditional audio visual possibilities and can be used to create added value in a packed event program. With virtual reality you can transport people to any place you want, go inside a blood vein, test drive a new car, do a drone flying or just add a specific atmosphere."
According to meetings technology expert Corbin Ball, owner of Corbin Ball Associates, both virtual reality, VR, and augmented reality, AR, are starting to make headway at events. He says: “We are just scratching the surface in this area. The major hardware is yet to roll out and we will see significant advances in the next couple of years. It seems inevitable that we will see VR and AR tools proliferate at events and exhibitions. Although this will take a few years to fully develop, the billions of dollars spent by technology firms such a Google, Facebook, Samsung, Microsoft and others are beginning to show at events and tradeshows.”
CPH Conference launched their virtual reality solution when co-hosting the prestigious The Meetings Space attracting 80 highly profiled planners to Copenhagen this February. One of CPH Conference’s advantages is the location in the city’s old Meatpacking district, which can add local flavor to any given event. But at The Meetings Space there was no time to explore the area, so Khora produced a 360 VR video installed locally inside a video player on Samsung Gear VR headsets. The production took the planner through a selection of local experiences - from chefs preparing tempting dishes to walls covered with post-its, rooftops and cocktails. Khora can assist with all kinds of VR and AR-solutions: Video, real time, animation, interactive web 360.