This is a guest post by Ben Bradbury, Head of Content at Glisser, who uses his affinity for the written word to bring his take on the event tech industry to life. If you’re interested in Glisser, you can contact Ben via LinkedIn or the team on Twitter.

Technology that is now second nature in the events industry, was once deemed impossible.

10 years ago, the mobile industry was dominated by the brick phones of Nokia, and the connected experiences that event professionals provide today were a distant fantasy. The internet that once took two minutes or more to dial-up, now takes less than two seconds.

Today, the bricks and dial-up are gone, but the technology scene continues to hurtle forward faster than ever before. The implications for event tech and our industry are huge. Just what could the new possibilities of tech mean for event organisers?

Join me in this post as we gaze into our crystal ball, theorising how events will be influenced by this exciting new age of technological enlightenment. Starting with innovations that are a mere handful of years away, we’ll be moving forward to a handful of decades, and what radical changes they might bring.

We’ll even be speculating on what seemingly unthinkable stage our industry might have reached a century later in 2116, so prepare to look at the events industry like you never have before.

Without further ado, let’s get started!

THE SUPERNET

Until you step back, it’s hard to see quite how much we’ve already achieved. Many of the technological innovations of ‘the future’, are in fact on our doorstep.

Both a strong internet connection and WiFi are increasingly an accepted standard for venues hosting events. Connectivity remains the bane of event tech, as it’s often relied upon to deliver a quality service. Surprisingly, the solution of a global internet to end any last minute bandwidth catastrophes is not a far off realisation. X (Formerly Google X) has announced Project Loon, attempting to provide the whole world with internet access via a floating army of air balloons, enabling a global ‘supernet’.

That’s not all, as a supernet will undoubtedly see a massive increase in speed, opening up new possibilities for EventProfs. Immersive experiences filmed with 360° cameras could be streamed absolutely anywhere, to absolutely anyone. Conferences will let their attendees download and upload terabytes of data in seconds.

By unleashing the full potential of the internet upon the events industry, a global supernet would be one of the most versatile weapons in the EventProfs armoury.

REALLY BIG DATA

A major benefit of the supernet will be its ability to handle vast amounts of big data, a resource that has phenomenal potential. Many businesses have already begun making use of the technology on offer. For example, U.S retailer Target accurately used data to predict when a customer will expect a baby.

Grocery chain Tescos has gone one better, integrating data with its warehouse employees. They wear armbands that track the goods they’re gathering, distributes tasks, and even forecasts their jobs’ completion time. Imagine if big data from events was combined with the supernet.

Big data has the potential to paint incredibly detailed pictures of event attendees, gearing EventProfs towards the Holy Grail of deep customer insight, and even predictive analytics. The event experience of the future will have presenters building customer profiles from the initial sign-up email. By the time they reach your stand at the event, you’ll know how many events they’ve been to that week, which ones were their favourites and which events they’ll likely favour in the future. The sheer amount of metrics stored will let you know your customers better than ever before.

Related: Here’s the event tech organisers will be investing in this year

AUGMENTED REALITY

The world has been taken by storm recently by Pokemon Go. The app-based phenomenon has enjoyed near-inconceivable success, looking set to surpass Twitter in daily active users. More importantly, its release provided a springboard for Augmented Reality to launch its first real commercial foray into the lives of millions. ARs commercial success isn’t going anywhere, and it’ll have big implications for EventProfs.

We will undoubtedly see the evolution of AR wearables like Google Glass, allowing event organisers to thematically design their venues. Imagine putting on your AR glasses to see the venue transform into a tropical paradise, or the top floor of the Empire State Building. Not only that, but virtual assistants will be tailored to your individual needs, having customised programmes to guide you through the event experience, tailored exclusively for you.

Related: The expert briefing on augmented reality at events

VIRTUAL REALITY

It’s time to look further afield. Or more specifically, further forward in time.

AR’s big brother Virtual Reality is gaining traction across the planet. Whilst more expensive to implement, VR can conjure up new worlds for their users, engrossing them at a level unachievable with AR. VR’s ability to create immersive experiences will allow for new opportunities in remotely accessing events, whereby attendees simply tune in via their headset and bag themselves front row seats.

Conversely, where remote VR isn’t appropriate, advancements in transport could begin the customer’s event experience whilst travelling to the venue. Autonomous cars will pick up attendees and deliver previews of the content, exhibitions, and the speakers all from the comfort of their passenger seat.

Related: How UNICEF is using VR at events to transport people into humanitarian crises

DRONES AND TRANSPORTATION

Not only that, but event logistics will become infinitely easier to manage with the surging rise of drones. They will move goods faster than cars ever could, transporting event props and displays with inhuman efficiency. Not only that, but attendees will be flown out in style as giant drones effortlessly ferry them to the venue. And we’re not even far away from seeing that happen.

On a larger scale, the speed offered by the next generation of transport would bring new meaning to the jet set lifestyle, as inter-continental business people travel on high speed jets to events, and back, in a day. When it comes to crossing the seas, China already has plans for an ambitious 13,000km rail line under the Pacific Ocean to connect with America. You can be sure this hi-speed underwater highway won’t be the last of its kind.

The coming decades will see global transport becoming quicker and slicker, enabling a vast growth in the range of clientele that will be attending events.

TELEPATHIC COMMUNICATION

Having explored just some of the amazing innovations which are almost certain to happen in the next 50 years, let’s venture even further ahead into the unknown and explore some more ambitious predictions.

The future may seem ages away, but we’re already making advancements that could have far-reaching applications. Two scientists have achieved ‘conscious brain-to-brain communication’, or telepathy in layman’s terms. They communicated nearly 5000 miles apart using just their brains (you can read the full report here, it’s quite technical. You have been warned).

If their research gains traction, in 100 years the events of 2116 could see an evolution in the presenter’s role. As a facilitator with telepathic communication, the events now widely available remote access eliminates the need for a secondary interface.

Moreover, to have a thought communicated, it must be turned into pure data. Could this technique be used by EventProfs to understand their audience at an even more granular level? A new era of customer feedback and opinion? I’m speculating here, but you’ll already know that if you’ve made it this far.

ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE

Siri, Cortana and many other digital assistants have given us a taste of how we can work with AI, but we’ve only scratched the surface. Scientists predict we’ll be using machine augmentation to amplify our brain power, could this enable super-charged think tanks at events? Exhibition stands manned by robots, without a beating heart in sight?

UNDERWATER CITY

And why not take your events underground – or more specifically – underwater! Japan has already proposed plans for an underwater city, complete with businesses and hotels. Clients are always hungry for something new, and you could give them something truly ground-breaking.

IN CONCLUSION

Speculation aside, we’re going through a very exciting time in the events industry, which can never be decoupled from the amazing advances happening in the world around us.

Although presenters are still praised more on their eccentricity over telepathy, we may one day see a technological landscape that has very different values, and will undoubtedly shatter the current limitations facing EventProfs.

The future is far from certain, and I would welcome any ideas you might have on what the events experience of the future will look like. Technology aside, we are the people that will be shaping the future of the industry, and it would be great to hear your thoughts in the comments or on Twitter.