Nigel's Insight from Infocomm | The Largest Pro AV Trade Show in North America.

In June, I was fortunate to attend InfoComm with our Head Production, Brooke Perry. Infocomm is one of the largest AudioVisual Trade Shows in the world.

It had total registrants just shy of 37,000 (36,967) with people from 125 countries. 

There were 833 exhibitors across two of the halls at the Las Vegas Convention centre, with sessions and demo rooms separate to the halls leaving a lot to cover in three short days. 

One of the key trends was of course AI and its use for events.

It's an incredibly powerful tool but also comes with risks in relation to data privacy and security so it must be used with caution. I attended a session Chat GPT for AV Professionals on its utilisation.  I also visited an AI photo booth by snapmatic, which provided me with a new corporate headshot and super hero look.

There was a huge range of LED products on display.

The technology is constantly improving, and the possibilities of how it can be used are evolving to elevate the impact of events. Transparent LED was a key standout at the show. 

I took the time to check in on some of the product providers to see what is in their pipeline and how that may assist us in delivering your events and enhancing our offering.

I was fortunate to be taken to the Panasonic Technology room (sadly, no photos allowed), where I was given a tour of what was to come. I got a preview of the all-new Barco 4K E3 switcher and how it can streamline workflows and increase efficiency in event setup and output.  

Whilst in Vegas, Brooke and I took the opportunity to check out The Sphere.

Fun fact, it cost a cool $2.3 billion to build and advertising on the outside costs $500,000 a day.  

The experience started in the foyer with AI robots answering questions from audience members. The long and short of it is that AI is a tool to be used to enhance and assist us to improve workflows and streamline operations.  

We then experienced 'Postcards from Earth', which incorporated the full 4D experience, including seat rumbling, scents and air flow to create wind integrated with the visuals we were seeing. It truly is a fully immersive experience that apparently has caused much motion sickness among attendees!

We topped off the trip seeing The Beatles 'LOVE' by Cirque du Soleil at The Mirage.

It was a show I saw 18 years ago and was blown away by. Returning, having worked in the industry since then, makes me really appreciate the precision an event like that takes to execute. Strict timings and thorough rehearsals are clearly imperative for the high execution details in all of the movements.

What's even more impressive is that they do two shows an evening and reset the show in around 60 minutes!