Integrating Technology

David Bianciardi founded AV&C or Audio, Video and Controls in 1999 where he leads a team of designers, developers, and engineers that deliver software-driven installations to enhance storytelling, placemaking, connectivity and responsiveness. And I am really excited to hear more about what all of that means how an AV programmer like myself can start applying these ideas. 

• Conversational engagement resonates more with guests than Power Point slides and how technology can be used to spark those conversations (and still show slides too).

• Experience design should consider the experience of system operators as well as guests.

• Technology is being viewed by architects less as FF&E (furnishings, fixture and equipment) and more as a raw building material.

• David explains the concept of Evergreen Media and how assets like print, podcasts, video and blog posts can be integrated into a storytelling environment in a dynamic way (instead of a static looping playlist). 

• He also talks about mixing assets with data to create dynamic content that reduces production costs.

• Adding metadata to content makes it “programmable”.

• Consider the different budgetary concerns of the stakeholders. An operations manager views content and delivery as a capital expense, while marketing will see it as an operating expense.

• He talks about some software tools AV&C has developed. Conductor is their event manager and Sensor Fusion uses sensor data to understand how people are using a space. Examples include if people are moving into or out of a space, what direction they are facing and skeletal modelling that can indicate the movement of arms and fingers.

• An innovation desire means there is a responsibility to manage risk.

• David explains how AV&C uses gaming engines and virtual reality to create a Digital Twin of a project. This reduces technology risk by creating a virtual environment where the physical space, sensitivity to occupants and generation of media can be previewed. Software can also be tested against the virtual model.

Ryan Howard, Bob Greenberg, RGA, Victoria’s Secret, Cadillac, Cadillac House Hudson Street, Gensler, MongoDB, SQL